Search

Search only in certain items:

Rambee Boo's Lake Vacation! (The Rambee Boo's Series: Book 4)
Rambee Boo's Lake Vacation! (The Rambee Boo's Series: Book 4)
Reena Korde Pagnoni | 2021 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
They're a sweet little dog that wants to go on adventures. Boy and his brother and family go on a Lake Vacation. What an enjoyable and fun story. There is rhyming along the way. But there is a little fun game in the book as you read or the child read the book. What happens to Rumbee Boo Sock? Will your child find the socks or remember where Rumbee Boo drops his favorite rag?

I do not know if the author put this in; I noticed the question at the back of this book. Can your child or children name the places that Rumbee Boo drops his sock? You can play some activities or games with your child with this book, like the Memory game with Rambee Boo sock.

The activities that Rock and Rumbee Boo do at the lake. They seem to have so much fun that Rumbee Boo drops this sock along the way. The aforementioned is funny and what his mom does so that Rumbee Boo and Rock do not realize what he is doing. I believe that this book will teach children rhyming and some other reading skills. At the end of the book, the memory game that came to mind seems fun to help children with memory after reading.

I would love to continue the series at some point as there are three other books before this one. I would love to see what Rambee Boo and his family get up to in the first three books. This book is the fourth one in the series. However, you do not need to read them in order. Parents will find some fun with memory games they use at the end of reading this book. You can also find out what other fun outdoor activities you and your child or children can do during the summer or outdoors.
  
Creed II (2018)
Creed II (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, Sport
Dripping with nostalgia
Creed finally becomes WBC champion. Now a new challenge is forthcoming. The son of the man who killed his father has become a boxer as well and wants to take on Creed. His father's loss to Rocky sent his father down a downward spiral losing face with the State and having his mother leave him so he is out for revenge.

Creed has to again wrestle with his own emotions about the death of his famous father and also still wanting to get out of his shadow and strike his own course.

After the initial brawl ends in controversy, Creed is beaten physically and emotionally. He becomes engaged and also finds out he is going to have a child which changes his perspective on life and helps him try and flush out what is important to him.

His pal Rocky is torn as to stay with Creed as this brings out old memories for him as well and also the desire to maybe reconnect with his estranged son. He doesn't want Creed to fight for the wrong reasons.

Michael B Jordan really comes into his own in this film and displays not only intense physical prowess, but emotional range and muscles as well.

The film hits all the usual notes you have seen countless times in the Rocky/Creed franchise. If you have been a lifelong fan or coming to the film just during the Creed portion, the nostalgia of seeing Dolph Lundgren (who couldn't act his way out of a paper bag) and Rocky in the ring together again this time alongside their proteges in the ring is exciting and worth the reteam.

The boxing scenes are very well done; however, so are the slower emotional scenes which is really what the film is about. The relationships and bonds we all need and search for our entire lives.

Well worth it.

  
Diablo (The Gifted Ones #2)
Diablo (The Gifted Ones #2)
J.M. Wolf | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Far darker a read, but brilliant!
FREE, March 2019

We met the legend of Diablo in book one, Frostbite, but you don’t need to have read THAT book for this one to make sense. It would benefit you to, though. You need to know about this pack and how it works and how they look after their own.

Years ago, Antonio, a jaguar shifter and mage, made an angry decision, and it cost him. Now unable to channel his anger into anything other than fire, he is the legend Diablo, a far more dangerous one than Frostbite would ever be. But a single glance all those years ago also cost him. It cost him the price of his soul, because a gaze into the eyes of a child made Diablo see, SEE what he has become and how he does NOT want to be. That child was Trace, a wolf shifter, and Diablo had just slaughtered his whole village. Trace and his brother Casey managed to escape. But now, their past has come back, not as the devil, but as an angel who keeps saving Trace, who Trace now knows as his mate. Can the pack accept Antonio, even if Trace will have him? Can Antonio keep his anger at bay, or will he be consumed by his own flames?

I love a bad boy turned good, I really do, and Antonio is the epitome of the bad boy turned good! I loved this one!

A far DARKER read than Frostbite, this one. Here’s why. While Frostbite KNEW what he was doing when he killed, he did it in self-defence. Diablo, however, does NOT know why he did what he did. He blacks out, coming to only when his fire has died out, and his anger gone. He doesn’t remember killing all those people, and the poor cat carries a LOT of souls on his shoulders that he has no recollection of.

But he’s trying, he really is. Not only for Trace, but for him own soul. He does not want to be like this anymore, he wants to be free of the all consuming rage, and fire that has been his life for four hundred years. Forces are working against him though, and it takes a visit from a psychic, Remy, to dig deep into Antonio’s mind, and for TRACE to visit deep into Antonio’s mind, for Antonio to finally be free.

There is a lot of other stuff happening here too. Cyrus has his baby. A friend from Cyrus’ past causes . . problems . . (for want of a better word!) for Tobias and Bruno, the pack Beta. Those two have their work cut out for them with Tim, they really do. Their 3 way book is next. We also get just what Tobias is, and what that means for the pack, for Tim and his child and any future children there might be with Tobias. Typing this up, I’m also questioning who might be paired with Remy now he’s decided to stay with the pack. Todd also gets a book. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Maybe I’m putting two and two together and getting five, but who cares!

Will there be an earth and air type mage/shifter? I dunno, don’t really mind who or what comes next, but I WILL be reading them!

5 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Smith's Corner: Storm & Stone (The Heartwood Series #5)
Smith's Corner: Storm & Stone (The Heartwood Series #5)
Jayne Paton | 2022 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
SMITH'S CORNER: STORM AND STONE is the fifth book in the Heartwood series. Stone has always been the odd one out amongst his brothers; the one they turn to when they need a favour, but not to give him the relationship he wants. He feels firmly stuck on the periphery when he wants to be involved. Storm knows all about that as she was a foster child until Dee and Layla found her. Whereas Stone will hold it all inside, Storm will lay it out there.

These two don't have it easy, simply because Stone is so afraid of being hurt again. He pushes Storm away until he snaps. It takes him some time to realise she is different from his ex, Vicki, but then, just like the proverbial bad smell, Vicki rolls back into town, with Stone set firmly in her sights.

One thing I adored about this is no matter Vicki's machinations, Storm is not prepared to jump to conclusions. She knows Stone, knows how he feels about Vicki, and how hurt he was. She does not jump to conclusions Vicki wants her to and certainly gives as good as she gets.

We also get further snippets of Hunter and Holden, as well as playing catch up with the rest of the clan. Now, you could read this as a standalone, but to get the most from it, I would definitely recommend you read it as part of the series.

A great addition to the series and recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 14, 2022
  
Stronger Than Hope (Chesapeake Days #1)
Stronger Than Hope (Chesapeake Days #1)
Katherine McIntyre | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
so much with the warm and fuzzies!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I have to say, I think that Ms McIntyre's MM books are coming on in leaps and bounds! They've all been good but they get better and better!

I try really hard NOT to read other people's reviews before I read a book: I got burned once and will never do it again. I will, however, read them before I write mine. Mostly to see if what they thought and if I thought the same. The general consensus for this book is this:

It's a really sweet book, with most wanting to punch Linc in the face a time or two. And I have to say, I feel exactly the same!

Linc is self-sabotaging his life. He loved his wife, he really did, but dealing with a 6-year-old, his job and his grief is pulling him under. He's a bad bet in anyone's book, he thinks. Nate, on the other hand, thinks he's no good cos he won't settle. But he WANTS to settle, just not for the sake of it, you know? They really are polar opposites, but so well suited!

Linc grew on me, though, and I really did wanna wrap him up in cotton wool a time or two! He needed a hug!

The book deals with grief, Linc lost his wife in child birth. It is handled sensitively, making the point that there is no time line for your grief, it's up to you when you want to move on. Living in a small town is difficult at the best of times, but in this matter? making Linc want to run away. And it's that fact the most that he should have conveyed to Nate, once they decided they were a thing. That he wanted to run, but NOT from Nate.

It's an emotional read, a steamy read and a well-handled difficult read. It's full of the warm and fuzzies and is too stinking cute and I loved it!

Linc's friends, Nico and Jer, need a story, please, Ms McIntyre! I'll grovel if need be!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Psychopath with Piers Morgan (Crime Documentary)
Psychopath with Piers Morgan (Crime Documentary)
2019 | Crime, Documentary
8
8.0 (4 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Direct and in depth interview technique (3 more)
Able to see family interaction in video footage
Mothers point of view is shared
Expert point of view is shared
Over dramatisation (1 more)
Piers questions repeatedly ask Paris to describe feelings that he may not have.
Contains spoilers, click to show
Paris Bennett is a diagnosed psychopath incarcerated in the Ferguson Unit within Texas State prison for stabbing his 4 year old sister to death.


Piers, revealing that Paris has a 'genius' level intellect.. an IQ score of 141 'wants to find out how their (psychopaths) minds work'.
When Piers opens the interview, in which he is separated from Paris by 'toughened glass', Paris begins with 'Since this is going to be done for ITV would you like me to speak in Queens English'. The comment, clearly planned, is blurted out almost in excitement and followed with a self-satisfied smile. Immediately, arrogance comes accross reflecting his narcissism.

This interview is mesmerising in that, despite his attempts to control his responses, you see the presentation of psychopathy quite clearly in the detachment and monotone used by Paris in describing horrific acts.

The documentary provides context by showing videotaped interactions between Paris, his sister and his mother which while appearing normal and happy, contained the odd disturbing comment from Paris that may have revealed his mindset. For example, to his mother:' what is your favourite sentence?,' I don't know ',' kill Charity's children? '.

Piers carries it out in a professional manner, calmly yet assertively seeking information. However the focus of his questions, on asking Paris to describe emotions, while helping to reveal the nature of psychopathy, do seem unfair.

One of the most disturbing aspects of this documentary is the fact that Charity, who has another child, has not only remained in contact with Paris but that she encourages his contact with his sibling rather than putting as much distance between him and Paris as possible.

Because Paris was a juvenile when convicted he will be up for parole in a few years in spite of his diagnosis.
  
The Strength Of His Heart (Enhanced #4)
The Strength Of His Heart (Enhanced #4)
Victoria Sue | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
my fav of the four!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO version of this book.
This is book 4 in the Enhanced series, and it’s not necessary to have read/listened to the other three books, but it might help give you a better picture of what it means to be Enhanced, and what this team means to Vance.
All Vance wanted to do, as a child, was follow in his father’s footsteps and join the police force. Waking up with the mark on his face put pays to that, but he was one of the lucky ones. His family did not treat him any differently, and they love Vance, period. Sam’s upbringing is very different, never knowing his father, and his mother dying when was he was a small child. Joining the DEA as an undercover agent helped him get over that, but now he wants out. Meeting Vance and the members of HERO is a dream come true, and Vance himself is a wet dream come true for Sam. But Sam won’t be drawn into anything with the much bigger man, he suffered before and will not again. But when Sam is kidnapped and Vance’s undercover gig is blown, they have to trust each other’s heart will be strong enough to get them out of this.
Vance is a sweetheart! Oh, I loved him here, once we get into his head. He really just wants to look after people, even though his gift was size and strength, he doesn’t want to use it. And Sam? Sam pushes all of Vance’s buttons and then some, he really does. Vance is smitten, right from when we met Sam in book three, and being partnered with Sam here? Vance is in heaven. At least till Sam and Vance have an encounter that ends all kinds of wrong for all kinds of reasons and neither man will talk to the other.
Sam’s past comes back to kidnap him here, and when it’s discovered WHO? I did NOT see that one coming, let me tell ya! But what they are doing with Enhanced adults and indeed some children, is awful, and it’s difficult reading, it really is.
This is far less explicit than the other three books, but I think it didn’t need to be. There is enough of Vance and Sam’s emotions to keep you going!
We meet Vance’s brother here. And while I had him pegged as the partner of a certain nurse, it turns out I am wrong and one of the team is strangely affected by Daniel. Their story, I *think* is next and I cannot wait to read it! Or listen, rather, cos I don’t like to flip between listening and reading in a series!
Nick J. Russo again narrates.
I am loving the combination of Ms Sue and Mr Russo, I really am!
Russo’s voices are clear and consistent across all four books, and his reading voice is deep and even. I have no trouble keeping up with multiple person conversations.
It’s the EMOTIONS I find, that Russo gets across. You can’t always pick that up when you read a book, no matter how well it’s written (and these books are VERY well written!) but hearing someone’s voice, telling you about their rotten childhood and what they had to do to survive, it gets you, right in the heart. I had to stop what I was doing many times, just to LISTEN, you know?? I had to concentrate on what was being said, cos it got to me so much.
I hope that Russo will continue to narrate the books that Victoria Sue continues to write! Cos you know, everyone needs to be happy, and they ain’t right now!
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**