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Debbiereadsbook (1454 KP) rated Steam: A Homecoming Hearts Novel #4 in Books
Apr 19, 2018
a great, one sitting read
I was gifted my copy of this book, that I write a review was not required.
This is book 4 in the series, but you do not need to have read the others for this one to make sense. They can be all read as stand alones. I have only read one and tow to date.
I LOVED books one and two, but for me, this one did not quite hit the spot that they did.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great read, and I read it in one sitting. My first instinct when starting to write this is 4 stars, and I cannot seem to budge off that! And *insert wailing* I don't know WHY!!
Trent is sent home, to get his act together after punching a photographer. Ashby ran half way across the world to find himself some space after a break up. The two immediately have a connection but Trent is straight, right??
Like I said, it's a great read, some sexy spots, some emotional spots and some cute St Bernard puppy spots. It just....ARGH!!!
I loved Trent, and what he was trying to do with his dad. He understood that Dad was maybe not in the best of places, and Trent hadn't helped that by not coming home sooner. I loved Ashby, and all his little quirks! Loved the Harry Potter response to everyone!
I HATE it when I can't figure out what doesn't work for me, you know I do, but it's really bothering me her more so that usual! I love Ms Welch's work, she writes great stories with believable characters in real life situations. Her characters are quirky and unique, she spins a good, well written, well delivered tale.
Before I go off on a tangent, I'll just say this. You should read these books. They are really excellent,just this one didn't quite hit that spot that Scorch and Spark did.
BUT!!!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in the series, but you do not need to have read the others for this one to make sense. They can be all read as stand alones. I have only read one and tow to date.
I LOVED books one and two, but for me, this one did not quite hit the spot that they did.
Don't get me wrong, it's a great read, and I read it in one sitting. My first instinct when starting to write this is 4 stars, and I cannot seem to budge off that! And *insert wailing* I don't know WHY!!
Trent is sent home, to get his act together after punching a photographer. Ashby ran half way across the world to find himself some space after a break up. The two immediately have a connection but Trent is straight, right??
Like I said, it's a great read, some sexy spots, some emotional spots and some cute St Bernard puppy spots. It just....ARGH!!!
I loved Trent, and what he was trying to do with his dad. He understood that Dad was maybe not in the best of places, and Trent hadn't helped that by not coming home sooner. I loved Ashby, and all his little quirks! Loved the Harry Potter response to everyone!
I HATE it when I can't figure out what doesn't work for me, you know I do, but it's really bothering me her more so that usual! I love Ms Welch's work, she writes great stories with believable characters in real life situations. Her characters are quirky and unique, she spins a good, well written, well delivered tale.
Before I go off on a tangent, I'll just say this. You should read these books. They are really excellent,just this one didn't quite hit that spot that Scorch and Spark did.
BUT!!!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Debbiereadsbook (1454 KP) rated Grand Opening (Kiss of Leather #4) in Books
Apr 24, 2018
still a great read, just fell short of Master Josh and David.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the Kiss of Leather series, and you really SHOULD read the other books first, you won't get the full enjoyment out of this one if you don't.
This is all about Master Josh and his sub, David. Although they are already in a committed relationship, things between are tense, with Master Josh so busy at the club, and David left at home. Usually, David enjoys the Total Power Exchange part of their relationship, but how can he care for his Master, when said Master is never home?
This one, for me, fell a little short. While it IS Master Josh and David's story, it felt like there was very little of Master Josh and David! When David calls "moratorium" and calls a halt to their relationship, Master Josh is placed in a situation he never was meant to be: at the feet of another Dom. Gavin, to be exact. And we get so little of what Master Josh goes through, during those two weeks! I so desperately wanted it all: every single thing Master Gavin does to make Josh (cos let's face it, at this point, he doesn't deserve his Master title!) see, to really SEE what he has been putting David through, and we only get the very last bit.
The Grand Opening does eventually go off without a hitch, Master Josh and David's problems notwithstanding, but there is an unwelcome visitor, and Corey's kidnapping comes right back into the action.
I do enjoy the continuing story arc, and the fact that ALL the players from previous books continue to take part in subsequent books.
Just that this one fell a little flat.
so, 4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in the Kiss of Leather series, and you really SHOULD read the other books first, you won't get the full enjoyment out of this one if you don't.
This is all about Master Josh and his sub, David. Although they are already in a committed relationship, things between are tense, with Master Josh so busy at the club, and David left at home. Usually, David enjoys the Total Power Exchange part of their relationship, but how can he care for his Master, when said Master is never home?
This one, for me, fell a little short. While it IS Master Josh and David's story, it felt like there was very little of Master Josh and David! When David calls "moratorium" and calls a halt to their relationship, Master Josh is placed in a situation he never was meant to be: at the feet of another Dom. Gavin, to be exact. And we get so little of what Master Josh goes through, during those two weeks! I so desperately wanted it all: every single thing Master Gavin does to make Josh (cos let's face it, at this point, he doesn't deserve his Master title!) see, to really SEE what he has been putting David through, and we only get the very last bit.
The Grand Opening does eventually go off without a hitch, Master Josh and David's problems notwithstanding, but there is an unwelcome visitor, and Corey's kidnapping comes right back into the action.
I do enjoy the continuing story arc, and the fact that ALL the players from previous books continue to take part in subsequent books.
Just that this one fell a little flat.
so, 4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated To Rome with Love (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Before I even begin, I have something to admit, I am not very knowledgeable about Woody Allen. Sure, I have seen the occasional film and have overheard gossip but I am not a Woody Allen buff. To remedy this, I considered running out and renting every one of his films in an attempted cinematic cram session. But I decided not to. There are some people who go to the movies just to enjoy themselves and that is as good of a reason to see a film as any other.
Offering amplified versions of reality, “To Rome with Love” simultaneously feels close to home and utterly foreign. And this ebb and flow defines the entire picture.
With a blend of actors the film runs a marathon of bipolar juxtaposition. From familiar Hollywood faces, playing characters so typified that they needn’t be explained, to European actors, who bring honest perspective to the tourist filled environment.
And “To Rome with Love” is unexpected. There’s a Baldwin in a self-reflective role. Roberto Benigni plays a character that is downright drab. All while sharing a series of stories that question the absurd nature of the human experience.
The film shakes viewers up by exposing them to moments so stereotypic that are simple to grasp yet impossible to believe. And the result is effortless comedy.
Moreover, using only simple effects, strategic angular tricks and precise framing of scenes, “To Rome with Love” gets the audience thinking. The result is an hour and forty minutes that fly by like a dense vacation, too good to explain to your friends back home.
While I will avoid the pretentious research and amplified hyper analysis that follows Woody Allen, I do want to make one point clear; this is a film that anyone, regardless of interest in film study, is apt to enjoy, sure to find funny, and for a few might, even serve as a launch pad to into the cinema of the human condition.
Offering amplified versions of reality, “To Rome with Love” simultaneously feels close to home and utterly foreign. And this ebb and flow defines the entire picture.
With a blend of actors the film runs a marathon of bipolar juxtaposition. From familiar Hollywood faces, playing characters so typified that they needn’t be explained, to European actors, who bring honest perspective to the tourist filled environment.
And “To Rome with Love” is unexpected. There’s a Baldwin in a self-reflective role. Roberto Benigni plays a character that is downright drab. All while sharing a series of stories that question the absurd nature of the human experience.
The film shakes viewers up by exposing them to moments so stereotypic that are simple to grasp yet impossible to believe. And the result is effortless comedy.
Moreover, using only simple effects, strategic angular tricks and precise framing of scenes, “To Rome with Love” gets the audience thinking. The result is an hour and forty minutes that fly by like a dense vacation, too good to explain to your friends back home.
While I will avoid the pretentious research and amplified hyper analysis that follows Woody Allen, I do want to make one point clear; this is a film that anyone, regardless of interest in film study, is apt to enjoy, sure to find funny, and for a few might, even serve as a launch pad to into the cinema of the human condition.
Delicious - Emily's Christmas Carol
Games and Stickers
8.3
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App
GameHouse presents Delicious, the award-winning game series that combines cooking dishes with a...
Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home
8.5
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Compendious, informative and engaging, Kitchen offers feel-good food for cooks and eaters that is...
ClareR (5885 KP) rated Case Histories (Jackson Brodie, #1) in Books
Jul 21, 2021
I quite honestly don’t know why it took me so long to get round to reading/ listening to these books. I listened to Case Histories on my library’s audiobook app, and loved how the narrator, Susan Jameson, brought the story to life. The cases at first sight seem unrelated, but coincidences occur as the story goes on. They’re all quite quirky characters, which I enjoyed, particularly the sisters from case one. They ask Jackson to find out what happened to their little sister 40 years ago. Whilst sleeping in a tent in the back garden, three year old Olivia went missing. When find her beloved Blue Mouse in their deceased fathers desk drawer, they start to think that there is more to her disappearance - and it’s close to home.
Case two is about the death of a young woman at her fathers solicitors offices. After many years, the man who murdered her in broad daylight in the busy office, has still never been found.
The third case is a famous one. Tanya, a nurse, had been given the task of bringing up her niece after her sister murders her husband with an axe. However, Tanya has lost contact with the child (now a woman), and wants to find her again.
The fourth case is that of Jacksons own sister. After their mothers death, Jacksons sister is murdered on her way home from work. The murderer is never found.
It was really interesting to see how the cases wove together as the story went on, but what I really found interesting were the flashbacks to around the times of the murders.
Many of the characters are pretty unpleasant - except for the very moral Jackson Brodie - and I found that an interesting contrast.
I think that this is a series that I’m going to have to read more of. I like the Brodie character, and I’m intrigued to see if the next book is set up in a similar way.
Case two is about the death of a young woman at her fathers solicitors offices. After many years, the man who murdered her in broad daylight in the busy office, has still never been found.
The third case is a famous one. Tanya, a nurse, had been given the task of bringing up her niece after her sister murders her husband with an axe. However, Tanya has lost contact with the child (now a woman), and wants to find her again.
The fourth case is that of Jacksons own sister. After their mothers death, Jacksons sister is murdered on her way home from work. The murderer is never found.
It was really interesting to see how the cases wove together as the story went on, but what I really found interesting were the flashbacks to around the times of the murders.
Many of the characters are pretty unpleasant - except for the very moral Jackson Brodie - and I found that an interesting contrast.
I think that this is a series that I’m going to have to read more of. I like the Brodie character, and I’m intrigued to see if the next book is set up in a similar way.
Ross (3284 KP) rated A Not So Dead Man's Journey in Books
Sep 20, 2019
Needs a good edit/proof-read
The first book in this new author's series immediately throws the reader into an exciting Indiana Jones-style ruined temple where the main character, Alden, is searching for ancient magical texts.
From the end of this scene, however, the tone changes dramatically as Alden returns home to a painfully dull and twee life with his wife and daughter. This section is laboured and very dull, going way beyond setting the scene and embedding the characters.
Alden is then thrown into a new quest as he is kidnapped by pirates and taken far away to take part in a magical ritual. From here, where the story should be hooking you and growing, the pace is all wrong and I felt like I was the one taken prisoner by this book.
Alden goes through something of a transformation (which is not explained in any way, but that is largely fine) and having been away for 10 years he travels home.
A number of things about the story are just absolutely implausible, and inconsistent. Characters who have barely met, let alone like each other are suddenly best friends with so many fond memories. Magical abilities are suddenly revealed which would have been very useful earlier in the story. And the underlying plot needs a lot of work to thrash out the details and character motivations.
The author's narrative tone is quite charming, but a little twee for some of the darker sections of the story, and the character's thoughts are quite irritatingly thrown in and generally add little of substance.
The writing needs a lot of work, there are so many spelling errors and grammar crimes. And the punctuation is all wrong as well, which may sound pedantic but at times it does throw the reader off and make them question what the sentence meant (see "helping your uncle jack off his horse").
I am convinced there is a good story in here somewhere but it needs a really thorough proof-read and substantial editing.
From the end of this scene, however, the tone changes dramatically as Alden returns home to a painfully dull and twee life with his wife and daughter. This section is laboured and very dull, going way beyond setting the scene and embedding the characters.
Alden is then thrown into a new quest as he is kidnapped by pirates and taken far away to take part in a magical ritual. From here, where the story should be hooking you and growing, the pace is all wrong and I felt like I was the one taken prisoner by this book.
Alden goes through something of a transformation (which is not explained in any way, but that is largely fine) and having been away for 10 years he travels home.
A number of things about the story are just absolutely implausible, and inconsistent. Characters who have barely met, let alone like each other are suddenly best friends with so many fond memories. Magical abilities are suddenly revealed which would have been very useful earlier in the story. And the underlying plot needs a lot of work to thrash out the details and character motivations.
The author's narrative tone is quite charming, but a little twee for some of the darker sections of the story, and the character's thoughts are quite irritatingly thrown in and generally add little of substance.
The writing needs a lot of work, there are so many spelling errors and grammar crimes. And the punctuation is all wrong as well, which may sound pedantic but at times it does throw the reader off and make them question what the sentence meant (see "helping your uncle jack off his horse").
I am convinced there is a good story in here somewhere but it needs a really thorough proof-read and substantial editing.
Merissa (12950 KP) rated The Fourth State of Matter (The Valence Chronicles #1) in Books
Oct 21, 2022
THE FOURTH STATE OF MATTER is the first book in the Valence Chronicles and we are introduced to Item 2689, a living decor in an alien home. He was human but has been altered to better resemble an object, rather than a living person. It is only as the story progresses you find out just how much has been changed. He lives a monotonous life in a white, sterile environment. He only realises such when three 'ship-dwellers' (used as a slur) inhabit the home where he resides.
What follows is an awakening in every sense of the word. Pet - as he becomes known - is shown how to LIVE. He is wanted for who he is, not for what he is. He has some issues adjusting, but who wouldn't? Their relationship is still early on and I loved watching it develop.
As for his aliens, they are all very different, with individual appearances and voices that make it easy to see which one is speaking/doing/thinking. They have their own history, of which we only get to know some of it. I think they are rounded out perfectly by each other, and Pet fills any remaining gaps. I can't wait to see how their relationship deepens as they spend more time and adventures together.
I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of this novel, together with the back and forth from the past to the present. Both were needed to fully understand how they came to be together and the difficulties they have and still face.
A brilliant start to the series with a HFN ending and a cliffhanger. I can't wait to continue on my space adventure. Definitely 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!
What follows is an awakening in every sense of the word. Pet - as he becomes known - is shown how to LIVE. He is wanted for who he is, not for what he is. He has some issues adjusting, but who wouldn't? Their relationship is still early on and I loved watching it develop.
As for his aliens, they are all very different, with individual appearances and voices that make it easy to see which one is speaking/doing/thinking. They have their own history, of which we only get to know some of it. I think they are rounded out perfectly by each other, and Pet fills any remaining gaps. I can't wait to see how their relationship deepens as they spend more time and adventures together.
I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of this novel, together with the back and forth from the past to the present. Both were needed to fully understand how they came to be together and the difficulties they have and still face.
A brilliant start to the series with a HFN ending and a cliffhanger. I can't wait to continue on my space adventure. Definitely 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!
Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven #1)
8.0
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Quiet. That's how he likes life, no drama to clean up... Tai Xen-Vorsy leads a straightforward...
Adult Fantasy LGBTQIA+ Paranormal Romance
Accidentally Vacationed with an Incubus (Briar Coven, #2)
8.0
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He wants a connection. She wants him gone. A steamy bargain changes everything. When 27-year-old...
Romance Urban Fantasy Witches Monster Romance