Search
Search results
Pete Wareham recommended Habibi by Ali Hussan Kuba in Music (curated)
Merissa (13956 KP) rated Under A Lavender Moon (Nightingale Songs #1) in Books
Feb 9, 2021
UNDER A LAVENDER MOON is the first book in the Nightingale Songs series, and we enter a world where magic is called tin-chai and can take many forms. Rilla has kept her tin-chai a secret but is found by scouts anyway. With no options available to her, she is taken to the emperor, along with a group of other girls, to compete for the 'honour' of becoming one of his wives,
There are hints of romance in this book, between Rilla, Friend, and Carrick. However, that is very much in the background as the story moves along. The main characters are fully supported by an interesting group of secondary characters, some you will like, some you definitely won't. This is part and parcel of the story though, and is what will keep you turning the pages.
The pacing is smooth, leading you to the cliff-hanger ending, and will also leave you wanting more. For a debut novel, this is incredibly intricate and intriguing. I can't wait to continue with this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it.
* 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!
There are hints of romance in this book, between Rilla, Friend, and Carrick. However, that is very much in the background as the story moves along. The main characters are fully supported by an interesting group of secondary characters, some you will like, some you definitely won't. This is part and parcel of the story though, and is what will keep you turning the pages.
The pacing is smooth, leading you to the cliff-hanger ending, and will also leave you wanting more. For a debut novel, this is incredibly intricate and intriguing. I can't wait to continue with this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it.
* 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!
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Kremlin Conspiracy in Books
Feb 27, 2019
I will be honest and tell you, this is not my normal type of book to read. I prefer romantic suspense or romantic thriller, not political thrillers. I am just not a big political person. That said, I have to say, Mr. Rosenberg is extremely, extremely talented, and really knew what to put into a phenomenally written novel. This book truly surprised me at how well it captivated me.
The great detail and research that Mr. Rosenberg has put into this novel is incredible. It really helped draw me to the intensity of the story. I was drawn to Marcus Ryker, the Kremlin and all of the edge of your seat, nail biting plot twists that he hadded to the story. I found myself often holding my breath, holding my book with a white knuckled grip. That, to me, is what makes an amazing thriller!
This is definitely a 5 star worthy novel to the greatest proportions. Mr. Rosenberg absolutely blew me away with this novel and I am already looking forward to another thrilling, God filled, gripping novel from this fantabulously talented author. You heard it here folks. A non-political person, loving this absolutely gripping political Christian thriller. Hats off to Mr. Rosenberg!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
The great detail and research that Mr. Rosenberg has put into this novel is incredible. It really helped draw me to the intensity of the story. I was drawn to Marcus Ryker, the Kremlin and all of the edge of your seat, nail biting plot twists that he hadded to the story. I found myself often holding my breath, holding my book with a white knuckled grip. That, to me, is what makes an amazing thriller!
This is definitely a 5 star worthy novel to the greatest proportions. Mr. Rosenberg absolutely blew me away with this novel and I am already looking forward to another thrilling, God filled, gripping novel from this fantabulously talented author. You heard it here folks. A non-political person, loving this absolutely gripping political Christian thriller. Hats off to Mr. Rosenberg!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Morgan Sheppard (1007 KP) rated Wind Warrior (World Aflame #1) in Books
Apr 29, 2020
First things first, I thoroughly enjoyed this story! There were parts that didn't quite sit straight with me but, on the whole, I found this to be a great read.
Xander is a twenty-year-old college student who doesn't know what he wants to major in. He is best-friends with Sean, and has some sort of weird relationship with Jessica, a sorority president. He lives at home and doesn't have a job. His life changes when he suddenly gains some powers over the Air.
I loved the Elemental aspect of this book. No surprise to some of you, I'm sure. I thought the part that says only one Element can live on the earth at one time was a good one. I'm not completely sure why Fire is always cast as the bad guy but there you go.
Sammy (a Fire Elemental) is a very intriguing character and I would love to learn more about her backstory. A lot goes on with her in this story and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
This was an easy read that kept me turning the pages. Like I said, some of it didn't quite fit with the background/story but not enough to disrupt my reading. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a YA/NA Elemental story!
Xander is a twenty-year-old college student who doesn't know what he wants to major in. He is best-friends with Sean, and has some sort of weird relationship with Jessica, a sorority president. He lives at home and doesn't have a job. His life changes when he suddenly gains some powers over the Air.
I loved the Elemental aspect of this book. No surprise to some of you, I'm sure. I thought the part that says only one Element can live on the earth at one time was a good one. I'm not completely sure why Fire is always cast as the bad guy but there you go.
Sammy (a Fire Elemental) is a very intriguing character and I would love to learn more about her backstory. A lot goes on with her in this story and I can't wait to see where she goes next.
This was an easy read that kept me turning the pages. Like I said, some of it didn't quite fit with the background/story but not enough to disrupt my reading. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a YA/NA Elemental story!
Merissa (13956 KP) rated Write Christmas in Books
Dec 1, 2020 (Updated Aug 8, 2023)
WRITE CHRISTMAS is a seasonal story about someone who doesn't like Christmas due to an unfortunate event that shaped her life. Abby has chipped away at Christmas, slowly but surely, until her company and her home have no lights, no decorations, no nothing. Then she gets the opportunity to see what it would be like without it and the game changes.
I'm going to be honest here and say I struggled with this one. It reminded me a lot of It's a Wonderful Life which isn't one of my favourite films and the writing style took me a while to get into.
However, because I have an intense dislike for not finishing a book, I kept at it and almost against my will I found myself becoming gripped by the story. Just what would happen? How would it happen? When? You get the idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ending and thought it was perfect for the story as it gives everyone that seasonal glow and warm fuzzies.
I would recommend this book if you like the whole what-if part of Christmas.
* 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!
Dec 1, 2020
I'm going to be honest here and say I struggled with this one. It reminded me a lot of It's a Wonderful Life which isn't one of my favourite films and the writing style took me a while to get into.
However, because I have an intense dislike for not finishing a book, I kept at it and almost against my will I found myself becoming gripped by the story. Just what would happen? How would it happen? When? You get the idea.
I thoroughly enjoyed the ending and thought it was perfect for the story as it gives everyone that seasonal glow and warm fuzzies.
I would recommend this book if you like the whole what-if part of Christmas.
* 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!
Dec 1, 2020
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Dead of Winter in Books
Feb 13, 2023
I have enjoyed a number of Stuart MacBride's books before; I enjoy his writing style, his dark sense of humour, twisty plots and excellent characters - The Dead of Winter is no different and I loved it.
DI Victoria Montgomery-Porter (also known as Bigtoria but don't let her hear you call her that!) and her underling, DC Edward Reekie are tasked with transporting a dying prisoner to spend his final days in the village of Glenfarach a 'special' village where ex-prisoners live when they can't be released back into full freedom. A straight-forward job I hear you say however it turns into anything but when a resident is found tortured to death and no one can get in or out as the weather closes in.
Full of dark humour, violence, gore and unsavoury characters along with a fast paced plot full of twists and turns, this was a book I really enjoyed. There are many laugh-out-loud moments, moments that make you wince and several "no way" moments that had me swiping my screen at a great rate of knots desperate to find out how it was all going to end but also not wanting it to.
It's all a bit crackers and not particularly plausible but I loved it from start to finish and I must thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Dead of Winter.
DI Victoria Montgomery-Porter (also known as Bigtoria but don't let her hear you call her that!) and her underling, DC Edward Reekie are tasked with transporting a dying prisoner to spend his final days in the village of Glenfarach a 'special' village where ex-prisoners live when they can't be released back into full freedom. A straight-forward job I hear you say however it turns into anything but when a resident is found tortured to death and no one can get in or out as the weather closes in.
Full of dark humour, violence, gore and unsavoury characters along with a fast paced plot full of twists and turns, this was a book I really enjoyed. There are many laugh-out-loud moments, moments that make you wince and several "no way" moments that had me swiping my screen at a great rate of knots desperate to find out how it was all going to end but also not wanting it to.
It's all a bit crackers and not particularly plausible but I loved it from start to finish and I must thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Dead of Winter.
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated The Night Circus in Books
Jul 23, 2017
the amount of detail (3 more)
plot
characters
world building
So real you could smell the popcorn
Read in 2013
Review
I saw this book being mentioned on another site and as soon as I saw the cover I knew I just had to read it but after the first page I almost gave up because I would usually never be able to finish a book that has both second person narration(don't worry it doesn't really happen often) an over description but to my surprise both elements really did help make the Le Cirque des Rêves feel like it was a living and breathing entity.
The plot is wonderful but just about everything kind of just falls onto the back burner compared to the circus there is just so much thought and explanation in every chapter I found myself forgetting that there were actually two people supposed to be dueling to the death.
The characters are wonderful and I feel like even though there is a good amount of them you do get to know and form some sort of opinion on each one of them. The only character I really had a problem with was Marco from his introduction to his very last page I just didn't trust the guy.
The only thing that I was disappointed in was from the summary I definitely thought there was going to be actual magic dueling happening so I kept just kind of waiting and waiting and waiting for it to actually happen but it never really did it is explained why near the end but just couldn't shake off the slight disappointment.
Review
I saw this book being mentioned on another site and as soon as I saw the cover I knew I just had to read it but after the first page I almost gave up because I would usually never be able to finish a book that has both second person narration(don't worry it doesn't really happen often) an over description but to my surprise both elements really did help make the Le Cirque des Rêves feel like it was a living and breathing entity.
The plot is wonderful but just about everything kind of just falls onto the back burner compared to the circus there is just so much thought and explanation in every chapter I found myself forgetting that there were actually two people supposed to be dueling to the death.
The characters are wonderful and I feel like even though there is a good amount of them you do get to know and form some sort of opinion on each one of them. The only character I really had a problem with was Marco from his introduction to his very last page I just didn't trust the guy.
The only thing that I was disappointed in was from the summary I definitely thought there was going to be actual magic dueling happening so I kept just kind of waiting and waiting and waiting for it to actually happen but it never really did it is explained why near the end but just couldn't shake off the slight disappointment.
KittyMiku (138 KP) rated Whisky, Vamps and Thieves in Books
May 23, 2019
First of all let me just say WOW! This book definitely left lots to wonder about. The characters were all complex and hard to understand at first, which made the book all the better. They were shrouded in mystery and even when you begin to think you knew them and how they were important to each other, there would be a twist and keep you confused. I loved the underlying romance and kept rooting for different people to fall in love and become a couple. However, it never ceased to surprise me with how each character dealt with their own problems. There were lots of conflicts between character which kept it interesting and surprising in some areas. The characters alone kept me turning the pages with their constant dramas and mysteries surrounding them. I have to say to hear their stories and how the wound up together and what not made it very intriguing and kept everything moving toward the end of the book. Though I feel there were more questions created about Mercer and Scarlett than were answered at the end of the book.
I found the mysterious bad guy, Sharp Elbows as he was referred to as, to be a character I needed to know more about and was not exactly disappointed in the end. However, his own tale made things a little messy as the book wrapped up to the end. With Scarlett's mysterious secret that still isn't quiet clear, I had almost forgotten about how much more I wanted to know about him, though I have a feeling he will make an appearance in future books. He wasn't the only thing I wanted to know more about though, which only makes me want to continue reading the series.
I found all the mysteries and secrets in the book to be compelling. Although I would have loved more details in the book on surroundings and what not, I think it overall was extremely wonderful. Although the idea behind the book was completely fictional, I enjoyed how Charles added a few touches that haven't been before explored. Like how Vampires are super emotionally charged. To watch the protagonist struggle through her emotions and how those emotions can affect her in such a way that it created problems in her work and personal life, was exhilarating to read and see. I also enjoyed how that the characters weren't just Werewolves, Vampires or Humans. There were fae as well, which was pleasant when they were described as addictive and how they can cause normal humans that they have intercourse with to become mad and end up losing all their sanity, just because they desired and needed a Fae's touch above all else. It was things like this that kept you wanting to know more.
I felt like I was submerged into a magical world that I needed to know more about. Even after having finished the book, I have to say I feel like I need to read more and I intend to. It ended with so many unanswered questions, it is easy to see why people would be able to get lost in the series and not be able to put the books down. However, I feel a few questions should have been answered completely instead of hinting at the answers.
I would rate Whiskey Vamps and Thieves 4 stars out of 5 stars simply for not answering enough questions. Although, with the cliff hanger you are encouraged to read book two, You Me and A Ghost Named Boo. I think that a few more answers would have allowed the reader to feel better about how the book ended. I can only hope that book 2 will answer some more questions.
I found the mysterious bad guy, Sharp Elbows as he was referred to as, to be a character I needed to know more about and was not exactly disappointed in the end. However, his own tale made things a little messy as the book wrapped up to the end. With Scarlett's mysterious secret that still isn't quiet clear, I had almost forgotten about how much more I wanted to know about him, though I have a feeling he will make an appearance in future books. He wasn't the only thing I wanted to know more about though, which only makes me want to continue reading the series.
I found all the mysteries and secrets in the book to be compelling. Although I would have loved more details in the book on surroundings and what not, I think it overall was extremely wonderful. Although the idea behind the book was completely fictional, I enjoyed how Charles added a few touches that haven't been before explored. Like how Vampires are super emotionally charged. To watch the protagonist struggle through her emotions and how those emotions can affect her in such a way that it created problems in her work and personal life, was exhilarating to read and see. I also enjoyed how that the characters weren't just Werewolves, Vampires or Humans. There were fae as well, which was pleasant when they were described as addictive and how they can cause normal humans that they have intercourse with to become mad and end up losing all their sanity, just because they desired and needed a Fae's touch above all else. It was things like this that kept you wanting to know more.
I felt like I was submerged into a magical world that I needed to know more about. Even after having finished the book, I have to say I feel like I need to read more and I intend to. It ended with so many unanswered questions, it is easy to see why people would be able to get lost in the series and not be able to put the books down. However, I feel a few questions should have been answered completely instead of hinting at the answers.
I would rate Whiskey Vamps and Thieves 4 stars out of 5 stars simply for not answering enough questions. Although, with the cliff hanger you are encouraged to read book two, You Me and A Ghost Named Boo. I think that a few more answers would have allowed the reader to feel better about how the book ended. I can only hope that book 2 will answer some more questions.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Craftsman in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Complex, compelling, and complicated tale
The year is 1999 and Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady returns to Lancashire for the funeral of Larry Glassbrook, a murderer she arrested 30 years ago. Larry killed three children, burying them alive in caskets he made himself. He also kidnapped and tortured Florence while she was investigating his case. Thirty years ago, Florence made a name for herself with the Glassbrook case, which changed her life forever. Clay effigies were found with each of the children's bodies, suggesting an element of witchcraft. Now, when Florence returns for the funeral, she finds a fourth: of herself. Does this means Florence is in danger? And what does the message Larry sent her from prison mean? Is there still a killer out there?
"I wonder what words his headstone might carry: Loving husband, devoted father, merciless killer."
I'm a huge Sharon Bolton fan, so I was excited to read this one. I hadn't really read the description in a while, so I didn't realize so much of the narrative took place in the late 1960s. I'm usually more of a modern fiction fan, but I found the 1960s portion--narrated by Florence--to be surprisingly engaging and enjoyable. It offered a really detailed look at how women were treated, especially on the police force, and was a true testament to Florence's strength. She was a fascinating, nuanced character who drew me in from the beginning. The book really revolves around her, but she makes it worth it.
The novel is certainly creepy--definitely a good spooky read for the month of October. It can be dark and gruesome. There's a witchcraft portion that sometimes seems a little unbelievable, but I thought it worked well within the confines of the story. There's even some funny moments--made even better by what a great heroine Florence is.
There's an excellent mystery here, which will keep you guessing from the start. The story skips between 1969 and 1999, and the two portions work together seamlessly. I found the tale to be complex, complicated, and just really compelling. There's something about this book that simply keeps you reading. Florence is an awesome character, the story is fascinating and different, and it's just a really enjoyable (if somewhat dark) read. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"I wonder what words his headstone might carry: Loving husband, devoted father, merciless killer."
I'm a huge Sharon Bolton fan, so I was excited to read this one. I hadn't really read the description in a while, so I didn't realize so much of the narrative took place in the late 1960s. I'm usually more of a modern fiction fan, but I found the 1960s portion--narrated by Florence--to be surprisingly engaging and enjoyable. It offered a really detailed look at how women were treated, especially on the police force, and was a true testament to Florence's strength. She was a fascinating, nuanced character who drew me in from the beginning. The book really revolves around her, but she makes it worth it.
The novel is certainly creepy--definitely a good spooky read for the month of October. It can be dark and gruesome. There's a witchcraft portion that sometimes seems a little unbelievable, but I thought it worked well within the confines of the story. There's even some funny moments--made even better by what a great heroine Florence is.
There's an excellent mystery here, which will keep you guessing from the start. The story skips between 1969 and 1999, and the two portions work together seamlessly. I found the tale to be complex, complicated, and just really compelling. There's something about this book that simply keeps you reading. Florence is an awesome character, the story is fascinating and different, and it's just a really enjoyable (if somewhat dark) read. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).