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Merissa (11961 KP) rated His Lordship's Secret (His Lordship’s Mysteries #1) in Books
Apr 11, 2022 (Updated Jun 26, 2023)
HIS LORDSHIP'S SECRET is the first book in the His Lordship's Mysteries and we start off with a bang - quite literally! Alfie is shot and rushes home where his doctor attends him to sew him up. Alfie thinks back to the previous weeks and concludes someone is trying to kill him. But who and why?
What unfolds is a sweet story, full of love and caring amongst the harshness of London's streets in those times. You get a full and rounded description of workhouse conditions, plus what it was like for those not of the upper crust. Along with the bad, you also get the good. The compassion of their peers, the free pie "but don't tell anyone"... It's all here and helps to make this a brilliant, intriguing mystery romance.
The saddest point of all for me was how they had to hide their love due to the consequences if anyone found out. Unfortunately, it's not that far back in the past, and some places still hold the same views. I can't wait for the day when someone reads a story like this and cannot comprehend what it must have been like, simply because it is so widely accepted and normal.
This is the first book by this author I have read and it definitely won't be the last. I love her cadence as she draws you into the story, the lifelike characters, and the situations. Absolutely 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!
Apr 8, 2022
What unfolds is a sweet story, full of love and caring amongst the harshness of London's streets in those times. You get a full and rounded description of workhouse conditions, plus what it was like for those not of the upper crust. Along with the bad, you also get the good. The compassion of their peers, the free pie "but don't tell anyone"... It's all here and helps to make this a brilliant, intriguing mystery romance.
The saddest point of all for me was how they had to hide their love due to the consequences if anyone found out. Unfortunately, it's not that far back in the past, and some places still hold the same views. I can't wait for the day when someone reads a story like this and cannot comprehend what it must have been like, simply because it is so widely accepted and normal.
This is the first book by this author I have read and it definitely won't be the last. I love her cadence as she draws you into the story, the lifelike characters, and the situations. Absolutely 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!
Apr 8, 2022
Kristin (149 KP) rated Final Crossing in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book through a FirstReads giveaway.
I really enjoyed the story found in this novel, and it definitely kept my interest throughout. Religion coupled with politics is certainly something that is at the forefront of our society right now, and the ways in which they were used and interacted together in the plot was very intriguing. I also liked how it bounced back and forth between the points of view of Jonas and Rudiger so the reader could gain perspective on the story from both sides.
However, there were quite a lot of proofreading errors in my copy, which was not labeled as a proof or anything other than an off-the-shelf edition. While I am not one to avidly search for such things, read with a red pen in hand, or anything of that nature, there were just too many to ignore. There were even a few in back-to-back sentences. That is the reason I dropped a star from my rating.
All-in-all, "Final Crossing" is a great suspense thriller where religion is used to bolster the thoughts of a serial killer into believing he's doing the work of God, eventually crossing paths with a Senator's Chief of Staff. However, if you're the type to rip your eyes out when you see a typographical or grammatical error, you might want to step away from this one, or at least take a couple deep breaths first.
4 stars
I really enjoyed the story found in this novel, and it definitely kept my interest throughout. Religion coupled with politics is certainly something that is at the forefront of our society right now, and the ways in which they were used and interacted together in the plot was very intriguing. I also liked how it bounced back and forth between the points of view of Jonas and Rudiger so the reader could gain perspective on the story from both sides.
However, there were quite a lot of proofreading errors in my copy, which was not labeled as a proof or anything other than an off-the-shelf edition. While I am not one to avidly search for such things, read with a red pen in hand, or anything of that nature, there were just too many to ignore. There were even a few in back-to-back sentences. That is the reason I dropped a star from my rating.
All-in-all, "Final Crossing" is a great suspense thriller where religion is used to bolster the thoughts of a serial killer into believing he's doing the work of God, eventually crossing paths with a Senator's Chief of Staff. However, if you're the type to rip your eyes out when you see a typographical or grammatical error, you might want to step away from this one, or at least take a couple deep breaths first.
4 stars
Merissa (11961 KP) rated Venomous Hunger (Eok Warriors #2) in Books
Oct 17, 2018
Venomous Hunger (Eok Warriors #2) by Mary Auclair
Venomous Hunger is the second book in the Eok Warriors series, but it can be read as a standalone. I would recommend you do read book one first, but only because you'd be missing on a great story if you don't.
Aliena was one of the free humans living on earth, but became very sick. So when the Eoks arrived on earth, one of inhabitants of their village placed her where they knew she would be found, in the hope of getting her the medicines she needed. Kamal has been a pirate for ten years, ever since he left the Eok nation in disgrace for an action he would do again without hesitation. Working together to rescue the humans, these two face danger and betrayal.
Once again, this is an exceedingly well written story, with plenty of action, both in and out of the bedroom. A different cast of characters this time, with only a few mentioned from book one, they are nevertheless well thought out and fully rounded. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I was thoroughly engrossed with the story.
An excellent addition to the series, and I look forward to reading more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
Aliena was one of the free humans living on earth, but became very sick. So when the Eoks arrived on earth, one of inhabitants of their village placed her where they knew she would be found, in the hope of getting her the medicines she needed. Kamal has been a pirate for ten years, ever since he left the Eok nation in disgrace for an action he would do again without hesitation. Working together to rescue the humans, these two face danger and betrayal.
Once again, this is an exceedingly well written story, with plenty of action, both in and out of the bedroom. A different cast of characters this time, with only a few mentioned from book one, they are nevertheless well thought out and fully rounded. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I was thoroughly engrossed with the story.
An excellent addition to the series, and I look forward to reading more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* 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!
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Lucifer - Season 1 in TV
Jul 30, 2019
Wickedly good
My manager loves this show and lent me this first series to watch. After it being sat on my shelf for the past couple of months while I moved house, I finally had the time to sit and watch it this weekend... and I’m annoyed at myself for not watching it sooner!
Lucifer for me is very similar to other male protagonist led tv shows, like House, The Mentalist, Elementary etc but in some ways it’s better as the humour and the entire itself is a little darker and naughtier than these others, and it’s all the better for it. It’s basically a supernatural crime show, with some wonderful laugh out loud humour thrown in. You can really tell Neil Gaiman has had a hand in creating this! The stars of this show are the very clever writing and Tom Ellis as Lucifer. He plays Lucifer so well, so charming, wicked and yet lovable at the same time and the things he says are often downright hilarious. This show wouldn’t be half as good if he wasn’t in it. I liked the rest of the cast and characters too though, except for Chloe. I found her quite irritating, way too pouty and you can tell even from this first series that her and Lucifer will end up falling for each other and I hate series that do this. Just because they’re working together doesn’t mean they have to sleep together too! So annoying. But Chloe aside, this is worth watching for Tom Ellis alone. Wonderfully fun.
Lucifer for me is very similar to other male protagonist led tv shows, like House, The Mentalist, Elementary etc but in some ways it’s better as the humour and the entire itself is a little darker and naughtier than these others, and it’s all the better for it. It’s basically a supernatural crime show, with some wonderful laugh out loud humour thrown in. You can really tell Neil Gaiman has had a hand in creating this! The stars of this show are the very clever writing and Tom Ellis as Lucifer. He plays Lucifer so well, so charming, wicked and yet lovable at the same time and the things he says are often downright hilarious. This show wouldn’t be half as good if he wasn’t in it. I liked the rest of the cast and characters too though, except for Chloe. I found her quite irritating, way too pouty and you can tell even from this first series that her and Lucifer will end up falling for each other and I hate series that do this. Just because they’re working together doesn’t mean they have to sleep together too! So annoying. But Chloe aside, this is worth watching for Tom Ellis alone. Wonderfully fun.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Rise (Spelldrift: Coven of Fire #1) in Books
Jul 31, 2020
135 of 200
Kindle
Rise ( Spellsrift coven of fire book 1)
By Sierra Cross
I closed the door on magic long ago...the day it made me an orphan.
Ten years ago, the Coven of Fire sacrificed their lives--my mother among them--to hold off an overwhelming demonic force. Now it's back.
As a poorly-paid bartender, how can any of this be my problem? But Callie, another orphan of that battle, swears I'm the key to reviving the coven. And there's an incredibly sexy guardian stranded on my couch who's promising to help me stop the demons and keep the veil between the realms standing.
One problem: I've never been able to use magic. Our local bad boy warlock assures me I have the talent, but even if I did, we don't have enough witches to complete a coven. The only way to survive is to pull together this pack of magicborn misfits, who have more secrets than spells, into a makeshift coven.
Can we--three untrained witches, a sarcastic warlock, and an overly intense guardian--take back the city...before the Demongate falls and the forces that killed my mother destroy us too?
I found it ok! There were a few little annoyances like her constantly reminding you that Eric was the bad guy but overall it was ok. It had an interesting concept but not one that gripped you.
A little weak in places and a few times I got a little bored of reading the same kind of scene.
Kindle
Rise ( Spellsrift coven of fire book 1)
By Sierra Cross
I closed the door on magic long ago...the day it made me an orphan.
Ten years ago, the Coven of Fire sacrificed their lives--my mother among them--to hold off an overwhelming demonic force. Now it's back.
As a poorly-paid bartender, how can any of this be my problem? But Callie, another orphan of that battle, swears I'm the key to reviving the coven. And there's an incredibly sexy guardian stranded on my couch who's promising to help me stop the demons and keep the veil between the realms standing.
One problem: I've never been able to use magic. Our local bad boy warlock assures me I have the talent, but even if I did, we don't have enough witches to complete a coven. The only way to survive is to pull together this pack of magicborn misfits, who have more secrets than spells, into a makeshift coven.
Can we--three untrained witches, a sarcastic warlock, and an overly intense guardian--take back the city...before the Demongate falls and the forces that killed my mother destroy us too?
I found it ok! There were a few little annoyances like her constantly reminding you that Eric was the bad guy but overall it was ok. It had an interesting concept but not one that gripped you.
A little weak in places and a few times I got a little bored of reading the same kind of scene.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Lies Lies Lies in Books
Aug 13, 2020
"Millie was a miracle. Conceived without any medical intervention. A miracle. She saved us."
This was my first book by Adele Parks, and I found she sucked me into the story from the very beginning. For me, the plot was easily the star here. This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing, often wondering which path it was going to lead us down next. While I had an inkling about one particular plot point, others took me by complete surprise, which was fun. I always love a mystery that keeps me on my toes and goes down completely unexpected paths.
"People with secrets rarely sleep soundly. Fact."
One strength of the book is the fact that it's told from both Daisy and Simon's perspectives. Neither are particularly sympathetic, but it's easy to get caught up in their worlds. Daisy comes across as a doormat, who cannot stand up to her alcoholic husband. And Simon, of course, a drunk who endangers his family on a regular basis. You want to shake some sense into both of them. But there's certainly a twisted web of lies and secrets behind the foundation of this couple. Nothing is as it seems, and as time goes on, you can start to at least understand some of their motivations.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. I welcomed a different plot, which had some surprises in store. The ending was a bit ambiguous, but overall still a solid read. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.
This was my first book by Adele Parks, and I found she sucked me into the story from the very beginning. For me, the plot was easily the star here. This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing, often wondering which path it was going to lead us down next. While I had an inkling about one particular plot point, others took me by complete surprise, which was fun. I always love a mystery that keeps me on my toes and goes down completely unexpected paths.
"People with secrets rarely sleep soundly. Fact."
One strength of the book is the fact that it's told from both Daisy and Simon's perspectives. Neither are particularly sympathetic, but it's easy to get caught up in their worlds. Daisy comes across as a doormat, who cannot stand up to her alcoholic husband. And Simon, of course, a drunk who endangers his family on a regular basis. You want to shake some sense into both of them. But there's certainly a twisted web of lies and secrets behind the foundation of this couple. Nothing is as it seems, and as time goes on, you can start to at least understand some of their motivations.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. I welcomed a different plot, which had some surprises in store. The ending was a bit ambiguous, but overall still a solid read. 3.75 stars, rounded to 4 here.
Sweet Possession (Nights Series #5)
6.0
Rate It
Book
I don’t want to ruin his future. I don’t want him to miss out on having a family. I should let...
M_M Contemporary Romance
Merissa (11961 KP) rated Magic Dark, Magic Divine (Warrior of the Divine Sword #1) in Books
Nov 5, 2021 (Updated Jul 10, 2023)
MAGIC DARK, MAGIC DIVINE is the first book in the Warrior of the Divine Sword series and, in it, we meet Pennrae who was first alive 300 years ago before she was put into a magical sleep because she broke a contract with a Diviner. She wakes up in a contemporary world, where things have definitely moved on. We meet her eight years down the line when she has managed to get a life put together for herself.
This is a fast-paced story that will keep you on tenterhooks as Pennrae goes from one explosion to another. She finds love and adventure, as well as allies she never expected. It is intricate and twisted which kept my attention from the very start.
Fair warning though - there is one part that had my f'ugly crying! I won't say more, but prepare yourself!
As it is the first book, you get the usual world-building but it is done in a way that is explanatory rather than just an info dump. I found this to be an excellent start of a new series, with a new-to-me author. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait to see where it goes next. Absolutely 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!
Nov 5, 2021
This is a fast-paced story that will keep you on tenterhooks as Pennrae goes from one explosion to another. She finds love and adventure, as well as allies she never expected. It is intricate and twisted which kept my attention from the very start.
Fair warning though - there is one part that had my f'ugly crying! I won't say more, but prepare yourself!
As it is the first book, you get the usual world-building but it is done in a way that is explanatory rather than just an info dump. I found this to be an excellent start of a new series, with a new-to-me author. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait to see where it goes next. Absolutely 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!
Nov 5, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2173 KP) rated Easter Basket Murder in Books
Jan 25, 2024 (Updated Jan 25, 2024)
Here’s to a Deadly Easter
Kensington has called on their go to trio for three new holiday themed mysteries, this time featuring Easter. Up first, Leslie Meier’s Lucy Stone gets involved with a promotion for the local businesses leads to the theft of a golden Easter egg. Then Lee Hollis’s Hayley Powell finds the Easter Bunny dead at a community Easter egg hunt. Finally, Barbara Ross’s Julia Snowden’s Easter on the family island off the coast of Maine is interrupted when she finds a man in coat tails dead in the garden. Then, a few minutes later, he’s gone.
All three stories have fun with the theme, and present it in some clever ways. As is often the case, I found the first story the weakest, but the mysteries in the other two stories are strong. Still, I was engaged no matter which story I was reading. All three have some great Easter elements that made me feel like it was spring. And I love the community aspects we get. I’m only a regular reader of Barbara Ross’s series, and I was interested in the updates we got on the characters there. If you are looking for some new dishes to serve this year, you’ll be interested in the recipes we get with the second and third story. Each story is roughly 100 pages, so you can read them in a sitting or two. Overall, this is a fun anthology you’ll be happy hopped on to your to be read pile.
All three stories have fun with the theme, and present it in some clever ways. As is often the case, I found the first story the weakest, but the mysteries in the other two stories are strong. Still, I was engaged no matter which story I was reading. All three have some great Easter elements that made me feel like it was spring. And I love the community aspects we get. I’m only a regular reader of Barbara Ross’s series, and I was interested in the updates we got on the characters there. If you are looking for some new dishes to serve this year, you’ll be interested in the recipes we get with the second and third story. Each story is roughly 100 pages, so you can read them in a sitting or two. Overall, this is a fun anthology you’ll be happy hopped on to your to be read pile.
Ruth Frampton (577 KP) rated Texas Monsters in Books
Apr 10, 2018
If you live in or near Texas, have family from there or are just plain curious about the places to visit there, this book is a great way of introducing little ones to that environment. Based on the task of searching for monsters this book encourages readers to use their observational skills to look for and find the "cute" monsters. I say "cute" as to prevent my little one from getting the idea that monsters are everywhere I made them out to be cute, monsters in the cupboard and under the bed are enough for us thanks. Some of the monsters were easier to find than others which allow for a longevity for the title that is not always found in this type of search and find book. All in all, a worthwhile book to get those little ones curious about the world around them.