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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Mechanical in Books
Apr 27, 2018
The Mechanical surprised me. The first few chapters were hard to get into. It was so different than anything I’ve read. I’m not a fan of historical fiction (even if it is supernatural or steampunk) but I gave this book a chance based on a recommendation from a friend. I’m so glad I did.
The Mechanical is a wild ride through the lives of three characters; a catholic priest pretending to be protestant and smuggling information to New France, a female spy known in the legends as The Tallyrand, and Jax, the mechanical in question. The characters stories intertwine together to create a rich well-developed adventure of excitement, love, treachery, betrayal, and euphoric freedom. The book looks you in the eye and challenges the idea of free will, religion, and the tendency for us to believe everything the government wants us to believe.
In the beginning, I found the narrator hard to listen to, maybe because of his pacing, and steady non-fluctuating voice. But as I got more and more into the story, learned more about this world and what was going on, fell in love and hatred with the characters, I appreciated the way he read more. It worked for the characters and for the story.
I am super excited for the rest of this series and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out story. Ages 17 + for some violence and sexual scenes.
The Mechanical is a wild ride through the lives of three characters; a catholic priest pretending to be protestant and smuggling information to New France, a female spy known in the legends as The Tallyrand, and Jax, the mechanical in question. The characters stories intertwine together to create a rich well-developed adventure of excitement, love, treachery, betrayal, and euphoric freedom. The book looks you in the eye and challenges the idea of free will, religion, and the tendency for us to believe everything the government wants us to believe.
In the beginning, I found the narrator hard to listen to, maybe because of his pacing, and steady non-fluctuating voice. But as I got more and more into the story, learned more about this world and what was going on, fell in love and hatred with the characters, I appreciated the way he read more. It worked for the characters and for the story.
I am super excited for the rest of this series and highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a well thought out story. Ages 17 + for some violence and sexual scenes.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Family in Books
May 22, 2019
Becky Morgan's family were the victims of the 'crimes of the decade'. The lone survivor of a ritualistic killing, Becky's been forever haunted by the memories of that night.
Twenty years later, with the killer never found, Becky is ready to hunt them down and exact revenge. But the path to find the murderer is a slippery slope and she finds herself opening up some old wounds that should have been left sealed.
Will Becky avenge her family or join them?
Wow!!! What a read this one was!
This was just so gripping from the very start. I was hooked straight away.
This book ticked all my boxes. Intense, chilling, scary and absolutely gripping. I could not put this book down.
I have never read anything from this author before but I am definitely going to be looking for more.
I don't want to say too much about things as don't want to ruin it.
Becky is the main character of our story and she survived a horrific and ritualistic killing of her entire family. She was injured and rescued by a man in the woods.
Now adult Becky is looking for the killer and revenge.
Intense and dark; will not let you go.
The ending was just MEGA WOW and didn't see that coming!!
Highly Recommend!
I would like to thank the author, Aria and Netgalley for the ARC and this is my honest voluntary review.
Twenty years later, with the killer never found, Becky is ready to hunt them down and exact revenge. But the path to find the murderer is a slippery slope and she finds herself opening up some old wounds that should have been left sealed.
Will Becky avenge her family or join them?
Wow!!! What a read this one was!
This was just so gripping from the very start. I was hooked straight away.
This book ticked all my boxes. Intense, chilling, scary and absolutely gripping. I could not put this book down.
I have never read anything from this author before but I am definitely going to be looking for more.
I don't want to say too much about things as don't want to ruin it.
Becky is the main character of our story and she survived a horrific and ritualistic killing of her entire family. She was injured and rescued by a man in the woods.
Now adult Becky is looking for the killer and revenge.
Intense and dark; will not let you go.
The ending was just MEGA WOW and didn't see that coming!!
Highly Recommend!
I would like to thank the author, Aria and Netgalley for the ARC and this is my honest voluntary review.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Dont Look Now in Books
Mar 15, 2018
I think this book is very deserving of 4 stars rather than the 3 a lot of people have decided to give it. While I agree the last two books of the collection (The Way of The Cross and The Breakthrough) were disappointing in relation to the first three (Don't Look Now, Not After Midnight and A Border-Line Case) I don't think that knocked the book of a star as each story was well written and unique.
My favourite was, by far, A Border-Line Case. Du Maurier does a great job of building tension throughout and while people are complaining that it's twist ending is nothing new, you have to remember that this was originally published in the 70's and so the twist probably was something new and from that time since there have been repeats of the shock ending - meaning Du Maurier's story is unique and the others thereafter are not (though a lot of them are in other ways).
I haven't read any of Du Maurier's other stories and I'm glad of that because it seems like these short stories are being compared to her other works. So for me, having nothing to compare these stories with, it seems I found this a lot more enjoyable than other people seemed to!
Even though the last two stories weren't as fun and spooky they were still good stories and I would recommend this book to many of my friends and family.
My favourite was, by far, A Border-Line Case. Du Maurier does a great job of building tension throughout and while people are complaining that it's twist ending is nothing new, you have to remember that this was originally published in the 70's and so the twist probably was something new and from that time since there have been repeats of the shock ending - meaning Du Maurier's story is unique and the others thereafter are not (though a lot of them are in other ways).
I haven't read any of Du Maurier's other stories and I'm glad of that because it seems like these short stories are being compared to her other works. So for me, having nothing to compare these stories with, it seems I found this a lot more enjoyable than other people seemed to!
Even though the last two stories weren't as fun and spooky they were still good stories and I would recommend this book to many of my friends and family.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2460 KP) rated What the Cluck? It’s Murder in Books
Feb 11, 2023
Meeting the Family Turned into a Clustercluck
Frankie and her boyfriend are getting away for a long weekend so that Frankie can meet a few of Martin’s older sisters, the women who raised him. However, trying to make a good impression isn’t the only thing that Frankie has to worry about when she and Martin find a dead farm hand near the chicken coop. With the evidence pointing to one of Martin’s sisters, Frankie and Martin have to team up to figure out what is going on. Can they do it?
Yes, this is one of the few paranormal series I read, and I find the premise very fun. I was happy with how quickly I was able to keep the sisters and their families straight. I’m sure it helped that we weren’t meeting all of them. Since Frankie and Martin are the only returning characters, they got plenty of time to grow, and I love what we saw, especially from Martin. We get plenty of fun, especially with Frankie trying to read animals, although they did give us one scene I found tasteless. There are a few timeline glitches, but they were more annoying than anything else. The plot fights with family dynamics a time or two for dominance, but there are some fun surprises on the way to a suspenseful ending. All told, this is another fun book if you are looking for something different.
Yes, this is one of the few paranormal series I read, and I find the premise very fun. I was happy with how quickly I was able to keep the sisters and their families straight. I’m sure it helped that we weren’t meeting all of them. Since Frankie and Martin are the only returning characters, they got plenty of time to grow, and I love what we saw, especially from Martin. We get plenty of fun, especially with Frankie trying to read animals, although they did give us one scene I found tasteless. There are a few timeline glitches, but they were more annoying than anything else. The plot fights with family dynamics a time or two for dominance, but there are some fun surprises on the way to a suspenseful ending. All told, this is another fun book if you are looking for something different.
Merissa (13590 KP) rated Mask of the Eternal Moon (Legends of Elessia - Shadows Over Garm: #2) in Books
Feb 13, 2023
MASK OF THE ETERNAL MOON is the second book in the Legends of Elessia series and should be read in sequence as this one starts not long after the other finishes.
With the characters now known to me, I was looking forward to getting back into their story. There are multiple storylines going on in this book, and it took a while for me to get them straight in my head. Lucius and Oskar are still together, searching for Memphala. Donata and Hilda go on their own quest. Gotthilf and Helga are at home, and Memphala has her own story too. Not only that but Silas and Frida are new characters that are introduced and they play a big role. So, yep, there's a lot going on!
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book, with all of its twists and turns. Nothing is as expected and the surprises come from every direction. There is action on every page and the pacing moves it along perfectly. There are now slumps in the writing that I found. A brilliant ending that definitely leaves you wanting more.
An amazing story that I am thoroughly enjoying and have no hesitation in recommending!
** 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!
With the characters now known to me, I was looking forward to getting back into their story. There are multiple storylines going on in this book, and it took a while for me to get them straight in my head. Lucius and Oskar are still together, searching for Memphala. Donata and Hilda go on their own quest. Gotthilf and Helga are at home, and Memphala has her own story too. Not only that but Silas and Frida are new characters that are introduced and they play a big role. So, yep, there's a lot going on!
I thoroughly enjoyed this second book, with all of its twists and turns. Nothing is as expected and the surprises come from every direction. There is action on every page and the pacing moves it along perfectly. There are now slumps in the writing that I found. A brilliant ending that definitely leaves you wanting more.
An amazing story that I am thoroughly enjoying and have no hesitation in recommending!
** 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!
Merissa (13590 KP) rated Footsteps of the Past (Second Chances #2) in Books
Jul 15, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
FOOTSTEPS OF THE PAST is the second book in the Second Chances series and this time, it is Chess and André's story. They have been together for nine years but there are still secrets hidden away, just waiting to be found.
Oh, what a story. Poor Chess. I can completely understand where he was coming from. He's worked so hard to turn his life around, but sometimes the doubt resurfaces that maybe, just maybe, he doesn't deserve all the good things. As for André, he loves Chess completely but is swayed by his mum to be away from him more often than not. I loved it when he took a stand and said 'enough!'
The group of friends play a big part, as you would imagine. Elliot and Win are still my favourites, with Chess and André close behind. As I suspected would happen, Ms Stevens is changing my mind about Spencer, and Wolf has learnt his lesson.
A fantastic addition to the series, this book focuses on truth and honesty, sharing the highs and the lows. I loved every word and have no hesitation in recommending it.
** 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!
Jul 15, 2021
Oh, what a story. Poor Chess. I can completely understand where he was coming from. He's worked so hard to turn his life around, but sometimes the doubt resurfaces that maybe, just maybe, he doesn't deserve all the good things. As for André, he loves Chess completely but is swayed by his mum to be away from him more often than not. I loved it when he took a stand and said 'enough!'
The group of friends play a big part, as you would imagine. Elliot and Win are still my favourites, with Chess and André close behind. As I suspected would happen, Ms Stevens is changing my mind about Spencer, and Wolf has learnt his lesson.
A fantastic addition to the series, this book focuses on truth and honesty, sharing the highs and the lows. I loved every word and have no hesitation in recommending it.
** 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!
Jul 15, 2021
Merissa (13590 KP) rated King of Beasts (Curse of the Dark Kingdom #4) in Books
Jul 20, 2023
KING OF BEASTS is the last (so far) in the Curse of the Dark Kingdom series. Everyone has broken free of their curse apart from the eldest, Kyllean. He is the one stuck in The Library, in a beast form. Anyone want to guess the fairytale?
Kyllean and Leandra definitely get their story told, but the others appear too so, in the end, the Big Bad is defeated by all of them working together. I do love it when that happens, don't you?! Leandra is a strong character; she has to be as she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. She is not cowed by Kyllean, even when he roars, and I loved how she always stood up to him. Kyllean himself is a very sympathetic character. He is doing the best he can, the only way he knows how. His insecurities lead him to questionable actions but I found I understood them.
A fantastic retelling of a classic, this was a wonderful ending to the series. The world- and character-building are just as good as always, and the pacing was perfect. 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 20, 2023
Kyllean and Leandra definitely get their story told, but the others appear too so, in the end, the Big Bad is defeated by all of them working together. I do love it when that happens, don't you?! Leandra is a strong character; she has to be as she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. She is not cowed by Kyllean, even when he roars, and I loved how she always stood up to him. Kyllean himself is a very sympathetic character. He is doing the best he can, the only way he knows how. His insecurities lead him to questionable actions but I found I understood them.
A fantastic retelling of a classic, this was a wonderful ending to the series. The world- and character-building are just as good as always, and the pacing was perfect. 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 20, 2023
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2460 KP) rated The Last Thing Claire Wanted in Books
May 21, 2024 (Updated May 21, 2024)
What Happened to Little Danny?
After a divorce and leaving the FBI, Anne McCormack is trying to build her new estate sale business. One of her few clients is Claire Murray, who has just found out she has only a few months to live. Before she dies, Claire wants to find out what happened to her five-year-old son when he was killed twenty-nine years ago. The case was never solved, but Anne teams up with her uncle, a retired cop, to reopen the case. What will they find?
I picked this book up because I grew up in the town where the story is set. I enjoyed that even if many of the places in the story are fictional. The book is definitely darker than I would normally read, and it includes the content you’d expect from that. At the heart of the book is a good mystery, and I was caught up in trying to figure out who did it and how Anne would prove it. The Murray family drama did take over a few times, but most of the time, I enjoyed that story as well. The writing is good and gives us an appropriate melancholy vibe. It does take some of the characters time to develop, but by the end, we’ve gotten to know all of them. If you are looking for a more serious mystery, this is a debut to pick up.
I picked this book up because I grew up in the town where the story is set. I enjoyed that even if many of the places in the story are fictional. The book is definitely darker than I would normally read, and it includes the content you’d expect from that. At the heart of the book is a good mystery, and I was caught up in trying to figure out who did it and how Anne would prove it. The Murray family drama did take over a few times, but most of the time, I enjoyed that story as well. The writing is good and gives us an appropriate melancholy vibe. It does take some of the characters time to develop, but by the end, we’ve gotten to know all of them. If you are looking for a more serious mystery, this is a debut to pick up.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The Last Titan in Books
Oct 5, 2018
Review can be found on my blog: www.diaryofdifference.com
A whole new alien world, with fresh new characters and unique superpowers, this is a refreshing adventure read.
This is a story about Daniel – a normal guy that lives on Earth. Well, normal apart from the fact that he is on the run from the government and a local gangster. This is also a story about Andromeda, who comes to Earth, and tell Daniel he’s an alien and has superpowers – and it’s her job to train him and protect him.
A story and a world where silver can hurt you, and incredible strength is a thing, this was such a refreshing read for me.
Craig has mastered the art of scene and character descriptions, and I can’t resist but share with you his description of Daniel:
‘He was six foot seven inches tall, with a well-defined, lithe, athletic physique. Always clean shaven and well presented, with short, closely cropped, light brown hair and a rosy tinge to his flawless complexion…’
I loved how Daniel’s character developed in what he became, but his mindset didn’t really change throughout the book. And on the contrary – Andromeda’s character progress stays the same, but she matures gradually after each chapter.
And as a pair, both of them keep the balance in the book so perfectly even, it’s so satisfying to read those parts.
This book will introduce you to a new world on another planet, new cities and clans, and superpowers, and types of ruling. This book is the Game Of Thrones in space.
If you love adventure books, and alien invasions, and new worlds, and of course, superpowers, then go ahead and give this book a chance. You won’t be disappointed!
I am so glad I had the chance to be among the first ones to read this story. Thanks to the author, Craig Wainwright, who sent me a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.
A whole new alien world, with fresh new characters and unique superpowers, this is a refreshing adventure read.
This is a story about Daniel – a normal guy that lives on Earth. Well, normal apart from the fact that he is on the run from the government and a local gangster. This is also a story about Andromeda, who comes to Earth, and tell Daniel he’s an alien and has superpowers – and it’s her job to train him and protect him.
A story and a world where silver can hurt you, and incredible strength is a thing, this was such a refreshing read for me.
Craig has mastered the art of scene and character descriptions, and I can’t resist but share with you his description of Daniel:
‘He was six foot seven inches tall, with a well-defined, lithe, athletic physique. Always clean shaven and well presented, with short, closely cropped, light brown hair and a rosy tinge to his flawless complexion…’
I loved how Daniel’s character developed in what he became, but his mindset didn’t really change throughout the book. And on the contrary – Andromeda’s character progress stays the same, but she matures gradually after each chapter.
And as a pair, both of them keep the balance in the book so perfectly even, it’s so satisfying to read those parts.
This book will introduce you to a new world on another planet, new cities and clans, and superpowers, and types of ruling. This book is the Game Of Thrones in space.
If you love adventure books, and alien invasions, and new worlds, and of course, superpowers, then go ahead and give this book a chance. You won’t be disappointed!
I am so glad I had the chance to be among the first ones to read this story. Thanks to the author, Craig Wainwright, who sent me a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2460 KP) rated Murder with a Cherry on Top in Books
Jul 6, 2019
Rival’s Murder Cools Off Opening Week
Kate McKay has returned to her hometown of Wolfet’s Roost in the Hudson River Valley of New York, and she has opened her own ice cream shop. Her only possibly concern is that it is across the street from the bakery owned by Ashley Winthrop. The two have known each other all their lives, and they have never gotten along. Sadly, Kate hasn’t even been opened a week before she gets proof that Ashley intends to continue their feud. But when Ashley is murdered the day after the two have a very public fight, Kate finds herself questioned by the police. Can she figure out what really happened before she is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit?
First books in series walk a fine line between introducing us to characters and giving us a good mystery. This one errs on the side of character backstory, which makes the first quarter very slow plot wise. Things do pick up as we go along, and by the second half the mystery is in full swing. Once it got going, I found the mystery good with an ending I didn’t suspect yet one that made sense. Kate, her Gran, and her niece are all solid characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am curious where Kate’s love life will go after what we learned and the characters we met here. The suspects don’t get much page time, but they seem real from the little bit of time we did get to spend with them. And there is plenty of talk about ice cream, which made me crave one of my favorite desserts. There are four delicious sounding recipes at the end, so you can bring a bit of Kate’s shop home with you. If you are looking for a new series to help you cool off as the summer heats up, this debut is for you.
First books in series walk a fine line between introducing us to characters and giving us a good mystery. This one errs on the side of character backstory, which makes the first quarter very slow plot wise. Things do pick up as we go along, and by the second half the mystery is in full swing. Once it got going, I found the mystery good with an ending I didn’t suspect yet one that made sense. Kate, her Gran, and her niece are all solid characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am curious where Kate’s love life will go after what we learned and the characters we met here. The suspects don’t get much page time, but they seem real from the little bit of time we did get to spend with them. And there is plenty of talk about ice cream, which made me crave one of my favorite desserts. There are four delicious sounding recipes at the end, so you can bring a bit of Kate’s shop home with you. If you are looking for a new series to help you cool off as the summer heats up, this debut is for you.