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Winging It (Hockey Ever After #1)
Winging It (Hockey Ever After #1)
Morgan James, Ashlyn Kane | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
so glad I gave this a go!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I will admit, hockey themed books tend to be a bit and miss for me, depending on the level of detailed descriptions about the actual playing of hockey. I have no interest in hockey, and it's not a very popular sport in the UK. So, when a blurb grabs me, about a hockey book, I walk into it with an open mind and give it a good go.

I was VERY pleased I took this on!

Gabe is far in the closet and has no plans to be out. Dante is not, in the closet nor out of it but a door opening at the wrong time, gets Dante a glance at Gabe in a man's arms. Dante's mind then goes into overdrive. Gabe is all, aside from hockey, he thinks about. When gabe is outed by an ex, Dante stands by his man. Cos Gabe is his, he just doesn't know it yet.

What I especially liked about this, was how things crept up on Dante. Gabe, for his part, liked Dante, and he played a part in Gabe's dreams, but Dante was a ladies man, before Gabe and that does throw him a little bit. Once he gets his head round it, Dante is happy to admit he is bi. And Dante goes all out to get Gabe in his bed and his heart.

Gabe is more cautious, and rightly so. He's been hurt before and doesn't want to be again, but sometimes, fate has a way of stuffing your plans out the window!

I loved the guys on the team, all of them even Kitty. He does a bad thing here, but he does redeem himself, beautifully! And the way they all pull together to help Tom was amazing. They saw he was off, and pulled a bit of an intervention to get to the bottom of it and then they all helped. Loved that.

I found the level of hockey descriptions just enough for me. Some may say there isn't enough, but fo ME, they were just detailed enough for me not to skip them, which is good, cos I would have missed some important bits had I skipped!

The level of steam is fairly high, but not ever so explicit and I liked that here. This is more about seeing what's in front of you, dealing with your past and planning for the future.

Book 2 has a different set of leads, so I'm wondering if that book follows this one, given what is said in the blurb, and given what happens here. I do hope we can catch up with Gabe and Dante though.

First I've read of either of this pair of authors, I will read more!

A very enjoyable 4 star read.

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
1997 | Drama, Horror
The cast (4 more)
The story
The humour
Spike
Giles
Holds up well for it's age.
Returning to watch Buffy after quite a few years, fully expecting the nostalgic feeling I had towards it to be ruined by it not aging well. I actually found it still held the same appeal and could easily have been made a couple of years ago, the humour, action and cast chemistry make it a joy to watch, even now.

The idea (for those who don't know) is one girl, being the chosen one, The Slayer who fights the forces of darkness, secretly, with the aid of a mentor "The Watcher" brilliantly played by Anthony Head. Except, Buffy is a bit different from other previous Slayers... She has a life, friends, relationship issues and so the "secret" part of the the task at hand isn't quite so secret... With help and hindrance in almost equal measure from humans, vampires, daemons, military, and witches to name but a few...

The 2 main watchers we encounter during the series are superbly played and could almost be clones of each other and Spike is still one of the best characters of all time on TV...

If you haven't seen it, it is really worth a go and if you haven't seen it for some time, spare a little time for a classic...
  
If you have not read Volumes 1 and 2, please don't skip them, as they are important to the overall story.

More of the same, not necessarily a bad thing. Fulfills the Daily Minimum Requirement for angst.

Laura Kinney -- oh, my bad, they are still referring to her as "Laura X" -- is written well, with Yost and Kyle succeeding in developing the character as she tries to leave her previous life behind.

Unfortunately, she was not treated so well art-wise. Paco Medina was still the artist, except for the issues where a guest artist stepped up to fill-in: #29 (Duncan Rouleau) and #32 (BATTLE PUG's Mike Norton). The issues that didn't have Medina on the art were okay enough, but the issues he DID draw were an insulting disappointment. Laura was drawn with breasts too big for her, and the outfit she wore made he look she was a regular shopper at Whores R Us!

Overall, it was a good read, just not a great read like the previous two. I found the Nimrod story to be MEH, as I have never been a fan of character. Yeah, he's neat, but trying to include often creates ideas-never-dealt-with of paradoxes and such. But, outside of his appearance as this volume's "Big Bad", it was good, just not great. You may read it and feel differently perhaps.
  
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Desperate Measures (Aspen Falls #5)
Desperate Measures (Aspen Falls #5)
Melissa Pearl, Anna Cruise | 2018 | Contemporary, Romance, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Desperate Measures (Aspen Falls #5) by Melissa Pearl & Anna Cruise
Desperate Measures is the fifth book in the Aspen Falls series, and we finally get Camilla's story. She has made regular appearances throughout this series, but hasn't as yet had her say. She does in this one, and it was definitely worth waiting for!

Cam grew up on the wrong side of the tracks (so to speak) and was determined to change her life, and to make a difference. She does this, but not without heartbreak. She leaves behind the love of her young life, knowing he is in with the gangs that are rampant. She walks away, and does make a difference. Alex has always remained in her thoughts though, even when she tries to forget him. So when he turns up, bloody and battered, will she help him, or arrest him?

This was a great story, with plenty of depth to both the situations and the characters. There were no editing or grammatical errors to this story that I noticed. I enjoyed the banter between Cam and Alex, as well as the situations they found themselves in. Even though she is a police officer, Cam did across with a healthy dose of naivety at times.

With enough action to keep you turning the pages, this was thoroughly engrossing from start to finish. Absolutely recommended by me.

This is a series that I am thoroughly enjoying. Can't wait for the next one.

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

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
The Boy Next Door (2015)
The Boy Next Door (2015)
2015 | Mystery
2
4.8 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
The theme of the dangerous person living next door as well as forbidden attraction and desires are no stranger to Hollywood as they are themes that have powered some of the most intense and erotic dramas in recent memory.

The latest offering from Hollywood has Jennifer Lopez as Claire, a woman who is newly divorced and falls for her new neighbor played by Ryan Guzman.

At first the relationship is exciting for Claire but things take a turn for the worse and Claire soon learns that her new neighbor is not what he first appeared to be and is a very dangerous and manipulative individual.

You would think with a premise such as this and a decent cast that this would at least be a passable thriller but instead it is about as lifeless and formulaic a film as they come.

The film was completely predictable aside form one brief moment at the end of the film that was mildly unexpected, but other than that I found myself whispering to my husband throughout the movie what was going to happen next, and it did.

Supporting actors John Corbett, playing Lopez’ (estranged) husband, and Ian Nelson as their teenage son, did a passable job given the material they were working with but deserved much better.

Ryan Guzman who plays 19-year-old neighbor Noah, manages to play the creepy psycho part pretty well, but the material was as I said previously; so very predictable.

 

I wish I could offer more than 1 star out of 5, but I can’t for the film which is a shame as the audience and the cast deserved so much more with this premise.
  
Bone Canyon
Bone Canyon
Lee Goldberg | 2021 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Burning Need to Solve a Cold Case
A recent wildfire in the Santa Monica mountains has had a surprising side effect. The bodies of several people dead for many years have started to be found since the brush that’s been hiding them is no longer around. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Eve Ronin and her partner, Duncan Pavone, have landed the most recent one of these cold cases. Their case proves to be complicated when they identify the body as that of a twenty-something who vanished several years before. As they begin to investigate, they make several startling discoveries. What exactly lead to her murder?

I enjoyed the first book in this series, and I wasn’t disappointed with this one in the slightest. Part of the fun is learning the twists of the case as they unfold, and then watching Eve try to make sense of it all. There is plenty of action on the way to a wonderful climax. Eve is a strong main character, and I enjoyed getting to know her better here. I did feel like a few of the supporting players could be stronger, but maybe that was my reaction to their poor attitudes which aren’t fully explained. While the overall tone of the book is serious, as it should be given the case, there are some very fun moments, most of them coming at the expense of Hollywood. This isn’t one of my typical cozies, so there is language, sex, and violence; be prepared before you pick up the book. I’m glad I picked up this fast paced, twisty mystery.
  
Mickey On The Move
Mickey On The Move
Michelle Wagner | 2021 | Children
9
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I found an excellent inspiring children's book about a little boy who deaf but not wholly. You wouldn't even know he seems to be like most children his age. The book is called "Mickey on the Move." I thought it was about him moving a lot. I was surprised why he had been to five different schools.

The book talks about his hard of hearing and how to go about his new school. His mom seems to help him through planning this first day of school, how his teachers support him, and his friends helping out if they can. They all seem to work for a way to help Mickey.

The book also talks about how Mickey wants to be growing up. There is a phrase that mentions throughout the book Mickey on the Move. Will one problem that his teacher brings up to his mom. Will they find a solution for the problem. Mickey can get what he needs while in school.

The pictures were done well by the author. It is about special needs kids and how to help and support them in their environment that they will need. This book is suitable for children to read and understand some deaf and hard of hearing children's needs. I would even support having this on library shelves and even school library shelves for children.

Parents can learn as well as children about hearing loss. However, that might be hard of hearing. Maybe get the child or children what they need to help them and support them. I know it is a hard thing. This author does it well.