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I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

As someone who crochets, spinning has always been something in the back of my mind. It has always been something I have been interested in, both for curiosity’s sake and because I want to learn how to do it. While this book was both interesting and informational, however, there were a handful of parts where I didn’t understand the jargon. The author was quick to explain them as well as having accompany images that make what she discussing clear and translate to real like. The images are actually quite detailed and I found myself learning just as much from them as the text. The author has an easy friend tone that feels like she is having a conversation with you rather than teaching you.

While I was unable to put her teaching into practice, I learned a great deal from this book. For a novice, it was an easy clear read that I hope to be able to put into practice someday soon and be able to make my own yarn.
  
10 Erotic Short Stories Vol.1
10 Erotic Short Stories Vol.1
Goran Radanovic | 2021 | Erotica
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
does what its supposed to!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

10 erotic-themed stories including BDSM, cuckold, threesomes and infidelity.

That is what the blurb says, and that is what you get!

These stories are short and steamy and sexy and they all come with a bit of a twist. I didn't see them coming with the first few but after that, I took to seeing what that twist would be and mostly? I was wrong!

The only thing is, I know they were short, it says the book is 60 odd pages and for ten stories in those 60 odd pages, they have got to be short. And for ME, they were just a tad TOO short, you know? I was just getting into the tale, and boom, its done.

I found them steamy enough, without being too over the top. The steam level I would put at 4 out 5.

BUT!

For delivering exactly what it says on the tin, and giving me a delightful, sexy read between 2 much longer, heavier books...

4 stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
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Merissa (11953 KP) rated The London Monster in Books

Feb 10, 2021 (Updated Jun 10, 2023)  
The London Monster
The London Monster
Donna Scott | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE LONDON MONSTER is set about one hundred years before Jack the Ripper, and tells the story of a man who attacked women at night. It became known that he would only attack beautiful women, so it was almost a 'badge of honour' to have been chosen.

I have to say, I had no idea who it was, right up until The Final Note. The characters all intermingle, and you have no idea how much until it is revealed by the author. Simply wonderful!

This book reads as a standalone and I have no idea if the real London Monster was ever truly identified. I would love to know more about Tom, Sophie, and in particular, Dalton and Cuthbert. Those two got off very lightly in my opinion.

A long book that you can fully immerse yourself in, I found this to be one of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. Absolutely recommended by me.

* 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!
Feb 10, 2021
  
The Survivor (Jude Lyon #3)
The Survivor (Jude Lyon #3)
Simon Conway | 2022 | Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a book filled with action, tension, thrills and spills and follows on from the previous 2 in the series and whilst this can be read as a standalone, I would definitely recommend reading at least the 2nd in the series, The Sabateur, as it is easy to get a little lost on the characters and the story but you won't be disappointed.

Once again, we are treated to a tense plot, fast pace and excellent characters that, although I found it hard to get into for the first couple of chapters, once there I was absolutely riveted to the very end.

Highly recommended to those of you who enjoy an excellent thriller and many, many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Survivor.
  
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
Claire North | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.4 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it took me away from where I was at the time and completely sucked me into Harry's ever changing, disturbed and exciting life. Harry is such an excellent and interesting character! I found it so difficult to choose whether I even like Harry, he's a good guy, he's a bad guy and he's everything in between too.

This book is such an interesting take on normal time travel reads, it throws everything on its head.
The beginning of the book is slow to take off, you have to wait until around chapter 30 for things to finally start building and from there the book gets tenser, funnier and intriguing with every word.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a heavy and though provoking read.
  
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Gaz Coombes recommended Life by Inspiral Carpets in Music (curated)

 
Life by Inspiral Carpets
Life by Inspiral Carpets
1990 | Rock
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I was the perfect age for the whole Manchester thing – 13-15 during those years when it was really big, when it peaked with the Inspirals, Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses. Me and Danny [Goffey, Supergrass drummer] met at school, he was two years above me, which was a bit weird ’cos you don’t really tend to cross over years in school. I think he found out I was into music and played a bit of guitar and he’d got a drumkit for Christmas. I was into music and art, not like the village boys who were into starting fights and stuff. I remember going up to Manchester on a bus with Danny to the G-Mex to watch Happy Mondays with the Inspirals supporting, which was amazing."

Source
  
Petrus (Fueled By Lust #12)
Petrus (Fueled By Lust #12)
Celeste Prater | 2018 | Erotica, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Petrus is the twelfth book in the Fueled by Lust series, and I would certainly recommend you read them in order. Not only will that give you a better understanding of the overall story arc, but you will get to meet the characters in greater detail, helping you to know them more.

Petrus was one of the unfortunate Insedi who had a faulty necklace. This meant that when he kissed Ireland for the first time, nothing happened, much to his distress. Ireland, of course, knows nothing about the Insedi or necklaces, so she wondered what the hell was going on. To try and protect her, Petrus was cruel to be kind, which then backfired when he found out about the faulty necklaces. So now he has to try and coax her back to him.

I love this series, I really do. I have loved each and every one of the Insedi warriors, and this book is no different in that regard. What I didn't love as much were the other men in this. I can sort of understand Ludo, especially once you learn of the near-miss between him and Ireland, although I much preferred Makar and Baruch because they were already a 'couple' (so to speak). It was Damon who didn't do it for me though. I loved how it was written with a human being included into a triad but I would have loved more from him during the book. He was there at the beginning, bam, I love you's to Ireland, but then he disappears until near the end. One evening (or so it seemed) and he's into the triad, now quadrat! And then throw in the BDSM elements that Petrus and Ludo are happy for him to take the lead on... I don't know. It just didn't feel right to me, and I pains me to write that!

There were no errors in this book that disrupted my reading, and I found myself to be just as lost within the Insedi world as ever. It just didn't move in the same way as the previous books have. And Cato is still hands-down my favourite!!!

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! Because it is part of an amazing world full of interesting and intriguing characters. It isn't just the warriors who will delight you, but their partners too. Trust me, the women are just as badass in their own ways, and Makenna and Ireland's quips and witticisms to each other were fantastic to read. So yes, I recommend it. Just start from the beginning and you will love the Insedi just as much as I do!

* 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!
  
The Book of Life
The Book of Life
Deborah E. Harkness | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.7 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
The best of the trilogy
Wow, this was literally absorbing from start to finish and it is my favourite of the trilogy; it is not often that the final book achieves the highest rating. This truly is a story and a bunch of characters that have built and built.

So much change came to Diana and Matthew's lives in this book, more than in book two in the past. I found the plot to be fantastically planned, intricate and well-researched. There were details for days but not so that I got lost.

Family was more central to THE BOOK OF LIFE than any other book and it was the side characters that enriched the read so fully. I have the biggest soft spot for Gallowglass and I want a book just about him. What was subtly fascinating was the meeting of the human and creature world in this book the crossing of threads, meeting of similarities and shared-being.

The narration was excellent, Ikeda can even sing beautifully in French and German as part of the story. Again, sadness that she doesn't narrate any more.

If you are like me and you found book two a bit of a hard trudge, please don't let that put you off the final instalment, it was the best of the three.
  
TH
The Housewife
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Book Insight: Diane is a wife and doting mother that has been through a lot, and after a recent breakdown her memory seems to have blocked quite a bit out. So much so that it starts interfering with her day to day life. She starts forgetting simple tasks and finds sleep doesn't come easily anymore. Is something dark going on right under her nose? Or is she losing her mind and headed for another breakdown?

WOW!!!! An EXCELLENT story with a great plot and well developed characters!
I found this to be an absolute gem of a novel. The plot gives a slow-building, creeping sense that something isn't quite right.
The author has taken a situation, a day in the life of a housewife and turned it inside-out and upside-down. I found myself reminded of the old 1944 Ingrid Bergman film Gaslight. The difference in the two though is the constant twists and turns of the plot with the characters. You think you have it all figured out but you really don't.
I honestly did not know which way things were going to swing for Diane until the very end and the ending was just a real cliffhanger for me.
I will definitely be following this author as her books are just amazing!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this wonderful ARC.
  
Immersion Play (Leather and Lattes #1)
Immersion Play (Leather and Lattes #1)
Katherine McIntyre | 2024 | Erotica, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
IMMERSION PLAY is the first book in the Leather and Lattes series, a spin-off from Dungeons and Dating, but you don't need to have read those to enjoy this one.

Micah, vanilla as they come, broke off his so-called relationship and disappeared to San Francisco in the middle of the night. Parker is the Daddy Dom who is determined to never fall in love, due to the heartbreak that follows when one of them inevitably dies. The connection between these two is electric from the beginning, as Parker realises he may have found the boy perfect for him, and Micah realises he isn't as vanilla as he always thought.

Not only do you get a great story between Micah and Parker, but you also get a Found Family, with snippets of their backstories. It looks like this series is going to be another winner for this author, and I can't wait to read them!

Full of connections, love, s3x, and steam aplenty, this was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend.

** 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!
May 23, 2024