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Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Mr April (Calendar Men #4) in Books
May 14, 2018
good, but not as good as March
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Will thought the charity shoot was a good thing, til his boyfriend, Geoffrey got all jealous of nothing. So Will dumps him and takes himself out to dinner. And has an instant and powerful reaction to Baz, his server. Baz is a swan shifter, and they mate for life so Baz needs to be careful with Will. Then Geoffrey turns up dead and both men are prime suspects.
Book 4 in the Calendar Men series, but you don't need to have read the other first. It will give you a better picture of what has happened on the photo shoot, but very little of the shoot appears here.
I liked this, a lot. Not as much as March, but I did like it. I just didn't love it and *insert whiny voice* I don't know why!
It carries drama of a different nature to the other books, but I liked that here. It also has shifters of a different breed: swans and coyotes. I did not see whodunnit until it was revealed in the book!
The heat level between Baz and Will is hot and steamy, but also deep and emotional, especially when Baz is talking about life mates and things.
I just LIKED it, but I didn't love it.
BUT!! Still a four star read and I'm interested how the rest of the year will play out.
4 GOOD solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Will thought the charity shoot was a good thing, til his boyfriend, Geoffrey got all jealous of nothing. So Will dumps him and takes himself out to dinner. And has an instant and powerful reaction to Baz, his server. Baz is a swan shifter, and they mate for life so Baz needs to be careful with Will. Then Geoffrey turns up dead and both men are prime suspects.
Book 4 in the Calendar Men series, but you don't need to have read the other first. It will give you a better picture of what has happened on the photo shoot, but very little of the shoot appears here.
I liked this, a lot. Not as much as March, but I did like it. I just didn't love it and *insert whiny voice* I don't know why!
It carries drama of a different nature to the other books, but I liked that here. It also has shifters of a different breed: swans and coyotes. I did not see whodunnit until it was revealed in the book!
The heat level between Baz and Will is hot and steamy, but also deep and emotional, especially when Baz is talking about life mates and things.
I just LIKED it, but I didn't love it.
BUT!! Still a four star read and I'm interested how the rest of the year will play out.
4 GOOD solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Inside Out (Insider, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Having not read many dystopian or post-apocalyptic books, I went into this book with fresh eyes. Although the plot and setting are both very interesting, they could have been more clearly described; yet they still are good enough to set the stage for the characters and events. Trella, the main character, is the type who always interests me; she's a loner, doesn't trust easily, is independent, and is "street" smart, so to speak. Yes, she can be slightly abrasive, but only to others in the book, and I found her sympathetic and understandable; even when she was being difficult in one aspect or the other. The book moves at a nice and swift pace, which made it easy to read since I was eager to find out what happens at the end. Even though the book isn't very surprising overall, it's a pretty light-weight book, it's entertaining and well-thought-out; I truly had fun reading INSIDE OUT. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think the book could have benefited from having an extra fifty pages to fill it out more. The ending is a little too pat, but not terrible by any means, and it sets the stage for the sequel. I'm anxious to read what that might include, who's involved, and what or who the main antagonist will be the next go-'round. I heartily recommend this if you like sci-fi, dystopian societies, or just a darn good read that's on the lighter side.

Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Escaping Camp Roosevelt in Books
May 30, 2019
good but not for me.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I'm going to struggle with this review, I know I am, so please bear with me, okay?
I don't usually like books with college age young adults as the main characters, but something about the blurb must have grabbed me for me to say yes to reading it, even though the blurb says how old Tucker and Dancer are. I can't tell you what though. And Tucker is a little naive at the beginning of this book. Dancer is far more world wise than a 21 year old should be, but he's been on the streets a long time.
There are some difficult topics dealt with here. Tucker's mum is a drug user. Dancer is selling himself (although nothing is described in any great detail). Some abuse. Homelessness, how families cope with that. All topics are, I thought, dealt with well.
Both Tucker and Dancer have their say, in the third person. Both voices are distinctive and clear, and they tell their story well.
I just *insert sigh* don't know that I LIKED it. I certainly did not love it, but I'm not left with any negative feelings about it, either. It just does not push my buttons, I'm afraid.
But I DID finish it, and it held my attention the whole way through. So for that reason . .
3 stars.
I'm sorry, I really I am! Someone will love the pants off this book, but it's not me.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I'm going to struggle with this review, I know I am, so please bear with me, okay?
I don't usually like books with college age young adults as the main characters, but something about the blurb must have grabbed me for me to say yes to reading it, even though the blurb says how old Tucker and Dancer are. I can't tell you what though. And Tucker is a little naive at the beginning of this book. Dancer is far more world wise than a 21 year old should be, but he's been on the streets a long time.
There are some difficult topics dealt with here. Tucker's mum is a drug user. Dancer is selling himself (although nothing is described in any great detail). Some abuse. Homelessness, how families cope with that. All topics are, I thought, dealt with well.
Both Tucker and Dancer have their say, in the third person. Both voices are distinctive and clear, and they tell their story well.
I just *insert sigh* don't know that I LIKED it. I certainly did not love it, but I'm not left with any negative feelings about it, either. It just does not push my buttons, I'm afraid.
But I DID finish it, and it held my attention the whole way through. So for that reason . .
3 stars.
I'm sorry, I really I am! Someone will love the pants off this book, but it's not me.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

Eleanor (1463 KP) rated C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone #3) in Books
Jun 4, 2019
Entertaining mystery
This is the third book in the Kinsey Millhone "Alphabet" series by Sue Grafton, and so far it's been my favourite.
This time round private investigator Kinsey Millhone's services are employed by rich kid Bobby Callahan who thinks someone is out to kill him. Bobby’s struggling to get anyone to believe him, which isn’t surprising given the accident that he believes was a murder attempt, left him with memory loss and generally not a well boy. When Bobby dies not long after hiring Kinsey, (not a spoiler honest,) she becomes more determined than ever to get to the bottom of what Bobby was involved in.
The main story was a solid mystery but it really benefited from a fun side story where we get to see the people around Kinsey’s day to day life more. Henry the sexy octogenarian landlord and Rosie the overbearing Hungarian bar owner are enjoyable recurring characters. Having a bit more going on seemed to reduce the tedious description levels that I found bogged the previous books in places helping to move this book along at a better pace.
Kinsey keeps growing on me as a character, great to have a strong female lead without large amounts of time dedicated to romantic relationships. She’s a strong independent woman, I just struggle with a character who doesn't like dogs (this is usually the sign of a psyco imho)
I will be carrying on with this series and see what Kinsey gets involved in next.
This time round private investigator Kinsey Millhone's services are employed by rich kid Bobby Callahan who thinks someone is out to kill him. Bobby’s struggling to get anyone to believe him, which isn’t surprising given the accident that he believes was a murder attempt, left him with memory loss and generally not a well boy. When Bobby dies not long after hiring Kinsey, (not a spoiler honest,) she becomes more determined than ever to get to the bottom of what Bobby was involved in.
The main story was a solid mystery but it really benefited from a fun side story where we get to see the people around Kinsey’s day to day life more. Henry the sexy octogenarian landlord and Rosie the overbearing Hungarian bar owner are enjoyable recurring characters. Having a bit more going on seemed to reduce the tedious description levels that I found bogged the previous books in places helping to move this book along at a better pace.
Kinsey keeps growing on me as a character, great to have a strong female lead without large amounts of time dedicated to romantic relationships. She’s a strong independent woman, I just struggle with a character who doesn't like dogs (this is usually the sign of a psyco imho)
I will be carrying on with this series and see what Kinsey gets involved in next.

Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Alaska (Sawyer's Ferry #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2018
a great easy read!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I really REALLY enjoyed this, I really did!
Holden is sent by his father to Alaska to fetch Gage back to work with their medical research team. Holden is faced with an impossible task: Bring Gage back, or lose everything. His home, his job, his every last penny. But Gage had left two years before and has no plans to return. Having Holden in his home after being caught in a storm, Gage decides he might as well takes whats offered, since Holden will be gone in a few days, right??
First person, multi point of view is not one of my favourite ways for a book to be written, but I did enjoy it here.
Gage and Holden have instant chemistry, and it's only when Gage makes Holden see he is not leaving Alaska, does Holden make a move. I liked that whatever is going on between them, creeps up on them both, and neither saw it coming, although when it was getting near to Holden making his decision, it was getting tense.
I liked that Gage stuck to his moral grounds over the medical research, and I did not see what happened with Holden's father coming at me, not at all!
It's not overly explicit, nor is it violent. It's a great easy read and I read it in one sitting.
A really easy, GOOD read!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I really REALLY enjoyed this, I really did!
Holden is sent by his father to Alaska to fetch Gage back to work with their medical research team. Holden is faced with an impossible task: Bring Gage back, or lose everything. His home, his job, his every last penny. But Gage had left two years before and has no plans to return. Having Holden in his home after being caught in a storm, Gage decides he might as well takes whats offered, since Holden will be gone in a few days, right??
First person, multi point of view is not one of my favourite ways for a book to be written, but I did enjoy it here.
Gage and Holden have instant chemistry, and it's only when Gage makes Holden see he is not leaving Alaska, does Holden make a move. I liked that whatever is going on between them, creeps up on them both, and neither saw it coming, although when it was getting near to Holden making his decision, it was getting tense.
I liked that Gage stuck to his moral grounds over the medical research, and I did not see what happened with Holden's father coming at me, not at all!
It's not overly explicit, nor is it violent. It's a great easy read and I read it in one sitting.
A really easy, GOOD read!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Sweet Obsession (Nights Series #4) in Books
Jun 17, 2018
doesn't quite hit THAT spot!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the Nights series. You don't NEED to have read the other three before one, because only Cam makes a brief appearance. But you SHOULD read them, because, I made a new shelf for them and everything! The other three books are down and dirty, and they take no prisoners or make no apologies for that.
This one, I found, while still hot and steamy, and it does have a great back story to why Ash was shipped first to Stanford and then to Singapore, it just didn't quite hit THAT spot, you know?? And it pains me, because I love this series!!
Both Ash and Luke have their say, so we get it all from both sides. We get what Ash thought he saw, that fateful night 5 years ago, and we get what really happened from Luke, and how he afterwards that caused him to push Ash away.
But these two admit their feelings to each other?? It's almost like Cam and Gabe all over again, cos this takes place over one evening into the next morning, and these guys get down and dirty and I loved that their first time together was extra special.
There isn't a HEA, but there is a Happy For Now. I have the next book to read soon, so we shall get their happy ever after.
Because it doesn't quite hit THAT spot,
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 4 in the Nights series. You don't NEED to have read the other three before one, because only Cam makes a brief appearance. But you SHOULD read them, because, I made a new shelf for them and everything! The other three books are down and dirty, and they take no prisoners or make no apologies for that.
This one, I found, while still hot and steamy, and it does have a great back story to why Ash was shipped first to Stanford and then to Singapore, it just didn't quite hit THAT spot, you know?? And it pains me, because I love this series!!
Both Ash and Luke have their say, so we get it all from both sides. We get what Ash thought he saw, that fateful night 5 years ago, and we get what really happened from Luke, and how he afterwards that caused him to push Ash away.
But these two admit their feelings to each other?? It's almost like Cam and Gabe all over again, cos this takes place over one evening into the next morning, and these guys get down and dirty and I loved that their first time together was extra special.
There isn't a HEA, but there is a Happy For Now. I have the next book to read soon, so we shall get their happy ever after.
Because it doesn't quite hit THAT spot,
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Mute (Dragon Runners #1) in Books
Jul 21, 2018
Good, but not great
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Katrina lands a job in the local biker bar while she finishes up her final semester at nursing school. Club enforcer Mute props himself up at the end of the bar for most of the night and watches. Kat's life is threatened, along with that of the club. Mute digs deep to overcome his fear of falling in love again, and pulls out all the stops to save both Kat and his beloved club.
Ok! SO!
I liked this, mostly. I think.
Not a particularly original story line, but it is told in a slightly different way. Kat has her say for the bigger part of the book in the first person. Then Mute has a say, for a little bit, in the third person. Until Mute has his say, I wasn't sure I was enjoying it, and maybe I wasn't even going to finish it. But Mute having his say made the book a little more enjoyable and I did finish it.
I liked that there was a slow build between Kat and Mute. I did not like that the love word was bandied about very early on.
From what I can see, this is a first time author and in places, it does show. It's a little . . . clunky . . . . .at points and some things don't flow too well.
A good start, not a great one.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Katrina lands a job in the local biker bar while she finishes up her final semester at nursing school. Club enforcer Mute props himself up at the end of the bar for most of the night and watches. Kat's life is threatened, along with that of the club. Mute digs deep to overcome his fear of falling in love again, and pulls out all the stops to save both Kat and his beloved club.
Ok! SO!
I liked this, mostly. I think.
Not a particularly original story line, but it is told in a slightly different way. Kat has her say for the bigger part of the book in the first person. Then Mute has a say, for a little bit, in the third person. Until Mute has his say, I wasn't sure I was enjoying it, and maybe I wasn't even going to finish it. But Mute having his say made the book a little more enjoyable and I did finish it.
I liked that there was a slow build between Kat and Mute. I did not like that the love word was bandied about very early on.
From what I can see, this is a first time author and in places, it does show. It's a little . . . clunky . . . . .at points and some things don't flow too well.
A good start, not a great one.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Home Skillet (Culinary Kings #1) in Books
Jul 21, 2018
4 solid stars.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
James finds himself with a divorce, and the loss of his precious restaurant so he runs to the only place, the only person, he ever really called home. Ben has loved James forever, but having him crashing on his couch is playing havoc with his well built walls. But is what Ben feels as one sided as he thinks??
For the most part, I enjoyed this. I just found James a little much to deal with at times!
And I am left with questions that didn't get answered. I'm NOT going to voice them here, because if you read reviews before buying you might be left with the same questions and it might spoil it for you. It did NOT spoil my reading experience, not at all, I'm just left wondering about a few things.
I did like that James came to the realization of his feelings for Ben before Ben made a move. I did like that, once they decided to do this, James and Ben go ALL in, especially on James' part, since he's been in the closet all this time.
It was a lovely read, a perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. A little longer than the usual hang over cure, but I used it as such.
A not overly complicated, well written tale, with just a few things missing.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
James finds himself with a divorce, and the loss of his precious restaurant so he runs to the only place, the only person, he ever really called home. Ben has loved James forever, but having him crashing on his couch is playing havoc with his well built walls. But is what Ben feels as one sided as he thinks??
For the most part, I enjoyed this. I just found James a little much to deal with at times!
And I am left with questions that didn't get answered. I'm NOT going to voice them here, because if you read reviews before buying you might be left with the same questions and it might spoil it for you. It did NOT spoil my reading experience, not at all, I'm just left wondering about a few things.
I did like that James came to the realization of his feelings for Ben before Ben made a move. I did like that, once they decided to do this, James and Ben go ALL in, especially on James' part, since he's been in the closet all this time.
It was a lovely read, a perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon. A little longer than the usual hang over cure, but I used it as such.
A not overly complicated, well written tale, with just a few things missing.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Hiding From Two (Soul Match #3) in Books
Jun 30, 2018
really enjoying this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Soul Match series, and you really DO need to read books one, Slave For Two and book two, Cherished By Two before you read this one. You need to know about Chris, Lasar and Nary and not all is recapped here.
Morgan is Chris' cousin and under Lasar's protective custody. After Advisor Hallosh helped save Morgan from the attack at the Nall's sex party, the Soul Match flares between them. But then it flares again when Morgan meets Rama, Lasar's warrior friend. But Morgan is scared, and it takes another vision that Chris has to make Morgan see, that there are worse things than being a third in a Soul Match bond. Time is running out, though, for both the human and Alasharian rebellion.
For me, the weakest of the three books so far, and I think it's mainly because of Morgan himself! He was so adamant that he would NOT match with Hallosh and Rama, and then BOOM, his opinion flipped on a penny and I felt it a bit much.
We do get some Chris and that vision the Shar Shar Ar graces Chris with. We get what's happening with the Nall and the Void.
And we are introduced to Graham in the most horrific way. His book is next.
So, not as good as book 2, but on a par with book one.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere*
This is book 3 in the Soul Match series, and you really DO need to read books one, Slave For Two and book two, Cherished By Two before you read this one. You need to know about Chris, Lasar and Nary and not all is recapped here.
Morgan is Chris' cousin and under Lasar's protective custody. After Advisor Hallosh helped save Morgan from the attack at the Nall's sex party, the Soul Match flares between them. But then it flares again when Morgan meets Rama, Lasar's warrior friend. But Morgan is scared, and it takes another vision that Chris has to make Morgan see, that there are worse things than being a third in a Soul Match bond. Time is running out, though, for both the human and Alasharian rebellion.
For me, the weakest of the three books so far, and I think it's mainly because of Morgan himself! He was so adamant that he would NOT match with Hallosh and Rama, and then BOOM, his opinion flipped on a penny and I felt it a bit much.
We do get some Chris and that vision the Shar Shar Ar graces Chris with. We get what's happening with the Nall and the Void.
And we are introduced to Graham in the most horrific way. His book is next.
So, not as good as book 2, but on a par with book one.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere*