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Debbiereadsbook (1539 KP) rated Stanley's Christmas Redemption (Mission City #2) in Books
Nov 25, 2024
Stanley does redeem himself!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Mission City series, but I am reading it after I've already book 3. It only means I know that there is a happy ever after for Stanley and Justin. They can be read as stand alone books though.
I wasn't sure I'd like Stanley, after what he did to Maddox from book 1, but the man does redeem himself beautifully here, eventually!
It's a very instalove book, much in keeping with book 1. Mid level smexy times, not explicit but thats really not what this book is about.
This book is about looking at your previous life choices, recognising that maybe they weren't the best choice, and trying to make good on them. Stanley does a complete 180 turn at the beginning of this book and it was a bit whiplash-y but it all comes good! I really did like that Maddox became friends with Stanley, in the end.
The ansgt level is mid range, but very much inkeeping with the other two books.
I'm really enjoying this series, I want to visit Mission City again real soon!
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Mission City series, but I am reading it after I've already book 3. It only means I know that there is a happy ever after for Stanley and Justin. They can be read as stand alone books though.
I wasn't sure I'd like Stanley, after what he did to Maddox from book 1, but the man does redeem himself beautifully here, eventually!
It's a very instalove book, much in keeping with book 1. Mid level smexy times, not explicit but thats really not what this book is about.
This book is about looking at your previous life choices, recognising that maybe they weren't the best choice, and trying to make good on them. Stanley does a complete 180 turn at the beginning of this book and it was a bit whiplash-y but it all comes good! I really did like that Maddox became friends with Stanley, in the end.
The ansgt level is mid range, but very much inkeeping with the other two books.
I'm really enjoying this series, I want to visit Mission City again real soon!
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
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This is the twenty-fourth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Xeni Everly-Wilkins is devastated when her beloved Aunt Sable passes away. The two were less close than she wanted, thanks to Sable's ongoing feud with her sisters (including Xeni's mom), but Xeni loved her nonetheless. Xeni heads to New York to help clean out her aunt's house and learn what she may have inherited. But when Xeni arrives at the lawyer's office, she finds out her inheritance comes with a big catch: she must marry to claim Sable's (sizable) estate. And Sable had someone in mind: local chef Mason McInroy, a handsome Scottish man who just happened to play the bagpipes at Sable's funeral. Mason stands to inherit from this scheme too; he and Sable were close. Xeni and Mason each have their own reasons to say yes to Sable's insane scheme, but neither has any plans to fall in love. Right?
"'In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you to be married. To each other.'"
OK, I have no idea where this book came from, but it was the one "X" book on my shelves. It's a total trip with a ton of crazy story threads going on, but honestly, I enjoyed it! Even with the family drama, the arranged marriage, the mentions of witchcraft, the instalove, the sexy times, and more!
So, yes, the plot for this book is a bit outlandish. You have to roll with it--Xeni and Mason meet at the lawyer's, find out they have to marry quickly to inherit money, and... just get married. A lot of sexual scenes soon ensue--if you do not enjoy sexy times in your books, I would not recommend picking up this one. I was not prepared for, umm, all the detail, but I appreciated how open the author was with bisexuality and sexuality in general.
The instalove (instalust?) between Xeni and Mason is a bit hard to take at first, but truly, they are rather adorable and pretty easy to root for. Mason is just as cute and sweet as can be, and poor Xeni, she's going through a lot. Even though there is not a ton of character development here (why does Xeni believe in witchcraft, for instance?), you can't help but want Mason and Xeni to overcome their obstacles and make this absolutely ridiculous marriage work. Especially if they can spite their sometimes rather awful families. (Sidenote: Xeni's family clearly has a lot of issues, and it bothered me that we never got to see if they were truly resolved.)
Overall, I'm not sure if I would have gravitated immediately toward this book without my #AtoZChallenge, but it turned out to be a pretty fun read. It was silly, but rather beguiling and certainly steamy! It was a good change of pace. 3.5 stars.
Xeni Everly-Wilkins is devastated when her beloved Aunt Sable passes away. The two were less close than she wanted, thanks to Sable's ongoing feud with her sisters (including Xeni's mom), but Xeni loved her nonetheless. Xeni heads to New York to help clean out her aunt's house and learn what she may have inherited. But when Xeni arrives at the lawyer's office, she finds out her inheritance comes with a big catch: she must marry to claim Sable's (sizable) estate. And Sable had someone in mind: local chef Mason McInroy, a handsome Scottish man who just happened to play the bagpipes at Sable's funeral. Mason stands to inherit from this scheme too; he and Sable were close. Xeni and Mason each have their own reasons to say yes to Sable's insane scheme, but neither has any plans to fall in love. Right?
"'In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you to be married. To each other.'"
OK, I have no idea where this book came from, but it was the one "X" book on my shelves. It's a total trip with a ton of crazy story threads going on, but honestly, I enjoyed it! Even with the family drama, the arranged marriage, the mentions of witchcraft, the instalove, the sexy times, and more!
So, yes, the plot for this book is a bit outlandish. You have to roll with it--Xeni and Mason meet at the lawyer's, find out they have to marry quickly to inherit money, and... just get married. A lot of sexual scenes soon ensue--if you do not enjoy sexy times in your books, I would not recommend picking up this one. I was not prepared for, umm, all the detail, but I appreciated how open the author was with bisexuality and sexuality in general.
The instalove (instalust?) between Xeni and Mason is a bit hard to take at first, but truly, they are rather adorable and pretty easy to root for. Mason is just as cute and sweet as can be, and poor Xeni, she's going through a lot. Even though there is not a ton of character development here (why does Xeni believe in witchcraft, for instance?), you can't help but want Mason and Xeni to overcome their obstacles and make this absolutely ridiculous marriage work. Especially if they can spite their sometimes rather awful families. (Sidenote: Xeni's family clearly has a lot of issues, and it bothered me that we never got to see if they were truly resolved.)
Overall, I'm not sure if I would have gravitated immediately toward this book without my #AtoZChallenge, but it turned out to be a pretty fun read. It was silly, but rather beguiling and certainly steamy! It was a good change of pace. 3.5 stars.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Echoes in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><strong><cite>Echoes</cite></strong><strong> by Alice Reeds is so confusing yet interesting at the exact same time.</strong></h2>
Alice Reed's latest novel is <i>super</i> vague in its synopsis with two teens (Fiona and Miles) applying for an internship and somehow waking up on a deserted island with no recollection of how they got there in the first place.
<strong>I can't tell if my feelings are a good thing or a bad thing. </strong>I have so many thoughts and feelings about <i>Echoes</i>, so I'm going to run around in the middle. 🤔
<h3><strong><i>Echoes</i></strong><strong> is confusing AF</strong></h3>
Reeds lays out this book in two time periods - Berlin and the island. Berlin is supposedly right before they got to the island, but I am left with so many questions of <i>how</i> they even got there.
Heck, I'm left with so many questions after finishing the novel. If that was Reeds's intention, she did a phenomenal job with it, because I'm confused AF with a vague idea of what even happened.
<h3><strong>There is instalove</strong></h3>
You don't even need to try to know that this is instalove and enemies to lovers on the spot. Fiona and Miles are high school enemies - they've hated each other from the moment they met and <i>somehow</i> ended up on an island together. Alone. What else is going to happen in the world of book tropes? 🤷
<h3><strong>To be honest, this book makes you think</strong></h3>
I don't think I've walked away even one step ahead from each chapter without having to retrace my steps and think about what really happened. This might be why I'm still super confused - I'm constantly asking, "How did this happen?" and "Why did this happen?"
<strong>I had to step away </strong><strong><i>a lot</i></strong><strong> because I was confused.</strong> My brain was just pure:
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2767" src="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2017/08/what-the-fuck.gif"; alt="" width="320" height="159" />
I'm still lost and I have not returned from this lostness. (Maybe I was tired.)
<h3><strong>It still kept you interested despite the confusion</strong></h3>
I <i>nearly</i> DNFed this book, but I wanted to know <i>what</i> happened and what <i>will</i> happen at the end. Fortunately for fictional books, I don't get killed for being curious.
<h3><strong>The characters felt pretty flat and writing was meh</strong></h3>
I didn't care too much about Fiona and Miles - sure I want them alive, but do I care? Not really... I cared more about how they got there in the first and how they got from Berlin to a deserted island. All I got from the characters is:
<ol>
<li>Fiona is a champion kickboxer</li>
<li>Miles is a wealthy and popular kid at school</li>
<li>Their fathers didn't really give a shit about them</li>
</ol>
Plus the writing! First of all, let's set aside that confusion and focus on the writing by itself, which was okay, but definitely not the best. <strong>There was a lot of telling and descriptions that made me want to roll over and fall asleep</strong> than "I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT." And for me, meh writing + confusion = does not have the desire to continue the book.
<h2><strong>Honestly, </strong><i><strong>Echoes</strong></i><strong> is just plain confusion, which is great if you want to be confused. I just felt like I had no answers by the end of the book when all I wanted </strong><strong><i>were</i></strong><strong> answers.</strong></h2>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/echoes-by-alice-reeds/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<h2><strong><cite>Echoes</cite></strong><strong> by Alice Reeds is so confusing yet interesting at the exact same time.</strong></h2>
Alice Reed's latest novel is <i>super</i> vague in its synopsis with two teens (Fiona and Miles) applying for an internship and somehow waking up on a deserted island with no recollection of how they got there in the first place.
<strong>I can't tell if my feelings are a good thing or a bad thing. </strong>I have so many thoughts and feelings about <i>Echoes</i>, so I'm going to run around in the middle. 🤔
<h3><strong><i>Echoes</i></strong><strong> is confusing AF</strong></h3>
Reeds lays out this book in two time periods - Berlin and the island. Berlin is supposedly right before they got to the island, but I am left with so many questions of <i>how</i> they even got there.
Heck, I'm left with so many questions after finishing the novel. If that was Reeds's intention, she did a phenomenal job with it, because I'm confused AF with a vague idea of what even happened.
<h3><strong>There is instalove</strong></h3>
You don't even need to try to know that this is instalove and enemies to lovers on the spot. Fiona and Miles are high school enemies - they've hated each other from the moment they met and <i>somehow</i> ended up on an island together. Alone. What else is going to happen in the world of book tropes? 🤷
<h3><strong>To be honest, this book makes you think</strong></h3>
I don't think I've walked away even one step ahead from each chapter without having to retrace my steps and think about what really happened. This might be why I'm still super confused - I'm constantly asking, "How did this happen?" and "Why did this happen?"
<strong>I had to step away </strong><strong><i>a lot</i></strong><strong> because I was confused.</strong> My brain was just pure:
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2767" src="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/317/2017/08/what-the-fuck.gif"; alt="" width="320" height="159" />
I'm still lost and I have not returned from this lostness. (Maybe I was tired.)
<h3><strong>It still kept you interested despite the confusion</strong></h3>
I <i>nearly</i> DNFed this book, but I wanted to know <i>what</i> happened and what <i>will</i> happen at the end. Fortunately for fictional books, I don't get killed for being curious.
<h3><strong>The characters felt pretty flat and writing was meh</strong></h3>
I didn't care too much about Fiona and Miles - sure I want them alive, but do I care? Not really... I cared more about how they got there in the first and how they got from Berlin to a deserted island. All I got from the characters is:
<ol>
<li>Fiona is a champion kickboxer</li>
<li>Miles is a wealthy and popular kid at school</li>
<li>Their fathers didn't really give a shit about them</li>
</ol>
Plus the writing! First of all, let's set aside that confusion and focus on the writing by itself, which was okay, but definitely not the best. <strong>There was a lot of telling and descriptions that made me want to roll over and fall asleep</strong> than "I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT." And for me, meh writing + confusion = does not have the desire to continue the book.
<h2><strong>Honestly, </strong><i><strong>Echoes</strong></i><strong> is just plain confusion, which is great if you want to be confused. I just felt like I had no answers by the end of the book when all I wanted </strong><strong><i>were</i></strong><strong> answers.</strong></h2>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/echoes-by-alice-reeds/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Ivan (Her Russian Protector, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I should start by saying that I dont usually read this
these tropes. I am not into the whole mobster idea or the female lead running to some "dangerous" man for protection because hes the only one who can help her.
I made an exception in this case and I was not disappointed. The only negative comment I can make about this novel was that it felt like the couple had instalove. This is a trope I have always disliked. I am not saying I dont believe people can have an immediate connection. I just dont like when from the moment they meet, the couple knows that the other person is the one for them.
That being said, I felt that the author did a pretty good job for such a short story. I wish there had been more character development and build up to their relationship but it didn't detract from the story. Ivan was so sweet to Erin. He seemed to genuinely care about her and was honest with her the entire time. Don't get me wrong, in some places, it was super cheesy and some of the dialogue during the sex scenes should have been left out. Everything he seemed to do centered around making her happy and protecting her. And she appreciated it! She wasn't some spoiled feale either. She can take care of herself if need be.
What I really appreciated, however, smart Erin acted. She realized that she was delving into a world where she was at a disadvantage so when Ivan asked her to do something, she did it. She knew that when he was instructing her to do something, it was because it was the best route. She didnt just do whatever she wanted and make the situation worse. I am not saying a woman has to blindly follow what their man tells them to do. I just loath when the female lead does whatever she wants because, in reality, had shethought about her actions a little longer, she would realize it probably wasnt the best to take.
What I am trying to say, is that Ivan and Erin were a team that listened and talked to each other. They genuinely cared about each other and worked together towards a common goal. They spent the entire novel loving each other instead of fighting. I just dont understand those novels..
I made an exception in this case and I was not disappointed. The only negative comment I can make about this novel was that it felt like the couple had instalove. This is a trope I have always disliked. I am not saying I dont believe people can have an immediate connection. I just dont like when from the moment they meet, the couple knows that the other person is the one for them.
That being said, I felt that the author did a pretty good job for such a short story. I wish there had been more character development and build up to their relationship but it didn't detract from the story. Ivan was so sweet to Erin. He seemed to genuinely care about her and was honest with her the entire time. Don't get me wrong, in some places, it was super cheesy and some of the dialogue during the sex scenes should have been left out. Everything he seemed to do centered around making her happy and protecting her. And she appreciated it! She wasn't some spoiled feale either. She can take care of herself if need be.
What I really appreciated, however, smart Erin acted. She realized that she was delving into a world where she was at a disadvantage so when Ivan asked her to do something, she did it. She knew that when he was instructing her to do something, it was because it was the best route. She didnt just do whatever she wanted and make the situation worse. I am not saying a woman has to blindly follow what their man tells them to do. I just loath when the female lead does whatever she wants because, in reality, had shethought about her actions a little longer, she would realize it probably wasnt the best to take.
What I am trying to say, is that Ivan and Erin were a team that listened and talked to each other. They genuinely cared about each other and worked together towards a common goal. They spent the entire novel loving each other instead of fighting. I just dont understand those novels..
Jamie (131 KP) rated Shimmer and Burn in Books
Jul 30, 2017
Unique magic concept (2 more)
Fast paced and engaging story
Dreamy male lead
Bland main character (1 more)
Details about the world and magic is mildly confusing
Threading blood magic in a dying world
Shimmer and Burn was much much darker than I expected and I LOVED it. A locked away kingdom ruled by a ruthless king, forbidden blood magic that is both beautiful and deadly, a power hungry princess, a dying world infested with diseased cannibals–this book had it all. That is, except for the main character, Faris.
This book was almost perfect for me, but I just wish that Faris wasn’t so bland. The book is carried by an extremely strong plot and well developed side characters but.. well the story just sort of happens to Faris. She is constantly made out to be a fighter but she ends up running or needing to be saved almost every time. She has one central motivation, her sister, and some heartbreak over Thaelan, but that’s really all her character really has going for her.
Thankfully the other characters help drive the plot forward. I’ve never been one to fawn over book boyfriends but that changed with North. I really like North and Faris together, even though their romance sort of shows up out of thin air in a mild case of instalove. I would expect characters to talk and have more interaction before they go falling “in love.” It’s not the worst thing in the world, I still liked the characters and their romance so I was willing to look past that.
My favorite part of the book is the absolutely incredible magic system which is unlike any other I’ve ever read. Magic is described as being beautiful like threads that can just as easily fray and destroy the magic wielder if not handled with care. It is treated as something alien, even for the humans with a natural born ability to wield it. I can’t overstate enough how much I love this concept. The intricate political relationships in this novel is also extremely well done and I’m so excited to read the next book.
A fair warning though, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart. While the romance may be clean, the violence definitely isn’t. This book isn’t the goriest I’ve ever read but it does not shy away from the gruesome details. If you can stomach the gritty content then I highly recommend this book, it’s one of the best YA books I’ve read in a while.
This book was almost perfect for me, but I just wish that Faris wasn’t so bland. The book is carried by an extremely strong plot and well developed side characters but.. well the story just sort of happens to Faris. She is constantly made out to be a fighter but she ends up running or needing to be saved almost every time. She has one central motivation, her sister, and some heartbreak over Thaelan, but that’s really all her character really has going for her.
Thankfully the other characters help drive the plot forward. I’ve never been one to fawn over book boyfriends but that changed with North. I really like North and Faris together, even though their romance sort of shows up out of thin air in a mild case of instalove. I would expect characters to talk and have more interaction before they go falling “in love.” It’s not the worst thing in the world, I still liked the characters and their romance so I was willing to look past that.
My favorite part of the book is the absolutely incredible magic system which is unlike any other I’ve ever read. Magic is described as being beautiful like threads that can just as easily fray and destroy the magic wielder if not handled with care. It is treated as something alien, even for the humans with a natural born ability to wield it. I can’t overstate enough how much I love this concept. The intricate political relationships in this novel is also extremely well done and I’m so excited to read the next book.
A fair warning though, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart. While the romance may be clean, the violence definitely isn’t. This book isn’t the goriest I’ve ever read but it does not shy away from the gruesome details. If you can stomach the gritty content then I highly recommend this book, it’s one of the best YA books I’ve read in a while.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Too Good To Be Real: A Novel in Books
Jul 22, 2021
A very meta romantic comedy
Julia is a writer desperate to save her job. She's tired of posting nothing but quizzes and lists. So she pitches an article to her boss in an attempt to save her job: a new resort that's letting its guests live out their romantic comedy dreams via role playing. Julia doesn't believe in love, of course, but she'll play along if it means keeping her job. But when she and her two best friends show up, she meets a handsome man by the lake via the quintessential meet-cute: a humorous seagull incident. She thinks Luke is taking part in the rom-com experience, but he's actually one of the event planners, along with his best friend and sister. Luke decides to take part in the experience in order to impress a reviewer arriving. Sparks fly between the two, but can their love be real when no one is being honest about who they are?
"I'm as likely to find the wardrobe to Narnia as I am to find my own Mark Darcy. Life isn't like a romantic comedy."
This was a perfectly cute romantic comedy and it's important to remember that 3-stars is in no way a negative rating. Did this book wow me or sweep me off my feet? No. But it had its funny moments.
The concept is an interesting and original one: a rom-com resort, where guests are assigned a character, a role to play, select activities, and then the games begin. The characters get funny names associated with famous romantic comedies (think Sally, a la Harry Met Sally) and there are a ton of references to all sorts of rom-com favorites. If you're a romantic comedy fan, you'll love all the little inside jokes.
"For the chance to achieve his dreams, Luke had to do one thing. Make the fantasy real."
I liked Julia's character and enjoyed Luke, although I must admit the guy was a bit of a clueless idiot. The seagulls were easily the best characters in the book and some of their scenes made me laugh out loud. I'm never a fan of "lying by omission" plots, so it was a little hard to stomach that the story that was based off of falsehoods. Julia and Luke did have chemistry but also suffered a bit from instalove--maybe it was the seagulls?
Overall, this is a fun, fairly quick read, peppered with rom-com references. It's definitely silly and a bit cheesy, but sweet too. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
"I'm as likely to find the wardrobe to Narnia as I am to find my own Mark Darcy. Life isn't like a romantic comedy."
This was a perfectly cute romantic comedy and it's important to remember that 3-stars is in no way a negative rating. Did this book wow me or sweep me off my feet? No. But it had its funny moments.
The concept is an interesting and original one: a rom-com resort, where guests are assigned a character, a role to play, select activities, and then the games begin. The characters get funny names associated with famous romantic comedies (think Sally, a la Harry Met Sally) and there are a ton of references to all sorts of rom-com favorites. If you're a romantic comedy fan, you'll love all the little inside jokes.
"For the chance to achieve his dreams, Luke had to do one thing. Make the fantasy real."
I liked Julia's character and enjoyed Luke, although I must admit the guy was a bit of a clueless idiot. The seagulls were easily the best characters in the book and some of their scenes made me laugh out loud. I'm never a fan of "lying by omission" plots, so it was a little hard to stomach that the story that was based off of falsehoods. Julia and Luke did have chemistry but also suffered a bit from instalove--maybe it was the seagulls?
Overall, this is a fun, fairly quick read, peppered with rom-com references. It's definitely silly and a bit cheesy, but sweet too. 3 stars.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.