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Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5)
Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5)
Annabeth Albert | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Squared Away (Out of Uniform #5) by Annabeth Albert
Squared Away is the fifth book in the Out of Uniform series, but can be read as a standalone, as I did. However, I must say that now I have found out what an exceptional writer Annabeth Albert is, it won't be the last book of hers I read!

Isaiah is a bit of a 'flirt', and at eighteen he decides he is going to lose his V-card to a SEAL at his brother's wedding. However Mark, the SEAL, isn't interested in just being 'someone' to sleep with, and so tells Isaiah he isn't gay or interested. He then manages to avoid Isaiah for the next five years, although he still hears about Isaiah's exploits. Trust me, he is no longer a card-carrying member! These two get thrown together by tragedy, and are both left in charge of three children. This story revolves around the decisions they make, and how they learn to love and live together, whilst loving three mini-humans who demand so much time.

Squared Away is a complex love story that goes so slow it is completely and utterly scintillating. I wondered how it would work with Isaiah's reputation, but it was simply amazing. Yes, his reputation bites him in the ass, but with Mark, he goes slow - and it is beautiful. There are reasons for this as Mark is demisexual. We find out exactly what this means for Mark, and the struggles he has, both with it and with being scared to want more with Isaiah. Oh man, this is so good. I mean, seriously! The chemistry between these two melted my kindle, and I loved every word. It is heart-breaking, it is beautiful.

With no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, Squared Away is an exceptional story, told by a brilliant author. Her style of writing is realistic, with plenty of complex emotions and situations. Life doesn't always go smoothly, but it can be worth the effort you put in to a difficult situation. Absolutely amazing, and I am now putting more books by this author on my T-B-R list! You'd be a fool not to read this 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!
  
Schoolgirl Missing
Schoolgirl Missing
Sue Fortin | 2019 | Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller
10
9.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Palm Sweaty Thriller!
Holy Smokes. That's all I can say to start this review off with. Sue Fortin is a new-to-me author. I was browsing for some thriller novels to review and saw the cover of this one. It caught my eye. So, I proceeded to do something I don't often do. That's read the blurb. I read the blurb, dropped my jaw, sent it to my Kindle and devoured it. I don't mean I devoured it in one sitting. It was through a few sittings. Because with this book, I had to keep stopping to process all that I read, to pick the bones, so to speak.

This isn't your normal psych thriller. This is so much more. Poppy, Neve, Kit, and all the other characters that come to light in this story will have your heart pounding, your hands sweaty and your seat tipping from being on the edge of it for so long through the story. This is a story about a family. Not an ordinary family. A family full of secrets. A family that takes a trip, and has the unexpected happen, and only one person in this book, knows the absolute truth of what happened to Poppy.....and why.

Just when I thought I had it figured out, just when I thought I knew who was getting their way in the story, Fortin through another twist and left me back pedaling to figure it out all over again. That's the kind of writing that makes a phenomenal thriller novel. So many peaks, only to have so many twists thrown at you to leave you wondering just what exactly is going on and who did it.

By the end of this 5 star thriller, I was ready for another. This book is filled with intensity like I haven't read in a while. It is, by far, one of the best books I've read this year. If you are looking for a novel that will make you sweat, make you mad, make you turn the pages long into the night, then I highly recommend this novel. This is an author who has quickly made me a fan and I absolutely can not wait until another intricately written novel is released by her. Well done, Fortin!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harper Collins, NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
  
M(
More (The MORE Trilogy, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well yes, you know I am very open with my star ratings and IÕm quite liberal with them at times, but before we go any further, I really want you all to know that this book deserves every damn star a hundred times over. It was, quite frankly, PHENOMENAL and an amazing way to start a series (capitals are totally necessary).

To start, there is a brilliant mythos to the story and the development is this is excellent. I believe this is, in part, due to the fact Franklin builds the story very slowly to begin with, without losing pace. What IÕm trying to say, thereÕs that feeling that you never truly know the full story, but thatÕs a total plus because the characters and the plot keep you truly hooked from the very first page.

Ava, as a lead character is absolutely brilliant. SheÕs a very strong lead, charismatic yet still slightly vulnerable, a different and unique kind of female lead. This all adds up to one truly amazing character to read. Caleb, well, he has starred in many a dream since first reading himÉ.. HeÕs a very brooding kind of guy, with many inner secrets that he tries so desperately to hold close but Ava just chips away. The dynamic between them both is brilliant and makes for very interesting reading, with a great foundation for the rest of the series.

The drama, tension and mystery throughout all build at the perfect pace, pulling you unwittingly towards a truly stunning ending that leaves you needing (IÕm serious, the need was so intense I actually abandoned sleep to carry on reading) the next book ready loaded on your kindle to move straight on. This is a completely fantastic book from start to finish.

Gripping, exciting, amazing, phenomenal, something more than the others of itÕs kind on the market. This is a wonderful start to a series which has firmly wedged itself in my list of favourites. All I can say is that if this is my hangover after finishing book one, with the next one ready to move on to, I dread to think how debilitating it will be when I finish the third installment!

*This book was first reviewed on Lily Loves Indie as part of a blog tour, for which an ARC was received in return for an honest review*
  
A House at the Bottom of a Lake
A House at the Bottom of a Lake
Josh Malerman | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’m a big Josh Malerman fan, with the exception of Unbury Carol which, if you read my DNF on it, was absolutely horrid. That said, when I came across A House at the Bottom of a Lake on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited, I was a bit leery. Despite being a Malerman fan, I hadn’t heard of this title and… well, it was on KU. That alone struck me as a red flag. Nonetheless, I grabbed it and spent the night reading it. It wasn’t awful, but it’s definitely not Bird Box level great.

A House at the Bottom of a Lake is a coming of age story, one of those ones where the reader experiences the final moments of the main characters’ innocence. The house itself symbolizes the imaginative youthfulness and innocence of the more childlike mind, while the canoe represents the path to adulthood and the obstacles that must be overcome. Just like life experiences change us, the events leading up to the conclusion of the story change the canoe in ways that cannot be undone: paint chipping, dents, scratches, etc. I’d provide another example to support this theory, but that would, unfortunately, mean giving away a major spoiler to the story–so I won’t.

As far as the characters go, I found Amelia and James to be your stereotypical awkward teenagers. There is a bit of a disconnect between their age and their assumed behavior, leaning to the idea that these two kids are well-behaved and normally aren’t risk takers. Because of this, there are several moments where the story is dull.

There’s no doubt that this is a piece of work by Josh Malerman; it has his style all over it. That is, it’s meant to be suspenseful. However, the manner in which Malerman writes A House on the Bottom of a Lake struck me as a bit more jarring than edge-of-your-seat, ohmigawd what is happening!? This is probably because Malerman is a little too friendly with the parentheses in this book.

A House on the Bottom of a Lake is a great one-time read. It’s enjoyable and it has its moments, and the bond shared between Amelia and James feels realistic. It’s definitely something I’d recommend to a Malerman fan, though it isn’t worthy of a pedestal of its own.
  
Insurgent
Insurgent
Veronica Roth | 2013 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
8.3 (59 Ratings)
Book Rating
Original Review posted on <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-insurgent-by-veronica-roth.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>.

     YAYYYYY. Le Book Club decided to go straight to Insurgent after reading Divergent. Of course, I probably would've read it right before the book came out so I wouldn't be all "anticipation is killing me!!!" But a bookworm never runs out of books to read, so I'll just sit back, chillax and wait. And wait. And wait. Until the 3rd and final book finally comes out at last so I can beg my mom to go to the bookstore JUST so I can buy it. (I can always wait for the library though.) I mean, come on. Drastic cliff-hanger there. It's agonizing. Too agonizing.

     There are lots of shocking secrets here too. For one thing, WHY, CALEB, WHY?!?!?! I'm not even gonna say what he did for those who haven't read it. I just thought I was walking on my bedroom ceiling for a few minutes there when I read it. Of course... I wasn't. Or I would see clothes littering the ceiling and whatever's on the floor (not necessarily clothes). Oh, and Peter. Wow. Just wow. -_- But hey, without that, who knows what would've happened? But I am glad to say there are some peeps that are well, good riddance to them.

     I didn't get what the title really meant at first. It didn't even make sense, in my opinion. Until later. Until it was explained (kinda). But oy, what a way to end. Totally unexpected. As much as I'm a bit exhausted with Dystopian Fiction (believe me, there are probably a lot that are lurking on my Kindle App and I have no clue about. Or do I?), I'll say Insurgent was a delightful read. On the overall end, I kinda liked Divergent more. By no means of bashing whatsoever, it was more... unique from The Hunger Games (I guess that applies to all first books in a series), in the means of corrupted government.

     But what can I say? Perks to Veronica Roth for creating a unique world with it's own unique parts. :3

     And now, I have to wait. And wait. And wait. For a few months. Or is it? *checks date on Goodreads* Oh facepalm. More than a few months. Oh wait, it comes out 10 days after I'm 16! Hey, when's the choosing ceremony for us? :p
  
GL
Girl Last Seen
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I really thought I had written a review for this one during winter break, but since it has been sitting on my Kindle App shelf since I read it and there are no signs of its existence on the blog, Goodreads, or Netgalley…. I mean, that says something, right?
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I remember almost nothing from the book (this is the saddest thing ever, because I’m still in that stupid thing called reviewing slump and all I want to do is write creative posts consisting of GIFs) aside from two girls, Kadence and Lauren, who make videos and got famous on YouTube for it. One of them can’t really speak, so she primarily focuses on writing music while the other does the singing. Kadence ends up missing and no one actually knows where she’s at, if she’s even alive, etc.

(I hope my notes are somewhat helpful…)

<i>Girl Last Seen</i>, despite the fact the story is primarily focused on the characters trying to find Kadence, isn’t just about looking for a YouTube sensation. Kadence I couldn’t care less about (I know that sounds really insensitive) - she’s a spoiled brat who likes to get what she wants and doesn’t let anything stop her, but she also likes to use people like little puppets on a string.

I cared far more about the other characters: Lauren, Mason, Jude, and how they all related to each other or to Kadence. Their relationships with each other and Kadence were complex, and I really liked how they all connected. <i>Girl Last Seen</i> feels much more along the lines of relationships and finding oneself without constantly looking towards someone else as support than a mystery (though that is certainly a bonus).

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/girl-last-seen-by-heather-anastasiu/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
Wolf Reborn (The Westervelt Wolves #3)
Wolf Reborn (The Westervelt Wolves #3)
Rebecca Royce | 2021 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
107 of 250
Kindle
Wolf Reborn ( Westervelt Wolves book 3)
By Rebecca Royce

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

A lone wolf is a dangerous creature, until he meets his mate. Then he'll become lethal to protect her. Faith Shatner never asked to be a wolf shifter but one strange encounter with the Westervelt Wolves and she suddenly has a past she knows nothing about and a future wrought with danger. No one is more disappointed than she to discover that the island does not hold a mate for her, that is until she collides with Theo Kane, the missing prince of the Westervelt Wolves who has chosen isolation to save his pack from what he believes are his insane tendencies. Theo couldn't imagine anything worse than the near death experience that left him scarred and forever changed. That is until he thinks of the same things happening to Faith. Now he will have no choice but to face what he has avoided for over a year if he doesn't want the past to repeat itself, this time taking Faith along for the ride. Together they will battle demons, invisible wolves, and worst of all his father to find their eternal love. But if the price is eternity, are they willing to risk it all? PLUS a special bonus of Wolf's Valentine - a Westervelt Holiday Short Story Jana thought she was through with Westervelt. Fleeing for her life thirty years ago, she's hidden as a human ever since. But a strangely worded Valentine delivered to her desk at work has given her pause. Malcolm never expected to find his mate working for a crooked company he was sent to investigate in New York City. But there she is. Now, on Valentine's Day, the two will battle their attraction for each other while taking down a conglomerate built for the sole purpose of destroying the Westervelt Wolves. Will love win the day?


Another enjoyable book in this series and from Rebecca Royce. Not sure how I feel about the invisible wolves yet but I’m hoping for some explanation in the next books as it’s called Wolfs Magic. Nice car hoo up with gang again and seeing more mated wolves. The boys still have some major daddy issues to work through!
  
Firefly: Big Damn Hero (Firefly #1)
Firefly: Big Damn Hero (Firefly #1)
Nancy Holder | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
WOW! No, really, <b>WOW!</b> That was gorram incredible!

It's been ages since I read any fan fiction, as so much of it, at the end of the day, was just glorified 'Shipping. It's been almost two months since I have picked up anything (comic or prose) to read, as my wife and I have been through a hellish two months (started with the MS diagnosis, and ended with our 14 year old Mini Schnauzer having to be put to sleep). Long story short, not a whole hell of lot of reading going on my life, as I have been walking around in a fog, caring not one whit about much of anything, including eating or reading.

FIREFLY: BIG DAMN HERO came out on my Kindle November 20th, the day before my 50th birthday (without Lily, our 14 y.o. Mini, no longer with us, it was more like an UnBirthday, as I really felt it was no longer worth celebrating). I read the first two Chapters, or rather, I <i>tried</i>, but they seemed as though I had not when I returned to the book last week.

No matter, for it appeared not to affect my overall satisfaction that the FIREFLY prose novels were off to a very good start indeed! And I was able to focus my attention enough to finish the book in such a quick time!

From beginning to end, we are a presented with a tale of the SERENITY and her crew early in the first Season. Everyone is true to form, from Mal to Wash and Zoë to Simon and River, etc. No one ever seemed out-of-character.

At a base level, this was a Mal-centric story. We gain some backstory into his past, on Shadow, just prior to the War. We are also given an inside track to his inner thoughts, allowing us to gain an even deeper understanding of his character, beyond what we learned in the short-lived TV series and subsequent movie SERENITY.

DOCTOR WHO is a hot mess right now, something I am unable to get behind (after being a fan for almost 48 years). Too many changes, good and bad. Fortunately, though, FIREFLY remains the same, untouched, let to continue as the way it was intended, and I am totally fine with that!

If you love FIREFLY as much as I do, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up!