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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Black Arts , Tarts & Gypsy Carts ( Spells & Caramels book 2) in Books
Mar 14, 2022
47 of 230
Kindle
Black Arts, Tarts & Gypsy Carts ( Spells & Caramels book 2)
By Erin Johnson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A carnival bakery booth. A deadly magic show. Is it the perfect recipe for murder or a clever sleight of hand?
Palace pastry chef Imogen is struggling to control her newfound magic and her potent feelings for the prince. So when the carnival rolls into the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to run the royal bakery booth. But her plan to escape her problems backfires when murder rocks the magician's table, and her dear friend is found holding the bloody saw.
Determined to cook up a way to keep Rhonda out of witch's prison, she sifts through the clues and the long list of suspects. Between devious dark magicians, cagey stage assistants, and a strongman with more to offer than just muscles, everyone at the fairgrounds seems to be hiding secrets - even Rhonda.
With the final night of the carnival approaching, will Imogen's shaky powers be enough to flush out the murderer before her good friend ends up on the chopping block?
This series is so different and quirky. The characters just make you smile. Iggy has to be my favourite I mean a flame with personality and a sense of humour what’s not to love! It’s just such a pleasure to read.
Kindle
Black Arts, Tarts & Gypsy Carts ( Spells & Caramels book 2)
By Erin Johnson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A carnival bakery booth. A deadly magic show. Is it the perfect recipe for murder or a clever sleight of hand?
Palace pastry chef Imogen is struggling to control her newfound magic and her potent feelings for the prince. So when the carnival rolls into the kingdom, she jumps at the chance to run the royal bakery booth. But her plan to escape her problems backfires when murder rocks the magician's table, and her dear friend is found holding the bloody saw.
Determined to cook up a way to keep Rhonda out of witch's prison, she sifts through the clues and the long list of suspects. Between devious dark magicians, cagey stage assistants, and a strongman with more to offer than just muscles, everyone at the fairgrounds seems to be hiding secrets - even Rhonda.
With the final night of the carnival approaching, will Imogen's shaky powers be enough to flush out the murderer before her good friend ends up on the chopping block?
This series is so different and quirky. The characters just make you smile. Iggy has to be my favourite I mean a flame with personality and a sense of humour what’s not to love! It’s just such a pleasure to read.

Reece (The Hawks #5)
Book
She’s everything he doesn’t want. Honorable. Beautiful. Strong… wait, what? Reece lost...
Adult Fantasy Romance

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Bite of Winter ( Faes Captive book 3) in Books
Sep 15, 2022
166 of 230
Kindle
Bite of Winter ( Fae’s Captive book 3)
By Lily Archer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
The Red Plains are hot. But my fae king? Even hotter. So, we kind of got captured by a warlike clan of Vundi warriors. Sounds bad, right? But they treat us as guests, and I’m coming to like them despite the ongoing threat of me being shipped off to the king beyond the mountain. I still endeavor to reach the winter kingdom and find a way back home … until the Vundi high priestess reveals that I may have more ties to the fae world than I ever imagined. On top of that, Leander knows just what buttons to press to get me naked, in a tub, and panting for him. My resolve is failing on all fronts, but worse than that, I discover danger is even closer than I realized.
Well that was just what I’ve been waiting for with this series it’s finally getting somewhere. It still seems a short book but I really got into the characters and the story more with this instalment. Liander is still doing my head in a little bit now he’s finally mated maybe he’ll shut up about it. It ends on another cliffhanger which is fine as I don’t mind them!
Kindle
Bite of Winter ( Fae’s Captive book 3)
By Lily Archer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶
The Red Plains are hot. But my fae king? Even hotter. So, we kind of got captured by a warlike clan of Vundi warriors. Sounds bad, right? But they treat us as guests, and I’m coming to like them despite the ongoing threat of me being shipped off to the king beyond the mountain. I still endeavor to reach the winter kingdom and find a way back home … until the Vundi high priestess reveals that I may have more ties to the fae world than I ever imagined. On top of that, Leander knows just what buttons to press to get me naked, in a tub, and panting for him. My resolve is failing on all fronts, but worse than that, I discover danger is even closer than I realized.
Well that was just what I’ve been waiting for with this series it’s finally getting somewhere. It still seems a short book but I really got into the characters and the story more with this instalment. Liander is still doing my head in a little bit now he’s finally mated maybe he’ll shut up about it. It ends on another cliffhanger which is fine as I don’t mind them!

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Hook’s Pan ( Kingdom book 5) in Books
Oct 11, 2022
185 of 230
Kindle
Hook’s Pan ( Kingdom book 5)
By Marie Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trishelle Page has known pain in her life, but instead of it making her weak, she's stronger. Confident. That is until the day a fairy kidnaps her during her staring role in Peter Pan's play and tells her not only do fairy tales exist, but that she's the soulmate of the pirate they call Hook, making her question everything she ever thought she knew.
Captain James Hook is a man at the end of his rope. He's not the villainous bastard tales have made him out to be. So when the curvaceous blonde drops literally at his feet, he aims to prove it to her. If only to get her into his bed.
What neither one knows is that fate and magic are conspiring and they can deny the attraction all they want but their happily ever after is already written, it's just a matter of getting there.
This has to be one of my favourite fairytale retell series. Marie Hall just gets that balance of classic details and adult revamp just right. This I think was my favourite so far I absolutely love Hook. These books never take me long to read as they are just so much fun!
Kindle
Hook’s Pan ( Kingdom book 5)
By Marie Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trishelle Page has known pain in her life, but instead of it making her weak, she's stronger. Confident. That is until the day a fairy kidnaps her during her staring role in Peter Pan's play and tells her not only do fairy tales exist, but that she's the soulmate of the pirate they call Hook, making her question everything she ever thought she knew.
Captain James Hook is a man at the end of his rope. He's not the villainous bastard tales have made him out to be. So when the curvaceous blonde drops literally at his feet, he aims to prove it to her. If only to get her into his bed.
What neither one knows is that fate and magic are conspiring and they can deny the attraction all they want but their happily ever after is already written, it's just a matter of getting there.
This has to be one of my favourite fairytale retell series. Marie Hall just gets that balance of classic details and adult revamp just right. This I think was my favourite so far I absolutely love Hook. These books never take me long to read as they are just so much fun!

Merissa (12914 KP) rated Mirrors and Ashes: A Snow White Retelling in Books
Mar 6, 2022
MIRRORS & ASHES is a fantastic Snow White retelling that encaptures the reader and holds their interest from start to finish.
Ember is the main female and she has a lot to put up with from her mother, which she is made to believe is her fault. When things in the kingdom start going wrong, Ember is the one they blame. She has made friends with the Dwarves though and is welcomed among them when she escapes the death that waits for her. Through them, she learns about who she is and what love truly is, and what forms it can come in. Romance plays a part here but is not the focus.
This was very well-written, with plenty of depth and detail, giving this a polished edged. I loved the Dwarven way of life, their language, their customs, etc. I loved seeing the growth of Ember from a child, to a woman of two cultures.
The pacing was perfect for the story, and it always flowed and never faltered. A great retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Ember is the main female and she has a lot to put up with from her mother, which she is made to believe is her fault. When things in the kingdom start going wrong, Ember is the one they blame. She has made friends with the Dwarves though and is welcomed among them when she escapes the death that waits for her. Through them, she learns about who she is and what love truly is, and what forms it can come in. Romance plays a part here but is not the focus.
This was very well-written, with plenty of depth and detail, giving this a polished edged. I loved the Dwarven way of life, their language, their customs, etc. I loved seeing the growth of Ember from a child, to a woman of two cultures.
The pacing was perfect for the story, and it always flowed and never faltered. A great retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated Sealed with a Curse in Books
Oct 10, 2022
Independent Reviewer for Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Selene is a swan herder. She has grown and played with the princes of the kingdom. Unfortunately, since the queen has died, the princes have done nothing but bully and make Selene's life a misery. She won't do anything to report them and just carries on dealing with it the best way she can. Praying to the goddess to come and make her feel protected at least in a little way.
This is a beautifully written story I loved it from start to finish. I love Morgan's writing style anyways, this is her tenth book and I inhale each book as quickly as I can then get depressed waiting for the next one to come out. Her imagination brings anything to life and the detail put into each description makes it almost as if you can see it in front of you.
I adore both Selene and Con (as well as the majority of the other characters) and the way their story grows If it were possible I would like to read more to do with them and any more adventures they may go on. It seems like their story isn't quite finished maybe? Just my opinion, of course, maybe I'm just hoping too much.
Recommended Read
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
Selene is a swan herder. She has grown and played with the princes of the kingdom. Unfortunately, since the queen has died, the princes have done nothing but bully and make Selene's life a misery. She won't do anything to report them and just carries on dealing with it the best way she can. Praying to the goddess to come and make her feel protected at least in a little way.
This is a beautifully written story I loved it from start to finish. I love Morgan's writing style anyways, this is her tenth book and I inhale each book as quickly as I can then get depressed waiting for the next one to come out. Her imagination brings anything to life and the detail put into each description makes it almost as if you can see it in front of you.
I adore both Selene and Con (as well as the majority of the other characters) and the way their story grows If it were possible I would like to read more to do with them and any more adventures they may go on. It seems like their story isn't quite finished maybe? Just my opinion, of course, maybe I'm just hoping too much.
Recommended Read
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Troy in Books
Mar 4, 2022
39 of 230
Book
Troy (Mythos book 3)
By Stephen Fry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS.
'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales'OBSERVER
'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW
________
'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .'
When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.
Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.
Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.
And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .
In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.
________
I love Greek Mythology and Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people. All through this book his voice was in my head. Brilliant retellings and underlying humour. Brilliant!
Book
Troy (Mythos book 3)
By Stephen Fry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS.
'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales'OBSERVER
'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW
________
'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .'
When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins.
Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy.
Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade.
And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . .
In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond.
________
I love Greek Mythology and Stephen Fry is one of my favourite people. All through this book his voice was in my head. Brilliant retellings and underlying humour. Brilliant!

The Hunter
Book
From USA Today Bestselling author L.J. Shen comes a new, fun, steamy standalone about a notorious...

ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Hurricane Wars in Books
Jan 19, 2024
I think I came at this book from a completely different angle than all the 1-3 star reviews I’ve seen, because I thoroughly enjoyed it! The world building was perfectly done - I believed in these places, customs and conflicts. The magic element was exciting, and Talasyn’s journey to learning how to control and use her magic was fascinating.
And then there’s Talasyn’s love interest. Alaric uses a magic that’s the opposite to Talasyn’s - dark to her light. When their magic accidentally merges during a battle and creates a new, immensely powerful magic, Alarics interest is piqued. Talasyn hates Alaric and his kingdom - or does she?
There’s a lot of sexual tension going on in this book, and Alaric and Talasyn have a rather combative relationship. There was a part of me that just wanted them to sort it out, but there’s a lot of water under the bridge between these two, so it’s understandable.
So, I’m looking forward to the next book for a lot of reasons: there’s the “will they/ won’t they; whether Alarics father will ruin everything or not; whether the continents will survive the ensuing natural disaster; whether Talasyn will harness her powers in time; what’s going to happen to Talasyn’s friends?!
So many questions and I’m just going to have to wait!
And then there’s Talasyn’s love interest. Alaric uses a magic that’s the opposite to Talasyn’s - dark to her light. When their magic accidentally merges during a battle and creates a new, immensely powerful magic, Alarics interest is piqued. Talasyn hates Alaric and his kingdom - or does she?
There’s a lot of sexual tension going on in this book, and Alaric and Talasyn have a rather combative relationship. There was a part of me that just wanted them to sort it out, but there’s a lot of water under the bridge between these two, so it’s understandable.
So, I’m looking forward to the next book for a lot of reasons: there’s the “will they/ won’t they; whether Alarics father will ruin everything or not; whether the continents will survive the ensuing natural disaster; whether Talasyn will harness her powers in time; what’s going to happen to Talasyn’s friends?!
So many questions and I’m just going to have to wait!

David McK (3562 KP) rated Troy (2004) in Movies
Apr 28, 2020 (Updated Aug 25, 2024)
Following the success of "Gladiator" in 2000, I was expecting Hollywood to resurrect the old sword and sandals movies of yore, and for their to be a glut of the same.
At the time of writing this review (2020), there was actually surprisingly few such films: of the top of my head, I can only really think of "Robin Hood", "Kingdom of Heaven", and this.
With quite a few big names in its cast - Brad Pitt, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole and Eric Bana to name a few - this retells the story of the siege of Troy (although said siege doesn't seem to last as long as originally told), following Paris (Orlando Bloom) elopement with the wife of Menelaus of Troy (Brendan Gleeson) Helen (Diane Kruger), giving an excuse for Agememnon (a scenery chewing Brian Cox) to go to war against that city.
While this does have some bruising action scenes - the beach landing, and Achilles Vs Hector are my personal favourite - unfortunately large swathes of the film are bogged down by necessary exposition, and I have to say that the face of this version of Helen of Sparta (or Troy) may not be able to launch the fleet of a thousand ships that she is described as in the original texts (where she is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world).
At the time of writing this review (2020), there was actually surprisingly few such films: of the top of my head, I can only really think of "Robin Hood", "Kingdom of Heaven", and this.
With quite a few big names in its cast - Brad Pitt, Sean Bean, Orlando Bloom, Peter O'Toole and Eric Bana to name a few - this retells the story of the siege of Troy (although said siege doesn't seem to last as long as originally told), following Paris (Orlando Bloom) elopement with the wife of Menelaus of Troy (Brendan Gleeson) Helen (Diane Kruger), giving an excuse for Agememnon (a scenery chewing Brian Cox) to go to war against that city.
While this does have some bruising action scenes - the beach landing, and Achilles Vs Hector are my personal favourite - unfortunately large swathes of the film are bogged down by necessary exposition, and I have to say that the face of this version of Helen of Sparta (or Troy) may not be able to launch the fleet of a thousand ships that she is described as in the original texts (where she is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world).