
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray
Book
Gundagai, 1852 The powerful Murrumbidgee River surges through town leaving death and destruction...

Merissa (13100 KP) rated Half a Soul (Regency Faerie Tales #1) by Olivia Atwater in Books
May 26, 2022 (Updated Jun 13, 2023)
She -- Dora -- sees life through a slightly skewed lens as it is, being a Faerie Lord stole half her soul when she was only a child. Since then, she struggles to feel emotions, apart from "long-tailed ones". Her cousin, Vanessa, is the only warmth in her life and she will do all she can to please her. This includes going to London, although Dora isn't sure if she is going to help Vanessa's chances of finding a husband, or if she is going because of Vanessa's scheme to cure Dora. Either way, they end up in London, with the ton, and Dora has her own adventures whilst Vanessa is at the mercy of the matchmaking mothers.
I found Dora to be a heart-warming character who is aware of her own 'strangeness' but tries her best to fit in to please her cousin. I loved how she was truthful and direct, at a time when it was not fashionable to be so. Elias was the perfect foil for her. She didn't accept his rudeness or be put off by his temper, simply because she wasn't affected by it. Albert, and his mother, Lady Caraway, were jewels in this book and I loved every scene they were in. I was so happy for him!
Rightly or wrongly, I enjoy historical fiction as it is written. I have no idea if the dip of the neckline or the length of the hem is one hundred per cent accurate, and I don't really care. And if it is historically incorrect, so what? So long as the story fits together, and the inconsistencies remain the same throughout (now there's an oxymoron for you), that's all that concerns me.
I loved this story as it guided me along, all coming together nicely at the end. The epilogue was perfect. I sincerely hope to see more of this couple in future books. A fantastic start to a new series by a new-to-me author and absolutely recommended!
** 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!
May 26, 2022

Lirahlu (37 KP) rated Dread Nation in Books
Mar 1, 2019
Dread Nation is a fantastic mashup of the alternate history and horror genres. Ireland’s characters are intricate and flawed, and therefore believable. Ireland does not shy away from the horrific history of slavery and racism in the United States and the characters and world she’s built around them are stronger for facing these issues head-on. An absolute must-read for anyone who is not shy about gore and loves a strong female character who can hold her own in a fight.

Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated The Simple Art Of Flying in Books
Mar 4, 2019
I absolutely adored Alastair. I’m not a fan of birds, but it they were all like Alastair I would have a dozen! I loved his curmudgeon quirkiness, and his ability to pull you into the story, along with his sister Aggie. His poetry was awesome and captivating! And, Fritz. Let me tell you what. I saw a lot of my own kiddos in Fritz. He was just lovable. And, Bertie! The perfect “grandma” for the story. I loved her laugh-out-loud moments in the story.
This debut novel by the amazingly talented Cory Leonardo is one that should be on every young reader’s shelves. It’s filled with life lessons, lots of laughter, characters who will become friends, and lots of fun. If you have a younger reader, age 8 and up, I would definitely recommend you get this for them. It’s worthy of 4 stars, for sure! Great job on your debut, Leonardo!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Aladdin and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

Kate (493 KP) rated Lucid World in Books
Nov 14, 2019
I was hooked from the first couple for chapters and it really got my attention. I wanted to see what was going to happen in each story/event that happened.
I feel the author really brought the story and characters to life. I got a feel for each character and could hear their voice and see them (in my mind) clearly and I like when that comes through in a book.
Although the book goes from daytime to nighttime it was always clear when that happened so I wasn't left confused which can sometime happen when a book goes from one place to another.
I loved, what I feel was, the really important underlying message. It made me think...although I do feel we need certain emotions and feelings, I understand why they are pointless and are not necessary and what causes them. It's weird to say but lessons could actually be learnt from this book, even though it is a fictional book.
I would definitely read a follow on book if there was one and would read other books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

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