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Up In Smoke (Redwood Bay Fire #4)
Up In Smoke (Redwood Bay Fire #4)
HJ Welch | 2025 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
so very VERY awesome!
I was gifted my copy of this book.

I will start by saying this: I wanted to give this book so many MORE than 5 stars, but most review sites will only let you do 5. I gave the previous 3 books 5 stars but this book is way WAY above those! So, while this is tagged as a 5 star read, it really should have more!

This book deals with some difficult subjects from both guys: lost of a sibling as a child, distancing parents, drug/alcohol abuse; and recovery from these, attempted suicide and suicidal thoughts.

All topics are dealt with sensitively, and with research. Some things are on page, and you need to be mindful of that, if you have triggers. But I honestly think we needed to get into Jesse's mind at his lowest point, so we could really appreciate how far he comes and cheer him on!!

I loved that Rico thinks outside the box to be able to help Jesse. Loved that once they both admit they are emotionally in for real, it takes time for the physical stuff to come. I loved that, I really did. So I'm gonna say this is probably one of Ms Welch's less steamy books, but it's not really about that, it's more about the emotional connection for these two.

And that emotion made me cry at times, it really did. Jesse at his worst, and his best. Such extremes of emotion that really pushed me. When he was tempted, and how he overcame the threat. How Rico felt when he finally let Jesse in. How both men felt they didn't deserve the other for a long time.

I loved that Jesse was adamant he be called Jay in the beginning, but after he comes home, he's just Jesse to Rico and that was that! Made me chuckle, did that fact.

Loved that we get to catch up with the previous couples, and the whole of the One Thirteen crew, and I had to chuckle a bit at the way Jesse met them all at once! Not why he met them then, just the way they all crowded him and Rico to say hello.

Loved the found family at the club Jesse finds himself dancing at! Those guys and gals are amazing!

It's also a longer book than Ms Welch usually writes, but you do need those extra pages to fully appreciate the awesomeness that this book is!

I'm struggling with this review, because I want to rant and rave and go on and on and ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN about it, but a coherent review that does not make.

So!

To sum up, in case you didn't get it in the beginning, I bloody LOVED this book, and I loved it so much that I filed it on my Masterpiece shelf. Because I do think that this is quite possibly Ms Welch's best book so far!! (under either author name!!)

Well done, Ms Welch, so very VERY well done!

5 full and so very shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Deep Blue Sea 2 (2018)
Deep Blue Sea 2 (2018)
2018 | Action, Horror, Sci-Fi
Back in 1999 I fondly remember covering “Deep Blue Sea”. The press screening was a pleasant surprise as the film presented a fresh take on the shark on the loose genre and gave what was one of the more enjoyable films in the genre since “Jaws 2”.

I had always wondered why the film had never generated a sequel and talk of a direct to DVD follow up a few years later never materialized.

Now in 2018, we finally get the long-awaited follow up as “Deep Blue Seas 2” has arrived as a direct to DVD from Warner Bros Home Entertainment.

I eagerly awaited the arrival of my review copy as not only do I enjoy Shark movies, but my son is very big on the study of sharks and his insights always add a new dimension to me as he can tell me things like the difference between the species being portrayed, number of offspring they have, and their behavior.

The story centers on Dr. Misty Calhoun (Danielle Savre), who is tasked to give her professional opinions to a facility headed by billionaire Carl Durant (Michael Beach). At an underwater lab in South Africa, Dr. Calhoun arrives with a team and learns that the group is experimenting on Bull Sharks with a method that will increase brain abilities in humans.

Naturally things do not go as planned and before long, there are several very angry and genetically enhanced sharks on the loose with the humans desperately trying to find a way to escape and survive.

The story and characters are not overly complex but the goal is clearly to get the cast into the path of the CGI sharks as soon as possible and letting the carnage begin.

I had expected visuals on par with the SYFY films due to the direct to video nature of the film but what we were given was much better than expected.

The CGI effects are quite good and the cinema photography of the film is quite good as there are many really impressive shots in the film of the aquatic setting.

The film is hampered by the thin plot and characters and a lack of star power but it is worth a watch and is certainly better quality than many of the other creature on the loose films out there.

http://sknr.net/2018/05/07/deep-blue-sea-2/
  
The Hideaway (Lavender Shores #5)
The Hideaway (Lavender Shores #5)
Rosalind Abel | 2017 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Loving this series
When Micah Bryant was 9 years old, his future was pulled into his family. It takes Connor Clark a long time to realise that Micah was always The One, will only ever be The One. They just need to tell the family. And avoid Connor's past.

Loving this series, I really am, despite the fact its first person multi point of view ? or maybe even BECAUSE it's written that way, regardless, loving this series.

You don't need to have read the other four books, although they are all 4 and 5 star reads, they can all be read as stand alones, but it would give you a better understanding of the Founding Families of Lavender Shores, and the strong bond they have. It will give you a better understanding of just WHY Connor is so reluctant to become official with Micah.

I enjoyed this one, not as much as book4, The Shipwreck, but it's still a very good read. I think more could have been made of the Moses' (Connor's nephew) return home story line, because let's face it, the Clark family are not the nicest bunch of folks, and I would like to have known how Connor ended up with Moses in his custody in the first place, that was not really explained.

But I am enjoying that there is no real break ups in these books, there is no real violence to deal with. They really are just great reads, books to fall into and forget about the world for a few hours.

Seth though, he needs a story! The poor guy is hard done by here, and I want to see him happy!

A great, well written, well delivered story.

4 solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
It's Different Now by Dax
It's Different Now by Dax
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Dax is a 24-year-old Los Angeles-based hip-hop artist from Ottawa, Canada. Not too long ago, he released a music video for his “Did It First” single.

“Where I’m from they never did it, I did it first. Rap game wasn’t sh*t, I gave it birth. I told them ni^^as I would make ‘cause I wasn’t stopping. They was laughing now I’m laughing ‘cause I know they watching.” – lyrics

‘Did It First’ tells an introspective tale which is told from Dax’s point of view.

Apparently, he used to tell an unbeliever (a fake local rapper) and other haters that he would fulfill his rap dreams. But they laughed at him because they couldn’t visualize his vision, which expanded way beyond Kansas.

Now Dax is a successful rap artist, and the same people who didn’t believe in his dreams are saying that he got lucky, a guppy who hit the lottery.

Also, Dax admitted that he is a prophet because he told his haters that he would make it big in the rap game and he did.

“When I left home, I left with the mindset that I’m not coming back until I bring something back. You know sometimes you gotta give the people something to believe in. Go get it. I didn’t expect nobody to believe in my dream because it wasn’t theirs in the first place. That’s what I did.” – Dax

‘Did It First’ is featured on Dax’s debut EP, entitled, “It’s Different Now”.

The likable tune contains a relatable storyline and spirited rap vocals. Also, the song possesses lush instrumentation flavored with hip-hop and trap elements.

https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/dax-did-it-first/