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Montessori Crosswords - Fun Phonics Game for Kids
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Based on the proven Montessori learning method, Montessori Crosswords helps kids develop their...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The New Husband in Books
Feb 19, 2020
I love a good thriller, so when I found out about The New Husband by D.J. Palmer, I was all over it! This was a book that I knew I had to read. Luckily, I was not disappointed at all.
Nina's husband Glen disappeared after going out on his boat. No one was ever able to locate Glen's body although Nina presumes him to be dead. About two years later, Nina finds love with Simon Fitch, a teacher at her daughter's middle school. Simon is absolutely perfect for Nina, but Maggie, Nina's daughter, knows something is very wrong with Simon. Is Simon actually who he says he is or is Nina over her head?
I found the plot for The New Husband to be entertaining even though I also found it fairly predictable. While the plot is similar to other books, Palmer does a fantastic job at adding his own voice to the story. There were a couple of little plot twist I didn't predict to be fair, and the pacing was done brilliantly. I felt like every loose end was tied up by the end of the book and was explained very well. The descriptive use of text has me transported right into the middle of the setting for every scene in The New Husband.
The characters in The New Husband all had plenty of depth and were very fleshed out. I loved Nina, but so many times I wanted her to really pry more into Simon's background instead of taking him at face value. It was easy to see why she wanted to trust him since she was in love with him though. I loved how Nina's curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she did start digging up info on Simon. Simon seemed like a complete psychopath to me. I loved how well he was written, but I was constantly second guessing everything Simon said. I wanted to be wrong about him. I loved how Maggie was willing to investigate Simon from the get go. Something about him didn't sit right with her, and she acted on it. Whenever everyone else was jaded when it came to Simon, Maggie saw right through him. I did feel that Maggie sometimes acted younger than her actual age though based on how her thoughts were written.
Trigger warnings include profanity, gas-lighting, mentions of sex (although not graphic), gun use, alcohol use, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
The New Husband will definitely leave you on your toes as well as turning the page wanting to know more. Although the plot is fairly predictable, it has a great cast of characters who hold their own. I would definitely recommend The New Husband by D.J. Palmer to those who love a story that sucks them right in!
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback ARC of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. I was not required to write a review.)
Nina's husband Glen disappeared after going out on his boat. No one was ever able to locate Glen's body although Nina presumes him to be dead. About two years later, Nina finds love with Simon Fitch, a teacher at her daughter's middle school. Simon is absolutely perfect for Nina, but Maggie, Nina's daughter, knows something is very wrong with Simon. Is Simon actually who he says he is or is Nina over her head?
I found the plot for The New Husband to be entertaining even though I also found it fairly predictable. While the plot is similar to other books, Palmer does a fantastic job at adding his own voice to the story. There were a couple of little plot twist I didn't predict to be fair, and the pacing was done brilliantly. I felt like every loose end was tied up by the end of the book and was explained very well. The descriptive use of text has me transported right into the middle of the setting for every scene in The New Husband.
The characters in The New Husband all had plenty of depth and were very fleshed out. I loved Nina, but so many times I wanted her to really pry more into Simon's background instead of taking him at face value. It was easy to see why she wanted to trust him since she was in love with him though. I loved how Nina's curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she did start digging up info on Simon. Simon seemed like a complete psychopath to me. I loved how well he was written, but I was constantly second guessing everything Simon said. I wanted to be wrong about him. I loved how Maggie was willing to investigate Simon from the get go. Something about him didn't sit right with her, and she acted on it. Whenever everyone else was jaded when it came to Simon, Maggie saw right through him. I did feel that Maggie sometimes acted younger than her actual age though based on how her thoughts were written.
Trigger warnings include profanity, gas-lighting, mentions of sex (although not graphic), gun use, alcohol use, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
The New Husband will definitely leave you on your toes as well as turning the page wanting to know more. Although the plot is fairly predictable, it has a great cast of characters who hold their own. I would definitely recommend The New Husband by D.J. Palmer to those who love a story that sucks them right in!
--
(A special thank you to the publisher for sending me a paperback ARC of The New Husband by D.J. Palmer. I was not required to write a review.)
Dress Designer Fashion Studio - Tailor Boutique
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*** For true fashion enthusiasts and trend-setters! *** Create the most amazing dress designs that...
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Escape from Eden in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I've always been drawn to books that deal with cults, so when Escape from Eden by Elisa Nader came up for review, I was overjoyed! Luckily, I wasn't disappointed.
I love the synopsis of the book, and I think it's spot on, so I won't bore you with the blurb in my own words.
The title definitely suits the book as Gabriel and Mia are actually trying to escape. It's definitely an intriguing title and one that caught my attention.
I wasn't sold on the cover to begin with, but after awhile, it grew on me. I like the photo of Mia peeking out behind some kind of bush. It definitely sets the tone of the story.
The world building, overall, was really fantastically written, and I found myself instantly drawn into the book. However, I did wonder how Mia, a girl whose been in a compound since the age of 10 with no links to the outside world, knew about sex. Maybe she picked it up from other members, I don't know, but that question kept gnawing at me.
The pacing of this book did start out a bit slow for my liking, and I was wondering if this book would end up on my DNF (did not finish) pile. Luckily, after the first few chapters, the pacing picks up immensely, and it becomes hard to put this book down.
I loved the plot! Although plots about people trying to escape a cult aren't new, Nader did an excellent job at keeping the plot original. There aren't any major plot twists, but it doesn't matter. This book doesn't need them because it is just that good! The author also does a fantastic job of incorporating a bit of romance without it overshadowing the major plot point. Since I'm a Christian, I must admit that I was a little worried this book would belittle religion and/or God, but after reviewing the book, I didn't find anything offensive in it which was a relief.
I felt as if the characters were written really well. I loved Mia, and although I didn't connect with her right at first, I began to slowly love and care for her. I admired her courage even when she was vulnerable. I also loved Gabriel and the dry humor he brought to the story. I couldn't help but love him! Even mean girl Bridgette was written fantastically!
The dialogue was fantastic and flowed smoothly with the exception of the little bit of some info dump at the beginning of the book. The character interactions never felt forced or weak. There are a few swear words in this book though, so be forewarned if you''re not a fan of swearing.
Overall, Escape from Eden is a fantastic read once you get past the first few chapters. I loved how fantastic the characters were and how great the story line was written!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who want to read about strong characters and a fascinating plot that will leave you breathless.
(I received a free hardback copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
I've always been drawn to books that deal with cults, so when Escape from Eden by Elisa Nader came up for review, I was overjoyed! Luckily, I wasn't disappointed.
I love the synopsis of the book, and I think it's spot on, so I won't bore you with the blurb in my own words.
The title definitely suits the book as Gabriel and Mia are actually trying to escape. It's definitely an intriguing title and one that caught my attention.
I wasn't sold on the cover to begin with, but after awhile, it grew on me. I like the photo of Mia peeking out behind some kind of bush. It definitely sets the tone of the story.
The world building, overall, was really fantastically written, and I found myself instantly drawn into the book. However, I did wonder how Mia, a girl whose been in a compound since the age of 10 with no links to the outside world, knew about sex. Maybe she picked it up from other members, I don't know, but that question kept gnawing at me.
The pacing of this book did start out a bit slow for my liking, and I was wondering if this book would end up on my DNF (did not finish) pile. Luckily, after the first few chapters, the pacing picks up immensely, and it becomes hard to put this book down.
I loved the plot! Although plots about people trying to escape a cult aren't new, Nader did an excellent job at keeping the plot original. There aren't any major plot twists, but it doesn't matter. This book doesn't need them because it is just that good! The author also does a fantastic job of incorporating a bit of romance without it overshadowing the major plot point. Since I'm a Christian, I must admit that I was a little worried this book would belittle religion and/or God, but after reviewing the book, I didn't find anything offensive in it which was a relief.
I felt as if the characters were written really well. I loved Mia, and although I didn't connect with her right at first, I began to slowly love and care for her. I admired her courage even when she was vulnerable. I also loved Gabriel and the dry humor he brought to the story. I couldn't help but love him! Even mean girl Bridgette was written fantastically!
The dialogue was fantastic and flowed smoothly with the exception of the little bit of some info dump at the beginning of the book. The character interactions never felt forced or weak. There are a few swear words in this book though, so be forewarned if you''re not a fan of swearing.
Overall, Escape from Eden is a fantastic read once you get past the first few chapters. I loved how fantastic the characters were and how great the story line was written!
I'd recommend this book to those aged 16+ who want to read about strong characters and a fascinating plot that will leave you breathless.
(I received a free hardback copy of this title from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Darren (1599 KP) rated The Addams Family (1991) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: The Addams Family starts as we meet the family Morticia (Huston), Gomez (Julia), Lurch (Struycken), Wednesday (Ricci), Pugsley (Workman) and Thing (Hart) who have been trying to contact Uncle Fester after his disppearnce years before. Bring in Tully Alford (Hedaya) and his wife Margaret (Ivey) who want the Addams family fortune.
Tully and Abigail Craven (Wilson) use her son Gordon (Lloyd) to pretend to be Uncle Fester as he enters the house to find his share of the fortune but his adventure are nothing like he would expect as he has to deal with the unusual behaviour of the Addams family. It isn’t long before the family starts to question this Uncle Fester and soon begin to love the strange character even if he isn’t the man they thought he was.
The Addams Family is one of the true classic family comedy fantasy film that shows just how different we can see each person in our own family to be different. The interactions between the family are all twisted in a loving way where we could see others question while the interaction with the people outside the family all come off slightly awkward which sums up the family perfectly.
The con-artist side of the story comes off nicely as we can see how naïve a family can be but even with love people can change. The performances are all great with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston have perfect chemistry as the father and mother of the family. The rest of the cast all give great performances that you can believe from start to finish with the uniqueness given to each character.
Overall: Underrated classic that hits on all of the unique style needed to make it truly stand out.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/01/18/the-addams-family-1991/
Tully and Abigail Craven (Wilson) use her son Gordon (Lloyd) to pretend to be Uncle Fester as he enters the house to find his share of the fortune but his adventure are nothing like he would expect as he has to deal with the unusual behaviour of the Addams family. It isn’t long before the family starts to question this Uncle Fester and soon begin to love the strange character even if he isn’t the man they thought he was.
The Addams Family is one of the true classic family comedy fantasy film that shows just how different we can see each person in our own family to be different. The interactions between the family are all twisted in a loving way where we could see others question while the interaction with the people outside the family all come off slightly awkward which sums up the family perfectly.
The con-artist side of the story comes off nicely as we can see how naïve a family can be but even with love people can change. The performances are all great with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston have perfect chemistry as the father and mother of the family. The rest of the cast all give great performances that you can believe from start to finish with the uniqueness given to each character.
Overall: Underrated classic that hits on all of the unique style needed to make it truly stand out.
https://moviesreview101.com/2017/01/18/the-addams-family-1991/
Veronika Decides to Die
9.1
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Veronika is a beautiful young woman from Ljubljana, Slovenia who appears to have a perfect life, but...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Remem-Bear Me (Polar Heat #4) in Books
Sep 1, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
158 of 200
Kindle
Remem-Bear Me ( polar heat books 4)
By Terry Bolryder
The papa bear finally gets his mate...
Sam Weston is tired of his son’s clumsy attempts to set him up. They clearly didn’t inherit his talent for matchmaking, and besides, he’s still in love with his fated mate who has been gone for twenty years. But when his sons make an ad to promote their island resort and show off their sexy dad, it somehow draws in the one woman he still wants. Sam thinks he’s dreaming, until he realizes the love of his life has no memory of their lives together.
Joanne Weston knows from the moment she sees Sam that she made the right decision to come to the Caymans after seeing that cheesy ad. For twenty years, she’s been been trying to figure out who she is and recover the memory loss she sustained after a terrible accident. The moment she looks into Sam’s gorgeous blue eyes, she knows there’s something between them that transcends everything. She just needs him to help her remember.
Sparks quickly fly between the two reunited lovers, and Sam is overjoyed to have his mate back in his arms. But as memories from the past creep ever-closer, Sam and Joanne will be presented with the most difficult decision they have ever made. Remain happy but ignorant about the reasons they were separated, or face the truth, no matter how painful it may be?
Awe so a perfect ending to a great little series. Terry Bolryder writes short books but always packed with goodness. This is the last of Polar Heat and I’ve loved getting to know these gorgeous polar bears and their mates. It’s even better now mommas home! Those little cubs are just so so cute! Great if you like shifter books and quick reads
Kindle
Remem-Bear Me ( polar heat books 4)
By Terry Bolryder
The papa bear finally gets his mate...
Sam Weston is tired of his son’s clumsy attempts to set him up. They clearly didn’t inherit his talent for matchmaking, and besides, he’s still in love with his fated mate who has been gone for twenty years. But when his sons make an ad to promote their island resort and show off their sexy dad, it somehow draws in the one woman he still wants. Sam thinks he’s dreaming, until he realizes the love of his life has no memory of their lives together.
Joanne Weston knows from the moment she sees Sam that she made the right decision to come to the Caymans after seeing that cheesy ad. For twenty years, she’s been been trying to figure out who she is and recover the memory loss she sustained after a terrible accident. The moment she looks into Sam’s gorgeous blue eyes, she knows there’s something between them that transcends everything. She just needs him to help her remember.
Sparks quickly fly between the two reunited lovers, and Sam is overjoyed to have his mate back in his arms. But as memories from the past creep ever-closer, Sam and Joanne will be presented with the most difficult decision they have ever made. Remain happy but ignorant about the reasons they were separated, or face the truth, no matter how painful it may be?
Awe so a perfect ending to a great little series. Terry Bolryder writes short books but always packed with goodness. This is the last of Polar Heat and I’ve loved getting to know these gorgeous polar bears and their mates. It’s even better now mommas home! Those little cubs are just so so cute! Great if you like shifter books and quick reads
Louise (64 KP) rated Flight of a Starling in Books
Jul 2, 2018
* I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
After reading Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield last year I knew that I needed to read her latest book out. Lisa is UKYA author and I don’t think she gets enough credit for her work. This is another book that delivers a believable story with such rawness and emotion.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/6DfkKrGznukr6/giphy.gif"; width="200"height="200"alt="description"/>
Our story follows Rita and Lo, two sisters that are travelers and the trapeze act in their circus that moves around England on a regular basis. Life is how it has always been for the girls, set up their tent, do a few shows and move on to the next village – they haven’t known any other life and don’t really question it. They travel with another family and it’s presumed the girls will marry the boys of the other family and carry on the legacy of the circus. One evening when they explore the local area they start talking to some of the locals and sparks start to ignite between Lo and ‘a flattie'(a term for non traveler folk). With Lo slowly falling in love she starts to question her life,her role and existence in the circus – with wanting her freedom she finds cracks starting to appear and her life crumbling around her.
‘Flight of a Starling’ didn’t fail to deliver, I knew from past works that this was going to be an emotional, gritty and raw read. Heathfield has a great writing style that manages to evoke emotions – even from me who has a heart of stone. The story is told in dual perspective, swapping from Rita to Lo with just the right sized chapters. The first half of this book is rather slow what with it building a picture of what it was like to be in a travelling community and their traditions and beliefs. I loved learning about the performances that the girls were involved in such as the trapeze and their big costumes.
I must admit that I wasn’t too keen on the romance side of the book, It was lacking emotion and connection between the characters, I wanted the warm fuzziness that you get from reading about a couple that first meet, the excitement of it…which didn’t happen and it’s sad as it has such a big part of the story.
The second half of the book takes a change in pace, it was amazing and what really made the story for me. My heart was in my mouth and I could feel the blood pulsing around my body with anxiety. I was scared for the characters,I was hoping for a silver lining but Heathfield never shies away from her writing and sucker punches you in the gut.
I recommend if you want something gritty yet believable.
I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars
After reading Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield last year I knew that I needed to read her latest book out. Lisa is UKYA author and I don’t think she gets enough credit for her work. This is another book that delivers a believable story with such rawness and emotion.
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/6DfkKrGznukr6/giphy.gif"; width="200"height="200"alt="description"/>
Our story follows Rita and Lo, two sisters that are travelers and the trapeze act in their circus that moves around England on a regular basis. Life is how it has always been for the girls, set up their tent, do a few shows and move on to the next village – they haven’t known any other life and don’t really question it. They travel with another family and it’s presumed the girls will marry the boys of the other family and carry on the legacy of the circus. One evening when they explore the local area they start talking to some of the locals and sparks start to ignite between Lo and ‘a flattie'(a term for non traveler folk). With Lo slowly falling in love she starts to question her life,her role and existence in the circus – with wanting her freedom she finds cracks starting to appear and her life crumbling around her.
‘Flight of a Starling’ didn’t fail to deliver, I knew from past works that this was going to be an emotional, gritty and raw read. Heathfield has a great writing style that manages to evoke emotions – even from me who has a heart of stone. The story is told in dual perspective, swapping from Rita to Lo with just the right sized chapters. The first half of this book is rather slow what with it building a picture of what it was like to be in a travelling community and their traditions and beliefs. I loved learning about the performances that the girls were involved in such as the trapeze and their big costumes.
I must admit that I wasn’t too keen on the romance side of the book, It was lacking emotion and connection between the characters, I wanted the warm fuzziness that you get from reading about a couple that first meet, the excitement of it…which didn’t happen and it’s sad as it has such a big part of the story.
The second half of the book takes a change in pace, it was amazing and what really made the story for me. My heart was in my mouth and I could feel the blood pulsing around my body with anxiety. I was scared for the characters,I was hoping for a silver lining but Heathfield never shies away from her writing and sucker punches you in the gut.
I recommend if you want something gritty yet believable.
I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars
Debbiereadsbook (1410 KP) rated Half Blood: The Complete Collection: Books 1-5 in Books
Oct 6, 2020 (Updated Apr 13, 2021)
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted all these books.
Book1, Half Blood
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love for a couple of reasons.
CLIFFHANGER! It finishes on a cliffhanger, and if I KNOW is finishes as such, I'm usually ok, but I did NOT see this one coming at and I was somewhat annoyed about that!
I'm still not entirely sure whats going on, what the bigger picture is. It might just be me, but my brain didn't put everything together yet, and I was somewhat annoyed by that, too. I am certain that it will all become clear in the next few books, though! (or at least I hope so!)
There is some scene setting, for multiple characters who are side players. For a long while I wasn't sure why they even had a say, but all does become clear why they are there. Eventually. It took far too long for me though, to love that fact. I like hearing from everyone, I really do, but this reminded me a little of several series that take a long way round to get across the road.
I liked Indigo. She is a force of nature and when she fully becomes aware of what she is and what she can do, she will be invincible. Rhett, too, isn't fully aware of himself, I don't think yet. Some secrets he hasn't told us, and some I don't think have been revealed to him either.
I liked the twists to usual vampire/werewolf lore. Some major twists thrown up there!
I have to wait now, to get ahold of book 2. If you are reading this review, I recommend you wait til you at least have book 2 to hand, so you don't throw the hissy fit I did when I ran out of book!
Because of the cliff hanger and because of the not seeing the bigger picture (yet) . . .
4 stars
Book 2, Half Truths
This is book 2 in the Helheim Wolf Pak=ck series, and you really MUST read book one, HAlf Blood, first. This is a continuous story line and not everything is recapped.
And again, I really ENJOYED this, but I didn't quite love, and it's mostly ME that is the reason, not the book. (I think!)
I still cannot see the bigger picture, I really can't! It's driving me nuts that I can't even make one up, as I am prone to do, and I can't see where this is all going. AT. ALL!
Vaile is the focus of this book, and his new, human, FEMALE poilce partner. Dealing with the murders at the nightclub brings many questions for Larissa, and Vaile is hiding something. Something big. It's pissing her off and she will get to the bottom of it! Rhett and Indi's relationship begins to move at a much faster pace, especially once they sort out her food problem. I'm not sure I like the final solution, and I think Rhett might struggle with it too.
The search for Alpha's mate intensifies, throwing up some major spanners in the works, some twists I really didn't see coming.
It's dark and deadly. Bloody and emotional. Sexy and sweet. The violence is graphic and the sex explicit, and I loved that they were!
Lots of people again have a say, and I was ready for that this time, so I really enjoyed the stage setting in this book.
And another bloody (quite LITERALLY!) cliffhanger! *throws toys out the pram and spits dummy out*
Creeping up to 4.5 stars though!
Book 3, Half Life
This is book 3 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read book one, Half Blood and two, Half Truths before you read this one. There is an underlaying story line that isn't fully recapped here.
Sabel, The Butcher of the Helheim pack, needs to find who killed a pack member. A non-pack female wolf wasn't supposed in the woods. When Sabel finds out who Ivy is, and what her visit means to her, he helps. But Ivy's past follows her, and there is something killing not just Helheim wolves, but other packs, and shifters, are suffering too.
So!
Now I have an idea of who/what is causing all this mayhem that the Helheim pack is suffering from, the picture is becoming clearer and so I'm starting to enjoy this series a little bit more!
Everyone gets a say again, Sabel and Ivy mostly, but many others too. This book also sets the scene for book four, so pay attention!
Sabel and Ivy are explosive together. They butt heads, right from the start and it's a great deal of fun watching them fall hard, and fall HARD for each other. Ivy brings some tension to Sabel's life and it is also fun watching him deal with that.
There is the amount of violence that is in the other books, but it really is needed more so here, I think. Sabel has a particular skill set and he puts it to use here. It is graphic, and dark and deadly. It's heartbreaking in places too, as the pack deals with not only the loss from the previous book, but a shocking, more painful one here.
I loved how things are starting to make (some) sense, and the picture is becoming clearer. Where it's going, though?? No bloody idea and I LOVED that!
Hit the top marks with this one, please keep it up!
5 full stars
Book 4, Half Cast
This is book 4 in the Helheim Wolf Pack Tale, and you really SHOULD read all three previous books before this one. There is MUCH that is referenced, but not fully covered here from those books. MUCH. So, don't say I didn't warn you!
We met both Alex and Saskia in book 3, and they met too. They fell in love over a single kiss and now Saskia is mated to another, and Alex is now Bitten.
So, in my review for the third book, I said things were beginning to make sense, and I could kinda see where this was all going. You read that, right? I said it?? Well, now? I lost it all again! I still got an inkling, but I've lost something in the couple of months since I read book three, I really did and I didn't pick it back up here, not fully.
To that end, I didn't enjoy this as much as book 3.
However, I don't think that me losing whatever I did is the full reason. There is more, and it revolves around what Alex and Saskia did, to Ezekiel, in their home. They both felt guilty about that, and well they should but it didn't sit well with me! I would like to see Ezekiel happy in a later book, he needs some happiness now.
Saxon (Saskia's brother) meets HIS mate, but this book ends on a cliffhanger about that. Brax is smitten by someone he meets but not sure where thats going.
As usual, everyone important has a say. And you really do need that here, more so than in the other books.
Like I said, I lost something, and didn't quite get it back and whatever it is, I missed it!
Books one and two got 4 and 4.5 stars respectively. Book 3 is by far my favourite of them all so far and got 5 stars. We've slipped a bit here, and so....
4 solid stars
Book 5, Half Bound.
This is book 5 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, the last book and you do NEED to have read the other books before this one. This one pulls everything together but not everything important is recapped.
I found this one a much darker read than the others. The others are graphic and explicit but I thought this one was so much MORE. The violence Vivian expends to get what she wants is described in great detail, what she does and what she has others do. This is the only reason I gave it. . .oh . . no. . .wait, there is ANOTHER reason. Let me try that again! This is ONE of the reasons I gave it 4 stars. Oh but she does get her comeuppance, she really does!
Saxon is captured and Casey allows herself to be taken, on the condition Saxon is freed. Yeah, right, we did not see that one being double-crossed by Vivian! Vivian breaks Casey, she really does, physically and emotionally. It's painful reading, not just the physical stuff, but when Casey comes to terms with what Vivian does to her, what it means for her future, what it means she can never be. And then. . .not yet. . .I'll say soon.
Across the other side of the story, Brax, who left Rhett a while ago because he was addicted to Indi's bite, has to fetch a new pack member who affects him, and his wolf, deeply. But Andrea is damaged, both inside and out, and she doesn't think anyone will want her now her abusive ex has marked her as he did. Besides, all men are gonna hurt her, so she steers clear. When said ex gets too close, Brax and Drae bond, and when they do? Oh it's so beautiful, their bonding, it really is. Said ex also gets his comeuppance, but not quite how I thought he would!
Back to what Vivian does to break Casey emotionally. This is the other reason I gave it 4 stars. Casey loves Saxon and he loves her. But they never really got to tell each other that. After Casey gets free, I'm not surprised she has the thoughts she does. And then there was that "Besides. . . ." when Vivian was gloating! So now my mind is racing and I want answers! At least I know the questions this time!
A very fitting end, and one that spawns another series about Casey and her brothers. I hope to get my hands on them too.
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere, on individual listing**
Book1, Half Blood
I enjoyed this, a lot. I didn't love for a couple of reasons.
CLIFFHANGER! It finishes on a cliffhanger, and if I KNOW is finishes as such, I'm usually ok, but I did NOT see this one coming at and I was somewhat annoyed about that!
I'm still not entirely sure whats going on, what the bigger picture is. It might just be me, but my brain didn't put everything together yet, and I was somewhat annoyed by that, too. I am certain that it will all become clear in the next few books, though! (or at least I hope so!)
There is some scene setting, for multiple characters who are side players. For a long while I wasn't sure why they even had a say, but all does become clear why they are there. Eventually. It took far too long for me though, to love that fact. I like hearing from everyone, I really do, but this reminded me a little of several series that take a long way round to get across the road.
I liked Indigo. She is a force of nature and when she fully becomes aware of what she is and what she can do, she will be invincible. Rhett, too, isn't fully aware of himself, I don't think yet. Some secrets he hasn't told us, and some I don't think have been revealed to him either.
I liked the twists to usual vampire/werewolf lore. Some major twists thrown up there!
I have to wait now, to get ahold of book 2. If you are reading this review, I recommend you wait til you at least have book 2 to hand, so you don't throw the hissy fit I did when I ran out of book!
Because of the cliff hanger and because of the not seeing the bigger picture (yet) . . .
4 stars
Book 2, Half Truths
This is book 2 in the Helheim Wolf Pak=ck series, and you really MUST read book one, HAlf Blood, first. This is a continuous story line and not everything is recapped.
And again, I really ENJOYED this, but I didn't quite love, and it's mostly ME that is the reason, not the book. (I think!)
I still cannot see the bigger picture, I really can't! It's driving me nuts that I can't even make one up, as I am prone to do, and I can't see where this is all going. AT. ALL!
Vaile is the focus of this book, and his new, human, FEMALE poilce partner. Dealing with the murders at the nightclub brings many questions for Larissa, and Vaile is hiding something. Something big. It's pissing her off and she will get to the bottom of it! Rhett and Indi's relationship begins to move at a much faster pace, especially once they sort out her food problem. I'm not sure I like the final solution, and I think Rhett might struggle with it too.
The search for Alpha's mate intensifies, throwing up some major spanners in the works, some twists I really didn't see coming.
It's dark and deadly. Bloody and emotional. Sexy and sweet. The violence is graphic and the sex explicit, and I loved that they were!
Lots of people again have a say, and I was ready for that this time, so I really enjoyed the stage setting in this book.
And another bloody (quite LITERALLY!) cliffhanger! *throws toys out the pram and spits dummy out*
Creeping up to 4.5 stars though!
Book 3, Half Life
This is book 3 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, and I STRONGLY recommend you read book one, Half Blood and two, Half Truths before you read this one. There is an underlaying story line that isn't fully recapped here.
Sabel, The Butcher of the Helheim pack, needs to find who killed a pack member. A non-pack female wolf wasn't supposed in the woods. When Sabel finds out who Ivy is, and what her visit means to her, he helps. But Ivy's past follows her, and there is something killing not just Helheim wolves, but other packs, and shifters, are suffering too.
So!
Now I have an idea of who/what is causing all this mayhem that the Helheim pack is suffering from, the picture is becoming clearer and so I'm starting to enjoy this series a little bit more!
Everyone gets a say again, Sabel and Ivy mostly, but many others too. This book also sets the scene for book four, so pay attention!
Sabel and Ivy are explosive together. They butt heads, right from the start and it's a great deal of fun watching them fall hard, and fall HARD for each other. Ivy brings some tension to Sabel's life and it is also fun watching him deal with that.
There is the amount of violence that is in the other books, but it really is needed more so here, I think. Sabel has a particular skill set and he puts it to use here. It is graphic, and dark and deadly. It's heartbreaking in places too, as the pack deals with not only the loss from the previous book, but a shocking, more painful one here.
I loved how things are starting to make (some) sense, and the picture is becoming clearer. Where it's going, though?? No bloody idea and I LOVED that!
Hit the top marks with this one, please keep it up!
5 full stars
Book 4, Half Cast
This is book 4 in the Helheim Wolf Pack Tale, and you really SHOULD read all three previous books before this one. There is MUCH that is referenced, but not fully covered here from those books. MUCH. So, don't say I didn't warn you!
We met both Alex and Saskia in book 3, and they met too. They fell in love over a single kiss and now Saskia is mated to another, and Alex is now Bitten.
So, in my review for the third book, I said things were beginning to make sense, and I could kinda see where this was all going. You read that, right? I said it?? Well, now? I lost it all again! I still got an inkling, but I've lost something in the couple of months since I read book three, I really did and I didn't pick it back up here, not fully.
To that end, I didn't enjoy this as much as book 3.
However, I don't think that me losing whatever I did is the full reason. There is more, and it revolves around what Alex and Saskia did, to Ezekiel, in their home. They both felt guilty about that, and well they should but it didn't sit well with me! I would like to see Ezekiel happy in a later book, he needs some happiness now.
Saxon (Saskia's brother) meets HIS mate, but this book ends on a cliffhanger about that. Brax is smitten by someone he meets but not sure where thats going.
As usual, everyone important has a say. And you really do need that here, more so than in the other books.
Like I said, I lost something, and didn't quite get it back and whatever it is, I missed it!
Books one and two got 4 and 4.5 stars respectively. Book 3 is by far my favourite of them all so far and got 5 stars. We've slipped a bit here, and so....
4 solid stars
Book 5, Half Bound.
This is book 5 in the Helheim Wolf Pack series, the last book and you do NEED to have read the other books before this one. This one pulls everything together but not everything important is recapped.
I found this one a much darker read than the others. The others are graphic and explicit but I thought this one was so much MORE. The violence Vivian expends to get what she wants is described in great detail, what she does and what she has others do. This is the only reason I gave it. . .oh . . no. . .wait, there is ANOTHER reason. Let me try that again! This is ONE of the reasons I gave it 4 stars. Oh but she does get her comeuppance, she really does!
Saxon is captured and Casey allows herself to be taken, on the condition Saxon is freed. Yeah, right, we did not see that one being double-crossed by Vivian! Vivian breaks Casey, she really does, physically and emotionally. It's painful reading, not just the physical stuff, but when Casey comes to terms with what Vivian does to her, what it means for her future, what it means she can never be. And then. . .not yet. . .I'll say soon.
Across the other side of the story, Brax, who left Rhett a while ago because he was addicted to Indi's bite, has to fetch a new pack member who affects him, and his wolf, deeply. But Andrea is damaged, both inside and out, and she doesn't think anyone will want her now her abusive ex has marked her as he did. Besides, all men are gonna hurt her, so she steers clear. When said ex gets too close, Brax and Drae bond, and when they do? Oh it's so beautiful, their bonding, it really is. Said ex also gets his comeuppance, but not quite how I thought he would!
Back to what Vivian does to break Casey emotionally. This is the other reason I gave it 4 stars. Casey loves Saxon and he loves her. But they never really got to tell each other that. After Casey gets free, I'm not surprised she has the thoughts she does. And then there was that "Besides. . . ." when Vivian was gloating! So now my mind is racing and I want answers! At least I know the questions this time!
A very fitting end, and one that spawns another series about Casey and her brothers. I hope to get my hands on them too.
Thank you, Ms Dawes, for writing these books, I've thoroughly enjoyed delving into this world.
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere, on individual listing**
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Emma in the Night in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Cass and Emma are sisters. And like most sisters, some days they are best friends and some days they just aren't. But one thing that keeps them tethered to each other is their shared love/hate relationship with their mother. She is a narcissist and only praise of the utmost will allow her to bring her children any joy. Then the girls disappear and three years later Cass shows up at her mother's doorstep, demanding that they find Emma. Cass describes the place they had been living for the past three years and hopes that the FBI and investigators are able to find this mysterious island and Emma.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book started off a little slow for me. Hearing the background information about what happened before the disappearance, intertwined with what was going on now to describe the place the girls were being held, took up the first half of the book. Told from the perspective of Cass, the youngest daughter and Dr. Winter the FBI Psychiatrist who did the initial investigation. After that, the reading went by much faster when the twists and turns started to take place.
Cass and Emma have a mother who constantly needs to be told how beautiful she is and how good of a mother she is. The only problem is that she's not. But hearing these things make her feel good about herself and keep her children on her good side. When things don't go the way she wants, she punishes the girls in unspeakable manners. Buying one a gift the other wanted, favoring one child and ignoring the other. This is a family that has a lot of issues going on inside of their home. They way things are handled are completely out of spite for another member of the family. Although this book had a slow start, it really had a great ending. So stick with it if you have to and it will be well worth it.
Wendy Walker also wrote, All is Not Forgotten which was also a great book released last year. I look forward to what else Ms. Walker has in store.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book started off a little slow for me. Hearing the background information about what happened before the disappearance, intertwined with what was going on now to describe the place the girls were being held, took up the first half of the book. Told from the perspective of Cass, the youngest daughter and Dr. Winter the FBI Psychiatrist who did the initial investigation. After that, the reading went by much faster when the twists and turns started to take place.
Cass and Emma have a mother who constantly needs to be told how beautiful she is and how good of a mother she is. The only problem is that she's not. But hearing these things make her feel good about herself and keep her children on her good side. When things don't go the way she wants, she punishes the girls in unspeakable manners. Buying one a gift the other wanted, favoring one child and ignoring the other. This is a family that has a lot of issues going on inside of their home. They way things are handled are completely out of spite for another member of the family. Although this book had a slow start, it really had a great ending. So stick with it if you have to and it will be well worth it.
Wendy Walker also wrote, All is Not Forgotten which was also a great book released last year. I look forward to what else Ms. Walker has in store.