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Watermelon (Walsh Family, #1)
Watermelon (Walsh Family, #1)
Marian Keyes | 1995 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
View my full review on: diaryofdifference.com/2018/04/25/watermelon-marian-keyes-book-review/

A lovely read! Marian Keyes is one of my favourite authors of all time. The story of how I discovered Marian is quite funny, actually. 

It was back in the days when I was a teenager and I was in love with the Gifted Series from Marilyn Kaye. I have read only the first two books and I have asked my mum to bring me the rest of them (there were six in total). She came back with a book with an author that had a similar name, and here we are today :)

I have read Watermelon a long time ago, but I have decided to share my thoughts with you now.

This is a chick lit book about a woman left on her own right after she gives birth to her first child and then goes back to her parent's house to start her life over.

This is a story about bravely, love, family and all little things that will melt your heart.
Prepare to cry - Actually, prepare to cry a lot, and don't say I haven't warned you.

A story that will stick with you for years after you've read it. The characters that will make you wish you met them and were their friends over and over again! 

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From the iconic cover through to the Epilogue, Rachel McMillan has delivered another thrilling Herringford & Watts adventure. Filled with love and mystery, sorrow and murder, trust and anarchy...You will be drawn into the story and fight alongside Merinda and Jem for justice and freedom. Can I just say..."Mounties"...Even this redneck American girl can appreciate the Royal North-West Mounted Police. And I was giddy with delight that Rachel incorporated them into this story. I loved this book so much (more than the first one I think). There was so much going on in history at this time. It was interesting to watch those with the desire to bring change, they had the passion and drive to see things through to the end...But they had a warped view of how to go about it. Unfortunately, it reminds me of society today. It breaks my heart knowing that not much has changed in that aspect. Protests, bombings, violence and murder...These are not the answers. That is all I will say about that...Back to the book...Full of the same witty dialogue and precarious circumstances that I have come to expect (and adore) from Herringford & Watts. The footnotes also make their appearance in this story, which I still think is BRILLIANT! If you are interested in mystery, humour, and romance, these are the books for you. You will want to start with the first book, A Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder. Trust me, you don't want to miss out on this adventure. I received a free copy of A Lesson in Love & Murder in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
  
Summer at Sandcastle Cottage
Summer at Sandcastle Cottage
Christina Jones | 2021 | Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book is told from multiple perspectives, Kitty, Apollo and Jemini are sharing their thoughts and feelings. I really liked not only the main characters but all characters mentioned in this book. They all are very realistic, unique and incredibly funny. The protagonists had a difficult past, but I am happy about their present life.

The narrative was very entertaining and enjoyable. I really enjoyed the little twists and turns, that the author incorporated into this novel. The topics discussed in this book were difficult relationships, everyday life, racism, looking for love, friendships and plenty more. One thing that really annoyed me is the term “politically correct” used in multiple places throughout this book. I don’t think it was needed and it irked me a lot.

I absolutely loved the setting of this book. I would love to spend holidays in a place like Firefly Common, where you can go to the beach and enjoy idyllic walks. The book is set during summer, so it was a great escape to somewhere nice during the lockdown. The chapters of the book have medium length, but the story is very entertaining and the pages just fly by. The ending was quite predictable, but I liked the way this story was concluded. There is a short story/prequel to this book called Christmas At Sandcastle Cottage. I haven’t read it, but I hope it would explain the past situations of the main characters better.

So, to conclude, I really enjoyed this funny, romantic novel, filled with intriguing and humorous characters as well as the plot that takes you to a beautiful place and makes you believe in a better life.
  
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Merissa (12363 KP) rated Her Druid Fantasy (The Amber Druid Series #2) in Books

Mar 31, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)  
Her Druid Fantasy (The Amber Druid Series #2)
Her Druid Fantasy (The Amber Druid Series #2)
Trish F. Leger | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you haven't read any of the Amber Druid series yet then you are sure as heck missing out. These books take you on a sensual and romantic journey, peppered with arguments, 'real' life and passion.

This particular book tells the story of Ramsey and Vivienne. You know that they are just perfect for each other but with their own stubbornness and outside circumstances get in the way? I won't say for sure but I will say that I was gripped by their story, in turn, I was sad, happy, and concerned - you name it, I think the emotion will be in this book.

I love how the druids can tell if another one of them is nearby, even without seeing them. And I also loved how they knew that something was going to happen even before Vivi's symptoms became known. It almost reminded me of the Jedi Knights - "there's a disturbance in the Force!"

This series just keeps getting better and better. We greet old friends and get to know new ones. Personally, I love the time spent on drawing away each layer of the characters so that you get a deeper, more intimate knowledge of them. I know Brenan's book is out next which should be good but I really can't wait for Kale's story! He intrigues me ;)

Highly recommended for all Paranormal fans out there.
 
* 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!
August 25, 2016
  
Crystal Blade (Paladins of Crystal #2)
Crystal Blade (Paladins of Crystal #2)
Nicola M. Cameron | 2023 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
CRYSTAL BLADE is the second book in the Paladins of Crystal series, and I recommend you read this following Book One as the story continues on from there. It is NOT a standalone.

Are you ready? Then hold onto your hats, because this book will take you on a wild and bumpy ride. Oh, man. Crystal is up against everything in this book, apart from the Buff Lords, that is. They are still being honourable and keeping their distance, even if they don't want to. More becomes clear about this bunch too, which I loved. But back to Crystal. I love her attitude. It's as simple as that. She is stubborn, knows what she wants, and isn't afraid to fight for it - quite literally, as it happens.

So many excellent characters in here help to move the story along, as well as either help or hinder Crystal. I love learning more about them as the story progresses. It certainly drew me in once again.

That ending though! Gah, I think the author is trying to kill me!!! I mean, seriously!!! Apart from desperately wanting Crystal Reflection which is the next book in the series, it has left me wanting to go back and reread book one. You know, just because. And if that isn't the sign of a good book and an amazing author, I don't know what is.

Absolutely and definitely recommended by me.

** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 25, 2023
  
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Merissa (12363 KP) rated The Signs We Missed in Books

Aug 4, 2022 (Updated Aug 7, 2023)  
The Signs We Missed
The Signs We Missed
Lena S. May | 2022 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Love is never easy, and it is sometimes dark and filled with pain.
THE SIGNS WE MISSED is a young adult, standalone story, that deals with some dark themes. It comes with trigger warnings so please take note of them.

Love is never easy, and it is sometimes dark and filled with pain, especially if you are experiencing something for the first time and are unsure of just what's happening. Cruelty can be through ignorance, not always deliberate. This is the position Sean finds himself in with Luke. He has feelings but doesn't know what to do with them.

Told mainly from the perspectives of Sean, Luke, and Shayne, the missing gaps are mostly filled in and you get a rounded story. To be honest, I wasn't exactly sure how Fly's story fitted in for most of it, nor if the destructive relationship between her and Shayne was sorted, but it was still an enjoyable read - if a dark storyline can be called as such.

This is not light and fluffy, to even think that would be to do it a disservice. Instead, it is a gripping book that deals with self-harm, bisexual awakenings, and eating disorders, to name just a few. If you can cope with those, then I definitely recommend you take a chance on this novel.

** 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!
Aug 1, 2022
  
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ClareR (5784 KP) rated The Safekeep in Books

Jan 26, 2025  
The Safekeep
The Safekeep
Yael van der Wouden | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The house in The Safekeep is at the centre of this story. Isabel lives alone in the large family home in the countryside, whilst her brothers, Louis and Hendrik, live in the city. Isabel and Hendrik are invited to meet yet another of Louis’ girlfriends, and they don’t seem to take either one of them seriously. Shortly afterwards, Louis has to leave for France on business, and his girlfriend doesn’t want to stay in their city flat alone. So she asks to stay with Isabel.

Isabel lives a very rigid life. Not religious as such, but close to the Calvinist religion that their mother brought them up in. She’s paranoid about things going missing from inside the house, she constantly counts everything and tries to keep the house as her mother would have done. It becomes clear towards the end why she does this.

Isabel clearly doesn’t want Eva to stay. She wants to be alone in the house. Isabel also doesn’t want the attention of a rather over-enthusiastic male “friend”. She goes on dates with him, barely tolerating his company.

As Isabel and Eva’s relationship develops, we see another side of Isabel, and in the latter half of the book there are diary entries that explain a lot about her (I love a book with diary entries). This is a love story, but also a story about what happened to the property of returning Jews after WW2. It’s a psychological novel with a lot of secrets at its heart. It must have been a tough call for this book NOT to win the Booker in 2024.
  
In Your Eyes (Mates #3)
In Your Eyes (Mates #3)
Cardeno C | 2015 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In Your Eyes (Mates #3) by Cardeno C.
Samuel and Korban are two very different shifters - one is very logical and methodical, knows exactly what he must do to become an Alpha and works hard to do so, the other seems more fun and carefree and completely ruffles up Samuel the wrong way.

I absolutely loved this story although it did bring tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. There are some great lines in here as Samuel tries to figure out Korban, to no avail. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing and hearing about other characters that I already have met. The two main characters, though, worked absolutely perfectly with each other. It was definitely a case of them completing each other!

A heart-melting love story about receiving the greatest blessing a shifter can get - that of a true mate.

I received this book from WLK Book Promotions in return for a fair and honest review.

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
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Book Divas (227 KP) rated Beneath the Fall in Books

Dec 12, 2017 (Updated Dec 12, 2017)  
BT
Beneath the Fall
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you love fantasy and stories that take place in other worlds then this is for you. A beautifully written story line with fantastic characters and the amazing world building was out of this world. From the moment I saw the cover I knew I was in for a treat and as I flipped through the pages I knew that this book would pull me into the story and keep me wrapped up in all of its beauty. The artwork is truly breathtaking and it all seems to pop out of the pages quickly drawing you in. Reading this book was like eating a delicious treat and I savored every single moment of it. This book is worthy of more than the five stars I can give it and I highly recommend this to one and all.
 
{I received a copy when I signed up for the book tour. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.}