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Ella Enchanted
8.5
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At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her...
The Best of the Digital Photography Book Series: The Step-by-Step Secrets for How to Make Your Photos Look Like the Pros'!: Parts 1-5
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What could top the #1 best-selling photography book of all time? We're talking about the...
Merissa (13742 KP) rated The Ostin Scholar (Isle of Ostin #3) in Books
Aug 6, 2023
THE OSTIN SCHOLAR is the third book in the Isle of Ostin and really does need to be read as a series.
We met Presley in Arbor and Zeke's story and, in just one short scene, he made my heart ache with what he has to contend with. Now we get to see exactly what he's up against, and the Kade family dynamics. And when I say Kade family, I don't include Roland because he's not part of them and certainly doesn't deserve to be!
Lazlo and Presley are so cute as a couple. Lazlo definitely has the Ostin protective streak over Presley, but also over his son, Everest, and Lina, his best friend and mother to their son. We see Roland up close and personal in this one, making him even more horrible and conniving.
I am loving this series, almost as much as I love the 'theme' of the castle. The story arc moves along nicely with each story, but you don't miss out on any of the relationship-building between the main pair. Or, as in this case, the relationships between a long-lost uncle and nephews.
Definitely recommended by me and bring on The Ostin Rebel as I really want Roland to meet his grisly end. An ornament for one of the boats does sound good... 😁
** 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!
Aug 6, 2023
We met Presley in Arbor and Zeke's story and, in just one short scene, he made my heart ache with what he has to contend with. Now we get to see exactly what he's up against, and the Kade family dynamics. And when I say Kade family, I don't include Roland because he's not part of them and certainly doesn't deserve to be!
Lazlo and Presley are so cute as a couple. Lazlo definitely has the Ostin protective streak over Presley, but also over his son, Everest, and Lina, his best friend and mother to their son. We see Roland up close and personal in this one, making him even more horrible and conniving.
I am loving this series, almost as much as I love the 'theme' of the castle. The story arc moves along nicely with each story, but you don't miss out on any of the relationship-building between the main pair. Or, as in this case, the relationships between a long-lost uncle and nephews.
Definitely recommended by me and bring on The Ostin Rebel as I really want Roland to meet his grisly end. An ornament for one of the boats does sound good... 😁
** 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!
Aug 6, 2023
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Mothers: A Novel in Books
Feb 8, 2018
Seventeen-year-old Nadia Turner is a beautiful high school senior. An intelligent girl, she's college bound. But Nadia is also reeling from the suicide of her mother and trying to make sense of a life that includes just her and her taciturn Marine father. Nadia founds herself drawn to Luke Sheppard, the son of the Pastor of the Upper Room, the church of her African American community. Twenty-one, Luke is a former football star who was derailed by injury in college. Now working at a local restaurant, he and Nadia embark on a secret romance, and Nadia winds up pregnant. Not ready to have a child, she chooses to have an abortion. But Nadia is unaware of the far reaching impact of her decision and how it will affect Luke, herself, and Nadia's best friend, Aubrey.
I'm a strange person who is often wary of reading hyped books, so I put off reading this novel for a while. And I certainly did enjoy it; I can't say that I didn't. I basically read it in one day, and I was very much drawn into the story. While Bennett focuses her story on Nadia, Luke, and Aubrey, she also employs a "Greek chorus" of sorts, composed of "the mothers"--the female elders from the church--who tell the story of Nadia from their third person point of view. It's a different sort of method to employ, but Bennett pulls it off. Still, for me, I found a lot of this novel predictable, and I never really became completely attached to any of the characters. What I did enjoy is how much of the tale is rooted in the bits of life that can drag us all down. It some ways, it very well details the mundane aspects of life - making them seem interesting and nuanced. We basically see the entire span of Nadia's life, which was compelling. However, while there is a depth and message to some of Bennett's story, I can't see it sticking with me for the long-term.
Overall, this is well-written novel and certainly worth picking up. Did I find it worth all the hype? Probably not. But I'm no doubt a bit more cynical than most. It's still an intriguing story that I enjoyed reading.
I'm a strange person who is often wary of reading hyped books, so I put off reading this novel for a while. And I certainly did enjoy it; I can't say that I didn't. I basically read it in one day, and I was very much drawn into the story. While Bennett focuses her story on Nadia, Luke, and Aubrey, she also employs a "Greek chorus" of sorts, composed of "the mothers"--the female elders from the church--who tell the story of Nadia from their third person point of view. It's a different sort of method to employ, but Bennett pulls it off. Still, for me, I found a lot of this novel predictable, and I never really became completely attached to any of the characters. What I did enjoy is how much of the tale is rooted in the bits of life that can drag us all down. It some ways, it very well details the mundane aspects of life - making them seem interesting and nuanced. We basically see the entire span of Nadia's life, which was compelling. However, while there is a depth and message to some of Bennett's story, I can't see it sticking with me for the long-term.
Overall, this is well-written novel and certainly worth picking up. Did I find it worth all the hype? Probably not. But I'm no doubt a bit more cynical than most. It's still an intriguing story that I enjoyed reading.
Whiskey Cocktails: Rediscovered Classics and Contemporary Craft Drinks Using the World's Most Popular Spirit
5.0
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Grab your bow tie and a rocks glass, because we're talking all about one of the most classic - and...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated What You Wish For in Books
Aug 6, 2020
I feel bad, but I think I'm somehow immune to Katherine Center's charms, which seem to make everyone swoon over her books. With the exception of How To Walk Away, which I really enjoyed, I like her books, but never really love them. And that's definitely what happened here. In fact, I often found WISH to be utterly frustrating.
Maybe it's because I'm the child of educators, but I just kept shaking my head at the idea of a principal who could come in and unilaterally make decisions without any resistance. It made it impossible for me to focus on the rest of the story. Apparently Duncan is hired by the school founders' son-in-law--essentially a school board of one. What private school has one person on their board? What sort of private school has parents who just quietly allow someone to paint the halls gray and put bars on the windows??! None of this made any sense to me. All the resistance came down to the teachers?? I've seen parents riot over far less.
I couldn't handle it--could you tell? I also couldn't handle Sam for most of the book. I just get frustrated with Center's heroines. Sam was so whiny about nearly everything. She was more than happy to judge everyone else, yet completely resistant to owning her own life, making any changes, and opening up. Ugh. I wanted to shake her sometimes.
The book was very slow to start. Much rehashing of Sam's own problems, Duncan's arrival and the fact that--can you believe it--he is different than he was before. Hey, did you know Duncan used to be cool and funny, but now he's not?! I didn't! Oh wait, let me tell you again 15 times. Also, let's go into the fact that Sam has some issues and can never ever love again. Did I mention ever?
Also, later, without giving too much away, we completely gloss over how serious PTSD is and whitewash over the severity of things like depression, because focusing on happy things will just take away those issues completely, right? Also most plot points are telegraphed a mile away.
Sigh, I'm probably being too harsh here. The book gets a bit better as things go on. And there's a really cute kid whom I enjoyed. But still. Repetitive, predictable, and not the best at presenting mental health issues. 2.5 stars, rounding to 3 here.
Maybe it's because I'm the child of educators, but I just kept shaking my head at the idea of a principal who could come in and unilaterally make decisions without any resistance. It made it impossible for me to focus on the rest of the story. Apparently Duncan is hired by the school founders' son-in-law--essentially a school board of one. What private school has one person on their board? What sort of private school has parents who just quietly allow someone to paint the halls gray and put bars on the windows??! None of this made any sense to me. All the resistance came down to the teachers?? I've seen parents riot over far less.
I couldn't handle it--could you tell? I also couldn't handle Sam for most of the book. I just get frustrated with Center's heroines. Sam was so whiny about nearly everything. She was more than happy to judge everyone else, yet completely resistant to owning her own life, making any changes, and opening up. Ugh. I wanted to shake her sometimes.
The book was very slow to start. Much rehashing of Sam's own problems, Duncan's arrival and the fact that--can you believe it--he is different than he was before. Hey, did you know Duncan used to be cool and funny, but now he's not?! I didn't! Oh wait, let me tell you again 15 times. Also, let's go into the fact that Sam has some issues and can never ever love again. Did I mention ever?
Also, later, without giving too much away, we completely gloss over how serious PTSD is and whitewash over the severity of things like depression, because focusing on happy things will just take away those issues completely, right? Also most plot points are telegraphed a mile away.
Sigh, I'm probably being too harsh here. The book gets a bit better as things go on. And there's a really cute kid whom I enjoyed. But still. Repetitive, predictable, and not the best at presenting mental health issues. 2.5 stars, rounding to 3 here.
The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload
Book
Author and neuroscientist Daniel Levitin tackles the problems of twenty-first century information...
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Legacy (Legacy, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
It's unfortunate that the publishers insisted on making Cayla Kluver's age known. I see it mainly as a disheartening marketing ploy that is unfair to her and detracts from her talent. The whole time reading, I thought of her age and wish I hadn't known how young she was. I want her work to speak for itself, not her age, so I've tried to write a fair and accurate review reflecting that.
Miss Kluver has a good grasp of pacing and her imagination is very good. She shows promise and I'm sure her future books will only improve the more she writes. The beginning is a bit shaky, mainly due to detailed descriptions that halt the flow of the book (what I would call "stop and go" writing) and suffered extraneous words and adjectives. This occurs off and on throughout the book, but if you can get past the first sixty to seventy pages, both of these greatly decrease. After that, I got more into the book and was entertained throughout the rest of the story. Princess Alera has a nice balance of contrasts to her and she does well as the main character. Male characters, such as Narnian, London, and Destari, shine more than anyone else and I couldn't help but become fascinated by them. Despite my initial trepidation, I find myself looking forward to the next book featuring these characters and this world. I sincerely hope the sequel delves more into the Cokyris and their side of the story, for I can't help but feel the need for more equality and not the typical "good vs. evil" concept.
3.5 stars
Miss Kluver has a good grasp of pacing and her imagination is very good. She shows promise and I'm sure her future books will only improve the more she writes. The beginning is a bit shaky, mainly due to detailed descriptions that halt the flow of the book (what I would call "stop and go" writing) and suffered extraneous words and adjectives. This occurs off and on throughout the book, but if you can get past the first sixty to seventy pages, both of these greatly decrease. After that, I got more into the book and was entertained throughout the rest of the story. Princess Alera has a nice balance of contrasts to her and she does well as the main character. Male characters, such as Narnian, London, and Destari, shine more than anyone else and I couldn't help but become fascinated by them. Despite my initial trepidation, I find myself looking forward to the next book featuring these characters and this world. I sincerely hope the sequel delves more into the Cokyris and their side of the story, for I can't help but feel the need for more equality and not the typical "good vs. evil" concept.
3.5 stars
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Vanishing Point (Nikki Boyd Files #4) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
This is my second Nikki Boyd novel and I loved it every bit as much as the last one I read. Ms. Harris is a talented author who knows what to bring to her readers. She blends the heart pounding suspense, the breathtaking twists and the epic chills that make up a perfect suspense novel. The characters she throws into the story really bring it to life, making it play out more like a movie on the big screen than simply a thrilling novel.
Nikki, Garrett and Jordan come together in a wonderfully researched, well thought out novel. This is the back story of Nikki's sister Sarah and what happened to her. Each page turn truly captivated me, wrapping me up in the investigation and the shivering suspense that goes on behind the lines of duty. Throw in to the mix a little romance between two characters, God's unending glory and it rounds it out beautifully.
Ms. Harris takes a topic that isn't easily handled, the disappearance of a loved one, and creates a carefully woven, intricately pieced novel. This book is beyond 5 star worthy, and is one that will be at the top of my recommendation list for many months to come. This book will take you on a highest of high roller coaster ride, twist your gut, squeeze your heart, and the sudden stop at the end.....well, just grab a copy of this book now to see what I'm talking about.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Nikki, Garrett and Jordan come together in a wonderfully researched, well thought out novel. This is the back story of Nikki's sister Sarah and what happened to her. Each page turn truly captivated me, wrapping me up in the investigation and the shivering suspense that goes on behind the lines of duty. Throw in to the mix a little romance between two characters, God's unending glory and it rounds it out beautifully.
Ms. Harris takes a topic that isn't easily handled, the disappearance of a loved one, and creates a carefully woven, intricately pieced novel. This book is beyond 5 star worthy, and is one that will be at the top of my recommendation list for many months to come. This book will take you on a highest of high roller coaster ride, twist your gut, squeeze your heart, and the sudden stop at the end.....well, just grab a copy of this book now to see what I'm talking about.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Chili has grown and changed over the years. But one simple fact remains. Chili is a dish that continues to bring us warmth and comfort.
Robb Walsh not only gives us 60 delectable recipes for the ever favorite dish. But he also dives into the history and the evolution of chili. The book is divided into four parts: Chili's Family Tree, Tex-Mex Traditions, Chili Road Trip and Modern and Vegetarian Chilies (Because vegetarians have to eat, too - pg. 1). There are many vibrant pictures, so that your mouth begins to water just by flipping through the pages. Walsh not only instructs us on the main course, but how to roast green chiles, make fresh corn tortillas and stone ground cornbread. There is also a detailed guide to peppers and chili powders that I found very helpful. With dishes like Lobster Chili, Three-Bean Chipotle Chili and Old-Fashioned Tex-Mex Enchiladas, there is no doubt that this will be my go-to cookbook as the winter months quickly approach.
Chili...Need I say more? I love making chili, but also enjoy a variety of styles. The Chili Cookbook has such a wide selection of chili to choose from that I don't think I will ever tire of it. I enjoyed reading about the history of chili. From the Aztecs to the Chili Queens. Ready your taste buds for the ride of their lives as you dive into this delicious cookbook from beginning to end.
I received a free copy of The Chili Cookbook from the publisher, through Blogging for Books, in exchange for my honest review.
Robb Walsh not only gives us 60 delectable recipes for the ever favorite dish. But he also dives into the history and the evolution of chili. The book is divided into four parts: Chili's Family Tree, Tex-Mex Traditions, Chili Road Trip and Modern and Vegetarian Chilies (Because vegetarians have to eat, too - pg. 1). There are many vibrant pictures, so that your mouth begins to water just by flipping through the pages. Walsh not only instructs us on the main course, but how to roast green chiles, make fresh corn tortillas and stone ground cornbread. There is also a detailed guide to peppers and chili powders that I found very helpful. With dishes like Lobster Chili, Three-Bean Chipotle Chili and Old-Fashioned Tex-Mex Enchiladas, there is no doubt that this will be my go-to cookbook as the winter months quickly approach.
Chili...Need I say more? I love making chili, but also enjoy a variety of styles. The Chili Cookbook has such a wide selection of chili to choose from that I don't think I will ever tire of it. I enjoyed reading about the history of chili. From the Aztecs to the Chili Queens. Ready your taste buds for the ride of their lives as you dive into this delicious cookbook from beginning to end.
I received a free copy of The Chili Cookbook from the publisher, through Blogging for Books, in exchange for my honest review.