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Building Empires(MidKnight Blue #1)
Building Empires(MidKnight Blue #1)
Sherryl D. Hancock | 2017 | Crime, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Law Enforcement Thrill Ride
This book is a spin off of another series that Sherryl D. Hancock writes but slightly different in that the primary characters are not lesbians. That said you will see some of those characters in this book because all is intertwined in the world Hancock creates.

This is the in depth introduction to Midnight Chevalier. As always Hancock does a fantatstic job creating characters and Midnight does not disappoint as the tough, no nonsense female protagonist. There is more violence in this book but that is indicitive of the life Midnight lives. It is also what you would expect from this character and her motley crew of unlikely heros.

I love everything Hancock writes because she focuses on allowing the character drive the story and her characters are amazingly developed. I have already recommended the MidKnight Blue series to friends who love crime stories and romance and action andjust good writing. Pretty much anyone who likes to read.
  
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Windfall (Weather Warden, #4)
6
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
The fourth book in Rachel Caine's 'Weather Warden' series, this picks up not long after the events of the previous book ("Chill Factor").

While I found both the first and the second book in the series hit the ground running and barely let up, I also felt that the third novel fumbled the ball a bit: a trend that, unfortunately, continues in this. Like the afore-mentioned previous book, this suffers from a some-what slower pace than the first two, with one plot twist (in particular) I found couldn't be any more obvious than if the blurb on the back of the book gave it away (which I have seen that happen ...)

That's not to say I didn't enjoy this book - I did - but that, compared to previous entries, I felt this was a bit of a let-down. It is possible, however, that those two books constitute the calm before the storm, so I will probably read on ...
  
Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1)
Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1)
Rachel Caine | 2006 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.9 (16 Ratings)
Book Rating
Unputdownable (0 more)
I adore this series of books, Rachel Caine is a very talented author. I love how different the vampires in her series act from the ones in other books I've read, they're not to be admired and loved, they're to be feared. The main character Claire is definitely how you'd imagine a begrudged hero if the day and the relationships built between all the characters makes you feel like you're part of it as you read.
  
Stormrider (Rigante #4)
Stormrider (Rigante #4)
David Gemmell | 2002 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
<2024 update>

It's been a few years since I last read this, with the added time between now adding (to me) additional depth to the character of The Moidart and to Gaise Macon's often fractured relationship with him.

<original review>

The final book in the Rigante series and, while it may not be as good as the others, it still nicely round off the series. The blurb on the back of the book is a bit misleading, though ...
  
Netflix
Netflix
Entertainment, Lifestyle
10
8.7 (588 Ratings)
App Rating
Quick loading (2 more)
Easy search
Lots of content
Layout changes not most accessible (1 more)
Variety of content a little limited
Does exactly as it says on the tin
If you want Netflix on the go then download this app. With the ability to download certain films and tv programmes and enable you to watch whenever you want, you will be hard pushed not to find something to your taste.
Being a cineaste, Netflix doesn’t cater for everything. If you would like to see tv series from the 60s or 70s or a film pre-1980s, then you will find it difficult but for modern audiences, this is a treat.
The layout is a little wild for my taste in apps and it is not immediately accessible for fine tune searching but if you know what you are looking for, you won’t have a problem.
Netflix is pushing their own films and tv series more now (and not a bad thing because fortunately a lot of it is high quality) so keep this in mind if you are not yet a member and look on Smashbomb or other websites for recommendations on what to watch.
  
Phoenix and His Dragon (Colorado Dragons #1)
Phoenix and His Dragon (Colorado Dragons #1)
Victoria Sue | 2026 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
awesome start to a new series!
I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is the first in a new series by this author but there is a short prequel, Drake and His Dragon. You don't need to read that before this one, though.

I loved this. It pushes so many buttons for me, not least the dragon aspect.

I loved that Cole thought he was on his own. But He's not. Even if their meeting was not the best, Cole has Phoenix. And Cole has the Colorado Dragons ice hockey team on his side, he really did not realize. I loved that tey all stepped up to help Cole out of his father's clasp.

Granted, Phoenix is keeping secrets and when Cole finds ou, he lashes out, as he has always done. He does come good though. And Phoenix is really only looking out for his friend and his family.

I don't usually vocalise my feelings when I'm reading, but this book made me cry. When you get Phoenix's full history, it's hard reading. Cole's also. His male parental unit is a nasty piecce of work! I loved how Ignatius played him at his own game, and pulled the rug out from under him while lifting Cole to new heights.

It's emotional, it's got drama, it's got love, found family, hockey! I'm fast becoming an ice hockey fan, mostly because of books like this.

An awesome start to the series, and following books will have a lot to do to pace this one!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Obsidian Chamber
The Obsidian Chamber
Douglas Preston | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
While some of the Pendergast books can be read as standalone thrillers, whether or not you’ve read the rest of the series, you really do need to have read a lot (if not all) of the previous books to appreciate this one. While it’s very hard to say much about it without using spoilers, I can say that this story is very much character driven, and you need to understand the relationships and motivations of the characters in question for the story to make sense. While there is more action than usual for Proctor in this installment, overall the style of the story makes it move along a little more slowly than most books in the series. While I did like the book, I can’t say that I was completely happy with the way things were wrapped up, or with the amount of page-time Pendergast actually gets in this novel. It left me wanting more, but I guess that in itself is a good thing!

Longtime fans of the Pendergast series should enjoy this one, but I’d recommend starting back with Relic if Pendergast is new to you!
  
Going into this book I was not sure what to expect, as I do not often read books where the main character is in middle grades. It is the first book in a series about Ginny West and the adventures she goes on while growing up (think Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn, only geared toward a younger audience. So, the book is filled with real-life examples, valuable lessons, and interesting dialogue between Ginny and her crew of characters. This book deals with Ginny figuring out how to get a new mom and making a packed with her best friend Tilly over how to accomplish this goal. It was cute and a good lesson in second chances, dealing with your emotions and growing up.

I enjoyed this story, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series to learn more about Ginny’s adventures. 4 out of 5 stars for the creative storyline, fun characters, and applicable life lessons.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
  
Stalker (Joona Linna #5)
Stalker (Joona Linna #5)
Lars Kepler | 2019 | Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting story (0 more)
Slow start (0 more)
5th novel in the Joona Linna series. Can stand-alone
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Stalker by Lars Kepler is the 5th novel in the Swedish police series involving the main character, Joona Linna. Linna is a detective who is on the hunt of an obsessive, stalking serial killer who secretly video records his victims before brutally murdering them. He taunts police by sending them videos showing the victim alive and clearly unaware they are being recorded.

This novel can stand-alone but, according to reviews on Goodreads, the earlier novels provide information and background stories on characters in the series. I have never read the previous books but have had several of them on my "want to read" list since the 4th book, Sandman, could be found all over social media last year.

I was hesitant to start the series because, I have found when a book has that much hype surrounding it, it feels like a disappointment when reading. I did not feel that when reading Stalker. The novel started off slowly. This may be because I was not familiar with the characters. Familiar or not, after the slow start, I was sucked into the story and will be moving the rest of the series to the top of my "want to read" list.

Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 3/21/19.