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Mathos (The Hawks #3)
Mathos (The Hawks #3)
Jennie Lynn Roberts | 2021 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loving this series so hard!
I was gifted my copy of this book, that I write a review was not required.

This is book 3 in The Hawks series, and you really MUST read books one, Tristan, and book 2, Val before this one. There is an on-going story arc across the series, that is not fully recapped. And you, cos I said so! I loved those books, and I loved this one too.

Mathos is a player, calls everyone darlin' and never spends more than one night with a woman. He's happy with his lot. So why then, does Lucilla push all his buttons and make him want things he never knew he wanted? She's a spoilt princess, and he just has to get her to the palace. Lucy, however, does not want to go. Her brother will kill her, and she's suffered enough. Finding out though, that Ballinor is dead and a far darker mind wishes to possess her, mean she has to trust Mathos, and his band of the Hawks.

I loved Mathos in the other books, and here he really does shine. Lucy (as Mathos begins to call her) shines also, but in an entirely different way.

Lucilla has been kept behind closed doors for so long, so she can't remember life before. Suffering at the hands of her brother and his cronies has been her life. She doesn't want to be controlled or coralled anywhere, but Mathos makes a good point. Getting to the palace will secure her future and mean she can make all the choices she wants. But Mathos creeps into her heart, and when he does what he does, you can feel how much Mathos means to her.

Mathos though, feels he does not deserve anyone, let alone a queen. No one can love him, if his own mother can't, surely? Walking away from Lucy and from his brothers was probably the hardest thing he ever did, but also the most stoopidest thing, EVER! But it's WHO that makes him see clearly for the first time in weeks that surprised me! Given as said someone has been missing since the first book, you'll understand why and I really pray that he gets some peace.

He's not next though! Tor is next and given whats said here, I'm intrigued as to what has happened between him and Keeley!

I'm loving this series, I really am! Please keep them coming, I still cannot see the bigger picture and what's going to happen!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Hellraiser: Deader (2005)
Hellraiser: Deader (2005)
2005 | Crime, Horror
3
4.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Not gonna lie, I spent a lot of this film completely zoned out, I was that bored. The seventh installment in the Hellraiser series has some decent ideas, and a few creepy moments here and there, but it's not enough to raise Deader above the extreme monotony presented. All of the dialogue is typical mid 00s edgelord tripe, and it's just all round difficult to focus on as a result.
It's not all bad - Kari Wuhwer is a likable enough protagonist, and the closing 5 minutes are gloriously Hellraiser-esque, but it's ultimately another sequel that feels like a completely different project with Pinhead thrown in at the last minute to sell more copies. Still more enjoyable that Hellseeker though. It's the little victories.
  
TO
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Another fun Pepper Martin mystery that's as good as the first and better than the second in the series. Again, the ghost is the best character, this time a 60s rocker who possibly died of an overdose forty years ago. I couldn't help but think he was a Jim Morrison prototype, especially with some of the lyrics.

Pepper was thankfully brighter in this book and figured things out at a good pace. Unfortunately, I have a tendency to figure out whodunnit early on in this series, for lack of suspects, but I liked how the author had Pepper go about it anyway.

I could do without the constant who-wears-what, how Pepper's hair or nails are done, everything she wears at every given moment, and most of all, I get annoyed at her overactive libido every time a hot guy - dead or alive - comes into contact with her. Get it together girl! What's your problem. Luckily, it looks as if she might (finally) get her act together for the fourth book. Hopefully it is not Quinn, because he is a boring, cut-out character that adds nothing to this series. However, I still look forward to the next book and hope it continues to get better.
  
ECHO Academy (Dimension Drift #4)
ECHO Academy (Dimension Drift #4)
Christina Bauer | 2020 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
ECHO Academy is the last part of the Dimension Drift series and concludes the story between Thorne and Meimi.

After stopping one world takeover, Meimi, Zoe, and Chloe are left trying to re-open an exile void so they can return to Umbra to be with their transcendents. Thorne is also trying to find a way to be with Meimi WITHOUT her becoming his stepmother!

This NEEDS to be read as a series otherwise you won't know what the hell is going on! It is very fast-paced with lots of "dimension" science mentioned. I enjoyed the characters and how they interacted with each other. One surprise wasn't really a surprise (Conway) but I liked how it was incorporated into the story and made it all make sense.

Although we have a HEA ending, I am hoping from hints given in the book, that this is not the last we have seen of our characters from Umbra. A thoroughly enjoyable series that I have no hesitation in recommending and a brilliant conclusion.

* 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!
  
Catching the Dragon's Heart (Heartstone Rescue #2)
Catching the Dragon's Heart (Heartstone Rescue #2)
Minerva Howe | 2023 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
CATCHING THE DRAGON'S HEART is the second book in the Heartstone Rescue series.

Eyv finds out his betrothal is being broken in favour of his younger brother. In anger, he bites off the hand of his 'beloved.' In return, his father crushes his heartstone and Evy gets sentenced to death. Nice, huh?! Durango is Boone's brother and one of the dragons sent to rescue Eyv. Their attraction is pretty much instant, but they have to cope with the whole, you know, dying part of not having a heartstone.

This was a great addition to the series but I would recommend reading it as a series rather than a standalone. It is full of characters we met in the first book, as well as new ones. There are also more rescues so that ramps up the political situation too.

Lake's story was perfect for him and Boone, just as this one is perfect for Eyv and Durango. I love their family and can't wait to see what happens next for them.

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!
  
When I Look In the Mirror
When I Look In the Mirror
Tanith Davenport | 2023 | Erotica, Paranormal, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
liked well enough, but not sure this author is for me!
Independent reviewer for Achaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I liked this, well enough, but I'm not sure this author works for ME. I stress the ME here!

I said in the first book I read from Davenport, I'm With The Band, that I wanted to read another book by this author, but not that series. And this book fits that bill, since it's a stand alone.

But while I read it, finished in under an hour, and there were some things I did like, it just really isn't one for me.

I liked that it doesn't get as scary as I thought it would, once I started reading. Ouija boards are nothing to be messed with, as Tatum finds out here, and I won't ever touch one! Finding a demon in her mists was tricky to deal with but Zach really helps her.

I liked the connection between Zach and Tatum, and how that all plays out. I wasn't sure which way things would play out and it left me hanging for a hot minute!

I didn't like that only Tatum gets a say, I would have liked to hear from Zach.

Like I said, only short, some 70 pages. Not sure it was really for me, but passed a lazy Tuesday morning in bed.

3 good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
SWAT for Dummies (Deputy Gemma Stone #2)
SWAT for Dummies (Deputy Gemma Stone #2)
Gail Koger | 2023 | Humor & Comedy, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
some very funny moments
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the Deputy Gemma Stone series. I have not read book one, but I picked this one up quick enough. So I'd say it can be read as a stand alone.

And for the most part, I did enjoy this short read, some 130 pages, I really did.

I just found the fact that Gemma got into so many scrapes and bumps, accidents and getting shot at, it all became a bit too much. FOR ME! I need to stress that, for me, I found it a bit too much in the short space of time it took me to read this book.

There is some kooky going on inthe Sheriff's department, and Gemma, along with her new boyfriend, need to figure it out, especially as it might have some relation to Dante's parent's deaths. And they do, eventually.

Some very funny moments, that really were laugh out loud bits and I think these are what made me give it 4 stars and not 3. It's full of drama, but not real angst. Low on the steam scale too. But I didn't mind that here.

I'm not usually one for comedy in my romance books, but I did enjoy this one. Whether I read more, will remain to be seen, though.

An enjoyable, 4 star read

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Dark Tower (2017)
The Dark Tower (2017)
2017 | Horror, Sci-Fi, Western
The last Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter Padick, also known as the Man in Black, determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend the Tower from the Man in Black.

Jack Chambers is labelled as a troubled child, the visions he sees are just his way of coping with his father's death. But when he's confronted with the monsters that he's drawn he knows he needs to find the truth. Even if that truth lands him in the middle of the battle.



Yet another book that I haven't read. I know, I know. I'll sort myself out at some point. But if I'm truly honest, I've never really enjoyed Stephen King stuff. I think I mentioned before when I listened to Under The Dome, everything I've come across feels like it ends rather abruptly, and fairly often with a "Boom! Aliens!"

Knowing this was a series of books I wanted to know exactly what this film entailed... I'm not sure I'm any closer to understanding. Evidently this films has elements of several novels in the series. According to Wikipedia it "also serves as a canonical sequel to the novel series..." Honestly, the only way I'm going to understand it is to read all eight books, but with roughly 100 books in my TBR pile that's a fairly remote happening. I'll just have to convince my mum to see it so she can explain it all to me.

For something that crosses into multiple genres I was pleasantly surprised that it was easy to follow. It was an enjoyable watch. And although there were no aliens thrown in at the end, the film did feel like it ended too abruptly.

I'm not sure what the buzz is about this at the moment, but for a while there were certainly talks of another film, and/or a TV series. I really with all my heart don't want a series. Not after Under The Dome. But another film wouldn't be objectionable.
  
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J.K. Rowling | 2014 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
10
9.1 (270 Ratings)
Book Rating
Parents and kids can enjoy together (0 more)
You-Know-Who (0 more)
How I learned to Love Reading
I'll be honest I tend to gush over any Harry Potter book because before this series came into my life I refused to read, so it'll always have a special place in my heart.
Though the first book is brilliant. A child can learn he or she is not limited by this world if they are willing to put an effort towards their dreams and do not allow anyone to hold them back. A child can learn how to treat others and how we put ourselves off can alter how people see us. Most of all, a child enters the world where life seems it will amount to nothing and yet Harry enters a magical world he could never dream of (if we forget about Voldemort).
Most of all, parents can enjoy the book and series with their children. This could be reading it together or simply the parent reflecting back on the story as their young child reads it. There are many discussions to be had as well.
Certainly a book you could read over and over again.