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Merissa (13427 KP) rated Vampires Prefer Blondes (Psy-Vamp #3) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
So this is the third of the Psy-Vamp series and Lydia and Roman's story. It starts with Lydia in a hospital bed and Damon making an appearance. Luckily for Lydia, so does Roman and it's not long before he whisks her away. The repartee between Roman and Lydia is very easy on the eyes and will bring a smile to your mouth, although I found myself laughing out loud on more than on occasion. This is definitely a case of opposites attract as Lydia loosens up the straitlaced Roman. There is some major intensity going on between the two of them.
There are other stories mixed up with this one, the heat is building between Justin and Caitlin. The relationship that is between Lydia and Drew and Sofia is perfect. Lydia is not a doormat and won't be treated as such. The reaction of Sofia upon first speaking with Lydia is absolutely brilliant.
There is a bit of something in here for everyone - everything from love and laughter to hate, tears and torture. A brilliant book in a series that just keeps on getting better. Highly recommended to all vamp fans.
There are other stories mixed up with this one, the heat is building between Justin and Caitlin. The relationship that is between Lydia and Drew and Sofia is perfect. Lydia is not a doormat and won't be treated as such. The reaction of Sofia upon first speaking with Lydia is absolutely brilliant.
There is a bit of something in here for everyone - everything from love and laughter to hate, tears and torture. A brilliant book in a series that just keeps on getting better. Highly recommended to all vamp fans.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Cold Granite (Logan McRae #1) in Books
Dec 19, 2019
Gritty Police procedural.
If you are not going to manage with descriptions of horrendous crimes committed against young children though I would step away from this one.
Listening to the audio of this book narrated by Steve Worsley felt a lot like curling up in front of the TV to watch a post-watershed BBC police procedural series set in Scotland. If you like a good dark down to earth police procedural then this may well be up your alley.
Logan McRae is just returning to work following sustaining horrific injuries in the line of duty and is thrown straight back into the thick of it when the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered. Numerous threads, involving various cases and a smattering of personal life then intertwine to give a very solid down to earth police procedural. OK, I could of done with Logan being a bit less obsessed with every bit of leg he saw but for the time and place set probably fairly accurate…
First in a long-running series and as there's not much on the TV at the minute I'm on board for more of these
Listening to the audio of this book narrated by Steve Worsley felt a lot like curling up in front of the TV to watch a post-watershed BBC police procedural series set in Scotland. If you like a good dark down to earth police procedural then this may well be up your alley.
Logan McRae is just returning to work following sustaining horrific injuries in the line of duty and is thrown straight back into the thick of it when the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered. Numerous threads, involving various cases and a smattering of personal life then intertwine to give a very solid down to earth police procedural. OK, I could of done with Logan being a bit less obsessed with every bit of leg he saw but for the time and place set probably fairly accurate…
First in a long-running series and as there's not much on the TV at the minute I'm on board for more of these
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Bonds of Blood (DI Dani Stephens #4) in Books
May 30, 2021
This is the fourth instalment in the DI Dani Stephens Series however, the first that I have read. For me, I don't feel I have missed out too much not having read the previous three in the series, maybe on a bit of the backstory, but nothing that ended up being detrimental to my enjoyment of The Bonds of Blood and just makes me want to go back and read more.
This is a great story - it starts pretty brutally with the murder of a husband and wife in their bed so be prepared - and one that follows DI Stephens and her team's investigation into the brutal murder which is far from straight forward.
Full of lies, deceit and secrets, this is a tricky one to try and work out who did it which makes it all the more enjoyable. It's full of great characters and is written at a good pace and I would definitely recommend to those who love a police procedural where it's not obvious who the perpetrator is until close to the end.
Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
This is a great story - it starts pretty brutally with the murder of a husband and wife in their bed so be prepared - and one that follows DI Stephens and her team's investigation into the brutal murder which is far from straight forward.
Full of lies, deceit and secrets, this is a tricky one to try and work out who did it which makes it all the more enjoyable. It's full of great characters and is written at a good pace and I would definitely recommend to those who love a police procedural where it's not obvious who the perpetrator is until close to the end.
Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Kyera (8 KP) rated Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
As I mentioned in the past review as this is not the first book in the series there will be major spoilers, even though I'm not spoiling anything from this book.
Whether I agree or not, many people find that Scarlet is their least favorite book in the series. As a result, I worry that they may not continue with the series at that point which would be a major mistake. Cress is an absolutely fantastic book and will hit you in the feels more times than I can count.
While they may not be my OTP, Cresswell is probably in my top five or 10 favorite ships. I've never really sat down and tried to figure it out. It's like trying to figure out which puppies in an entire room full of puppies are the cutest. Impossible. As much as I love Wolflet and Kaider, there is just that extra something that Cress and Thorne have.
For those familiar with the Disney movie, Tangled, their relationship is very similar (in my opinion). I absolutely adore the two of them together. While Thorne is a bit of a player, confident, a wanted criminal... he goes on this major character arc over the course of the series. Cress has this romanticized, hero view of him and he realizes that he wants to live up to that image.
I laughed so hard when Thorne barreled into the hallway yelling Cress and then ran right past the room. It both tugged at my heartstrings so much and made me roll my eyes. One of my favourite lines was "You came for me" because it just shows the new, unsure feelings between them while simultaneously showing that they're much deeper than either truly realizes yet. My heart melted.
It is fantastic to see how the characters grow and evolve over the course of the series. Kai starts out as a prince and completely unprepared for his responsibilities. He is thrust into his role much sooner than anticipated and he has to grow up really quickly. He has the weight of an entire people on his shoulders.
All Cinder ever wanted was to be a normal person and she finds out that her life is even more abnormal than she realized. Not only is she a cyborg, but she's Lunar. Not only is she a Lunar, but she's royalty. She has just as much if not more on her shoulders than Kai does. She is the one that people have been putting all of their hopes and dreams on for over a decade.
Cress has been stuck in a satellite by herself with no human interaction for a large portion of her life. Her whole life she had to escape into fictional stories in her own head because of her real life. She never learned to stand up for herself and she's not used to the real world. It was nice to see little elements of her bravery throughout the story despite the fact that that is not her nature.
Sadly, we don't really get to see any development from Scarlet or Wolf. Their stories in Cress are relatively non-existent. Despite the fact that they were the focus of the second book, I do think that it was a negative for me that one of the main pairs was essentially completely overlooked in this book. At the same time, I also have that feeling for Winter and Jacin in regards to the first two books and most of the third. We get little glimpses of them and spend a small amount of time with Jacin, but overall I don't feel like I know their characters whatsoever.
The author does continue the world building but the writing is predominantly focused on the characters and the plot. There are some really nice glimpses into small villages or communities in other places than we're used to. I think it is a nice blend between story and world so that these books are very accessible. It's not heavy world building that might make readers hesitant to dive into such rich, dense worlds (like high fantasy might be).
Overall, I think this is a fabulous novel and I would highly recommend the entire series to people even if science-fiction is not normally what you gravitate towards.
Whether I agree or not, many people find that Scarlet is their least favorite book in the series. As a result, I worry that they may not continue with the series at that point which would be a major mistake. Cress is an absolutely fantastic book and will hit you in the feels more times than I can count.
While they may not be my OTP, Cresswell is probably in my top five or 10 favorite ships. I've never really sat down and tried to figure it out. It's like trying to figure out which puppies in an entire room full of puppies are the cutest. Impossible. As much as I love Wolflet and Kaider, there is just that extra something that Cress and Thorne have.
For those familiar with the Disney movie, Tangled, their relationship is very similar (in my opinion). I absolutely adore the two of them together. While Thorne is a bit of a player, confident, a wanted criminal... he goes on this major character arc over the course of the series. Cress has this romanticized, hero view of him and he realizes that he wants to live up to that image.
I laughed so hard when Thorne barreled into the hallway yelling Cress and then ran right past the room. It both tugged at my heartstrings so much and made me roll my eyes. One of my favourite lines was "You came for me" because it just shows the new, unsure feelings between them while simultaneously showing that they're much deeper than either truly realizes yet. My heart melted.
It is fantastic to see how the characters grow and evolve over the course of the series. Kai starts out as a prince and completely unprepared for his responsibilities. He is thrust into his role much sooner than anticipated and he has to grow up really quickly. He has the weight of an entire people on his shoulders.
All Cinder ever wanted was to be a normal person and she finds out that her life is even more abnormal than she realized. Not only is she a cyborg, but she's Lunar. Not only is she a Lunar, but she's royalty. She has just as much if not more on her shoulders than Kai does. She is the one that people have been putting all of their hopes and dreams on for over a decade.
Cress has been stuck in a satellite by herself with no human interaction for a large portion of her life. Her whole life she had to escape into fictional stories in her own head because of her real life. She never learned to stand up for herself and she's not used to the real world. It was nice to see little elements of her bravery throughout the story despite the fact that that is not her nature.
Sadly, we don't really get to see any development from Scarlet or Wolf. Their stories in Cress are relatively non-existent. Despite the fact that they were the focus of the second book, I do think that it was a negative for me that one of the main pairs was essentially completely overlooked in this book. At the same time, I also have that feeling for Winter and Jacin in regards to the first two books and most of the third. We get little glimpses of them and spend a small amount of time with Jacin, but overall I don't feel like I know their characters whatsoever.
The author does continue the world building but the writing is predominantly focused on the characters and the plot. There are some really nice glimpses into small villages or communities in other places than we're used to. I think it is a nice blend between story and world so that these books are very accessible. It's not heavy world building that might make readers hesitant to dive into such rich, dense worlds (like high fantasy might be).
Overall, I think this is a fabulous novel and I would highly recommend the entire series to people even if science-fiction is not normally what you gravitate towards.
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Initiated (Daywalker Academy #4) in Books
Mar 25, 2020
Initiated is the fourth book in the Daywalker Academy series and, yes, I know I've said this before but, it should definitely be read as a series or you just won't get what's happening.
So first off, thank you Ms. Daniels for giving me Zoltan back. I really do appreciate it! Sigh, every page he was on was just... *insert another sigh*. Now, if you could just get Franky and Zoltan to see eye-to-eye and stop giving me whiplash, that would be fantastic!
We are introduced to a major character in this book - and it's not very often I get the chance to say THAT with book four in a series! Tenebris, the black panther. You know, he hasn't spoken a single word (for obvious reasons) and yet he may just match the Queen of Snark, Maya, oops I mean, Franky, herself!
As with this whole series, this is a non-stop-action story. Franky is tired in one part and, to be honest, so was I! Honestly, I have no idea where she gets her stamina from. Maybe it's being a half-blood or maybe it's the dragon blood. Either way, I'm exhausted from reading but I wouldn't change a thing!
As always, it ends on one helluva cliffhanger. I really need to understand just what happened in those last couple of action-packed pages. All I can say is "Poor Franky!!!"
So... do I recommend this book? Abso-frickin'-lutely!!! Just, don't start here but back at book one so you get the full experience. You won't regret it. I promise you that!
* 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!
So first off, thank you Ms. Daniels for giving me Zoltan back. I really do appreciate it! Sigh, every page he was on was just... *insert another sigh*. Now, if you could just get Franky and Zoltan to see eye-to-eye and stop giving me whiplash, that would be fantastic!
We are introduced to a major character in this book - and it's not very often I get the chance to say THAT with book four in a series! Tenebris, the black panther. You know, he hasn't spoken a single word (for obvious reasons) and yet he may just match the Queen of Snark, Maya, oops I mean, Franky, herself!
As with this whole series, this is a non-stop-action story. Franky is tired in one part and, to be honest, so was I! Honestly, I have no idea where she gets her stamina from. Maybe it's being a half-blood or maybe it's the dragon blood. Either way, I'm exhausted from reading but I wouldn't change a thing!
As always, it ends on one helluva cliffhanger. I really need to understand just what happened in those last couple of action-packed pages. All I can say is "Poor Franky!!!"
So... do I recommend this book? Abso-frickin'-lutely!!! Just, don't start here but back at book one so you get the full experience. You won't regret it. I promise you that!
* 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!
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated An Hour Unspent (Shadows Over England, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Every book in this series has completely blown me away. And through it all, I have been LONGING for more about Barclay. I was so ecstatic when I found out Roseanna White would be featuring him in the final book of the series. Now, don't get me wrong, Evelina is the perfect match for him, and I enjoyed her story too...But BARCLAY...SWOON...
He truly deserves the title of "Swoon Worthy". From the care for his family to his undercover work, to learning about his childhood...Your heart will ache, cheer, and be encouraged. The author has created a whole world of people that carve out their own place in your heart. There is no going back once you dive into this realm.
True to her style, Roseanna seamlessly weaves faith, love, and bit of mystery into this story. Set in the midst of The Great War, this is the perfect story for anyone who loves Downton Abbey or WWI history. Or maybe, you are looking for something new-to-you. You won't go wrong with this series. Start with A Name Unknown and fall in love with Rosie and Peter first!
I received a complimentary copy of An Hour Unspent. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
He truly deserves the title of "Swoon Worthy". From the care for his family to his undercover work, to learning about his childhood...Your heart will ache, cheer, and be encouraged. The author has created a whole world of people that carve out their own place in your heart. There is no going back once you dive into this realm.
True to her style, Roseanna seamlessly weaves faith, love, and bit of mystery into this story. Set in the midst of The Great War, this is the perfect story for anyone who loves Downton Abbey or WWI history. Or maybe, you are looking for something new-to-you. You won't go wrong with this series. Start with A Name Unknown and fall in love with Rosie and Peter first!
I received a complimentary copy of An Hour Unspent. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Who am I: Prequel to the Semiramis series in Books
Oct 11, 2019
Who am I: Prequel to the Semiramis series is exactly what it says. It is a short novella giving you an insight into the main character's childhood. It shows you just what Alex goes through and why she is the person she is at the beginning of Semiramis Awakened (book one in the series).
It is exceedingly well-written and packs a punch for all it is so short. You will feel for Alex before you even really know her, which is exactly how it should be. The writing is the usual high standard you would expect from a Maya Daniels book, and although there is no world-building per se, it still gives you enough to give you an inkling into Alex's world.
I have already read the three books in this series, and am waiting oh so patiently (!!!!) for the fourth book to arrive. Therefore I already know Alex and what she goes through. Did this impact my enjoyment of this story? Absolutely not. You don't have to read it in order to gain maximum enjoyment out of it. Absolutely recommended!
* 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!
It is exceedingly well-written and packs a punch for all it is so short. You will feel for Alex before you even really know her, which is exactly how it should be. The writing is the usual high standard you would expect from a Maya Daniels book, and although there is no world-building per se, it still gives you enough to give you an inkling into Alex's world.
I have already read the three books in this series, and am waiting oh so patiently (!!!!) for the fourth book to arrive. Therefore I already know Alex and what she goes through. Did this impact my enjoyment of this story? Absolutely not. You don't have to read it in order to gain maximum enjoyment out of it. Absolutely recommended!
* 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!
Merissa (13427 KP) rated The Ghost is Clear (A Series of Midlife Curses #1) in Books
Apr 21, 2021 (Updated Jul 27, 2023)
THE GHOST IS CLEAR is the first book in the Series of Midlife Curses and it starts off sort of sad. Brooke is fighting a losing battle to save her marriage to a complete jerk who blames her for everything. A series of even more unfortunate events send her back home and then the whole story really picks up.
I thought Brooke was an amazing character. She is no wallflower, even when her body hurts, and she is certainly not afraid of a little elbow grease. She is ably supported by Theo and Mitch, both of whom I want to see more of!
The pace of this book is smooth, taking you from her disastrous anniversary meal, through to the satisfying conclusion. There is a teaser for the next book, which made me smile. I love how Brooke is in her mid-forties, with a body that aches, and the determination to make things happen.
All in all, this was a brilliant read and a fantastic beginning to a new series! I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book, and I eagerly await the next.
** 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!
Apr 21, 2021
I thought Brooke was an amazing character. She is no wallflower, even when her body hurts, and she is certainly not afraid of a little elbow grease. She is ably supported by Theo and Mitch, both of whom I want to see more of!
The pace of this book is smooth, taking you from her disastrous anniversary meal, through to the satisfying conclusion. There is a teaser for the next book, which made me smile. I love how Brooke is in her mid-forties, with a body that aches, and the determination to make things happen.
All in all, this was a brilliant read and a fantastic beginning to a new series! I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book, and I eagerly await the next.
** 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!
Apr 21, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2440 KP) rated Bake Offed in Books
Dec 1, 2022 (Updated Dec 1, 2022)
Mystery at the Mystery Convention
Val Deniston and her granddad are going to the Maryland Mystery Fan Fest to help her friend Bethany with it. And Granddad, aka the Codger Cook, is participating in the mystery themed baking competition the first night. One of his fellow contestants is Cynthia Sweet, the woman that Granddad feels stole his shot at turning his Codger Cook recipe column into a book. But when Val finds Cynthia dead in the middle of the night, the two of them start to discover that other people didn’t like Cynthia either. Can they figure out who killed her?
Since the fest is out of town, we don’t see much of the other series regulars, but the series usually focuses on Val and Granddad, so it’s not too big of a loss. This also gives us plenty of time to get to know the new characters, who rise to the occasion. And there is a return appearance by a character from early in the series that is fun. The plot is wonderful. It is intricately plotted, yet it holds together at the end. As someone who complains about the timelines in books when they don’t work, I have to praise this one for holding together perfectly. I got a kick out of the mystery fest setting. The recipes at the end are great fun as well, but I’ll leave that for you to explore on your own. Fans of the series will be happy with this book. If you are looking for a fun culinary cozy series, I definitely recommend you check this one out.
Since the fest is out of town, we don’t see much of the other series regulars, but the series usually focuses on Val and Granddad, so it’s not too big of a loss. This also gives us plenty of time to get to know the new characters, who rise to the occasion. And there is a return appearance by a character from early in the series that is fun. The plot is wonderful. It is intricately plotted, yet it holds together at the end. As someone who complains about the timelines in books when they don’t work, I have to praise this one for holding together perfectly. I got a kick out of the mystery fest setting. The recipes at the end are great fun as well, but I’ll leave that for you to explore on your own. Fans of the series will be happy with this book. If you are looking for a fun culinary cozy series, I definitely recommend you check this one out.
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Finding You (Bewitching Women #3) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated Apr 12, 2023)
This is book 3 in the Bewitching Women series. This book is the story of Becca and Rome who both have issues caused by paranormal problems although neither of them know this to start with. The fireworks are in immediate evidence when Becca and Rome meet and it doesn't take much for the spark to turn into a flame. The attraction is instant and HOT!
Of course, like I said, they both have issues, not least of which is an ex-wife from hell and a witchfinder. Lost family members, relationships, death, friendship - this book just doesn't slow down from the moment you open it up. There is always something happening and usually Becca has a quip to go with the occasion.
There are so many adjectives that go with this book and most of them are paradoxical to each other - hot, sweet, contemporary, paranormal, friendship, romance, deceit, betrayal. It's all here.
This is very well-written with wonderful characters that leap from the page, including a brief cameo from old friends.
Definitely recommended! and I'm hoping for more to come in this series because I thoroughly enjoy it!
* 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!
Jun 05, 2015
Of course, like I said, they both have issues, not least of which is an ex-wife from hell and a witchfinder. Lost family members, relationships, death, friendship - this book just doesn't slow down from the moment you open it up. There is always something happening and usually Becca has a quip to go with the occasion.
There are so many adjectives that go with this book and most of them are paradoxical to each other - hot, sweet, contemporary, paranormal, friendship, romance, deceit, betrayal. It's all here.
This is very well-written with wonderful characters that leap from the page, including a brief cameo from old friends.
Definitely recommended! and I'm hoping for more to come in this series because I thoroughly enjoy it!
* 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!
Jun 05, 2015