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Cherished (Beholder #3)
Cherished (Beholder #3)
Christina Bauer | 2017 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cherished is the third book in the Beholder series, and we start with Elea back home on Brannock Farm and trying once again to fit in with her neighbours. She has Phillipe with her this time though, and he tries to smooth things along as best he can. Phillipe has wanted things to change between himself and Elea, but she still sees him as her brother being as her heart still belongs to Rowan, even after everything. Of course, things happen that send Elea back to Rowan, where they find out just who exactly is working against them this time.

I want to talk so much about this, but I don't want to give out any spoilers! Suffice it to say, there are shocks galore in this book. People that had played a minor but significant role in the past, suddenly become players in the present, and not always on Elea's side. I loved Rowan and Elea in this book, as once again they prove that they are stronger together.

This is an amazing story that continues to grip and entice the reader into another world. Honestly can't wait for the next book in this series now, and I will keep on holding onto the HEA that I hope Elea and Rowan will get! Definitely recommended by me.

* 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!
  
Awakening (Rapture's Edge #1)
Awakening (Rapture's Edge #1)
Caris Roane | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Before I start, I need to say that this series is preceded by two related books: BRINK OF ETERNITY and THE DARKENING. RAPTURE’S EDGE is part of the Guardians of Ascension Saga!

However, I haven't read any of those prior to starting this book although I sure as hell want to read them now! This is not due to any plot holes or confusion in this book, it just sounds like such a great place, I want more.

This is an in-depth and full-of-action story that mainly revolves around Duncan and Rachel. There is a lot going on and you also need to understand that they are going through a mating bond which throws a caveman into the mix too. With psychotic women, strange powers and at least six Earths that I read about, this story has it all. I loved that the main two in this book had a history together, it wasn't just insta-love! That is always a bonus for me. So many other characters that intrigue and enchant though. One such character is Endelle - now I can't say that she's enchanting but I did love her attitude and her honesty. I can't wait to read more about her.

A thoroughly enjoyable start to the series which will definitely leave you wanting more. Definitely recommended.

* 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!
Jul 7, 2015
  
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Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated Arrow in TV

May 13, 2018  
Arrow
Arrow
2012 | Drama
Closer to the comics than people think (5 more)
Great cast
Intriguing characters
Brilliant character development
Great drama
Great references to the comics
Some characters become annoying (1 more)
Not all seasons are consistent with quality
You Have (not) failed this series!
First of all I should tell you that Green Arrow is my all time favourite comic character so this review might have some bias but I'll keep it to a minimum because I am not blinded by this shows faults of which it's had quite a few.

When I first saw the trailer for Arrow I was hooked. Finally, a show about Green Arrow, one of the less popular heroes these days and one of the many heroes that makes the people who only watch comic book films, say "Who the hell is that?".

Series one had me hooked with great drama, and incredible action that made the week long wait for each episode painful. The drama was intense as we watch Oliver Queen trying to juggle his two lives as both Oliver Queen and Arrow (currently called the Vigilante or The Hood during season 1), as he tries to keep his night time activities as a vigilante a secret.

The faults of this series reside in some of the dialogue and characters who I won't name because it's not really down to one particular character as others do the same though some get more blame than others. The point is, some of the drama in the show is unnecessary and sometimes it's all over the place going from "I love you" to "never talk to me again" within seconds for very stupid reasons. If you can get past that though, you'll see a lot more of Green Arrow in the show than you realise.

One of the main things I love about this show is seeing Oliver Queen take on real life issues as well as comic book villains. Issues such as his sister taking drugs which, due to her childhood nickname being 'Speedy', is a reference to Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85 and #86 where Green Arrow finds out that Roy Harper is a drug addict. By making the series version about his sister however, makes the situation more personal which means it messes with Olivers head when he's out hunting the drug suppliers.

The villains have all been great in the series, even though not all have been praised. Malcom Merlyn as the first villain was a good choice because he's one of the few original Green Arrow Villains from comics and John Barrowman was a brilliant choice of casting. Deathstroke then took it up a notch and really made the series great, and his season is possibly still one of the best seasons (season 2). Ras Al Ghul was a very intense series and although everyone moaned that Arrow had become too much like Batman, but Arrow made it their own and made a brilliantly intense series with some great twists that at the time I was like "please don't end it like this...." Or... "Where do they go from here?" And Everytime I thought they might have made a mistake with a certain plot point, they proved me wrong.
Damien Darkh was probably one of the lesser great villains. The casting was perfect, because Damien Darkh was so menacing and so brilliantly evil with a human side to him at certain points, but I don't think personally, they should have brought magic into Arrow, because it added too many scenes where you thought "why would you even try this?" Or "why did he not do this and this moment". But unlike many I actually enjoyed Damien Darkh as a villain because the characters and intense story were brilliantly chosen and executed.

The last two seasons (5 & 6) have been really intense and incredibly action packed as Green Arrow and Team Arrow try to take on what feels like the world.

The downfalls of the series include some of the drama being not entirely necessary. We understand as an audience that tensions build and everyone has a thousand and one problems that they have to deal with, but everyone seems to unleash them all at once. I understand wanting to build the feeling that everything is falling apart, but it happens soooo much, and it's hard to sympathise with certain scenarios because of it.

Another slight issue is the love interests. If you know Green Arrow, then you know he's a bit of a ladies man and that he can often be caught flirting and more with many women, in the show, we see this done well but at the end of the day it aaaallllwaayyyss comes back to Olicity. Oliver and Felicity's love story has had so many ups and downs and they've fallen in and out of love so many times and whilst I love Felicity as a character and a member of the team, the love rollercoaster she is on with Oliver reaaalllyyy annoys me at times, but I try to look past it and everything's seems to be okay.

Overall though this is one of my favourite shows and I prefer it to The Flash though The Flash has had some better seasons than Arrow has. I can't wait to see what else the show brings to the screen as it has already brought many obscure characters such as Cupid, Vigilante, Prometheus, Bronze Tiger and more!
  
Shadow Study (The Chronicles of Ixia #7)
Shadow Study (The Chronicles of Ixia #7)
Maria V Snyder | 2020 | Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
102 of 200
Book
Shadow Study (Chronicles of Ixia book 4)
By Maria Snyder

 
Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. She survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia.

Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek.

Suddenly, though, dissent is rising. And Valek’s job—and his life—are in danger.

As Yelena tries to uncover her enemies, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked.And now she must find a way to keep not only herself but all that she holds dear alive.




This is the first one in this series I’ve struggled with! Usually I devour her books in one or two days this took 4 days not like me at all!! I knew from that first chapter the whole reason she lost her magic and it drove me crazy. Not sure some of Valek’s chapters were needed but I loved janco and Ari’s I did miss those two!! Nice to catch up with Opal and clan and it was still a very good read think It’s more a personal opinion on how I wanted this book to go. I’m not surprised about the commander and I worry about Valek confronting him! I enjoyed the last 10 chapters a lot more than the first 23!
  
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Merissa (13427 KP) rated Allegiant in Books

May 31, 2023  
Allegiant
Allegiant
Veronica Roth | 2016 | Children
10
8.0 (41 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was a bit worried at the start of this book that it would just repeat the same arguments that Tris and Tobias had in Insurgent. I was wrong though, and the misunderstanding quickly cleared up and the story moved on into new and strange waters. Tris, Tobias, and others make their stand for what they think is right, whether it's in the way that you agree with or not. Everyone has an opinion, which is what makes this series so interesting!

Did I like the ending? No, not at all.

Did I sob the last half an hour of reading? Of course I did.

Do I understand it? Yes; like it or not, it makes sense for the world they live in.

So much has happened, I'm sure everyone felt tired! (Trying not to give anything away to the 1% who don't know how it ends!) There is strength, there is sadness, and there were loads of tears from me. A conclusion that ties everything up and yet leaves me wishing for a different ending, whilst appreciating the ending I got.

So glad that I finally read these books, and I would have no hesitation in recommending them to everyone!

* 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!
Mar 26, 2016
  
The Boy: Broussard and Fourcade Book 2
The Boy: Broussard and Fourcade Book 2
Tami Hoag | 2017 | Crime, Thriller
7
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
2nd novel in Tami Hoag's Broussard and Fourcade series
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

The Boy by Tami Hoag is the 2nd novel in her series about Broussard and Fourcade, a husband and wife team who are detectives in Bayou Breaux, a little town in Louisiana. I often read detective fiction and enjoyed the pairing of Detectives Nick Fourcade and Annie Broussard. The novel focuses mostly on their police pairing but does have some sections about their home life. The dynamics of the relationships of the people surrounding the investigative team are well formed but not the main focus of the story. The boy is. Well, the murder of the boy is.

Hoag shows her characters' flaws but she does not make them the focus of the characters. Broussard and Fourcade are like every married couple and have difficult days. Again, Hoag does not make those days the focus of the story. The boy is. The story has twists and turns. Some of the reveals were expected but not all of them. Hoag surprised me with several details.

I have had Tami Hoag on my "want to read" list for years but never got around to reading any of her work. After reading The Boy, I am disappointed I have not read her sooner.

Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 3/27/19.
  
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MelanieTheresa (997 KP) Mar 28, 2019

Great review! I've been reading Tami Hoag for years; hers are books I always look forward to. I feel like it took FOREVER for this one to come out. ?

Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1)
Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1)
Jay Hogan | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Digging Deep (Digging Deep #1) by Jay Hogan
Digging Deep is the first book in the series of the same name, and it goes off with an exceptional bang!!! Due to my work history, I have a good amount of knowledge to do with Crohn's Disease, and how they may end up with ostomy bags in particular. However, this story made it all so much more real! No more dry text books for me. I was able to relate on a much more personal level, seeing the impact it had on both Drake and Caleb respectively.

Both of these characters stole my heart. From the sassy yet oh-so-prickly midwife, to the caring and considerate ex-man-whore who wants to try this "romance shit" with the guy who's gotten under his skin. There was only one issue that was never fully answered to my satisfaction (😉), and that was Leanne. Why was she 'off', as Caleb put it? I understand how the review because of the child would affect her, but that was sorted, and she was still not right? I'm not sure if I missed anything or not, but this is just a minor point, which has absolutely nothing to do with my total enjoyment of this book.

Excellently written, with enough detail for you to sympathise with the main characters without it taking over the whole story. I don't think there were any editing or grammatical errors in this book, but to be honest, I was too engrossed with the story. I was intrigued by the blurb, and simply fascinated by the story itself. Absolutely recommended by me, and I really can't wait to continue with the series!

* 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!
  
Adina: Snippets in Time 2:10 (Times #3)
Adina: Snippets in Time 2:10 (Times #3)
B.L. Dawn | 2023 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
ADINA: SNIPPETS IN TIME 2:10 is the third book in the Time series and this time is told from Adina and Henrick's point of view.

For most of the book, I disliked Henrick intensely. His actions of the past were bad enough but his actions of the present just compounded that. He was completely selfish and had a caveman mentality even after Adina spoke with him. He frustrated the hell out of me. I'll be honest here too… Adina was the same. I understand the true mate bond is not something to be laughed at but I got whiplash from Adina so many times. The one thing I really hated was that Adina 'melted' whenever Henrick spoke so he was able to use her body against her. This book was headed for 3-star review, maximum, when they went back to Tall Elm and it is only that that changed my mind. Then both Adina and Henrick stood tall and showed who they are. As for the Tall Elm pack, they may have been the ones to help Tatum originally but I can't say as I like any of them.

It was good to read this from someone's perspective and it certainly helped to move the story along. I would love to read more about the group from Tall Elm but not the pack itself. I think I've seen enough of them!

If you've read books one and two, then I definitely recommend this one too. It may not be as good (in my opinion) as Tatum's but definitely still worth reading. I look forward to continuing with this series.

** 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!
Jun 19, 2023
  
Ollie (A Little Christmas #3)
Ollie (A Little Christmas #3)
JP Sayle | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
far too stinking cute/wam and fuzzies/low angst! Loved it!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Sometimes, Ms Sayle writes dark and deadly, sometimes things are just plain weird (rhubarb!) and sometimes, they are so delightfully cute and warm and fuzzies that the world is a brighter place.

This book falls into the last category, and I bloody loved it!

Ollie and Beckett meet online, and their relationship blooms over time. But Ollie will not let Beckett see him properly. Ollie is scared that Beckett will catch one look at him and run far away. But Beckett is far deeper than Ollie thnks, and the boy just needs to give Beckett a chance to prove that. Leeson's wedding cruise is that time.

I loved that Ollie and Beck got to know each other over time, their feelings brewing for the better part of a year. It meant that when they did meet, it was more about getting Ollie to see just how much he meant to Beckett, and how much Beckett wanted to be Ollie's Daddy, if only he'd let him.

I loved that there was overlap with Denton and Vic's book, Cruising Right Into Love. This book takes place alongside that one, on the cruise.

I loved how the focus of this book was NOT about the physical side of their relationship, but more about the emotional one. There is smexy times, but I found them very much low key and fade to grey, rather than up-in-yer-face type scenes. Loved it, to be honest.

This is part of the 3rd A Little Christmas series, a multi author series. I haven't read the others, but it's not necessary to really enjoy this one.

So much love in this book, and it hits all the warm and fuzzies and too stinking cute and low angst spots and I bloody loved it!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere