Search

Search only in certain items:

The Wilderness (Lavender Shores #8)
The Wilderness (Lavender Shores #8)
Rosalind Abel | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
the weakest one, for me
(Verified purchase, Sept 12 2018)

This is book 8 in the Lavender Shores series, and you don't NEED to have read the others before this one. I would, however, probably recommend that you read book 6, The Glasshouse. You'll get a better picture of what Will suffered, and it gives a hint to this book!

Will was left at the altar in font of a multi million viewing audience. Andre's wife passed away. Together, they get themselves through a really tough period. But it's not until Will decides to run clear across the world, does Andre realise what Will means to him, and just how much his heart would break, if he lost him.

For me? The weakest of the series, and I've no idea why! And you KNOW how much that pains me!!

I loved the other books, all 4 and 5 stars reads, and I really was looking forward to this one, especially after that hint in book 6, and I really don't know why in falls flat *insert wailing*

It's well told, from both Will and Andre's point of view, in the first person, just like the rest. It's extremely well written and well delivered and I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading. And I DID read it in one sitting, just like the rest!

It has very early (internal) professions of love, from both guys, and I don't usually like that but its quite some time before they SAY the words. It's a bit more . . . whats the word . . . lovey dovey . . . hearts and flowers . . . . .type of thing, than the rest, or at least I thought so? Maybe that's it?? **insert more wailing**

I just don't know WHY this one didn't hit the spot, and for that I'm sorry. But still a nice read and a good addition to the series.

3 good solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
The Missing Husband (Hanlon Series #3)
The Missing Husband (Hanlon Series #3)
Alex Coombs | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I have read the first 2 books in the series featuring the unorthodox, tough and uncompromising DCI Hanlon and having thoroughly enjoyed them, didn't hesitate to choose the third and I wasn't disappointed although I have to admit that I struggled a little to get into this one and I think it's because there are quite a lot of characters and it was quite difficult to keep up however, that soon passed and I was, once again, totally immersed.

I do think that you need to have at least read the first book, The Stolen Child, otherwise you just won't get the full appreciation of the main characters particularly Hanlon and Demirel; having said that, if you haven't, don't let this pass you by as it still works okay as a standalone but you just won't get the whys and wherefores which, I think, makes this series so compelling.

What we have in this book is a plot that starts off seemingly innocuous - a woman comes in to report her missing husband - however, it soon becomes something much more intricate as the book develops. The pace is almost relentless, there are a few points in the book that lets you take a breath from the action which is a welcome relief. There are some pretty unsavoury characters doing equally unsavoury things and therefore, there is quite a bit of violence but nothing you wouldn't expect given the blurb and the subject matter.

As I said, the action is non-stop culminating in a heart-stopping finale in a remote farmhouse when some people definitely get what they deserve whereas others definitely do not and I look forward to finding out what happens next in the fourth instalment.

I would definitely recommend this book and the series to those who love a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred thriller.

Thank you once again to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.

Now for number 4!
  
King Series Bundle (King, #1-4)
King Series Bundle (King, #1-4)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I read the first one back in December and was drawn into the story especially with how it just ended. Then I saw the four book box set for 99p and bought it straight away.

KING - 4 stars

WTF?! You can't just end it like that!

What a way to end it. Who's the kid? Where's Max?

I really need to read Tyrant now to see how it all plays out. I'm sure everything will work out in the end but something tells me it's going to be a bumpy ride.

TYRANT - 3.5 stars

I finished it a little before midnight and got all the answers I needed but I honestly didn't see a lot of it coming. I liked how the author put some serious thought into who was who and how it was going to link it all together in the end.

I still love Preppy!!

LAWLESS - 3 stars

I liked Bear so I was interested in what girl was going to turn his head and never did I think a little girl who he made a promise to ten years ago would be the one. I loved that scene! BUT what is with this series and ten year age gaps?

I have to also admit that by the end of this that I was beginning to lose interest in this series. It's being dragged out for too long. Just go and kill your arse of a dad already!

SOULLESS - DNF

I lost interest in this. I got fed up of the same stuff happening. People want him dead. People just seem to want everyone dead in this series and I didn't care anymore, hence me getting to chapter four and not wanting to carry on.

It might have been better if i'd read something in between each book to break them up somewhat.

I stand by what I keep saying about Preppy being my favourite and I might read his story when it's released but for the rest of them. Nope.
  
A Sundered Moon (Legends of Elessia - Shadows Over Garm #3)
A Sundered Moon (Legends of Elessia - Shadows Over Garm #3)
Luís Falcão de Magalhães | 2022 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A SUNDERED MOON is the third book in the Legends of Elessia series and should be read in sequence as this one starts not long after the other finishes.

Lucius and Memphala are recovering from their battle with the Blood God. Oskar is looking for his crossbow. Hilda returns to Gotthilf. And Donata is helping heal the wounded, which just never ends.

Told from many perspectives (including a fruit fly!) you get a fully rounded picture of what is happening to all of the characters. I loved the interaction between Lucius and Memphala. The changes in both of them were brilliantly written. The rest of the characters, barring one, didn't change much, just continued to act as they had which was perfect.

Donata is the one character who changed the most and I was both thrilled and disappointed. Thrilled - because it showed that the Lady of the Pines wasn't uncaring about the war going on with her people. I loved the trials Donata went through and the strength her character had. Disappointed - because after everything, her story just fizzled out. I could understand her resentment towards both Lucius and the situation, but it became bitter. It seems even the Gods of Elessia can't overlook some things and get help from unusual quarters, even if their world is at risk.

A full-on action book that takes you from one crisis to another. I found this to be a wonderful addition to the series and loved the epilogue with Lucius, Memphala, and Silas. This definitely needs to be read as a series or you won't understand a single thing. Absolutely 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!
April 7, 2023
  
The Nine: Zane
The Nine: Zane
Elle Arroyo | 2023 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The story itself is very good, excellently paced and with a good group of characters.
THE NINE: ZANE is the first book in this series and tells of a family who are more than they appear. Zane, as eldest, is the one who houses demons inside him and has been chosen for a blood match with Sophia. Unfortunately, he loves her as a sister, whilst she loves another of his brothers. The man he wants, Eric, is pure human and has no idea what is going on.

I felt like Eric for most of the book! Zane has some serious mood swings and, yes, I do realise he's carrying demons around but still. I got whiplash a few times! Poor Eric!

In the first book of the series, you always find niggles and questions. I find the world settles down the further along you read. In this, I didn't think that the Anunnaki were sufficiently described. You get hints at WHAT they are, but not the WHO or the WHY. You also know that Zane doesn't have the best relationship with his father, but why? Also, just as an off-the-cuff comment, I thought the model on the cover looks WAAAY too young to be Zane OR Eric.

The story itself is very good, excellently paced and with a good group of characters. I thought the connection between Zane and Eric was slightly out of balance for most of the book, but the ending helped with that. This has definitely sparked my interest in the series and I will be reading more. I want to know more about their world and who inhabits their bodies. 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Mad World (Mystic Beach #5)
Mad World (Mystic Beach #5)
Aislinn Archer | 2023 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
MAD WORLD is the fifth book in the Mystic Beach series and I get to reunite with aMUSEd. It's time for the drummer, Rhys, to find his perfect match, but his path is anything but smooth.

Oh, boy! What a story!!! My heart was split in two for the whole of this book - loving Rhys and his quirks, but also understanding where Lyric was coming from. I loved the comments from Adam and Herself that helped to lighten the mood when needed.

I found this to be such an emotional read. My eyes were leaking on more than one occasion! So much so, I didn't think they'd stop. But they did as the story progressed in ways that made me so happy for them. The connection between them was so deep, it was almost tangible through my Kindle. And, yes, it's sexy too, in a way that was sheer perfection.

The whole cast of characters is simply outstanding, but the supporting ones in Mad World were simply the best. And let's not forget KITT! Yep, I'm that age, and it made me smile! I really hope I see more of Iris, Sheryl, Tommy, and Aria in future books.

And speaking of future books, it seems as though it may be Kieran's turn next. As with every Aislinn Archer book, I adore the one I've just read, but she tempts me with the next one. Oh, dear. Damn shame. It seems as though I'll have to read that one too!

The best in the series so far in my humble opinion and HIGHLY recommended by me. But if you want the best out of this series, start at the beginning! You're welcome. 😁

** 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 4, 2023
  
The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers #1)
The Moon Dwellers (The Dwellers #1)
David Estes | 2012 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
7
4.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Unique dystopian world (2 more)
Great character development
Quick read
Amazing first installment of the Dwellers Series!
As an older reader, I somehow find myself being drawn more often than not to the YA Dystopian, Sci-fi, and Fantasy genres thanks to books like The Moon Dwellers.
David Estes has created a unique post-apocalyptic world under the surface of the Earth in which the remaining people live. There are 3 underground realms: Sun, Moon, and Star that fittingly describe the amount of light that each level recieves and thus dictates the class of people that reside on each level.
The story is of 17-year-old Adele who is sentenced to life in the Pen for her parent's treasonous acts, since the abduction of her parents and sister by the Enforcers.
After learning that her family is, in fact, alive, she plots to escape her prison and rescue her family, but not before making a couple of friends in the Pen and developing some very weird feelings for the President of the Sun Realm's son (who apparently has developed the same feelings for her) whom she has never met!
An rollercoaster ride of emotions are what awaits you whilst reading this exciting tale! And I can't wait to read the second installment of The Dwellers Series!
  
Crimson (The Silver #3)
Crimson (The Silver #3)
Cheree Alsop | 2012 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Crimson is the third book in the Silver series and, once again, we get a completely new story that also ties in with what we already know. Kaynan is in a car accident which kills his sister Colleen, her best friend, and himself! He wakes up though and finds he is in a laboratory who have brought him back to life and experimented on him. None too happy with that, he escapes and manages to take another wolf with him, Grace.

I love how these stories are all so different and yet there is both a common theme and common characters. Yes, Jaze and Nikki are here, plus Jet and Taye, but the emphasis is really on Kaynan and Grace. Kaynan has changed and not just be becoming a wolf. He is no longer the troubled addict he was and he will do everything he can to protect Grace and his family. The plot thickens when it appears Colleen is also alive but it is just a ploy to get him back inside the lab?

This is yet another action-packed book that will keep you turning the pages. Jet is as charming yet stoic as ever but I think Kaynan has put a crack in some of his walls. A great addition to the series and definitely recommended by me, just so long as you read it as a 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!