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F My Life: And You Thought You'd Had A Bad Day
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Today, my boss fired me via text message. I don't have a text messaging plan. I paid 25 cents to get...
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Blowout (Breakers Hockey #6) in Books
Jan 4, 2023
I was lost in their story and loved every word.
BLOWOUT is the sixth book in the Breakers series but you could read it as a standalone. Both characters are mentioned in previous books but you don't NEED to have read those to fully appreciate this story.
Cas was a player - until Jules came into his life. Now, he wants her but won't go past the boundaries she has set. Jules has too much going on in her life to put up with a playboy! Her son needs her and she needs work to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. But Cas - very gently - breaks down her defences. And what horrible way does he do that? By caring. By putting her first. By treating her the way he believes she should be treated. Oh, man!
I felt for both Cas and Jules in this. Yes, Cas is in a better position financially, but emotionally, he's just as hurt as Jules. It is by being together, by opening themselves to each other, that these two work so well. No lies, no games (not conscious ones, anyway,) just two people trying to figure out what everyone else seems to already know.
The pacing was perfect and I read this in one sitting, unable to put it down. I was lost in their story and loved every word. A great addition to the series and absolutely recommended by me. Now, I just need to wait for Theo's story!
** 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!
Cas was a player - until Jules came into his life. Now, he wants her but won't go past the boundaries she has set. Jules has too much going on in her life to put up with a playboy! Her son needs her and she needs work to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads. But Cas - very gently - breaks down her defences. And what horrible way does he do that? By caring. By putting her first. By treating her the way he believes she should be treated. Oh, man!
I felt for both Cas and Jules in this. Yes, Cas is in a better position financially, but emotionally, he's just as hurt as Jules. It is by being together, by opening themselves to each other, that these two work so well. No lies, no games (not conscious ones, anyway,) just two people trying to figure out what everyone else seems to already know.
The pacing was perfect and I read this in one sitting, unable to put it down. I was lost in their story and loved every word. A great addition to the series and absolutely recommended by me. Now, I just need to wait for Theo's story!
** 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!
New Nebraska Lessons
10.0
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She’s the only human on campus. Four paranormal guys all want a taste. But now a killer might beat...
Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Servitude (Reagalos #1) in Books
Sep 2, 2021 (Updated Jul 14, 2023)
SERVITUDE is the first book in the Reagalos series and we are introduced to a fantasy world where para-dimensional mathematics and portals are known and utilised.
Lornyc is the heir to the High Lord of Reagalos although no one knows about it. Methian is the heir to the Xenetra realm and has a reputation as a playboy. Keeping their relationship secret is the norm for them, until magical contracts turn up out of the blue, ensuring Lornyc becomes Methian's valet, plus other contracts to other realms he can't get out of. And then there are the whole treachery and assassination attempts to contend with.
What you have is a book that will hold your interest. There are numerous characters for you to learn about, political situations, marriages, you name it. The beginning was a bit bumpy for me and I had to work at it as I felt I had arrived halfway through already. Once you get past that, it becomes intriguing and will get you turning the pages.
I hope to see more of Methian in future books as I feel he could be a really strong character in his own right, rather than 'just' a consort. He is also heir to his own realm so... yep, I'd like to see more of him. Vella is another great character - loyal to her family, dangerous to those who cross her or those she loves.
A great, solid start to the series and I look forward to moving on from here. 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!
Sep 2, 2021
Lornyc is the heir to the High Lord of Reagalos although no one knows about it. Methian is the heir to the Xenetra realm and has a reputation as a playboy. Keeping their relationship secret is the norm for them, until magical contracts turn up out of the blue, ensuring Lornyc becomes Methian's valet, plus other contracts to other realms he can't get out of. And then there are the whole treachery and assassination attempts to contend with.
What you have is a book that will hold your interest. There are numerous characters for you to learn about, political situations, marriages, you name it. The beginning was a bit bumpy for me and I had to work at it as I felt I had arrived halfway through already. Once you get past that, it becomes intriguing and will get you turning the pages.
I hope to see more of Methian in future books as I feel he could be a really strong character in his own right, rather than 'just' a consort. He is also heir to his own realm so... yep, I'd like to see more of him. Vella is another great character - loyal to her family, dangerous to those who cross her or those she loves.
A great, solid start to the series and I look forward to moving on from here. 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!
Sep 2, 2021
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Smith's Corner: Delilah & Dallas (The Heartwood Series #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
SMITH'S CORNER: DELILAH & DALLAS is the first book in the Heartwood series. Delilah is young but with a mature head on her shoulders. She knows what she wants to do and isn't afraid to work hard to get it. Dallas is older and has played the field, but when Delilah arrives on the scene, his playboy days are over, his eyes and heart are now Delilah's if only he can convince her to take a chance on him.
This was a great story that took the unusual turn of knowing who the stalker was but waiting for him to be caught. I loved that as it didn't detract from the main story, but also kept you on your toes for the next time he would turn up.
There were a couple of minor issues that I didn't understand, but that in no way detracted from the story. It's definitely a case of it's me, not the story! I loved all the brothers and hope we get all of them. Layla and Levi are up next, but I have high hopes for Ash and Alora, Stone and Storm, Holden and Harper, but no idea yet about Fox, and I really REALLY want his story. Of course, these may not be the official couples, but are the ones I have in my head!
With a smooth pace throughout, this story definitely kept my attention. With some steamy moments, along with banter between the brothers, the pages turned themselves.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue the 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 17, 2021
This was a great story that took the unusual turn of knowing who the stalker was but waiting for him to be caught. I loved that as it didn't detract from the main story, but also kept you on your toes for the next time he would turn up.
There were a couple of minor issues that I didn't understand, but that in no way detracted from the story. It's definitely a case of it's me, not the story! I loved all the brothers and hope we get all of them. Layla and Levi are up next, but I have high hopes for Ash and Alora, Stone and Storm, Holden and Harper, but no idea yet about Fox, and I really REALLY want his story. Of course, these may not be the official couples, but are the ones I have in my head!
With a smooth pace throughout, this story definitely kept my attention. With some steamy moments, along with banter between the brothers, the pages turned themselves.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue the 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 17, 2021
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Maybe For You in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Maybe For You by Nicole McLaughlin is a very emotional storyline. The theme allows readers to understand how to cope with loss and handle grief. It is also a friends to lover’s story.
Many say that a guy and gal cannot be friends. This story seems to prove that point. The different dynamic relationships play a part in how people react to each other. Friends usually are able to be direct and let their guards down without having to build walls. Usually these relationships are based on honesty where each person can show their true selves. Some of the best intimate relationships start off as friends. The heroine, Alexis, and the hero, Jake began their friendship as pen pals while she was deployed in Italy. They did not literally converse with a writing object, but used the modern way, a phone text. McLaughlin wanted “it to be a safer way to share feelings without being face to face or voice to voice. These two are able to share only when they feel like sharing.”
Alexis is not used to displaying her emotions, keeping everything close to the chest. Her parents died in an auto accident, she was raised by her older brother Dean, and now has lost her fiancé in a military helicopter accident. Anyone who has lost a loved one, especially when it is unexpected, can relate to this powerful quote, “Several times she had to talk herself out of just crawling back into bed… Moving on, healing, required putting one foot in front of the other. Even when it felt impossible.”
The story poignantly shows how those grieving can move on, that time heals. Yet, there are also instances when something can spur someone’s memory about a loved one, and that feeling of being hit in the gut returns. “I wanted to write about this because I experience it. I put in the book how sometimes the weight of the pain feels brand new. I lost my father when I was ten. I watched my mother and how she dealt with losing a partner. I think I put my own feelings in these scenes. My dad has been dead almost twenty-five years and every once in awhile a thought pops up in my head and I cry instantly. I think the grieving process is a long journey.”
But it is also a story of hope. After a year serving overseas Alexis returns to her home town in Kansas. Her brother offers her a job at the Stag Distillery he owns with two friends. But it also ended up becoming one of the most successful wedding and event venues in the Kansas City metro area. To promote their business one of the partners, Jake, travels on the road to find new clients. Realizing that Alex would be a good addition for making sells, it is decided that she will travel with him. Ready for a new challenge, Alexis agrees to accompany her new co-worker, Jake. Soon the casual relationship becomes intense where both realize they have strong feelings for each other.
“I wrote how their relationship was grounded in respect and friendship. Both needed someone that they cared for. They were able to tease and joke with each other, feeling very comfortable, because they started out as friends. They appear as opposites since Alexis is a survivor, strong, broken, vulnerable, determined, desperate for a family, and is very guarded. Jake is a player, a playboy, who always feels second best. As Alexis opens up to him about her feelings he listens, doesn’t pry or lecture about what she should be feeling. Slowly he transitions from a playboy to a partner.”
This is a very emotional story that will tug at the heart. There are many touching scenes with very likeable characters.
Many say that a guy and gal cannot be friends. This story seems to prove that point. The different dynamic relationships play a part in how people react to each other. Friends usually are able to be direct and let their guards down without having to build walls. Usually these relationships are based on honesty where each person can show their true selves. Some of the best intimate relationships start off as friends. The heroine, Alexis, and the hero, Jake began their friendship as pen pals while she was deployed in Italy. They did not literally converse with a writing object, but used the modern way, a phone text. McLaughlin wanted “it to be a safer way to share feelings without being face to face or voice to voice. These two are able to share only when they feel like sharing.”
Alexis is not used to displaying her emotions, keeping everything close to the chest. Her parents died in an auto accident, she was raised by her older brother Dean, and now has lost her fiancé in a military helicopter accident. Anyone who has lost a loved one, especially when it is unexpected, can relate to this powerful quote, “Several times she had to talk herself out of just crawling back into bed… Moving on, healing, required putting one foot in front of the other. Even when it felt impossible.”
The story poignantly shows how those grieving can move on, that time heals. Yet, there are also instances when something can spur someone’s memory about a loved one, and that feeling of being hit in the gut returns. “I wanted to write about this because I experience it. I put in the book how sometimes the weight of the pain feels brand new. I lost my father when I was ten. I watched my mother and how she dealt with losing a partner. I think I put my own feelings in these scenes. My dad has been dead almost twenty-five years and every once in awhile a thought pops up in my head and I cry instantly. I think the grieving process is a long journey.”
But it is also a story of hope. After a year serving overseas Alexis returns to her home town in Kansas. Her brother offers her a job at the Stag Distillery he owns with two friends. But it also ended up becoming one of the most successful wedding and event venues in the Kansas City metro area. To promote their business one of the partners, Jake, travels on the road to find new clients. Realizing that Alex would be a good addition for making sells, it is decided that she will travel with him. Ready for a new challenge, Alexis agrees to accompany her new co-worker, Jake. Soon the casual relationship becomes intense where both realize they have strong feelings for each other.
“I wrote how their relationship was grounded in respect and friendship. Both needed someone that they cared for. They were able to tease and joke with each other, feeling very comfortable, because they started out as friends. They appear as opposites since Alexis is a survivor, strong, broken, vulnerable, determined, desperate for a family, and is very guarded. Jake is a player, a playboy, who always feels second best. As Alexis opens up to him about her feelings he listens, doesn’t pry or lecture about what she should be feeling. Slowly he transitions from a playboy to a partner.”
This is a very emotional story that will tug at the heart. There are many touching scenes with very likeable characters.
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Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Vampire in Brooklyn (1995) in Movies
Sep 18, 2020
Brooklyn's Own Vampire
Vampire in Brooklyn- is a entertaining movie. It has horror, comedy and eddie Murphy as the bad guy.
The plot: In the wake of her mother's death in a mental institution, detective Rita Veder (Angela Bassett) is assigned to a baffling serial murder case. After examining the crime scene -- a corpse-filled ship found adrift at sea -- Rita meets Maximilian (Eddie Murphy), a smooth-talking Caribbean playboy determined to romance her. When Rita begins suffering from crippling hallucinations, she calls upon Dr. Zeko (Zakes Mokae), an occultist who suspects a vampire is on the loose.
According to Charlie Murphy, the movie was originally going to be a straight horror film with no laughs but Wes Craven brought a different focus to it. He also said: "Maximilian wasn't going to have any redeeming qualities. But Wes taught us that we must get the audience to care about our characters. And even if they didn't know any vampires personally, they would at least have to identify with the type of person he was.
About the movie, Eddie Murphy said: "I've always wanted to do something where I was the villain in the movie. I love horror pictures and I was a big fan of Wes Craven. This movie started out as something small, this was a movie my company was just going to produce and the screenplay came together so well that I thought it will be a fun role to play. Because I got to do something kind of scary and had a safety net because the vampire can turn into other peoples. I get to be funny when I'm the preacher and I get to be funny when I'm the Italian guy. And the vampire is pretty straight and I got all these funny stuff happening around me. I felt it was a unique piece to do."
Although contemporary reviews were negative, Vampire In Brooklyn has since become a cult classic.
Like i said its a good comedy horror film.
The plot: In the wake of her mother's death in a mental institution, detective Rita Veder (Angela Bassett) is assigned to a baffling serial murder case. After examining the crime scene -- a corpse-filled ship found adrift at sea -- Rita meets Maximilian (Eddie Murphy), a smooth-talking Caribbean playboy determined to romance her. When Rita begins suffering from crippling hallucinations, she calls upon Dr. Zeko (Zakes Mokae), an occultist who suspects a vampire is on the loose.
According to Charlie Murphy, the movie was originally going to be a straight horror film with no laughs but Wes Craven brought a different focus to it. He also said: "Maximilian wasn't going to have any redeeming qualities. But Wes taught us that we must get the audience to care about our characters. And even if they didn't know any vampires personally, they would at least have to identify with the type of person he was.
About the movie, Eddie Murphy said: "I've always wanted to do something where I was the villain in the movie. I love horror pictures and I was a big fan of Wes Craven. This movie started out as something small, this was a movie my company was just going to produce and the screenplay came together so well that I thought it will be a fun role to play. Because I got to do something kind of scary and had a safety net because the vampire can turn into other peoples. I get to be funny when I'm the preacher and I get to be funny when I'm the Italian guy. And the vampire is pretty straight and I got all these funny stuff happening around me. I felt it was a unique piece to do."
Although contemporary reviews were negative, Vampire In Brooklyn has since become a cult classic.
Like i said its a good comedy horror film.