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Alien Minds (Dimension Drift #3)
Book
DIVERGENT meets OCEAN’S EIGHT in this urban fantasy heist! On my seventeenth birthday, I wake...
Science Fiction Young Adult
ClareR (5726 KP) rated The Hemlock Cure in Books
Apr 6, 2023
The Hemlock Cure was a fascinating insight into the lives of ordinary people during the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) epidemic of 1665-1666. The plague is very much in the background of this story for most of it, though.
The real evil isn’t a disease, it’s being shut in with people who clearly do not have good intentions.
The village of Eyam is well known for the decision to shut itself off from the outside world when its inhabitants started to become ill and die. They understood that the only way to halt the spread of the disease was to isolate themselves - a selfless act.
This novel looks at some of the families and their relationships inside and outside of their family units. The local apothecary and his daughter Mae, are one such family. Mae is desperate to be her fathers apprentice, but this isn’t a time in history where it’s safe for a woman to be working with herbs. So Mae studies with the midwife and a local wise woman (who are both also skating on thin ice, truth be told).
The plague wasn’t a constant in London it appears, and we travel there with one of the main characters. The contrast between the country village and London was quite something to read. I could almost smell the difference off the page!!
I enjoyed the pacing of this book: in Eyam the time crawls, whilst in London everything is all hustle and bustle.
The slow reveal of the terrible secrets in Mae’s family are not so much shocking as terrifying. Wulfric, Mae’s father, is not a well man. It seems to be a race against time for Mae.
I would most definitely recommend this book to historical fiction fans - and if you like a mystery, you may well like this as well.
The real evil isn’t a disease, it’s being shut in with people who clearly do not have good intentions.
The village of Eyam is well known for the decision to shut itself off from the outside world when its inhabitants started to become ill and die. They understood that the only way to halt the spread of the disease was to isolate themselves - a selfless act.
This novel looks at some of the families and their relationships inside and outside of their family units. The local apothecary and his daughter Mae, are one such family. Mae is desperate to be her fathers apprentice, but this isn’t a time in history where it’s safe for a woman to be working with herbs. So Mae studies with the midwife and a local wise woman (who are both also skating on thin ice, truth be told).
The plague wasn’t a constant in London it appears, and we travel there with one of the main characters. The contrast between the country village and London was quite something to read. I could almost smell the difference off the page!!
I enjoyed the pacing of this book: in Eyam the time crawls, whilst in London everything is all hustle and bustle.
The slow reveal of the terrible secrets in Mae’s family are not so much shocking as terrifying. Wulfric, Mae’s father, is not a well man. It seems to be a race against time for Mae.
I would most definitely recommend this book to historical fiction fans - and if you like a mystery, you may well like this as well.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) in Movies
Nov 2, 2021
Off the bat, New Nightmare is a veritable treat for fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street. Six films deep, the cold hard fact is that this series had become so far removed from what it once was, for better or for worse, and this 7th entry into the franchise provided the shake up so sorely needed. It's meta as hell, taking place in the "real world" where ANOES is just a movie. It's a fun slasher that sees the beloved series bleeding over into reality, when an evil entity begins to terrorize the actual Heather Langenkamp, posing as the ever popular Freddy Krueger.
This whole premise is just great. The dialogue can be a bit on the nose sometimes, but it's honestly forgivable, considering that Wes Craven was trying to out-Scream himself before Scream even existed. Craven himself appears alongside the likes of Robert Englund and producer Rob Shaye as themselves. Krueger himself is thankfully a scary bastard once again. This version doesn't have time for quips or shenanigans, instead opting for general terrorising and murder (a particular highlight riffs on the infamous ceiling kill from the original, but adds to it in the best way) and is probably the scariest version of Freddy since the first two movies.
The plot is clever in its way that it connects back to the original 84 story, and deserves all the credit for having the balls to take the series in a new direction. It deserves bonus points for the commitment to using practical effects
New Nightmare is a wonderful example of what a somewhat stale series should do next, and further cements just how important Wes Craven was to the genre. It's an ambitious sequel that earns it status as a fan favourite.
This whole premise is just great. The dialogue can be a bit on the nose sometimes, but it's honestly forgivable, considering that Wes Craven was trying to out-Scream himself before Scream even existed. Craven himself appears alongside the likes of Robert Englund and producer Rob Shaye as themselves. Krueger himself is thankfully a scary bastard once again. This version doesn't have time for quips or shenanigans, instead opting for general terrorising and murder (a particular highlight riffs on the infamous ceiling kill from the original, but adds to it in the best way) and is probably the scariest version of Freddy since the first two movies.
The plot is clever in its way that it connects back to the original 84 story, and deserves all the credit for having the balls to take the series in a new direction. It deserves bonus points for the commitment to using practical effects
New Nightmare is a wonderful example of what a somewhat stale series should do next, and further cements just how important Wes Craven was to the genre. It's an ambitious sequel that earns it status as a fan favourite.
New Nebraska Lessons
10.0
Rate It
Book
She’s the only human on campus. Four paranormal guys all want a taste. But now a killer might beat...
Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Hidden Village (Wartime Holland Book 1) [Audiobook] in Books
Jan 16, 2022
![The Hidden Village (Wartime Holland Book 1) [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/0c0/c99b7ae5-3878-4d10-b5f0-d71634e510c0.jpg?m=1642341418)
This is an engaging and compelling story of what life was like in a small village in Holland during World War II. It is a fictional story but is based on real events.
There is a palpable sense of tension throughout; you really get a sense of the fear amongst a village population trying to keep their fellow human beings, who just happen to be Jewish and the odd downed airman, safe from the clutches of the Nazis whilst putting their own lives and the lives of their families at significant risk.
The story is told through the eyes of various villages of different ages and of Dutch and Jewish perspectives. This really helps to provide a full picture of what life was like for each of the individuals at this horrendous time; the bravery of them all astounds me. Amongst all this, is a look into "normal" life and the trials and tribulations of trying to survive in occupied and war-torn Holland.
The story moves on at a fairly good pace. I listened to the audio version of this book and realised that I was on tenterhooks all the time knowing that something could happen at any moment but not knowing what. I must applaud the narrator; there are quite a few characters, male and female, young and old, but she did a great job.
If I have one gripe it's that I felt it ended rather suddenly and, I feel, left some things unfinished - maybe there is a Book 2 to come? If so, I would be interested in reading/listening to find out more.
My thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
There is a palpable sense of tension throughout; you really get a sense of the fear amongst a village population trying to keep their fellow human beings, who just happen to be Jewish and the odd downed airman, safe from the clutches of the Nazis whilst putting their own lives and the lives of their families at significant risk.
The story is told through the eyes of various villages of different ages and of Dutch and Jewish perspectives. This really helps to provide a full picture of what life was like for each of the individuals at this horrendous time; the bravery of them all astounds me. Amongst all this, is a look into "normal" life and the trials and tribulations of trying to survive in occupied and war-torn Holland.
The story moves on at a fairly good pace. I listened to the audio version of this book and realised that I was on tenterhooks all the time knowing that something could happen at any moment but not knowing what. I must applaud the narrator; there are quite a few characters, male and female, young and old, but she did a great job.
If I have one gripe it's that I felt it ended rather suddenly and, I feel, left some things unfinished - maybe there is a Book 2 to come? If so, I would be interested in reading/listening to find out more.
My thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Blood Bound (Youkai Bloodlines #3) in Books
Jan 19, 2022 (Updated Jul 5, 2023)
BLOOD BOUND is the third book in the Youkai Bloodlines series, and we continue with Hide and Hiro's story, with Asagi, of course!
Hide still can't show Hiro his affection, which leads to a chasm between them that seems as though it can't be breached. Hiro ends up leaving and, in doing so, finds friendship and love with a human, Takanori. Unfortunately, it was doomed from the beginning (human, remember!). Not only that, Taka becomes mortally ill.
Now, I'm going negative first, so be warned. I have no idea if it was my review copy, but none of the chapters gave any indication about who was speaking or even what year it was. This caused me confusion as I tried to figure out just what was going on and when, as we flip from times and characters as the story progresses. Each time it happened, I got kicked out of the story as I scrambled to keep up.
Moving to the positive - you get a beautiful but all-too-short romance with Taka and Hiro. PLUS, and this was a real benefit to me, you get the inside knowledge and history on Hide, Hiro, and even a little on Asagi. This really helped to put into perspective each character, their view of the world, and how they cope with it.
On the whole, this was a great addition to the series and I can't wait to find out where we go next. 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 19, 2022
Hide still can't show Hiro his affection, which leads to a chasm between them that seems as though it can't be breached. Hiro ends up leaving and, in doing so, finds friendship and love with a human, Takanori. Unfortunately, it was doomed from the beginning (human, remember!). Not only that, Taka becomes mortally ill.
Now, I'm going negative first, so be warned. I have no idea if it was my review copy, but none of the chapters gave any indication about who was speaking or even what year it was. This caused me confusion as I tried to figure out just what was going on and when, as we flip from times and characters as the story progresses. Each time it happened, I got kicked out of the story as I scrambled to keep up.
Moving to the positive - you get a beautiful but all-too-short romance with Taka and Hiro. PLUS, and this was a real benefit to me, you get the inside knowledge and history on Hide, Hiro, and even a little on Asagi. This really helped to put into perspective each character, their view of the world, and how they cope with it.
On the whole, this was a great addition to the series and I can't wait to find out where we go next. 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 19, 2022
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Thanatos (Guardians of Hades #8) in Books
Jun 16, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
THANATOS is the eighth book in the Guardians of Hades series and the final one of this series... I think! There is mention of them returning (which I can't wait for) but whether it will be a separate series or not, well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Calindria has been thought dead for six centuries, and the woman she is now is very different from the girl she once was. She has a power over nature, and a power over death, both of them out of control. She needs time and peace to learn to control them, not so easy when you're in a very dodgy realm trying to escape with your life. Luckily for her, Thanatos is on hand to help, although he also comes with his own issues.
This was a brilliant book. I was hooked from the very first page. Calindria is a great character, being both soft and hard when necessary. My heart broke for Thanatos' history, and I'm glad they were both able to work through it. The pacing is perfect - not too fast or slow. Instead, you are whisked away on an adventure with some steamy moments.
The world-building in this story also deserves a mention. It was so descriptively written, it felt real when they were talking about having certain powers dampened or completely gone.
A fantastic end to this series while still leaving me wanting more. I do think it should be titled Calindria though, not Thanatos! LOL Absolutely brilliant, and highly 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!
Jun 16, 2021
Calindria has been thought dead for six centuries, and the woman she is now is very different from the girl she once was. She has a power over nature, and a power over death, both of them out of control. She needs time and peace to learn to control them, not so easy when you're in a very dodgy realm trying to escape with your life. Luckily for her, Thanatos is on hand to help, although he also comes with his own issues.
This was a brilliant book. I was hooked from the very first page. Calindria is a great character, being both soft and hard when necessary. My heart broke for Thanatos' history, and I'm glad they were both able to work through it. The pacing is perfect - not too fast or slow. Instead, you are whisked away on an adventure with some steamy moments.
The world-building in this story also deserves a mention. It was so descriptively written, it felt real when they were talking about having certain powers dampened or completely gone.
A fantastic end to this series while still leaving me wanting more. I do think it should be titled Calindria though, not Thanatos! LOL Absolutely brilliant, and highly 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!
Jun 16, 2021
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Sotarios (Fueled By Lust #8) in Books
Dec 17, 2018 (Updated May 20, 2023)
Book 8 in this series continues the general story arc, whilst giving further details specific to Sotarios. He is a fascinating character who repeatedly broke my heart, due to his story. I raise my hat to Celeste Prater for bringing to light a subject that isn't usually talked about. The feelings that Sotarios deals with on a daily basis, plus the nightmares and how he keeps everyone pushed away, were so real and poignant that it about killed me. Raine is his perfect partner - she feels deeply but also understands that not everything can be shared at once, and sometimes the best thing is to walk away until it can be dealt with.
This is not a standalone book, and you definitely need to read this series from the start. Plus the fact, if you don't, you are missing out on a fantastic series. Extremely well written (and hot) with more emotional punches than even Raine can throw.
Celeste Prater has this incredible talent for making me want the next book, even as I'm reading the current one. And I won't mention how many times I've re-read them, just to immerse myself into their world.
So many things I want to say, but can't as I don't give away spoilers! All I will say is, if you have read the previous books, then get your mitts on this one. If you haven't, and you like erotic science fiction, then start the series NOW. I promise you you won't regret it. Highly 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!
Feb 17, 2016
This is not a standalone book, and you definitely need to read this series from the start. Plus the fact, if you don't, you are missing out on a fantastic series. Extremely well written (and hot) with more emotional punches than even Raine can throw.
Celeste Prater has this incredible talent for making me want the next book, even as I'm reading the current one. And I won't mention how many times I've re-read them, just to immerse myself into their world.
So many things I want to say, but can't as I don't give away spoilers! All I will say is, if you have read the previous books, then get your mitts on this one. If you haven't, and you like erotic science fiction, then start the series NOW. I promise you you won't regret it. Highly 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!
Feb 17, 2016
Merissa (12066 KP) rated Daughter of Chaos (Red Magic #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
In Darlena's world, magic is divided into three different categories. To put it simply - white is good, black is bad, and green is balance. Normally a witch will choose a path on her 16th birthday. Darlena has passed this milestone without declaring which path she will follow. One evening Hecate shows up and puts Darlena on the spot - which path will she choose? Darlena follows her heart and her instincts and chooses a colour that she has never heard of before - Red. It must be a real path because the next day she is expelled from school with no explanation. Anyone who hears what colour she has chosen, reacts in a very different way to how Darlena was expecting.
I loved how Jen McConnel set this all up and how it was all executed. The writing and links are flawless, with plenty of surprises along the way. I thought having Aphrodite as a patron of Red magic was brilliant, and anyone who thinks that love isn't chaotic is seriously mistaken!
With lessons to be learnt, Darlena has some serious choices to make. Some of which she makes on the rebound, some of which she has time to think about. With friends and allies helping her along the way, as well as enemies trying to hinder her, her life is moving along at breakneck speed. Will she find the time to figure out what to do?
With a cast of amazing characters, from the noble yet slightly self-righteous Justin to the flawed and grasping Rochelle, you have a fast-paced story that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. I can't wait to read more about Darlena's story to see what happens next. Definitely recommended.
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 19, 2016
I loved how Jen McConnel set this all up and how it was all executed. The writing and links are flawless, with plenty of surprises along the way. I thought having Aphrodite as a patron of Red magic was brilliant, and anyone who thinks that love isn't chaotic is seriously mistaken!
With lessons to be learnt, Darlena has some serious choices to make. Some of which she makes on the rebound, some of which she has time to think about. With friends and allies helping her along the way, as well as enemies trying to hinder her, her life is moving along at breakneck speed. Will she find the time to figure out what to do?
With a cast of amazing characters, from the noble yet slightly self-righteous Justin to the flawed and grasping Rochelle, you have a fast-paced story that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. I can't wait to read more about Darlena's story to see what happens next. Definitely recommended.
* Verified Purchase on Amazon *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 19, 2016
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Khahari Discovering the Meaning of Autism in Books
Jun 16, 2024
Khahari Discovering the Meaning of Autism is an excellent educational book for children. It is simple and explains the emotions of Khahari, his friend Omari, and Omari's cousin Jayden.
The boys decide they want to play. Kharhari goes out to play basketball with his friend Omari. When they do, Omari introduces Jayden to Khahari, and they start playing. However, a misunderstood happens when Jayden goes after the ball and takes it inside. Will Khahari and Omari play again, or will a misunderstanding get in the way?
When playing, misunderstandings happen. Things go awry. Will learning about something you do not know and trying to have fun help Khahari and Omari come to an understanding? Can they help teach Jayden how to share by taking turns and playing a game?
As the story unfolds, the children learn and understand each other. This book is about Khahari, Omari, and Jayden. It shows that children with autism are not so different in their desire to play. They just have a unique way of understanding. By asking questions and learning about themselves, your child can help educate all children. Khahari is learning about autism, and Jayden is learning about sharing and taking turns. And together, we're all learning about empathy and inclusivity.
Omari and Khahari, through their understanding of the challenges and struggles of autism, strengthen their friendship and help each other out. This is a lesson all children can benefit from. The author has made it simple and easy to understand and read, ensuring that the journey of learning is enjoyable for children. And the best part? The fun and learning don't end with the book. They continue in real life, where understanding and empathy can make a world of difference.
The boys decide they want to play. Kharhari goes out to play basketball with his friend Omari. When they do, Omari introduces Jayden to Khahari, and they start playing. However, a misunderstood happens when Jayden goes after the ball and takes it inside. Will Khahari and Omari play again, or will a misunderstanding get in the way?
When playing, misunderstandings happen. Things go awry. Will learning about something you do not know and trying to have fun help Khahari and Omari come to an understanding? Can they help teach Jayden how to share by taking turns and playing a game?
As the story unfolds, the children learn and understand each other. This book is about Khahari, Omari, and Jayden. It shows that children with autism are not so different in their desire to play. They just have a unique way of understanding. By asking questions and learning about themselves, your child can help educate all children. Khahari is learning about autism, and Jayden is learning about sharing and taking turns. And together, we're all learning about empathy and inclusivity.
Omari and Khahari, through their understanding of the challenges and struggles of autism, strengthen their friendship and help each other out. This is a lesson all children can benefit from. The author has made it simple and easy to understand and read, ensuring that the journey of learning is enjoyable for children. And the best part? The fun and learning don't end with the book. They continue in real life, where understanding and empathy can make a world of difference.