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Hazel (2934 KP) rated Her Last Holiday in Books
Sep 12, 2021
I think this is one of those ©Marmite books ... you'll either like it or not. For me, I liked it ... I didn't love it, but I was certainly entertained and fair blasted through it.
This starts off at a steady pace while the characters are introduced and gradually increases as the story develops culminating in break-neck speed. There a quite a few characters and past and present timelines so you have to keep your wits about you but this added to the suspense and tension.
The story is told from three points of view - Fran, Kate and Jenna. It took me a while to warm to Fran but the more I read, the more she grew on me. Kate - nope, not a likeable character at all but worked well for the book. Jenna - still not sure how I feel about her.
The plot is interesting - not particularly plausible but if you can't suspend reality in a fiction book, then when can you? There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing and although I pretty much worked out what was going on pretty early on, it was fun seeing how it all played out.
Overall, a fun read and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
This starts off at a steady pace while the characters are introduced and gradually increases as the story develops culminating in break-neck speed. There a quite a few characters and past and present timelines so you have to keep your wits about you but this added to the suspense and tension.
The story is told from three points of view - Fran, Kate and Jenna. It took me a while to warm to Fran but the more I read, the more she grew on me. Kate - nope, not a likeable character at all but worked well for the book. Jenna - still not sure how I feel about her.
The plot is interesting - not particularly plausible but if you can't suspend reality in a fiction book, then when can you? There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing and although I pretty much worked out what was going on pretty early on, it was fun seeing how it all played out.
Overall, a fun read and my thanks must go to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.

ClareR (5854 KP) rated The Sin Eater in Books
Oct 5, 2021
The Sin Eater is set in an alternative Elizabethan England, with so much attention to detail that it could be true! I mean, there WERE Sin Eaters, but in reality I don’t think their diets were as varied and rich-sounding. I had a google, and it seems as though some bread was left on a coffin for a Sin Eater to eat. Until, that is, the Church got involved. Sin Eating had to many Pagan connotations.
Each sin in this book has a different food, which is how 14yr old May Owens learns that something sinister is going on in the Queen’s court.
May can’t tell anyone what she knows. It’s a terrible punishment for a young girl: sentenced to a life of silence and ostracised by everyone - all because she stole bread to eat. Ok, she’ll never go hungry, but some of the combinations are pretty grim!
I really enjoyed reading about the travelling entertainers, and the homeless people who decide that living with a walking, breathing curse (May) is worth the risk when it’s cold outside.
This is a really atmospheric book, steeped in the sights, sounds and smells of a 16th Century England-type-place, and it ticked a lot of boxes for me as a historical fiction, occasional fantasy fan (amongst the other types of fiction!!)
Each sin in this book has a different food, which is how 14yr old May Owens learns that something sinister is going on in the Queen’s court.
May can’t tell anyone what she knows. It’s a terrible punishment for a young girl: sentenced to a life of silence and ostracised by everyone - all because she stole bread to eat. Ok, she’ll never go hungry, but some of the combinations are pretty grim!
I really enjoyed reading about the travelling entertainers, and the homeless people who decide that living with a walking, breathing curse (May) is worth the risk when it’s cold outside.
This is a really atmospheric book, steeped in the sights, sounds and smells of a 16th Century England-type-place, and it ticked a lot of boxes for me as a historical fiction, occasional fantasy fan (amongst the other types of fiction!!)

Opposed Desires (Rehoboth Pact #2)
Book
Closet Romantic falling for the Hookup Queen? Never gonna happen… until one memorable vacation...
FF Contemporary Romance

ClareR (5854 KP) rated The Water Dancer in Books
Feb 9, 2023
The Water Dancer byTa-Nehisi Coates is a book of contradictions: a book beautifully written about a shameful time in history.
Hiram is taken away from his mother as a child when she is sold to another owner. When his feats of memory are recognised by his owner/ father, he is taken in to the big house and educated. As he gets older, all Hiram wants is to be free to choose his own life and to have his own family.
When Hiram runs away, he eventually finds himself involved with the Underground Railway. And that is where he learns to control his ability to “conduct” himself to different places to help people.
I love magical realism and the way it makes us think about the way the world works in reality, as opposed to how we’d all like it to work. Hiram’s ability to conduct himself immediately to another place takes all the risk out of capture, the miles of struggle and needing to stay hidden. Of course, Hiram only gets to this stage after he experiences the trauma and inhumanity of being caught by the slave catchers himself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this - I listened on audiobook, and the narrator Joe Morton was amazing. Especially his singing - his voice just brought the characters to life.
A fabulous novel.
Hiram is taken away from his mother as a child when she is sold to another owner. When his feats of memory are recognised by his owner/ father, he is taken in to the big house and educated. As he gets older, all Hiram wants is to be free to choose his own life and to have his own family.
When Hiram runs away, he eventually finds himself involved with the Underground Railway. And that is where he learns to control his ability to “conduct” himself to different places to help people.
I love magical realism and the way it makes us think about the way the world works in reality, as opposed to how we’d all like it to work. Hiram’s ability to conduct himself immediately to another place takes all the risk out of capture, the miles of struggle and needing to stay hidden. Of course, Hiram only gets to this stage after he experiences the trauma and inhumanity of being caught by the slave catchers himself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this - I listened on audiobook, and the narrator Joe Morton was amazing. Especially his singing - his voice just brought the characters to life.
A fabulous novel.

Merissa (12698 KP) rated Delirium (Reveler #6) in Books
May 8, 2021 (Updated Apr 12, 2023)
This series just keeps on getting better and better. It is intricate, involved, unique from my perspective and absolutely gripping. The concept behind these books is a fantasy, some might say, but Erin Kellison has made it a reality within her stories. They are all incredibly well-written with a smooth story and no plot holes.
Delirium is mainly about Harlen's new job in the Darkside Division which will mean absolutely nothing to you unless you've read the previous books in this series. You NEED to read these in order for it to make sense and to gain the most enjoyment out of them. There is major intrigue in this as no one is who they appear to be and you can't trust anyone.
This is gripping stuff and it does come complete with a cliffhanger ending so fair warning. If you want a short read that is paranormal but not full of vampires or shifters, then I can highly recommend this to you. Start at book 1 and gain the maximum enjoyment out of this magnificent series.
* 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 13, 2015
Delirium is mainly about Harlen's new job in the Darkside Division which will mean absolutely nothing to you unless you've read the previous books in this series. You NEED to read these in order for it to make sense and to gain the most enjoyment out of them. There is major intrigue in this as no one is who they appear to be and you can't trust anyone.
This is gripping stuff and it does come complete with a cliffhanger ending so fair warning. If you want a short read that is paranormal but not full of vampires or shifters, then I can highly recommend this to you. Start at book 1 and gain the maximum enjoyment out of this magnificent series.
* 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 13, 2015

Merissa (12698 KP) rated His Holiday Fate (Christmas Omegas) in Books
Dec 10, 2023
HIS HOLIDAY FATE is part of the Christmas Omegas series and features Andrew and Dylan. Andrew has been hurt on Christmas Day in the past. To heal himself, he threw himself into work. Dylan is an omega with alpha traits. He is a businessman and an extrovert, he doesn't want to be a house-husband. No, he has his own things to do. It was so much fun when these two met!
This is a low angst, funny, warm, and spicy story about two people who, at first glance, may seem opposites, but in reality, have more in common than they realise. The biggest thing they have in common is that they both want the other to be happy and are willing to do things that might not necessarily be high on their list of things to do. I loved both of these characters equally, as well as the nicknames they had for each other!
This was a great seasonal read where I was rooting for the two from the get-go and loved being a part of their courtship/relationship. A brilliant read that I definitely recommend.
** 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!
Dec 9, 2023
This is a low angst, funny, warm, and spicy story about two people who, at first glance, may seem opposites, but in reality, have more in common than they realise. The biggest thing they have in common is that they both want the other to be happy and are willing to do things that might not necessarily be high on their list of things to do. I loved both of these characters equally, as well as the nicknames they had for each other!
This was a great seasonal read where I was rooting for the two from the get-go and loved being a part of their courtship/relationship. A brilliant read that I definitely recommend.
** 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!
Dec 9, 2023

You Won't Know Her Name
Book
There lives a little girl whom you will never know the name of, and for her, a terrible storm is...
bullying sexual assualt middle school junior high

Once Upon a Dream (Mystic Beach #1) by Aislinn Archer
Book
Best friends in this life. Even more in her visions of a life before. Will his rockstar dreams tear...
Paranormal RockStar Romance

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Burning Girl ( Haunted Collection 5) in Books
Jul 10, 2023
91 of 235
Kindle
The Burning Girl (Haunted Collection 5)
By Ron Ripley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stefan Korzh’s desire to destroy the lives of everyone around him knows no bounds. Even as he’s hunted by enemies, Stefan shows no signs of slowing down. His deadly collection of antiques continues to spread and help his dreams become reality.
Meanwhile, Victor Daniels and Tom Crane have managed to build some resemblance of an ordinary life. They remain more determined than ever in their fight against Stefan, and will stop at nothing to put an end to the horrors of the Korzh collection. But life tends to take nasty turns when ghosts are involved.
Stefan’s latest threat is the fire-obsessed Molly, whose deadly ghost emerges from the pages of a novel. With the simple flick of a match, she satisfies her addiction for scorching buildings and burning flesh.
Victor and Tom quickly find themselves in the middle of a bloody trail of chaos, chasing after an enemy that will test the limits of their strength.
And they must hurry.
Because it doesn’t take long before Molly craves her next fiery fix…
This was one of my favourites so far! It was good catching up with Victor and Tom also finally seeing nasty Nicolas put in his place. I really enjoy this series of nasty little spirits and a vengeful man.
Kindle
The Burning Girl (Haunted Collection 5)
By Ron Ripley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stefan Korzh’s desire to destroy the lives of everyone around him knows no bounds. Even as he’s hunted by enemies, Stefan shows no signs of slowing down. His deadly collection of antiques continues to spread and help his dreams become reality.
Meanwhile, Victor Daniels and Tom Crane have managed to build some resemblance of an ordinary life. They remain more determined than ever in their fight against Stefan, and will stop at nothing to put an end to the horrors of the Korzh collection. But life tends to take nasty turns when ghosts are involved.
Stefan’s latest threat is the fire-obsessed Molly, whose deadly ghost emerges from the pages of a novel. With the simple flick of a match, she satisfies her addiction for scorching buildings and burning flesh.
Victor and Tom quickly find themselves in the middle of a bloody trail of chaos, chasing after an enemy that will test the limits of their strength.
And they must hurry.
Because it doesn’t take long before Molly craves her next fiery fix…
This was one of my favourites so far! It was good catching up with Victor and Tom also finally seeing nasty Nicolas put in his place. I really enjoy this series of nasty little spirits and a vengeful man.

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Legends & Lattes (book 1) in Books
Aug 3, 2023
100 of 235
Kindle
Legends & Lattes ( Book 1)
By Travis Baldree
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The much-beloved BookTok sensation, Travis Baldree's novel of high fantasy and low stakes.
*This new edition includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'*
After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.
But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
I was nervous starting this as I’d seen so much hype about it. It really didn’t disappoint I loved it!! Lighthearted, sweet and just what you need to make you smile. Definitely worth it even if your not a fantasy fan I can see it still being an entertaining read. Loved it!
Kindle
Legends & Lattes ( Book 1)
By Travis Baldree
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The much-beloved BookTok sensation, Travis Baldree's novel of high fantasy and low stakes.
*This new edition includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'*
After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.
But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
I was nervous starting this as I’d seen so much hype about it. It really didn’t disappoint I loved it!! Lighthearted, sweet and just what you need to make you smile. Definitely worth it even if your not a fantasy fan I can see it still being an entertaining read. Loved it!