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Professional Distance (Thorne and Dash #1)
9.0
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Thornwell Shipton is wealthy, uptight, closeted, and an incurable workaholic. A tragic love affair...
Contemporary MM Romance BDSM
Merissa (13958 KP) rated Awake in Books
May 24, 2023
This book has all the ingredients for a good Young Adult Thriller, but for me, it just didn't quite work out that way. Perhaps it was the insta-love going on, with marriage mentioned very quickly into their 'relationship'. Perhaps it was the best friend who wasn't a best friend at all that I actually felt sorry for. Perhaps it was the dodgy behaviour of the main characters. I don't know. It just didn't quite work for me. There is also the fact that Scarlett makes a HUGE deal about not remembering anything before she was four, but has no hesitation in talking about it to a complete stranger at the first opportunity.
An interesting premise, with a cult aspect, that just didn't work for me. Try it for yourself though, don't take my word for it!
* 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 2, 2016
An interesting premise, with a cult aspect, that just didn't work for me. Try it for yourself though, don't take my word for it!
* 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 2, 2016
Karla Dee (6 KP) rated True, True in Books
May 27, 2023
This book is an example of building your own seat at the table. I have seen the lip service to diversity irl life and it should be in our stories as well. Unfortunately we are living in a time where books that point out these inequalities are attacked an banned from getting into the hands of students that need to here these stories.
Gil uses the Sun Tzu's The Art of War to guide him in taking on racism at his school. When he first started going to Augustin Prep the popular kid started a fight over him being black on the first day and the school decided to punish Gil who is there on scholarship for the robotics program. Gil organizes with the other black students who have also been treated unequally. His involvement in school politics gets overwhelming for him and he has to decide what his priorities are...his family, his new relationship with a girl? Very good coming of age story <3<3<3
Gil uses the Sun Tzu's The Art of War to guide him in taking on racism at his school. When he first started going to Augustin Prep the popular kid started a fight over him being black on the first day and the school decided to punish Gil who is there on scholarship for the robotics program. Gil organizes with the other black students who have also been treated unequally. His involvement in school politics gets overwhelming for him and he has to decide what his priorities are...his family, his new relationship with a girl? Very good coming of age story <3<3<3
Kicks (Pleasure Seekers, #2)
8.0
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Eddie Channing has never bothered with a career. Yet somehow he’s become the best salesman at...
Contemporary MM Romance Friends with Benefits to Lovers Workplace Romance Family Issues
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2540 KP) rated Death at Tidal Creek in Books
Mar 18, 2026
Murder is Garbage
Clark Thomas is slowing building a relationship with Andrea, who has just opened a business next door to his bookstore. So when two people are found dead near the garbage bins at Tidal Creek Brewery, near where Andrea lives, Clark takes note, especially when one of the is the president of Andrea’s HOA. But it’s only when Andrea finds herself involved in the HOA that Clark fully gets involved. It turns out the late president was up to some shady business. Is that why he was killed?
As always, this book had great beach vibes. I’m curious how the love triangle storyline is going to get resolved. We did get some good growth in Clark, interesting new characters, and a couple more tantalizing clues to his wife’s murder. The main mystery was good. I figured out a piece early but didn’t have it all put together. The ending was a bit exposition heavy as always, but my questions were answered. If you are looking for a beach vibe mystery, this is the book, and series, for you.
As always, this book had great beach vibes. I’m curious how the love triangle storyline is going to get resolved. We did get some good growth in Clark, interesting new characters, and a couple more tantalizing clues to his wife’s murder. The main mystery was good. I figured out a piece early but didn’t have it all put together. The ending was a bit exposition heavy as always, but my questions were answered. If you are looking for a beach vibe mystery, this is the book, and series, for you.
A Scaly Tail of Murder
7.0
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A new fiancé, an old boyfriend, and a murder that will change everything. Frankie Chandler is...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2540 KP) rated A Feast Most Foul in Books
Jun 8, 2024
Murder in a Neighboring Kingdom
Duchess Jacqueline is making her first official trip after becoming ruler of her kingdom. She’s attending a two-week tournament hosted by her grandfather, a duke in a neighboring kingdom. They have a strained relationship (at best), so she isn’t looking forward to it. But the first night, a knight is killed and the evidence points of Jax’s intended. Can she find more evidence to clear his name?
I enjoyed the first book in the series, so I was really looking forward to this one. I wasn’t disappointed. We are still in the novellas that started this series, so it is a fast read, but it doesn’t skimp on plot with plenty of twists that kept me engaged. I enjoyed watching the relationships grow for the returning characters, and the new cast are just as engaging. If you haven’t read the first book, be aware there are some hints as to what happened in that book. I also am really enjoying the light fantasy setting of the series. I’m looking forward to catching up with Jax again soon.
I enjoyed the first book in the series, so I was really looking forward to this one. I wasn’t disappointed. We are still in the novellas that started this series, so it is a fast read, but it doesn’t skimp on plot with plenty of twists that kept me engaged. I enjoyed watching the relationships grow for the returning characters, and the new cast are just as engaging. If you haven’t read the first book, be aware there are some hints as to what happened in that book. I also am really enjoying the light fantasy setting of the series. I’m looking forward to catching up with Jax again soon.
Ripped (Mars Fitness #1)
10.0
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Sometimes heartache is a blessing in disguise. I thought my life was perfect, and then I walked...
Contemporary MM Romance Series
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2540 KP) rated Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Books
Aug 27, 2025
Finding Danger at a Pop Up Carnival
Best friends James Lessor and Skip Moore are spending the weekend at a traveling carnival so that James can get a feel for it in his new job as their marketing director. Then the owner asks them to put their new PI license to use finding out who is sabotaging the rides. There have been injuries and one death due to these accidents. Will the two get the help from the carnies they need to solve things?
My love/hate relationship with this series continues. I do like the characters and want to see them succeed. But I also wish they were a little smarter and that Skip would stand up for himself. The mystery was good, but the ending could have been stronger. The suspects were interesting. Do keep in mind that these books aren’t cozies and are just old enough for the technology to be dated. I’m hoping some growth we saw here carries over to further books, but I’ll find out when I get to the next book.
My love/hate relationship with this series continues. I do like the characters and want to see them succeed. But I also wish they were a little smarter and that Skip would stand up for himself. The mystery was good, but the ending could have been stronger. The suspects were interesting. Do keep in mind that these books aren’t cozies and are just old enough for the technology to be dated. I’m hoping some growth we saw here carries over to further books, but I’ll find out when I get to the next book.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2540 KP) rated A Thief of Time in Books
Apr 16, 2026
Missing Anthropologist
Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is dealing with the loss of his wife. He’s been on leave and plans to retire when his leave is over. But when a colleague invites him along to execute a search warrant in an area Joe knows well, he agrees to go along. Only, when they arrive, they learn the woman they are supposed to serve the warrant on has been missing for two weeks. Meanwhile, Officer Jim Chee is trying to find a piece of heavy equipment that vanished on his watch. The trail leads him to dead bodies. How are these cases connected?
The title of this book caught my attention years ago, so I was glad to finally get to it. I enjoyed the slow yet natural progression of Leaphorn and Chee’s working relationship. I did find Chee’s personal subplot a bit repetitive. The pacing of the plot slowed down a couple of times, but by the time we reached the end, I was completely hooked. Overall, this book makes it easy to see why the author has so many fans.
The title of this book caught my attention years ago, so I was glad to finally get to it. I enjoyed the slow yet natural progression of Leaphorn and Chee’s working relationship. I did find Chee’s personal subplot a bit repetitive. The pacing of the plot slowed down a couple of times, but by the time we reached the end, I was completely hooked. Overall, this book makes it easy to see why the author has so many fans.