Search
Search results
Anne (15117 KP) rated Frankly in Love (Frankly in Love, #1) in Books
Nov 4, 2019
Thanks to Libro.fm and Penguin Random House Audio for letting me listen and review this book. I was curious about this book since everyone was talking about it so I decided to check it out and I'm glad I listened to the audio because I don't think I would have done as well reading it. It was a little challenging for me to finish it even with the audio as it was.
I liked the story idea and premise to the story with the fake dating trope and the insight into Korean culture and family and culture issues and differences. It was a good portrayal of YA/teen years and crushes and romances and other things. There were a few things that caught me off guard, but for the most part, it seemed to be pretty straight forward.
This isn't my usual reading genre, but I thought it was alright although my biggest things were 1-it seemed a bit long, which is one of the reasons why audio helped and 2 - the language - there was so much profanity and language that I didn't enjoy, so that's my two cents on that.
If you like romance, fake dating tropes and such then you'll probably like this.
I liked the story idea and premise to the story with the fake dating trope and the insight into Korean culture and family and culture issues and differences. It was a good portrayal of YA/teen years and crushes and romances and other things. There were a few things that caught me off guard, but for the most part, it seemed to be pretty straight forward.
This isn't my usual reading genre, but I thought it was alright although my biggest things were 1-it seemed a bit long, which is one of the reasons why audio helped and 2 - the language - there was so much profanity and language that I didn't enjoy, so that's my two cents on that.
If you like romance, fake dating tropes and such then you'll probably like this.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Smoke and Mirrors & White Lies (Grey Areas #4) in Books
Nov 26, 2019
The epic saga of the events set in motion by Barrett Grayson fleeing a murder investigation comes to a head in this final installment. This doesn't let the series down.
Barrett is wondering what to do with the secret his dying father told him. Claire is wondering if her future is with Barrett. Della De Marco's life hangs in the balance while her FBI agent brother is seeking to find out the truth about Sergeant Jackson's involvement with the drugs cartel.
The number of threads and number of characters that need to be covered are enormous but nothing is left out. All are given time and all the stories come to a conclusion. It is hard to imagine how much time Carl spent plotting everything that is going on but it all ties up very nicely and at a pace which means nothing is rushed despite the amount of ground that has to be covered.
Once again we have everything from romance to a gunfire laden confrontation in a warehouse. The whole of life is here and the author shows us the frailties and strengths of human nature in all its forms.
A fantastic conclusion to the series that started so long ago with a stranger appearing in Gable, Iowa
Barrett is wondering what to do with the secret his dying father told him. Claire is wondering if her future is with Barrett. Della De Marco's life hangs in the balance while her FBI agent brother is seeking to find out the truth about Sergeant Jackson's involvement with the drugs cartel.
The number of threads and number of characters that need to be covered are enormous but nothing is left out. All are given time and all the stories come to a conclusion. It is hard to imagine how much time Carl spent plotting everything that is going on but it all ties up very nicely and at a pace which means nothing is rushed despite the amount of ground that has to be covered.
Once again we have everything from romance to a gunfire laden confrontation in a warehouse. The whole of life is here and the author shows us the frailties and strengths of human nature in all its forms.
A fantastic conclusion to the series that started so long ago with a stranger appearing in Gable, Iowa
Awix (3310 KP) rated The War of the Worlds in TV
Dec 2, 2019
Grisly non-adaptation of the immortal H.G. Wells story retains the same basic premise and the very occasional moment, but essentially scoops out the innards of the actual novel and replaces them with indescribably turgid attempts to (I would guess) update the story and make it relevant to the modern world.
Part of a grim tradition where BBC attempts to adapt SF, fantasy and horror classics operate to different standards than when they are tackling Austen or Dickens. If the team who perpetrated War of the Worlds got their hands on Pride and Prejudice, it would end up being a lesbian romance between the Bennets' maid and one of the minor daughters, performed on ice, with a frame story concerning the Boer war. It's not just that it does the book badly, it genuinely doesn't seem interested in it at all. Someone gets a leaden, clumsy speech articulating the subtext of the novel (how to adapt a great book for the hard-of-thinking) but as to what this version of the story is supposed to be about or why we should care at all... It takes real skill and determination to screw up a classic piece of literature quite this badly.
Part of a grim tradition where BBC attempts to adapt SF, fantasy and horror classics operate to different standards than when they are tackling Austen or Dickens. If the team who perpetrated War of the Worlds got their hands on Pride and Prejudice, it would end up being a lesbian romance between the Bennets' maid and one of the minor daughters, performed on ice, with a frame story concerning the Boer war. It's not just that it does the book badly, it genuinely doesn't seem interested in it at all. Someone gets a leaden, clumsy speech articulating the subtext of the novel (how to adapt a great book for the hard-of-thinking) but as to what this version of the story is supposed to be about or why we should care at all... It takes real skill and determination to screw up a classic piece of literature quite this badly.
Merissa (11612 KP) rated Open Mind (Kink Chronicles #1) in Books
Feb 5, 2020
bdsm, contemporary, grrc, m-m, read, romance
OPEN MIND is the first book in the Kink Chronicles and we meet Jamie and Ronan. Jamie is 28 and has been a travelling nurse for the past couple of years but is now ready to settle down. Ronan has settled down but is in need of a new nurse for his specialised practice!
This story is an interesting mix of being sweet and full of kink! Different kinds of kink so if kink is your thing, there is probably at least one scene in here you will like. As for Jamie and Ronan, I kind of thought they were the perfect pair - once Ronan pulled his head out of his backside! Not every relationship is destined to be monogamous and so long as everyone agrees to that BEFORE anything happens, I'm okay with it.
This was an enjoyable book that moved along at a fair pace. I enjoyed the characters and look forward to reading more in this 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!
OPEN MIND is the first book in the Kink Chronicles and we meet Jamie and Ronan. Jamie is 28 and has been a travelling nurse for the past couple of years but is now ready to settle down. Ronan has settled down but is in need of a new nurse for his specialised practice!
This story is an interesting mix of being sweet and full of kink! Different kinds of kink so if kink is your thing, there is probably at least one scene in here you will like. As for Jamie and Ronan, I kind of thought they were the perfect pair - once Ronan pulled his head out of his backside! Not every relationship is destined to be monogamous and so long as everyone agrees to that BEFORE anything happens, I'm okay with it.
This was an enjoyable book that moved along at a fair pace. I enjoyed the characters and look forward to reading more in this 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!
David McK (3169 KP) rated The Three Musketeers in Books
Jan 18, 2020
Let me start by saying that this is (was) one of the few novels I had abandoned, finding it very hard going and plodding.
And, truth be told, I still haven't actually read it.
You might be wondering, then, why I'm reviewing it?
Because, thanks to a well-known Amazon-owned subsidiary, I've now listened to it!
The subject of a fair-few movies over the years (most noticeably the 1970s Michael York duo The Three/Four Musketeers), I have to admit to being somewhat surprised at just how closely that Michael York fronted film actually sticks to the source material, with the first half of the novel (The Queens Diamonds) virtually transposed straight to the screen. And, as a result, I found this portion not really all that engaging, perhaps due to (over)familiarity.
However, things picked up once we got past the halfway point, and into more unfamiliar territory, before (roughly) the final third of the novel, which obviously served as the inspiration for The Four Musketeers (where d'Artagnan actually becomes one such).
Full of swashbuckling romance and acts of derring do, this - like many other classics - is one of those novels that you read simply so that you can say you've read it!
And, truth be told, I still haven't actually read it.
You might be wondering, then, why I'm reviewing it?
Because, thanks to a well-known Amazon-owned subsidiary, I've now listened to it!
The subject of a fair-few movies over the years (most noticeably the 1970s Michael York duo The Three/Four Musketeers), I have to admit to being somewhat surprised at just how closely that Michael York fronted film actually sticks to the source material, with the first half of the novel (The Queens Diamonds) virtually transposed straight to the screen. And, as a result, I found this portion not really all that engaging, perhaps due to (over)familiarity.
However, things picked up once we got past the halfway point, and into more unfamiliar territory, before (roughly) the final third of the novel, which obviously served as the inspiration for The Four Musketeers (where d'Artagnan actually becomes one such).
Full of swashbuckling romance and acts of derring do, this - like many other classics - is one of those novels that you read simply so that you can say you've read it!
Kirsten Myra Edwards (303 KP) rated Destined to Play (Avalon Trilogy #1) in Books
Feb 2, 2020
I picked this book up by chance at a caravan site I'm staying at. I can honestly say I didn't expect masses from this book thinking it will be like all the others. It had it's moments where I almost gave up but I honestly couldn't put this book down. It's only taken me 3 days to read it and I am so glad I didn't give up.
The reviews are very mixed on this book but I believe it brought a whole new concept to the cheesy sex/romance books that are out there.
The fact the characters are actually professional people just opens up a new view on people. It shows everyone is human in their desires no matter what they do in their careers.
I loved all the little flash backs that Alex had throughout her weekend. They make you crave more from her and Jeremy's relationship.
I did always feel that bit of guilt towards Robert and her children as if I was feeling this for Alex as I was reading.
She lived somethings that some people can only dream of in real life. That is what reading is all about escaping real life just for a bit.
The reviews are very mixed on this book but I believe it brought a whole new concept to the cheesy sex/romance books that are out there.
The fact the characters are actually professional people just opens up a new view on people. It shows everyone is human in their desires no matter what they do in their careers.
I loved all the little flash backs that Alex had throughout her weekend. They make you crave more from her and Jeremy's relationship.
I did always feel that bit of guilt towards Robert and her children as if I was feeling this for Alex as I was reading.
She lived somethings that some people can only dream of in real life. That is what reading is all about escaping real life just for a bit.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Stranger Things - Season 2 in TV
Aug 4, 2019
Another great series
I binge watched this entire series in one day, and it really was rather entertaining. The first episodes start off rather slowly, but this at least gives a chance to catch up with the returning characters and introduce some new faces. It soon picks up though, and is packed full on intrigue, humour, some rather dark moments and of course a pretty awesome soundtrack. The CGI has improved a fair bit since the last series and it was such an enjoyable series to watch. My favourite parts so far were anything involving Hopper. David Harbour is just fantastic and Hopper’s character has developed well this series, especially his relationship with Eleven. Her story and development too was good to see.
Of course it isn’t perfect. I found parts of the storyline ridiculously predictable, even if they were alright to watch (like Eleven’s storyline). I liked most of the new characters but I found Bob a little too much and sickly sweet (sorry!). And the whole childhood romance thing was a little too over the top and cringey and a bit much.
But still overall one of the best series Netflix has to offer and I’m just looking forward to catching up on series 3 now!
Of course it isn’t perfect. I found parts of the storyline ridiculously predictable, even if they were alright to watch (like Eleven’s storyline). I liked most of the new characters but I found Bob a little too much and sickly sweet (sorry!). And the whole childhood romance thing was a little too over the top and cringey and a bit much.
But still overall one of the best series Netflix has to offer and I’m just looking forward to catching up on series 3 now!
Kelly Rettie (748 KP) rated Yesterday (2019) in Movies
Feb 16, 2020
Simple musical romance
So I was lucky enough to win this from Smashbomb to watch and review. First reading the description on the back is not something I would normally pick myself but stuck it on. The story being that a guy has a bike accident and when he comes round is the only person in the world to remember the Beatles. He uses this to his advantage and passes Beatles songs off as his own. The love story that goes along with this is pretty much the standard cliched romcom predictability which I was a bit bored with. All is going well until he meets a couple of folks who also remember the beatles but they are just happy to be hearing this music again. They then send him somewhere to speak to someone else that can help alleviate his guilt of ripping them off, this provided a surprise ending that even I was not expecting and would never have thought would happen....I wont spoilt it for anyone reading this. Ultimately, you dont need to be a beatles fan to enjoy this. The music is good, the story is simplistic and it's a good easy film to pass a couple of hours on a lazy sunday afternoon.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Some Bear to Love (Polar Heat #2) in Books
Jul 7, 2020
122 of 200
Kindle
Some bear to love ( Polar Heat book 2)
By Terry Bolryder
When Kim Starling wins a free Caribbean vacation, she knows it's her last chance at adventure. Two weeks in the sun, and then she goes back to the arranged mating she's been doomed to from birth. Easy enough, until her guide turns out to be sexy Sebastien Weston, an alpha-bear sea captain who might just be her mate.
Sebastien doesn't know what to do with curvy, luscious Kim. He swore he'd never take a mate, but he can't seem to take his eyes off of the adventurous she-bear who always seems to be getting in trouble. But after a daring rescue and a kiss in the ocean, Sebastien and Kim can't help falling into a fling that sizzles like a tropical sun, but can only last two weeks.
But the more he's with Kim, the more Sebastien is realizing that two weeks isn't enough. Can he overcome his past and fear of taking a mate in time to find a way to free Kim from her family? Or will he lose the mate of a lifetime?
A very sweet romance a quick read too! As shifter books go it’s pretty what you’d expect.
Kindle
Some bear to love ( Polar Heat book 2)
By Terry Bolryder
When Kim Starling wins a free Caribbean vacation, she knows it's her last chance at adventure. Two weeks in the sun, and then she goes back to the arranged mating she's been doomed to from birth. Easy enough, until her guide turns out to be sexy Sebastien Weston, an alpha-bear sea captain who might just be her mate.
Sebastien doesn't know what to do with curvy, luscious Kim. He swore he'd never take a mate, but he can't seem to take his eyes off of the adventurous she-bear who always seems to be getting in trouble. But after a daring rescue and a kiss in the ocean, Sebastien and Kim can't help falling into a fling that sizzles like a tropical sun, but can only last two weeks.
But the more he's with Kim, the more Sebastien is realizing that two weeks isn't enough. Can he overcome his past and fear of taking a mate in time to find a way to free Kim from her family? Or will he lose the mate of a lifetime?
A very sweet romance a quick read too! As shifter books go it’s pretty what you’d expect.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Thirty and a Half Excuses (Rose Gardner Mystery, #3) in Books
Jul 16, 2020
I don't read all that many mystery/romantic suspense books anymore and Rose's small Southern town sounds like hell to live in. Everyone knows everyone's business. If you don't go to church, how dare you. If you've been thrown in jail for something you didn't do, the stigma sticks to you like glue. I really have no idea why Rose is still in Henryetta.
Once again, though, Rose finds herself knee deep in an investigation after several older women in the town die of supposed natural causes, and some things just don't add up about it all.
I'll admit I wasn't the least bit suspicious about this person until very near the end so it was cleverly done and well thought out.
And as for the romance in this... I was never fully Team Joe, and after reading my review of the previous book it seems I liked Mason more then too.
I never really liked how Rose let everyone bully her into things and in this she actually started to stand up for herself more, so I did a little cheer about that.
This is definitely going to be the last of this series that I read, mainly because I don't read this subgenre anymore.
Once again, though, Rose finds herself knee deep in an investigation after several older women in the town die of supposed natural causes, and some things just don't add up about it all.
I'll admit I wasn't the least bit suspicious about this person until very near the end so it was cleverly done and well thought out.
And as for the romance in this... I was never fully Team Joe, and after reading my review of the previous book it seems I liked Mason more then too.
I never really liked how Rose let everyone bully her into things and in this she actually started to stand up for herself more, so I did a little cheer about that.
This is definitely going to be the last of this series that I read, mainly because I don't read this subgenre anymore.