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Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1)
Rookie Move (Brooklyn Bruisers #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Georgia works as the PR girl for the up and coming NFL team The Brooklyn Bruisers and it just so happens that her boyfriend from six years ago Leo Trevi has been drafted to the team. Georgia tries to stay professional but neither has gotten over the other in the ensuing years and as much as she tries to stay away from him, it's impossible.

I did enjoy this. I'm not into any kind of sports really and American sports - I have no idea about, so it flies right over my head. The romance was really sweet, though. How Leo is determined to get back the girl he lost so tragically all those years ago. It choked me up a little towards the end when they finally talk about what happened in the past and how it affected them both.

I liked the cast of characters, too. O' Doul - the Captain, Silas - the backup goalie, Becca - Georgia's best friend and Nate - the owner. O' Doul's book is next in the series and I'm intrigued which girl will tame him and I'm pretty sure something is going to happen between Nate and Becca. I think Silas also has his own book in the series, too.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Nine Ways to Die in Books

Jan 24, 2021  
Nine Ways to Die
Nine Ways to Die
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2021 | Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fifteen-year-old January "Jan" hates the new town she has moved to but loves her new boyfriend, Jean. Her parents are never home, and her sister is in hospital, so she spends the summer days with her new friends. The only people she meets are around her age, and she never comes across any adults. The buildings are decrepit and old, almost like a ghost town. The more time Jan spends with her friends, the more peculiar the town, Memoir Falls feels.

Nine Ways to Die is a short story by versatile writer, Jordan Elizabeth. The details about Jan's past gradually emerge until Jan, along with the reader, discovers the truth about the strange town and its inhabitants. There are clues everywhere, but like Jan, readers fail to notice them until they come together in a sudden climax.

Through Jan's eyes, readers experience the town as though they are also new inhabitants. Although it is a short story, there is so much on offer: suspense, romance, thrills, and the supernatural. For those familiar with Jordan Elizabeth's work, this is a welcome addition to her vast collection of books. For newbie readers, this is a tempting taste of the author's full potential.
  
Touch of Regret (The Collectors #1)
Touch of Regret (The Collectors #1)
Autumn Reed | 2020 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
207
Kindle
Touch of Regret ( The Collectors book 1)
By Autumn Reed

Review will be posted in comments via Smashbomb once read

The day I truly started to live, I sentenced him to die.

At 24, I'd resigned myself to a simple life following in my mother's footsteps. I would manage the antique shop she left me and marry a kind, stable man. Most importantly, I would never tell a soul about my psychic abilities.

But with a single, intentional touch and a vision of the past, I set events in motion that expose my secret. I'm part of a world I never knew existed, and my new allies are dismantling my carefully constructed walls.

Except, those walls had a purpose - they kept me hidden.

Now, my abilities make me a target. And my mere existence is endangering everyone I care about.

My name is Adele Rose, and I know nothing but regret.


Well I wasn’t expecting that! The first couple weeks f chapters seem very run of the mill romance but once it gets going it’s a very intriguing well written story. The characters are strong and you’re left asking more and more questions. The story is interesting and leaves you wanting to keep reading. Highly recommended!! Even with a cliffhanger!
  
A Star Is Born (2018)
A Star Is Born (2018)
2018 | Drama, Romance
Dull and overhyped
I have seen so many good reviews about this film that I thought I was sure to love it, especially as I can’t usually say no to anything with decent songs. However, this was such a dire disappointment.

First of all, the plot isn’t anything new. Tortured and wannabe musicians have been done to death in films, and sadly much better than this. The entire film drags too, it’s so slow and dull and feels like it’s on forever. Aside from the ending, it’s rather boringly predictable and can’t even be saved by Bradley Cooper. He saves this film as his performance is brilliant, but I really don’t rate Lady Gaga, I didn’t think she was good at all, I found her very irritating and other than her voice which is of course phenomenal, I really didn’t like her. I also thought the start of the film with the beginning of the whole romance was so cliched, cheesy and a little bit cringeworthy. The songs were really good and with Bradley Cooper’s performance in general they made this film at least vaguely watchable, but I would never be in a rush to watch this again. Such a disappointment.
  
The main thing I liked about this story was how the characters were rarely how they were portrayed in their particular rhyme or story, for example, Olivia “Snow” White running an adult business; who’d have thought?? Haha :P

It’s brilliant and contains almost all of our favourite characters from Al Addin to Juliet Capulet (she gets mentioned, anyway)

I’m just sorry I missed the first two books in the series though they aren’t really necessary to understand this one, and I presume tell the story of two of the other couples mentioned in this one (Red and Nate and Lavender and Seth). I have to admit the author does a good job of making sure you don’t miss out on much that happened in the previous books by retelling it from another characters viewpoint, though it isn’t quite the same as reading it as it happened, if you know what I mean. It isn’t necessary but it is an advantage to read Red and The Better to See You before this one.

That being said, the author has a great style of writing and I was quickly dragged into the story. It’s a mix of action, mystery and romance. What more could you ask for?
  
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Kate (482 KP) rated Myra's Dilemma #1 in Books

Jul 27, 2020  
Myra's Dilemma #1
Myra's Dilemma #1
Tiffany Haynes | 2020 | Romance
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The story was short but it is part of a series so it didn't put me off. It was nice to read a book quite relatable in the way that the main character hadn't had much in love and found someone as she felt she was getting older and knew she needed to settle down. I wasn't keen on the way the writer kept mentioning the weight of the main character especially when it was repeatedly mentioned how beautiful she was. I understand the whole 'love yourself whatever your size' motto but I feel it was mentioned too much.
It is my type of book - romance.
I was hooked from the start and found the book really easy to get into.
I understood what the characters were like from the way they spoke.
As the book was so short I didn't connected to the characters and I didn't felt they moved me or grew in the book. This may change through the series.
The story is definitely aimed at women in their late 20s onwards.
I would read the other books in the series and I would recommend to others.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Thomasine in Books

May 15, 2020  
Thomasine
Thomasine
Jordan Elizabeth Mierek | 2020 | Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Ghosts, a murderous cult, and men who can turn into wolves
Ghosts, a murderous cult, and men who can turn into wolves feature in Jordan Elizabeth's latest novelette Thomasine. As a young girl, Thomasine believed there was something sinister living in the cellar of their farmhouse and was thankful when the family moved away. Now she has returned for a funeral and cannot shake off the uneasy feeling that there is evil afoot. On top of that, Thomasine can see ghosts and there is one, in particular, that is begging her for help.

The story switches between Thomasine's point of view and Adelajda, a Polish girl from 1888. The girls' stories combine in a supernatural way, which brings the story to its dramatic climax. Thomasine discovers her family history is dark and complicated and her future looks bleak. If she tries to escape her fate, Thomasine's parents would be in grave danger. Just as she was beginning to despair, Thomasine discovers a solution to her problems in the form of Adelajda...

Thomasine is a fast-paced story, 155 pages in length, that keeps the reader entertained from beginning to end. Mystery, fantasy and mild horror are all combined together with a hint of romance to create a welcome addition to Jordan Elizabeth's œuvre.
  
The Assassination Bureau (1969)
The Assassination Bureau (1969)
1969 | Action, Comedy
6
7.3 (4 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Knockabout black comedy thriller. A feisty journalist (Rigg) challenges the leader of a group of elite assassins (Reed) to have himself killed: feeling his associates have become sloppy and corrupt, he accepts the challenge as it will allow him to purge his organisation. Exploits across Edwardian Europe follow, together with a touch of romance.

Oliver Reed never had the career as a leading man he deserved; Diana Rigg didn't get the film career you would have expected, either, so the film has a certain rarity value. However it's just not very funny, or thrilling, and the duo don't seem to have much chemistry - that said, a script which doesn't seem to know whether to be darkly witty or zany means he seems to be operating at about half-power. With Rigg and Savalas co-starring in a 1969 film about a suave assassin taking on a criminal conspiracy, the temptation is to speculate that this film gives a hint of what On Her Majesty's Secret Service might have looked like had Eon made better casting decisions - one hopes not, for this film isn't great in any department, on top of which the special effects in the climax are rotten and the closing song is pretty grim too. A waste of several great talents.
  
My Heart & Soul (Lyrics of Love #11)
My Heart & Soul (Lyrics of Love #11)
Melody Sweet | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
My Heart & Soul is the eleventh book in the Lyrics of Love series and was previously published as Rather Be by Melissa Pearl. In this story, you meet Charlie and Nixon - two high school sweethearts who let life (and parents) get in the way.

Charlie is the free-spirited one, the one who wants to travel the world. Nixon is the steady one, the one whose parents want him to become a lawyer. At first glance, it appears these two have nothing in common but the music they both like so much. Can there be more to their story than just music though?

Their story is as much hopeful as heartbreaking and there are plenty of times when I just wanted them both to spit out just how they felt about each other. It happened, trust me, but all in good time. It was great seeing previous characters in this and catching up on their stories too, whilst the focus remains firmly on Chix.

A great, sweet, contemporary romance that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.

* 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!
  
Handsome Death
Handsome Death
Sara Dobie Bauer | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Handsome Death is a standalone paranormal romance. In a world where vampires, werewolves, and witches (to name just three) are known about and regulated. Ethan is a vampire mercenary, happy to be alone and lurking in the shadows. Tris is a human, with many friends and, although not so happy in the limelight, still doesn't want to be in the dark.

Although there are some sexy times from the start, this book is a slow-burner. It takes time for Ethan to realise that his obsession with Tris is more than just lust. We see Ethan change as his heart opens to Tris, and we see Tris change as his self-confidence grows. The way Tris stood up to his ex is one of the best scenes in the book, in my opinion.

With snark and humour and no unnecessary dramatics, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters are delightful and the world-building is just enough. I would love to return to this world and read some of the other characters' stories. Absolutely recommended by me.

* 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!