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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I found this book to be a nice change from the typical high school setting that so many Young Adult books take place in - with good reason, of course. So what if she's still only 16, she's in college! Unfortunately, she still has not outgrown the evil female clique syndrome that plague so many stories. Some elements of the story remind me of my own days in university, but the book takes them all to the extreme. On a side note, it's a good thing she's so dang smart, because from my experience, skipping classes like she does throughout the text should, in reality, result in failing grades. I guess that's the beauty of fantasy literature - you can skip all the drudgery and go straight for the exciting bits of life.
The part I did not really understand - and I am still waiting for an explanation after finishing the book - is how the psychotic Monica seems to get away with more than the resident vampires do. I mean, if the vamps both built and run the town of Morganville, it makes more sense that they would want to appear more nefarious than the lowly humans.
I also found it strangely refreshing that the vampires were wholely and completely the bad guys - no human-vampire romantic happenings, and no, Miranda the vision-plagued goth and her undead boyfriend Charles do not count. But I did find the head vampire Amelie very intriguing, since she seems less interested in bloody deaths and widespread property damage and more interested in maintaining power and protecting her assets, a trait that no other vampire in the novel seemed to exhibit.
I can not wait to get my hands on the next novel in the series, The Dead Girls' Dance, since Michael's state of ghost / not-ghost / Glass House incarnate has not been resolved enough for me at all!
The part I did not really understand - and I am still waiting for an explanation after finishing the book - is how the psychotic Monica seems to get away with more than the resident vampires do. I mean, if the vamps both built and run the town of Morganville, it makes more sense that they would want to appear more nefarious than the lowly humans.
I also found it strangely refreshing that the vampires were wholely and completely the bad guys - no human-vampire romantic happenings, and no, Miranda the vision-plagued goth and her undead boyfriend Charles do not count. But I did find the head vampire Amelie very intriguing, since she seems less interested in bloody deaths and widespread property damage and more interested in maintaining power and protecting her assets, a trait that no other vampire in the novel seemed to exhibit.
I can not wait to get my hands on the next novel in the series, The Dead Girls' Dance, since Michael's state of ghost / not-ghost / Glass House incarnate has not been resolved enough for me at all!
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Feast of Fools (The Morganville Vampires, #4) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book picks up right where the previous one left off, right in the middle of the action. I love when books do that. I flew through this book as quickly as the previous three, barely taking time to eat or sleep. I would compare the infamous Mr. Bishop to Dracula - minus the romantic leanings. Nothing about him is remotely appealing, and he has no interest in making himself appealing, unlike the other two power players in town, Oliver and Amelie. Lots of subplots are developed, but this one felt like more time could have been devoted to these other elements and lengthened the novel a bit without sacrificing the quality of the text, such as exploring how Claire could wield the power of Glass House, the effect that Michael had on others when he performed, Claire's problem with her professor, or even Claire's parents reaction to the truth about Morganville. It feels as if there are too many characters in the script and not enough pages to give them all adequate time in the spotlight. I find the character of Myrnin even more fascinating in this book - he seems sort of like the dark town jester. I was also disappointed in Claire's lack of interest in her classes, given that she was so happy about her schedule change in the last book. The funeral of Eve's father seemed forced, like it was inserted in the plot as an afterthought, especially since we did not see her mother at the ball at the end of the book, even though it seems logical that Mrs. Rosser would try to use the occasion to make a specticle of herself, not unlike Monica Morrell. Wow, so I had alot of nit-picky things to say about this book, but I still really enjoyed it and I really like this series, especially the character of Claire, who has more courage and daring than anyone in the book. I look forward to the next one, Lord of Misrule.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Seance (Harrison Investigation, #5) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<b>4.5 stars</b>
<b>The Seance</b> was one of those books that I just could not put down! Addictive, fast-paced, thrilling, and thoroughly fun, it had everything I wanted to read - mystery/suspense, romance, paranormal - and reminded me of R.L. Stine for adults. Of course it's not 'serious' fiction, who wants that when picking up a book that looks like this? It's fun brain candy, plain and simple, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I haven't had an easy time finding books to read because my concentration level has taken a nosedive, but this book had me hooked from the back synopsis - and kept me hooked throughout. Yes, there are some editing issues, coincidences, red-heads seem to be the main populace, redundancies (e.g. victims are attractive red-heads, beautiful red-heads, gorgeous red-heads, and did I mention Christina's a beautiful, attractive, gorgeous red-head also? Argh, it was annoying! I got it the first time; I don't need it repeated ten million times.), and I figured out who was behind everything in the first-seventh of the book, which could have used more of an explanation for the why at the end, but my problems are eclipsed by the engaging plot.
After Christina called Gen, I wondered if there was a previous book with her, Thor, and Adam, and there is called [b:The Vision|731809|The Vision (Harrison Investigation, #3)|Heather Graham|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308964367s/731809.jpg|717999], and I've already ordered it from the library - I can't wait to read it! I'm thinking Heather Graham's romantic suspense novels might just be the key that'll keep me reading all the way to the end of a book. :) So, overall, I liked the characters, the story was great, and even though it isn't even close to Hallowe'en, I would still recommend it for a thrilling good read.
<b>The Seance</b> was one of those books that I just could not put down! Addictive, fast-paced, thrilling, and thoroughly fun, it had everything I wanted to read - mystery/suspense, romance, paranormal - and reminded me of R.L. Stine for adults. Of course it's not 'serious' fiction, who wants that when picking up a book that looks like this? It's fun brain candy, plain and simple, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I haven't had an easy time finding books to read because my concentration level has taken a nosedive, but this book had me hooked from the back synopsis - and kept me hooked throughout. Yes, there are some editing issues, coincidences, red-heads seem to be the main populace, redundancies (e.g. victims are attractive red-heads, beautiful red-heads, gorgeous red-heads, and did I mention Christina's a beautiful, attractive, gorgeous red-head also? Argh, it was annoying! I got it the first time; I don't need it repeated ten million times.), and I figured out who was behind everything in the first-seventh of the book, which could have used more of an explanation for the why at the end, but my problems are eclipsed by the engaging plot.
After Christina called Gen, I wondered if there was a previous book with her, Thor, and Adam, and there is called [b:The Vision|731809|The Vision (Harrison Investigation, #3)|Heather Graham|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308964367s/731809.jpg|717999], and I've already ordered it from the library - I can't wait to read it! I'm thinking Heather Graham's romantic suspense novels might just be the key that'll keep me reading all the way to the end of a book. :) So, overall, I liked the characters, the story was great, and even though it isn't even close to Hallowe'en, I would still recommend it for a thrilling good read.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Bronze Horseman in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Well, the Bronze Horseman started off well enough. The love story between Tatiana and Alexander was beautifully written and engaging for the first two parts of the book. Then in the third part, entitled Lazarevo, the book fell apart. Barely any plot, I could have skipped it and not missed much at all. Not to mention Alexander took a turn for the worse. He always was a bit short-tempered before, but he was ten times worse and became way too possessive of Tatiana for me to consider this romantic at all. Truthfully, it didn't feel like it belonged in this book and nearly made me abandon the book altogether. Nevertheless, I trudged through the 157 pages and got to the fourth part. Finally. After reading the first page, the writing and story already appeared better, more like how the book started, but it didn't really catch my interest again until the last sixty pages. That was the turning point and now, after thinking I wouldn't, I probably will pick up the next installment of their story.
As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.
As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Always in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Kailey Cain is a reporter for the Herald in Seattle. She is engaged to Ryan Winston who is just about the perfect guy. One night while as they are leaving a restaurant after having a nice dinner, she gives her leftovers to a homeless man who looks strangely familiar. Soon she discovers the homeless man is Cade McAllister her estranged ex-boyfriend, but he doesn't recognize her as easily. What happened to him over the past ten years? Kailey is determined to find out, but at what cost.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine books for the opportunity to read and review this book Always, was a quick read that I found hard to put down. I had to know what was going to happen next. It captivated me from the beginning and held my attention throughout. This is not your typical love story and some of the story was a bit predictable, but I thought there was going to be a villain in the story. What would you do if your boyfriend seemed to just vanish off the face of the earth and then ten years later, here he is, homeless and very unclear of exactly who he is and how he got to be in this position. Would you risk your current relationship to save this other person who had no one else that could help him?
What a difficult decision forKailey to have to make. Everyone in her life is very supportive of the idea of her helping Cade including her fiancee, Ryan. But how much is going to be able to take and understand before it all becomes too much. You can feel for everyone involved in this situation, that it's messy and nearly impossible to figure out. But love always conquers all right and the love for the right man will shine through and guide Kailey to the right decision.
This is a great romantic book for all.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine books for the opportunity to read and review this book Always, was a quick read that I found hard to put down. I had to know what was going to happen next. It captivated me from the beginning and held my attention throughout. This is not your typical love story and some of the story was a bit predictable, but I thought there was going to be a villain in the story. What would you do if your boyfriend seemed to just vanish off the face of the earth and then ten years later, here he is, homeless and very unclear of exactly who he is and how he got to be in this position. Would you risk your current relationship to save this other person who had no one else that could help him?
What a difficult decision forKailey to have to make. Everyone in her life is very supportive of the idea of her helping Cade including her fiancee, Ryan. But how much is going to be able to take and understand before it all becomes too much. You can feel for everyone involved in this situation, that it's messy and nearly impossible to figure out. But love always conquers all right and the love for the right man will shine through and guide Kailey to the right decision.
This is a great romantic book for all.
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated To The One I Love in Books
Jun 12, 2019
Husband and Wife Write Letters to the Bitter End
Contains spoilers, click to show
Genre: Contemporary
Word Count: 3,880
Average Smashwords Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Through letters, Jonathan and Emily profess their love for each other. You can see snapshots of their lives as they meet and marry, and part ways. Time is fluid in this, with only the Chinese zodiac signs to give you an idea about how much time has passed.
This story was way too short and everything happened way too fast. It was like watching a television show for the first time and skipping entire seasons between episodes.
For instance, the mothers of the two main characters got into a fist fight at the engagement party and at least one of them was arrested for it. Why did the fight start? Do the mothers have a history of being violent? Maybe they have bad history.
The ending was abrupt. It implied a violent ending that had no foreshadowing in the previous letters. The story is a series of romantic snapshots into these people’s’ lives, but I would have preferred a little more reality with some context to what was happening.
The writing drove me crazy at times, too. Mostly it was witty, passionate and made me smile.
What other lovers? Whoever came before you fell out of existence at your first caress. You are my only…for now through eternity.
But sometimes it was pretentious and absurdly wordy.
“Fleeting and cold is my opinion of email, text and phone calls. I make no apologies for my old fashioned views on modern technology. It may not be instant, and might take a bit more effort (of which you are more than worthy!), but I prefer to sit and put pen to paper.”
It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great, either. Bascomville and Grind are both better literary romances.
Word Count: 3,880
Average Smashwords Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Through letters, Jonathan and Emily profess their love for each other. You can see snapshots of their lives as they meet and marry, and part ways. Time is fluid in this, with only the Chinese zodiac signs to give you an idea about how much time has passed.
This story was way too short and everything happened way too fast. It was like watching a television show for the first time and skipping entire seasons between episodes.
For instance, the mothers of the two main characters got into a fist fight at the engagement party and at least one of them was arrested for it. Why did the fight start? Do the mothers have a history of being violent? Maybe they have bad history.
The ending was abrupt. It implied a violent ending that had no foreshadowing in the previous letters. The story is a series of romantic snapshots into these people’s’ lives, but I would have preferred a little more reality with some context to what was happening.
The writing drove me crazy at times, too. Mostly it was witty, passionate and made me smile.
What other lovers? Whoever came before you fell out of existence at your first caress. You are my only…for now through eternity.
But sometimes it was pretentious and absurdly wordy.
“Fleeting and cold is my opinion of email, text and phone calls. I make no apologies for my old fashioned views on modern technology. It may not be instant, and might take a bit more effort (of which you are more than worthy!), but I prefer to sit and put pen to paper.”
It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t great, either. Bascomville and Grind are both better literary romances.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated The Master and the Muses in Books
Jan 18, 2018
After first reading <i> Tortured</i>, I was then taken in by <i>The Master and the Muse</i>. I was immediately interested in <i>The Master and the Muse</i> because it was a historical novel about an artist back when painting was still profitable career (for some). It goes through three different women he uses for models and his relationship with them. While <i> Tortured</i> was more about the plot line than the erotica, there was no want for erotic scenes in this book. McIntyre threw me for a loop with how detailed they were, too. Here, I wasn't expecting any heat and instead, I received full on fire.
Once more, I found myself ensnared by McIntyre's expert story telling. The world and characters she created were so vivid and realistic that I found myself falling in love with the novel. With each new muse, I found myself caught up in their stories, their lives, and their emotions. I felt my heart breaking with theirs and smiling with each success. My heart was always with Grace, who I felt for the most. I would have felt more sympathetic for Helen if she wasn't so pathetic, and I couldn't even begin to like Sara who just a brat. I would feel sorry for Edward, but he was so in love with Sara, he couldn't see what a snot she was.
But Grace. How could Thomas see how perfect she was? I literally wanted to punch him for being such a chauvinistic snob that he was. In all honestly, he didnt deserve her love for how he abandoned her the way he did. And yet, I wanted them to succeed so much that I felt his love for her was apology enough. This novel brought out the romantic in me despite how dark and depressing it really was. Every happily ever after was worth the suffering of getting there.
Definitely a must read in my opinion.
Once more, I found myself ensnared by McIntyre's expert story telling. The world and characters she created were so vivid and realistic that I found myself falling in love with the novel. With each new muse, I found myself caught up in their stories, their lives, and their emotions. I felt my heart breaking with theirs and smiling with each success. My heart was always with Grace, who I felt for the most. I would have felt more sympathetic for Helen if she wasn't so pathetic, and I couldn't even begin to like Sara who just a brat. I would feel sorry for Edward, but he was so in love with Sara, he couldn't see what a snot she was.
But Grace. How could Thomas see how perfect she was? I literally wanted to punch him for being such a chauvinistic snob that he was. In all honestly, he didnt deserve her love for how he abandoned her the way he did. And yet, I wanted them to succeed so much that I felt his love for her was apology enough. This novel brought out the romantic in me despite how dark and depressing it really was. Every happily ever after was worth the suffering of getting there.
Definitely a must read in my opinion.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Dares, Lies & Gemini's in Books
Jun 1, 2018
This book was incredible
Tristana and Peter live as roommates in a boarding house in Virginia. When they first meet, there is an instant connection between the two. Tristana, though, is too involved in her work and Peter is still working out issues of his own after the death of his brother.
Seraphina is a club girl who likes going out and finding the bad boys. Men that are willing to cheat to have a piece of her. Nathan stand on the sideline and watches her, trying to figure out why she is doing this to herself. But he is always there to step in in case there is a problem.
Will these couples ever get their lives together in order to be much happier as partners instead of singles? Will Tristana be able to break out of her shell around Peter? Will Nathan ever reveal himself to Seraphina and tell her his true feelings?
Thank you to Kat Alexander for the opportunity to read and review this book. She is now on my list of authors whose books I'm going to get without reading the description.
I was hooked on this story from the start. The characters are intriguing and I could totally identify with Seraphina. I was very anxious to find out what was going to happen with these characters. Then about half way through the book BOOM!!! The atomic bomb was dropped on the whole story. Usually when reading book, you know a twist is going to come or you can guess what is going to happen next. I didn't see this coming at all!! From that point on, nothing in life mattered except finding out what was going to happen next.
I can't say much more without giving away spoilers, but if you like a romantic novel with a huge twist, pick up this book today.
Seraphina is a club girl who likes going out and finding the bad boys. Men that are willing to cheat to have a piece of her. Nathan stand on the sideline and watches her, trying to figure out why she is doing this to herself. But he is always there to step in in case there is a problem.
Will these couples ever get their lives together in order to be much happier as partners instead of singles? Will Tristana be able to break out of her shell around Peter? Will Nathan ever reveal himself to Seraphina and tell her his true feelings?
Thank you to Kat Alexander for the opportunity to read and review this book. She is now on my list of authors whose books I'm going to get without reading the description.
I was hooked on this story from the start. The characters are intriguing and I could totally identify with Seraphina. I was very anxious to find out what was going to happen with these characters. Then about half way through the book BOOM!!! The atomic bomb was dropped on the whole story. Usually when reading book, you know a twist is going to come or you can guess what is going to happen next. I didn't see this coming at all!! From that point on, nothing in life mattered except finding out what was going to happen next.
I can't say much more without giving away spoilers, but if you like a romantic novel with a huge twist, pick up this book today.
Jessica Erdas (463 KP) rated Black in TV
Dec 10, 2018 (Updated Dec 10, 2018)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I started watching this drama since it was recommended by Netflix after I finished Strong Girl Bong Soon. First off, this is not the mostly happy or comedic love story of the aforementioned that the previous show was. It was immediately dark and gut wrenching, at times horrifying, with splashes of humor wrapped up in it. It was interesting to watch the story develop and to watch the slow progression of romance between the characters. Each episode delved deeper and deeper into a mystery which unfolded into something bigger with each and every turn. However, the ending made absolutely no sense to the storyline and felt like a rushed close to the story. If you're reading further, be aware that there are spoilers to come:
My first complaint is that Joon being erased from existence would not have stopped Ha-ram from having the ability to see the shadows of death. His existence had nothing to do with the fact that her dad was a reaper nor that she was the result of a reaper and a human creating a child. Her living a normal life after Joon has himself removed was very forced and didn't satisfy the overwhelming desire for real solid romantic progression. Also, if he were erased from existence, he should not have been able to come to retrieve her soul when she finally passed away. I was really happy with the series in general but the ending was disappointing, to say the least.
It was interesting to find out at the end that the basis for the show was based on an actual tragic incident that occured and warned about how greed and the like can lead to awful outcomes for a multitude of people. I would still recommend giving this a watch as it was a good show overall but just be ready for the disappointment of the end.
My first complaint is that Joon being erased from existence would not have stopped Ha-ram from having the ability to see the shadows of death. His existence had nothing to do with the fact that her dad was a reaper nor that she was the result of a reaper and a human creating a child. Her living a normal life after Joon has himself removed was very forced and didn't satisfy the overwhelming desire for real solid romantic progression. Also, if he were erased from existence, he should not have been able to come to retrieve her soul when she finally passed away. I was really happy with the series in general but the ending was disappointing, to say the least.
It was interesting to find out at the end that the basis for the show was based on an actual tragic incident that occured and warned about how greed and the like can lead to awful outcomes for a multitude of people. I would still recommend giving this a watch as it was a good show overall but just be ready for the disappointment of the end.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Cautious Maiden (The Everstone Chronicles, #4) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Where do I even begin? This quote pretty much sums up this book. "Truly, what a conundrum Vance Everstone was becoming." When I began The Everstone Chronicles I utterly despised Vance. However, his story should be an encouragement to us all, that through God's forgiveness and redemption ANYONE can change. Wow, just wow!
Violet Hawthorne has been raised to be a lady, a woman of upstanding morals, with a brother who is quite the opposite. Violet wants nothing more than to be free to live her own life unhindered by the past...or present...circumstances.
As Violet and Vance are (quite literally) thrown together, they begin to see each others weaknesses and strengths. Vance is such an encourager, but has difficulties opening his heart to Violet. Violet is wonderfully creative and has compassion and overflows with forgiveness. But she is timid and fearful of doing or saying the wrong thing, she severely lacks self confidence. As events progress she must decide the life that she wants to live.
This storyline is wonderfully creative and moving. Vance's need to protect Violet and his ever growing love for her is beyond romantic and sweet. Written in first person we only get to see things from Violet's perspective. Although we don't see much growth in her self confidence, we see her growth in her spiritual life. She comes to the realization that putting her trust in man will disappoint, but trusting in God is what she truly needs.
In conclusion, this entire series is moving and inspiring. The Everstone family has seen it's share of heartbreak and trials. But through it all, they have kept their eyes on the Lord and they have been brought closer together. Dawn Crandall has created a lovely series and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I received a free copy of The Cautious Maiden from Whitaker House. I was not required to write a review and this does not influence my review, positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Violet Hawthorne has been raised to be a lady, a woman of upstanding morals, with a brother who is quite the opposite. Violet wants nothing more than to be free to live her own life unhindered by the past...or present...circumstances.
As Violet and Vance are (quite literally) thrown together, they begin to see each others weaknesses and strengths. Vance is such an encourager, but has difficulties opening his heart to Violet. Violet is wonderfully creative and has compassion and overflows with forgiveness. But she is timid and fearful of doing or saying the wrong thing, she severely lacks self confidence. As events progress she must decide the life that she wants to live.
This storyline is wonderfully creative and moving. Vance's need to protect Violet and his ever growing love for her is beyond romantic and sweet. Written in first person we only get to see things from Violet's perspective. Although we don't see much growth in her self confidence, we see her growth in her spiritual life. She comes to the realization that putting her trust in man will disappoint, but trusting in God is what she truly needs.
In conclusion, this entire series is moving and inspiring. The Everstone family has seen it's share of heartbreak and trials. But through it all, they have kept their eyes on the Lord and they have been brought closer together. Dawn Crandall has created a lovely series and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
I received a free copy of The Cautious Maiden from Whitaker House. I was not required to write a review and this does not influence my review, positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are mine alone.