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Dares, Lies & Gemini's
Dares, Lies & Gemini's
Kat Alexander | 2018 | Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Unpredictable twist (0 more)
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.
  
Born for Leaving (New England State of Mind #1)
Born for Leaving (New England State of Mind #1)
Mia Kerick | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Born For Leaving is the story of two men, both loners by choice and circumstance, getting together as roommates by sheer coincidence. What follows is an angsty, heartbreaking story that will tear your heart out!

Oliver is the one with the house he is desperate to keep. So desperate, in fact, he keeps on working at a place where, although he gets on well enough with his co-workers, is dangerous for his physical, mental, and emotional well-being. His boss is his ex which is always fun but Oliver also has to deal with volatile drunkards too. Along comes Bodie. He is the one constantly on the move, sleeping on the ground next to his bike is not uncommon for him. Oliver and Bodie spark from the beginning but both of them have pasts that need to be worked past before they can move forward.

I thought this was exceedingly well-written, with characters I didn't like to start with who grew on me (Oliver's mum), those I disliked from the get-go (Jack), and those I loved (Bodie and Oliver). Now, let me just say this. Although I loved Oliver, he also really annoyed me. I just can't get my head around WHY he would stay in such a toxic workplace for so long, even if his dream job hadn't happened. Anyway, it all happened as was meant to be, so they say, so I guess I just have to deal!

This book does deal with hard subjects like attempted rape and child abuse. If these are triggers for you, be warned.

I found this book to be highly emotional and a brilliant read. I can't wait to see what comes next in the New England State of Mind series. 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!
  
Bad Magic and the Big Top (Blackwood Bay Witches Paranormal Cozy Mystery)
Bad Magic and the Big Top (Blackwood Bay Witches Paranormal Cozy Mystery)
Misty Bane | 2019 | Mystery, Paranormal
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
HUMOR, BANTER (0 more)
NOTHING (0 more)
What a great story!
Welcome to Blackwood Bay, where magic and murder have come out to play...Life for fledgling new witch Dru Rathmore Davis has been a whirlwind since moving to the charming seaside town of Blackwood Bay over a month ago . Seeing spirits, talking to animals, living with three cranky roommates, and totally not crushing on her new Guardian …But when Dru wakes one morning to find the body of a circus clown slouched dead against her doorstep and her bookshop broken into overnight, one of her worst fears may come to pass.She may be haunted by a clown... Together, Dru and her Guardian—incredibly handsome police sergeant Wolf Harper who’s absolutely just a friend —take their investigation to the most marvelous show on earth: the traveling Braun Bros Circus. It’s evident that there’s a far more sinister performance going on behind the scenes, and this traveling circus may have more skeletons buried in their closet than the Rathmore family. But when your suspects are a tight-knight troupe of acrobats, fortune tellers, magicians , and clowns, everyone has something to hide—and secrets they’d do anything to protect…

This is the second book in the Blackwood Bay Witches series. For those of you who like story lines with witches, ghosts, talking animals, wizards and covens, then this book is for you!
In this story Dru is starting to get used to being a witch, seeing ghosts and talking to animals and running the bookshop.
Just when Dru thinks her life is really starting to settle in Blackwood Bay, she opens her door and finds a dead clown on her doorstep.
The circus is in town and murder is afoot.
Come get to know this lovely set of characters. They are wisecracking and lovely bunch; well developed and will make you smile.
This has a good plot, twists abound to make you guess. Loaded with the humor and wise cracks. There are no cliff hangers just really good writing.
I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down! I can't wait for more!!!!
Highly recommend reading!

I received this book free and chose to make a voluntary, unbiased review.
  
S.T.A.G.S (S.T.A.G.S, #1)
S.T.A.G.S (S.T.A.G.S, #1)
M.A. Bennett | 2017 | Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book, and it really didn’t disappoint.
It starts off with us finding out that the narrator, Greer, is just starting at a new and extremely prestigious school called St Aidan the Great School or S.T.A.G.S. for short. We find out that Greer was lucky enough to win a scholarship for the school and took it so that her dad (a wildlife cameraman) could go to Chile to film in bat caves instead of turning the job down as he had been doing previously. Things aren’t plain sailing for Greer though, as she finds that the other students (including her roommate) aren’t the most welcoming or friendly, and as a result of this spends the first term quite lonely and keeping herself to herself. That is until she gets an invitation pushed under her door, and it’s an invitation that will change her life forever. The invitation comes from the most popular group in the school, who also happen to be the prefects or the “Medievals”. Pleased to finally have a chance at friendship, and with her roommates persuasion that it means she will become a Medieval next year, Greer takes up the invitation to spend three days at the country house of one of the most popular boys at school.
When Greer arrives, she is surprised to find two other people have also been invited and is surprised since she thought the Medievals disliked them as much as she’d thought they disliked her. What then follows is three days of hunting, shooting and fishing. And also three days of “accidents” and the three “unpopular” students teaming up against the six Medievals.
This book was thrilling from start to finish, and one of those books that you really don’t want to end because you are enjoying it so much. I enjoyed that Greer referenced movies so much, as the two main passions in my own life are books and films. With each film she referenced, it solidified the picture in my mind of the scene that was going on around her.
A definite 5 stars from me! And I cannot wait to read the sequels!
  
As She Fades
As She Fades
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Vale McKinley and her boyfriend Crawford have been together since they were six years old. On the night of their high school graduation they are in a terrible car accident that leaves one of them in a coma. The other does their best to visit everyday, but college is just around the corner and they have to make the decision to either move on together or apart. Vale comes from a large family and their support is very important to her. People come in and out Vale and Crawford's lives as they try to deal with the circumstances they are under. The most notable is Slate Allan, a friend to Vale's brother, Knox, whose reputation is not the most desirable. He reads sports magazines and has a heart of gold. Will Vale and Crawford be able to move forward together or is their life better apart?

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Let me say, this book held my attention from the very beginning. Vale is a very interesting character and you immediately want to be her friend and a part of her family. I read this book in 2 days. Wherever I went, I was reading it. There was a huge twist a little more than half way through the book, that made me yell and curse!!

This is a YA Romance book. The characters are all 21 or under and it made me feel a bit nostalgic. Took my back to my college days with roommates and friends all over campus. How much life changes when you get to college.

Vale and Crawford have a lot on their plates. The accident has changed them and made Vale, especially think about her life with and without Crawford. Everything has always been the way he wanted, even the college they both decided to go to was his idea. It's not too bad, though because her brother is there too.

Will this relationship last? Will the past 12 years of their life come to an end after this accident? Will they be able to push through and continue the relationship through college? Will Slate Allan be able to prove to the world what a great guy he is or will his reputation as a playboy be all that anyone will see?

This is the first book I have read by Abbi Glines, but it will not be my last. This book held and kept my attention from the very start until THE END!!
  
Funny People (2009)
Funny People (2009)
2009 | Comedy, Drama
6
6.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
We all have our favorite Adam Sandler movies. There are the fans of The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates and there’s the loyal camp who can quote Happy Gilmore or Big Daddy verbatim. You hear the name Adam Sandler’s and you think goofy, lovable guy. Dependably funny and quotable, from the mid-90’s on, he was the go-to comedian when we looked for an easy laugh. Of late, with the growing list of popular movies under his belt, when you think goofy, lovable funny guy, another name comes up: Seth Rogan. In “Funny People” you get them both.

Sandler plays George Simmons, a popular comedian who’s diagnosed with a fatal disease. Playing a comedian is hardly a stretch for Sandler, but for one whose dramatic turns can be counted on one hand, he plays the stricken man who’s suddenly face to face with his immortality quite convincingly. Rogan is Ira Wright, a desperate young comic who’s still vying for stage time at the local comedy club. George, perhaps recognizing a bit of himself or seeing a glimmer of comedic genius in Ira after catching his act, hires Ira to write for him.

Ira goes from writer and personal assistant/confidante to opening act as he helps George deal with his illness. He encourages the veteran comedian to reconnect with his compatriots in the business, opening the film to a parade of old faces from the stand-up circuit. George’s reflections on his life eventually lead him back to a lost love, Laura, played by Leslie Mann. Amidst the funny, laugh-out-loud scenes, are some believably tender moments, not just between Mann and Sandler but also, oddly enough, Sandler and Rogan.

Directing the comedic duo is writer/director Judd Apatow, who gave Rogan that growing list of successful movies after first casting him in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Sandler could certainly use some of Apatow’s Midas-like touch after his recent string of marginal films. With a strong supporting cast of Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman who play Ira’s roommates Leo and Mark and Eric Bana, Laura’s husband, the movie is in turns hilarious and puzzling. The strong storyline of a veteran comedian taking a novice comic under his wings gets lost when George pursues a second chance with an unhappily married Laura. What could’ve been a touching passing of the torch tale is confused by an annoying love triangle. When the movie returns its focus to George and Ira, it’s saved, just barely, by the fact that we’re still watching two of comedy’s goofy, lovable funny guys.
  
40x40

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Roomies in Books

Mar 18, 2019  
Roomies
Roomies
Christina Lauren | 2017 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Romance
6
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not as funny as I hoped, but engaging enough
Holland has been obsessed with a handsome subway busker for quite some time. One evening, he winds up rescuing her after she falls on the subway tracks, kicking off a whirlwind of events. Holland helps Calvin get an audition with her uncle Robert, a Broadway musical director. Calvin is infinitely talented, but, it turns out, also in the United States illegally. So Holland does something she never does: makes an impulsive decision. She'll offer to marry Calvin so he can stay in the country, live out his dream, and help her uncle's hit show. Calvin quickly becomes a Broadway star. As for Calvin and Holland--they quickly realize they may be more than roommates. But what will it take for them to admit it? And for each to move past their own issues?

This was my first Christina Lauren book, which I picked up after hearing lots of Goodreads friends praise the dynamic duo. I am always a sucker for a good, fun romance. I was surprised to find the book start with Holland already lusting after Calvin, whom she called "Jack," as she watched him from afar at the subway. The action gets underway quickly, and it did seem like they each agreed to their extreme plan (marriage to someone they'd never met!) rather rapidly and easily. Even Holland's protective uncles came on board very quickly.

Some pros--a somewhat diverse cast, including Holland's adorable gay uncles, who were often couple goals. I enjoyed getting some insight into a Broadway musical, as well as the immigration process, although I bet both of those were sugarcoated a bit. Still, I found Holland a bit of a doormat; she frustrated me with her lack of ability to stand up for herself. While her inability to find herself is the premise of the book, a strong romance only works for me if I'm invested in the characters, and I just didn't always feel it with Holland and Calvin. Holland was too wishy washy and I never felt like I got to know Calvin enough. It was frustrating, because I could see moments of humor in the book, but never enough to truly win me over. I needed more to fully root for the couple. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book: it's cute and fun at times, and an easy read.

Overall, I had a tough time warming up to the main characters, and I didn't always find the funny situations that humorous. The premise was a little crazy, but was engaging enough. I'll be curious to see how I feel about my next Christina Lauren read.
  
The Broken Girls
The Broken Girls
Simone St. James | 2018 | Horror, Thriller
6
8.5 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Barrons, Vermont -- 1950
A young girl who is a student at Idlewild Hall goes missing. Idlewild is a school for wayward girls. The authorities believe she has just run away with some boy, but her friends and roommates know this is the farthest thing from the truth.

Barrons, Vermont -- 1994
Deb Sheridan another young woman is found dead in the field at Idlewild Hall, which has now been closed for many years. Her killer is her boyfriend at the time, Tim Christopher. Why would he leave her at this place?

Barrons, Vermont -- 2014
Someone has bought Idlewild Hall and plans to renovate it. But why? The place is nothing but a money pit. Fiona Sheridan is determined to find out who is buying the property and their motivation behind it. Will she be able to deal with all the secrets this place holds? When a body is found during the renovations, Fiona's attempts go into overdrive? Will she be able to find out who is behind this before she too becomes a subject of Idlewild?

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Going through this book, I was a little skeptical about what was going to happen. I'm not a big fan of books with ghosts, but this one wasn't too bad. I gave the book a rating of 3.5 stars. While the book was interesting, I found myself going for other things to do besides reading this book. The story flowed naturally even switching from the past to modern day.

Mary Hand is a ghost that haunts the grounds of Idlewild. She will show you things that you may not want to see. But is a ghost behind all the strange things that happen at Idlewild Hall or is there another culprit. We know for sure that Deb Sheridan was killed by her boyfriend, but what about the body found during the renovations? In 1950 the school was full of wayward girls. Girls who in those days, parents could not be bothered by and mental health was a taboo issue. So they sent their daughters away to school. Four girls in room 3C became very close friends. Sonia, Katie, CeCe and Roberta. The book tells their story from 1950 leading up to the disappearance of one of them and Fiona's perspective from 2014, trying to find out the history of Idlewild Hall and the new owners.

Overall, for me the book was good, not great. This is the first book I have read by Simone St. James. If her other books deal with ghosts and spirits, I'm not sure if I will read them or not, but I may give them a chance.

If you like ghosts though, I think you should give this book a try, YOU may enjoy it.
  
About time I started reading and finishing up this book. I feel like I've been avoiding a really good book because usually if I stop reading the book, it's a really bad one and I never want to see it again. ._. Therefore, the draft version of this post has been around for months sitting there. I feel sorry. Though if I wasn't a multitasker, I probably would've finished it in a couple of weeks instead of months. :( But I'm really glad I managed to find the time to finish it. :) (No, really. I did abandon it for a while.)

Imagine going to a private school (is it? It's been bouncing back and forth between a private school and a center for the extremely gifted) and there's no email, no internet, no text messaging, no, etc. allowed there. I would probably survive no cell phones though. As for email... happy go spam after spam. (And I get about 100+ a day already -_-). But maybe I would survive. At least I'm not forever alone ;)

I loved the action in the story from the very beginning, and it was an absolute page-turner with many detailed descriptions. Maybe double than what I expected. There were lots of unexpected twists and turns throughout the story. I thought one thing was happening and the next page it says otherwise. I really loved the narration of the story and the characters. They were full of humorous and witty comments on each page. Possibly my favorite character so far in the series (change that to book, considering the fact there's only one so far) is Nick, one of Will's roommates at The Center. He always tries to make every scene he is involved in hilarious.

I also loved the technology at The Center. It would be so cool (and as Will thought at first, creepy) to have a little gal that looks, sounds, acts like me :D Of course... the thingamajig boards (forgot what they're called Dx) are similar to the SmartBoards my school has... but different. :3 What I really hated were the "Ride Alongs" and the creatures of "The Other Team." They really creep me out. A lot. I guess it's what I said earlier... it was really descriptive. I don't think I ever want to meet a Ride Along in my lifetime.

I would compare it to Harry Potter since it's just as good, but what would fellow Potterheads do? I deserve a tomato, probably. But if it's as good as Harry Potter (now, hence I said "AS GOOD AS." In no way, shape or form did I say it was BETTER THAN) that's probably sending some sort of message. And a good one at that. Along with its agony cliff-hanger. (Yes, it means I'm probably skipping to the book store ASAP whenever the 2nd book comes out...)

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-paladin-prophecy-by-mark-frost/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
2020 | Comedy, Romance
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) works in a very well-known art gallery owned by the ever so extraordinary Eva Woolf (Bernadette Peters). It has been a dream of hers since she was very young to work as a curator in a gallery and she is starting as an assistant at “The Woolf”.

She has been seeing Max (Utkarsh Ambudkar), the gallery curator for a while. Helping him with information on the artists as well as the likes and dislikes of Eva. On the night of the latest show launch, Eva asks Lucy to step to the podium and introduce Max so he could open the show. In a matter of minutes, Lucy loses her job and is dumped.

Lucy, having been through a traumatic loss, mistakenly hops into a stranger’s car under the assumption that it was her uber. She then proceeds to tell the driver of her night of disaster without registering that she is in the car of a stranger that is not her uber driver. Come to find out, the driver, Nick (Dacre Montgomery) is a budding hotelier trying to build a small boutique hotel.
He drops her off at the apartment, where her roommates immediately cocoon her in a dance that they have done oh so many times.

She has known Nadine (Phillipa Soo) and Amanda (Molly Gordon) since they were in high school. This trio is the partner in crime type of best friends. The interactions between them is so well coordinated I believed that they have been the closest of friends for ages. The same goes for Nick and his best friend Marcos (Arturo Castro).

.This film is the perfect Romantic Comedy that is very well suited for this moment in time.

It is a well-deserved salve on the dearth of darkness in cinema as of late. The lines are funny, the timing of the responses, quick and clever. It is also quirky and charming as well as emotional and sweet.

Natalie Krinsky, the Writer and Director had cast the characters perfectly. The actors drew me into the film as I laughed at their escapades, vicariously experienced celebrations. This movie was a joy to watch. It was sweet, funny, clever, and heartwarming.

Viswanathan embodied Lucy. The character is of the modern twenty something woman in hipsterville. She showed that Lucy is intelligent, imperfect and at times, insecure, but she is brave and willing to forge through anything.

The soundtrack is fantastic, the songs support the scenes and it is a veritable list of the current pop artists that are played in daily rotation.

Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Halsey, Rita Ora, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez who is an executive producer on the film.
If this is the direction of the modern romantic comedy, I look forward to the development of this genre as it grows. I rarely want to watch most films a second time. If you like the Romcom, this is one that is thoroughly enjoyable. Well worth the time and the ticket.