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Val (The Hawks #2)
10.0
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He’ll do anything to save her. And then he’ll say goodbye… Being framed for murder,...
Adult Fantasy Romance
Pisces Hooks Taurus
10.0
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It’s a time for searching, and a time for finding, Pisces: keep casting your line and you will...
Fiction Contemporary Romance LGBT
Oleander (Poison Garden #1)
6.0
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Eli tried to leave the supernatural life behind. Problem is, it won't let her go. Eliza “Eli”...
Witches Paranormal Romance Series
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Innocent One in Books
Jan 8, 2023
I didn't realise this was a follow on from a previous book (The Guilty One) but I don't think it detracted too much from my reading enjoyment of this, the first book by Lisa Ballantyne I have read.
Eleven year old Sebastian was acquitted of murdering his friend and Daniel Hunter was his solicitor. Fast forward 10 years and Sebastian is studying at Cambridge when one of his tutors is brutally murdered. Sebastian is in the frame and he appoints Daniel as his solicitor once again.
The story focuses on Daniel, the difficulties he is experiencing with his marriage, reconciling a difficult childhood and the fallout from representing Sebastian previously as well as having to deal with the uncertainty surrounding Sebastian's innocence/guilt now.
This was a bit of a slow burn but I thought this worked quite well with this particular story especially as I hadn't read the previous one. There was definitely a growing sense of tension and unease from the start with me wondering where it was going and how it was going to play out and I wasn't disappointed.
Recommended to mystery thriller lovers and thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Innocent One and for introducing me to another author to look out for in the future.
Eleven year old Sebastian was acquitted of murdering his friend and Daniel Hunter was his solicitor. Fast forward 10 years and Sebastian is studying at Cambridge when one of his tutors is brutally murdered. Sebastian is in the frame and he appoints Daniel as his solicitor once again.
The story focuses on Daniel, the difficulties he is experiencing with his marriage, reconciling a difficult childhood and the fallout from representing Sebastian previously as well as having to deal with the uncertainty surrounding Sebastian's innocence/guilt now.
This was a bit of a slow burn but I thought this worked quite well with this particular story especially as I hadn't read the previous one. There was definitely a growing sense of tension and unease from the start with me wondering where it was going and how it was going to play out and I wasn't disappointed.
Recommended to mystery thriller lovers and thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Innocent One and for introducing me to another author to look out for in the future.
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Walk With Me (Home #7) in Books
Oct 18, 2023
Walk With Me is the last book in the Home series, and we finish with Eli and Seth. Eli has wanted Seth ever since he first laid eyes on him at the tender age of 11. Seth didn't have much to do with Eli then, and only really comes into frequent contact with him when he becomes an associate Rabbi, working with Eli's dad.
These two have an insta-love AND slow-burn romance, and it was perfect for them. I loved how Eli decided he would sooner have Seth's friendship than lose him. This is a funny book, with some absolutely hilarious weddings! Poor Seth is all I can say. Throughout all the capers and calamities that occur, Eli is there for Seth, and vice versa.
As I would expect from a Cardeno C. book, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pacing was smooth, with a rich and detailed storyline that was backed up by fully fleshed-out characters with their own quirks.
Sad to see this series end, but at least I can now re-read them all. Definitely 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!
Sep 28, 2018
These two have an insta-love AND slow-burn romance, and it was perfect for them. I loved how Eli decided he would sooner have Seth's friendship than lose him. This is a funny book, with some absolutely hilarious weddings! Poor Seth is all I can say. Throughout all the capers and calamities that occur, Eli is there for Seth, and vice versa.
As I would expect from a Cardeno C. book, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pacing was smooth, with a rich and detailed storyline that was backed up by fully fleshed-out characters with their own quirks.
Sad to see this series end, but at least I can now re-read them all. Definitely 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!
Sep 28, 2018
Awakened Desires (My Kinky Housemate #5)
10.0
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Seventeen years ago, my life fell apart. By attempting to protect me, my best friend, Rory,...
Contemporary MM Romance BDSM
ClareR (5726 KP) rated No Place to Hide in Books
May 20, 2023
I saw “Faustian pact” in relation to this book, and I was sold! Until I actually started reading this on The Pigeonhole, I didn’t even know what it was about - I hadn’t even read the synopsis 🫢
This is a slow burn of a novel, and the main character, Adam, has a good reason for always feeling watched. Twenty-four years ago whilst studying Medicine at Cambridge, Adam makes a pact with a student filmmaker that he probably believes will come to nothing. Or at least he hopes it never will.
When he “bumps into” an old flame from university (or he wishes she had been), the memories of the circumstances surrounding the pact come flooding back. From then on we go between two timelines, university and the present day, as Adams life starts to go down the pan.
His perfect family life, his perfect career, are both very much on the line. His past is going to have far-reaching consequences on his present.
This is dark, rather disturbing and terribly tense! You won’t be able to look at CCTV cameras, your phone or ANY modern technology in quite the same way again! I was gripped until the final page.
A fabulous read on my online book club, The Pigeonhole - and thanks to J. S. Monroe for reading along with us.
This is a slow burn of a novel, and the main character, Adam, has a good reason for always feeling watched. Twenty-four years ago whilst studying Medicine at Cambridge, Adam makes a pact with a student filmmaker that he probably believes will come to nothing. Or at least he hopes it never will.
When he “bumps into” an old flame from university (or he wishes she had been), the memories of the circumstances surrounding the pact come flooding back. From then on we go between two timelines, university and the present day, as Adams life starts to go down the pan.
His perfect family life, his perfect career, are both very much on the line. His past is going to have far-reaching consequences on his present.
This is dark, rather disturbing and terribly tense! You won’t be able to look at CCTV cameras, your phone or ANY modern technology in quite the same way again! I was gripped until the final page.
A fabulous read on my online book club, The Pigeonhole - and thanks to J. S. Monroe for reading along with us.
Merissa (12061 KP) rated Out of Focus in Books
Apr 29, 2022 (Updated Jun 23, 2023)
OUT OF FOCUS is a short story about two men working behind the scenes in a Welsh theatre. They are opposites in the fact that one is charming and one seems almost dour. There are reasons for it, of course, but they don't come to light immediately.
I loved how we met other characters too, getting a hint into their lives, not just the main characters. Alex and Luke take centre stage though in this low-angst slow-burn-but-not-quite romance. The attraction has been there for a couple of years without either of them acting on it, but once Alex is injured, all bets are off.
As with all of this author's works, I found the small details absolutely brilliant, and really help to make the story one that intrigues and compels you to keep turning the pages.
Although I'm not a huge fan of short stories, this one went down a treat, with all the information I could need, including a perfect epilogue to keep me happy. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Apr 22, 2022
I loved how we met other characters too, getting a hint into their lives, not just the main characters. Alex and Luke take centre stage though in this low-angst slow-burn-but-not-quite romance. The attraction has been there for a couple of years without either of them acting on it, but once Alex is injured, all bets are off.
As with all of this author's works, I found the small details absolutely brilliant, and really help to make the story one that intrigues and compels you to keep turning the pages.
Although I'm not a huge fan of short stories, this one went down a treat, with all the information I could need, including a perfect epilogue to keep me happy. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Apr 22, 2022
ClareR (5726 KP) rated The Mars House in Books
Oct 1, 2024
Can I just say that I loved a book and leave it at that? Because this is one of those books.
Ok, a short summary:
January Sterling is a climate refugee, escaping the floods and intense heat for the Mars colony of Tharsis. Life as an Earthstronger on Mars isn’t ideal. He and the other Earthstrongers are seen as a danger to the native Martians: they are much stronger because of the weaker gravity, even though they’re much smaller. January and his fellow Earthstrongers are discriminated against and given the worst manual labour jobs.
January meets a Martian politician who is staunchly anti-Earth stronger, an somehow ends up in a sham-marriage. Of course, it’s a slow-burn romance with lots of peril, lies and climate change politics.
My only complaint, is that in trying to make the characters asexual, they all read as being very male. Perhaps it was just the way I read it.
The Mars House has a lot to say about climate change and its refugees - and the predictable refugee-haters. Instead of boats, they arrive in space ships, and the inhabitants of Mars are as scared of, and enraged by, these people, as some elements in our own society today.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved how different it was to Natasha Pulley’s previous books. Whatever will she write next? I’ll be waiting!
Ok, a short summary:
January Sterling is a climate refugee, escaping the floods and intense heat for the Mars colony of Tharsis. Life as an Earthstronger on Mars isn’t ideal. He and the other Earthstrongers are seen as a danger to the native Martians: they are much stronger because of the weaker gravity, even though they’re much smaller. January and his fellow Earthstrongers are discriminated against and given the worst manual labour jobs.
January meets a Martian politician who is staunchly anti-Earth stronger, an somehow ends up in a sham-marriage. Of course, it’s a slow-burn romance with lots of peril, lies and climate change politics.
My only complaint, is that in trying to make the characters asexual, they all read as being very male. Perhaps it was just the way I read it.
The Mars House has a lot to say about climate change and its refugees - and the predictable refugee-haters. Instead of boats, they arrive in space ships, and the inhabitants of Mars are as scared of, and enraged by, these people, as some elements in our own society today.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved how different it was to Natasha Pulley’s previous books. Whatever will she write next? I’ll be waiting!
Butterfly child (6 KP) rated Killing Floor: (Jack Reacher 1) in Books
Feb 26, 2018
OK characterisation (1 more)
Good mystery build up
Intriguiging lead character.
I wasn't sure about this book when I first started it. I had heard great things about it, but I like to make my own mind up. Although it had some action from the start, it was still quite slow but once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. A really good read, I passed onto my mum to read too! We quite like reading the same books sometimes so we can discuss it after reading. Its quite a nice mum/daughter activity.
I know the Jack Reacher series is quite old, and now has to movies but I guess I was quite late to the party. I have managed to avoid hearing much about the series, other than lots of positive comments about the books. So I was quite excited to get started.
The debut Jack Reacher novel kicks off with a good mystery and an intriguing character. I did find it was quite slow, and even though Jack is meant to be a bit of a mystery, I finished the book still not really feeling connected to the character, and for me, when reading its about feeling connected to the characters and the books which makes me carry on reading a series.
Although, I didn't fully connected with Jack Reacher, I did like the story and some of the background characters.
I like fiction, and I am a fan of Harry Potter and sci-fi and lots of things that dispel belief, but I like it in that context when you are expecting magic and some things to not make sense. The idea of why Jack was in Margate, Georgia and his connection the dead body felt a little strange. It added a level of something to the story but I am not sure why. This was my only issue with it, and I have only read the first book, so maybe more will be explained as the series goes on. I am giving it the benefit of the doubt, as overall I did really enjoy the book.
It's an 'ok' start to a series, and Jack Reachers mysterious life kept me intrigued enough to want to carry on with the series and pass it onto my mum. I am excited to move onto book 2.
I know the Jack Reacher series is quite old, and now has to movies but I guess I was quite late to the party. I have managed to avoid hearing much about the series, other than lots of positive comments about the books. So I was quite excited to get started.
The debut Jack Reacher novel kicks off with a good mystery and an intriguing character. I did find it was quite slow, and even though Jack is meant to be a bit of a mystery, I finished the book still not really feeling connected to the character, and for me, when reading its about feeling connected to the characters and the books which makes me carry on reading a series.
Although, I didn't fully connected with Jack Reacher, I did like the story and some of the background characters.
I like fiction, and I am a fan of Harry Potter and sci-fi and lots of things that dispel belief, but I like it in that context when you are expecting magic and some things to not make sense. The idea of why Jack was in Margate, Georgia and his connection the dead body felt a little strange. It added a level of something to the story but I am not sure why. This was my only issue with it, and I have only read the first book, so maybe more will be explained as the series goes on. I am giving it the benefit of the doubt, as overall I did really enjoy the book.
It's an 'ok' start to a series, and Jack Reachers mysterious life kept me intrigued enough to want to carry on with the series and pass it onto my mum. I am excited to move onto book 2.