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Merissa (14046 KP) created a post
Mar 3, 2021
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Emerald Blaze in Books
Jan 7, 2021
4.5 stars.
I do really enjoy this series.
This one starts with Catalina and her team trying to coax a "helper" monkey down off a lamppost while fellow PI firm, MII, do the same - both working for separate clients who claim to own the monkey. After sorting that little issue out they sense an unusual force coming from the water and are attacked by a horde of strange creatures. Afterwards she is summoned to her boss' house where she learns of a new job. A man has been found dead in what's known as the Pit and his father wants his murderer found and killed. Catalina has to figure out who did it and Alessandro - her teenage crush and the man who broke her heart when he left six months ago - is there to do the killing.
A lot more than just the above happened but it would be a spoiler to share that with others so I'll let you figure out the fun that is this book.
I really love House Baylor. They are all really protective of each other and have some of the handiest powers going for a PI firm: precision shooting, ability to sniff out lies, the ability to build armoured cars. I feel they've grown a lot over the last four books and in this one, they really are top of their game.
The romance between Catalina and Alessandro was definitely on a slow burn in this. We knew they cared about each other after the previous book but when he left, he really hurt her. It was like the pink elephant in the room. They didn't really acknowledge it but it was there, floating around, knocking into them occasionally to make them remember. It took a while but they did - eventually - talk to each other about it and finally resolved the issues they'd put between them
'm assuming that this isn't the last we'll see of these two since one arc of the storyline did not get resolved fully and the next book they'll be fighting the threat side by side to the death. I can't wait!
I do really enjoy this series.
This one starts with Catalina and her team trying to coax a "helper" monkey down off a lamppost while fellow PI firm, MII, do the same - both working for separate clients who claim to own the monkey. After sorting that little issue out they sense an unusual force coming from the water and are attacked by a horde of strange creatures. Afterwards she is summoned to her boss' house where she learns of a new job. A man has been found dead in what's known as the Pit and his father wants his murderer found and killed. Catalina has to figure out who did it and Alessandro - her teenage crush and the man who broke her heart when he left six months ago - is there to do the killing.
A lot more than just the above happened but it would be a spoiler to share that with others so I'll let you figure out the fun that is this book.
I really love House Baylor. They are all really protective of each other and have some of the handiest powers going for a PI firm: precision shooting, ability to sniff out lies, the ability to build armoured cars. I feel they've grown a lot over the last four books and in this one, they really are top of their game.
The romance between Catalina and Alessandro was definitely on a slow burn in this. We knew they cared about each other after the previous book but when he left, he really hurt her. It was like the pink elephant in the room. They didn't really acknowledge it but it was there, floating around, knocking into them occasionally to make them remember. It took a while but they did - eventually - talk to each other about it and finally resolved the issues they'd put between them
'm assuming that this isn't the last we'll see of these two since one arc of the storyline did not get resolved fully and the next book they'll be fighting the threat side by side to the death. I can't wait!
Merissa (14046 KP) created a post
Feb 4, 2021
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated A Quiet Place: Part II (2021) in Movies
Jun 16, 2021
Shh!
Initially, when I saw A Quiet Place 2 for review, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did because of how disappointing I found the first movie. However, sometimes I am very glad to be proven wrong and this is one of those times.
A Quiet Place 2 does what all good sequels should do, in that it builds upon the foundation laid down by the first movie, whilst upping the stakes and increasing the intensity felt by the audience when watching the film. A parallel that I can't help but draw a comparison to is the change in tone between Alien and its more action-based sequel Aliens.
If the first Quiet Place movie strives to capture the suspense and slow burn slasher-inspired horror of Ridley Scott's Alien, then A Quiet Place 2 nails the faster, more ferocious tone of James Cameron's Alien's. Whether this was intentional or not, I do not know, but the difference in tone is evident from very early on in John Krasinski's sequel.
While the film does star John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as their characters from the first film, Cillian Murphy's Emmett and Millicent Simmonds' Regan are arguably the main characters of the sequel. Whilst Krasinski appears as Lee via flashback, (SPOILER, because he died pretty unceremoniously in the first movie,) and Blunt features as Evelyn in what is pretty much a glorified side-quest, they definitely aren't the main characters in part 2.
The choice to focus on two different characters in the sequel is a welcome one as it help the film feel more fresh and when you have stellar performances from Murphy and Simmonds to wrap your movie around, that also helps. I really felt that Millicent Simmonds upped her game greatly from the first movie and although CIllian Murphy's character was added for the sequel, he is a good enough actor to fit naturally into the plot without feeling shoehorned in.
You can read the rest of my review right here:
https://www.bigglasgowcomicpage.com/review-a-quiet-place-2/
A Quiet Place 2 does what all good sequels should do, in that it builds upon the foundation laid down by the first movie, whilst upping the stakes and increasing the intensity felt by the audience when watching the film. A parallel that I can't help but draw a comparison to is the change in tone between Alien and its more action-based sequel Aliens.
If the first Quiet Place movie strives to capture the suspense and slow burn slasher-inspired horror of Ridley Scott's Alien, then A Quiet Place 2 nails the faster, more ferocious tone of James Cameron's Alien's. Whether this was intentional or not, I do not know, but the difference in tone is evident from very early on in John Krasinski's sequel.
While the film does star John Krasinski and Emily Blunt as their characters from the first film, Cillian Murphy's Emmett and Millicent Simmonds' Regan are arguably the main characters of the sequel. Whilst Krasinski appears as Lee via flashback, (SPOILER, because he died pretty unceremoniously in the first movie,) and Blunt features as Evelyn in what is pretty much a glorified side-quest, they definitely aren't the main characters in part 2.
The choice to focus on two different characters in the sequel is a welcome one as it help the film feel more fresh and when you have stellar performances from Murphy and Simmonds to wrap your movie around, that also helps. I really felt that Millicent Simmonds upped her game greatly from the first movie and although CIllian Murphy's character was added for the sequel, he is a good enough actor to fit naturally into the plot without feeling shoehorned in.
You can read the rest of my review right here:
https://www.bigglasgowcomicpage.com/review-a-quiet-place-2/
Mark Arm recommended A Minute To Pray, A Second To Die by The Flesh Eaters in Music (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated When Polly Met Olly in Books
Sep 3, 2019
I've seen this book on Goodreads quite often with friends rating and reviewing it so when I saw it on Netgalley as a "Read Now" and with me looking for good chick-lit writers that I'm going to buy again and again, I thought I'd give this a try.
So we meet Polly--a British ex-pat--who is being interviewed for a job at a successful dating agency. It turns out that Polly isn't so good at the dating thing in real life though, as shown in these quotes:
"Didn't you send him a peach and aubergine emoji with a question mark and a winky face when you were drunk?"
"What about that guy you called Mike for four dates then it turned out his name was Matt."
She gets the job and, quite quickly, she's asked to check out a rival firm who is stealing some of their clients. So Polly goes to the other firm as a possible client and meets Olly, the owner. They seem to have an instant connection, a spark, but Olly turns a little cold and clinical towards the end of her interview. They meet by accident a few more times as Polly explores the area surrounding her new office. We don't see him all that often in the book until near the end, to be honest. She's too busy trying to find the perfect partner and setting up dates for her clients.
As the books name suggests, they do end up together but not before hitting a few bumps along the way. It's on a really slow burn and does come a little out of left field when they finally admit they have feelings for each other but after that, the happiness they feel when they're together was really cute.
I loved the camaraderie between Polly and her friend Gabe, he teases her terribly at times but I had to smile. And her friendship with her boss, too, was pretty cool. They made quite a good team at the whole dating agency thing.
I think this was quite enjoyable and will look out for further releases to see if they're as cute as this one was.
So we meet Polly--a British ex-pat--who is being interviewed for a job at a successful dating agency. It turns out that Polly isn't so good at the dating thing in real life though, as shown in these quotes:
"Didn't you send him a peach and aubergine emoji with a question mark and a winky face when you were drunk?"
"What about that guy you called Mike for four dates then it turned out his name was Matt."
She gets the job and, quite quickly, she's asked to check out a rival firm who is stealing some of their clients. So Polly goes to the other firm as a possible client and meets Olly, the owner. They seem to have an instant connection, a spark, but Olly turns a little cold and clinical towards the end of her interview. They meet by accident a few more times as Polly explores the area surrounding her new office. We don't see him all that often in the book until near the end, to be honest. She's too busy trying to find the perfect partner and setting up dates for her clients.
As the books name suggests, they do end up together but not before hitting a few bumps along the way. It's on a really slow burn and does come a little out of left field when they finally admit they have feelings for each other but after that, the happiness they feel when they're together was really cute.
I loved the camaraderie between Polly and her friend Gabe, he teases her terribly at times but I had to smile. And her friendship with her boss, too, was pretty cool. They made quite a good team at the whole dating agency thing.
I think this was quite enjoyable and will look out for further releases to see if they're as cute as this one was.
Merissa (14046 KP) rated Wants And Needs (Fan Service #7) in Books
Jul 18, 2025
WANTS AND NEEDS is the seventh and final book in the Fan Service series, although you can read it as a standalone, as I did. Did it impact my understanding of the characters and storyline? If I were being completely pedantic, then yes, but only because I kept getting Wolf and Hawk mixed up in my mind through not having read their books. Otherwise, a resounding no!
Carter is a sweet character whom we first meet in London, as he prepares to sell the family home. After he has completed that task, he catches a flight back to LA, where he saves a sixteen-year-old girl from the sleazy attentions of an older man. Her brother, Liam, is meeting her at the airport and is understandably concerned when he sees her being friendly with a man he doesn't know. Liam is also autistic and has some problems picking up facial expressions and social cues.
The slow-burn relationship between Carter and Liam was written so perfectly! Liam's version of autism was so clear, it made it easily understandable to anyone unfamiliar with it. And I say his version of it, because it isn't a one-size-fits-all situation. Carter's acceptance of Liam was pure, and I loved how he wasn't afraid to ask others for help when he didn't fully understand the situation or know what the best thing to do was.
This is the first book by this author I have read, and it won't be the last. If I don't read anything else, I need to read the other books in this series! I loved all of the characters and absolutely need to read their stories!!! If they are written half as well as this one is, I know I will love them all. HIGHLY 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 18, 2025
Carter is a sweet character whom we first meet in London, as he prepares to sell the family home. After he has completed that task, he catches a flight back to LA, where he saves a sixteen-year-old girl from the sleazy attentions of an older man. Her brother, Liam, is meeting her at the airport and is understandably concerned when he sees her being friendly with a man he doesn't know. Liam is also autistic and has some problems picking up facial expressions and social cues.
The slow-burn relationship between Carter and Liam was written so perfectly! Liam's version of autism was so clear, it made it easily understandable to anyone unfamiliar with it. And I say his version of it, because it isn't a one-size-fits-all situation. Carter's acceptance of Liam was pure, and I loved how he wasn't afraid to ask others for help when he didn't fully understand the situation or know what the best thing to do was.
This is the first book by this author I have read, and it won't be the last. If I don't read anything else, I need to read the other books in this series! I loved all of the characters and absolutely need to read their stories!!! If they are written half as well as this one is, I know I will love them all. HIGHLY 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 18, 2025
Merissa (14046 KP) rated Captivated by Dominik (The Ralston Brothers) in Books
Jan 27, 2026
CAPTIVATED BY DOMINIK is the first book in The Ralson Brothers series, and features Dominik (obviously) and Sienna. Dominik is a hawk beastmaster, while Sienna works for the FIO (First Intelligence Office) as a diplomat.
Sienna has quite a strong gift, but the downside of that is that she has been contracted every year for a 12-month "marriage". She is on a dual mission to New Columbia, where the Royal Governor has taken a bit of a slimy shine to her, so she needs Dominik to help with that, as well as their other mission. It doesn't help that her boss is on the dodgy side, too! Poor Sienna.
Their relationship worked perfectly! It was both hot and slow-burn. Dominik was understandably p!ssed about how Sienna had been treated in the past, both by her boss and by her so-called husbands. I loved how he gave her the control and never once pushed her beyond what she was comfortable with.
If I had one niggle, it would be that the informant was never named. We know it's a 'he', but that's it, and that just about killed me. The only male that sprang to mind was her stylist, but I'm really hoping it wasn't him. I would love to know who it actually was!
This series promises delights with the Ralston clan. I love how we see the siblings interact, and I can't wait for more. Of course, some of the Ralston clan have already found their mates, but there is so much more to come. And, of course, I do hope Markus and Bella show up occasionally too!
One final comment - have you seen that cover? It's absolutely gorgeous, reflects the book, and look how wonderful Alstair is! A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 27, 2026
Sienna has quite a strong gift, but the downside of that is that she has been contracted every year for a 12-month "marriage". She is on a dual mission to New Columbia, where the Royal Governor has taken a bit of a slimy shine to her, so she needs Dominik to help with that, as well as their other mission. It doesn't help that her boss is on the dodgy side, too! Poor Sienna.
Their relationship worked perfectly! It was both hot and slow-burn. Dominik was understandably p!ssed about how Sienna had been treated in the past, both by her boss and by her so-called husbands. I loved how he gave her the control and never once pushed her beyond what she was comfortable with.
If I had one niggle, it would be that the informant was never named. We know it's a 'he', but that's it, and that just about killed me. The only male that sprang to mind was her stylist, but I'm really hoping it wasn't him. I would love to know who it actually was!
This series promises delights with the Ralston clan. I love how we see the siblings interact, and I can't wait for more. Of course, some of the Ralston clan have already found their mates, but there is so much more to come. And, of course, I do hope Markus and Bella show up occasionally too!
One final comment - have you seen that cover? It's absolutely gorgeous, reflects the book, and look how wonderful Alstair is! A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 27, 2026
Blood Ties (Monsters of London #2)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Running from my past seemed like a good idea at the time. Too bad it’s about to catch up to me. ...
Menage (MMM) Paranormal Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1772 KP) rated Trusting Fletcher (Unexpected Love #4) in Books
Feb 26, 2026
loved the slower burn here!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 4 in the Unexpected Love series, and I have not read books one and two. I read book 3, Jordan's Breakthrough, and I really liked that, even if the subject matter was a little close to home.
This book?? I LOVED!!
Vince is bouncer in the bar that centres around this group of people. He's struggling, but he doesn't want anyone to see. A fall where Fletcher rescues him, and Vince realises he really needs some help, even if he doesn't want it. But getting closer to Fletcher will mean revealing what's wrong with him, and dealing with Fletcher walking away. Vince can't do that, not again. Until, it's not Vince's decision anymore and Fletcher bounds his way into Vince's heart.
I said in my review for book 3, that the author had either first hand experience, or had done a massive amount of research on that subject. I stand by that here.
Vince is diagnosed with MS, a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath protecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Vince is feeling it in his feet, and his joints. Letting Fletcher help him, is not on his to do list, but Fletcher just lets Vince be. He sees Vince, really SEES what's going on behind the mask he puts on for his friends (Jordan was the same!) and Fletcher lets Vince do things at his own pace. I loved when Vince finally saw what Fletcher was telling him: He isn't on his own, he has support, he has friends who want to help.
I found the romance a slow build, but a natural progression from their friendship. I found the smex and steam low, but absolutely on point for these two! Emotional again, but in a very different way to Jordan's book.
The angst is low, apart from Vince's illness but even when Fletcher was trying to help, Vince bit back and snapped. He explained after, but still.
5 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 4 in the Unexpected Love series, and I have not read books one and two. I read book 3, Jordan's Breakthrough, and I really liked that, even if the subject matter was a little close to home.
This book?? I LOVED!!
Vince is bouncer in the bar that centres around this group of people. He's struggling, but he doesn't want anyone to see. A fall where Fletcher rescues him, and Vince realises he really needs some help, even if he doesn't want it. But getting closer to Fletcher will mean revealing what's wrong with him, and dealing with Fletcher walking away. Vince can't do that, not again. Until, it's not Vince's decision anymore and Fletcher bounds his way into Vince's heart.
I said in my review for book 3, that the author had either first hand experience, or had done a massive amount of research on that subject. I stand by that here.
Vince is diagnosed with MS, a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath protecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Vince is feeling it in his feet, and his joints. Letting Fletcher help him, is not on his to do list, but Fletcher just lets Vince be. He sees Vince, really SEES what's going on behind the mask he puts on for his friends (Jordan was the same!) and Fletcher lets Vince do things at his own pace. I loved when Vince finally saw what Fletcher was telling him: He isn't on his own, he has support, he has friends who want to help.
I found the romance a slow build, but a natural progression from their friendship. I found the smex and steam low, but absolutely on point for these two! Emotional again, but in a very different way to Jordan's book.
The angst is low, apart from Vince's illness but even when Fletcher was trying to help, Vince bit back and snapped. He explained after, but still.
5 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere