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Merissa (13489 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
Face the Music (A Series of Falling Stars #2) by M.L. East
10.0
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Kasugai Ryo – your lawfully wedded nightmare. K-Pop’s five brightest stars are about to...
Contemporary Fiction Romance LGBTQ+ Chick Lit K-pop
ClareR (6037 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!
Blackmailer’s Delight
8.0
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Every new romance has its ups and downs… Its bumps in the road… Its blackmail notes… A...
MM Romantic Comedy Forbidden Love Historical Georgian
Now Comes the Dark (Basic Instincts #1)
Book
Roman Ballentyne is forced to make some changes. The city he loves is no longer safe. Tensions are...
Contemporary Dark MM Romance Thriller Mystery
Seven Hundred Beachfront
8.0
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Some places hold memories. Others have opinions. I didn't mean to run again. But when life...
Contemporary Romance Women's Fiction Magical Realism
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2444 KP) rated Shady Hollow in Books
Oct 3, 2025 (Updated Oct 3, 2025)
Not Bad, but Didn’t Quite Work For Me
Welcome to the village of Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live in peace and harmony. That is, until someone kills Otto, a toad. Vera Vixen, a fox and reporter for the local paper, is on the case. But can she figure out who committed the crime?
When I heard about this series, I had to give the book a chance since it sounded creative and fun. The book’s omniscient narration took a little for me to adjust to, but once I did, it worked okay. It did give the book a slower start than I would have liked, but the mystery was decent once it got going. And I liked the characters. While I found the idea of these characters living side by side and interacting fun, it does take some buying into this world, something I was ready to do. I did feel the authors could have done a more creative job of creating their world, or at least that’s what I was expecting. My biggest hang up was the idea of interspecies romance. I realize that’s a me thing, but it is enough that I won’t be returning to the series. Others love it, so if this intrigues you, by all means, give the series a chance.
When I heard about this series, I had to give the book a chance since it sounded creative and fun. The book’s omniscient narration took a little for me to adjust to, but once I did, it worked okay. It did give the book a slower start than I would have liked, but the mystery was decent once it got going. And I liked the characters. While I found the idea of these characters living side by side and interacting fun, it does take some buying into this world, something I was ready to do. I did feel the authors could have done a more creative job of creating their world, or at least that’s what I was expecting. My biggest hang up was the idea of interspecies romance. I realize that’s a me thing, but it is enough that I won’t be returning to the series. Others love it, so if this intrigues you, by all means, give the series a chance.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Astonishing Color of After in Books
Apr 27, 2018
*some minor spoilers
I was compelled to finish this book, despite not loving it... and There were some things about this book that really irritated me.
First, I really didn't like the characters. Kinda hard to love the book when you don't like the characters.
The mom, Dory, I could relate to. Depression is a dangerous disease that steals your body and your life.
The dad was a horrible person... rude, disrespectful, unthoughtful, and uncaring about his daughter and her passions. Maybe I'm biased because I love art, but who in their right mind tells their kid to stop doing art.
And then, at the end, when suddenly he is encouraging her that she has a gift and that her mom would be proud? Like, okay, mom dies and suddenly you're not an asshole anymore? What?
There were a lot of flashbacks, and memories, and not a whole lot of plot. I think it could have been spread better. There were whole sections where she was just having flashbacks and it was annoying.
The romance aspect was somewhat uncomfortable... like it was too much of a struggle for Pan to write it. It didn't flow well. Maybe that was the point. To be awkward.
It got a little better near the end and I was like : (insert "now kiss" meme here)
I kind of expected Phon (spelling? I listened to the audiobook) to be her aunt, so that wasn't much of a surprise. But the reveal was fun and clever.
The writing was beautiful, and the color aspect was interesting. Like I said, I felt compelled to finish it, but I found myself irritated while I was listening.
I did relate to the author's note about re-writing her novel multiple times though...
And the end of the book felt good... I had a feeling all Lee's visions would become her final series of art, and I'm happy with it.
Recommend to ages 13+. Very little language.
I was compelled to finish this book, despite not loving it... and There were some things about this book that really irritated me.
First, I really didn't like the characters. Kinda hard to love the book when you don't like the characters.
The mom, Dory, I could relate to. Depression is a dangerous disease that steals your body and your life.
The dad was a horrible person... rude, disrespectful, unthoughtful, and uncaring about his daughter and her passions. Maybe I'm biased because I love art, but who in their right mind tells their kid to stop doing art.
And then, at the end, when suddenly he is encouraging her that she has a gift and that her mom would be proud? Like, okay, mom dies and suddenly you're not an asshole anymore? What?
There were a lot of flashbacks, and memories, and not a whole lot of plot. I think it could have been spread better. There were whole sections where she was just having flashbacks and it was annoying.
The romance aspect was somewhat uncomfortable... like it was too much of a struggle for Pan to write it. It didn't flow well. Maybe that was the point. To be awkward.
It got a little better near the end and I was like : (insert "now kiss" meme here)
I kind of expected Phon (spelling? I listened to the audiobook) to be her aunt, so that wasn't much of a surprise. But the reveal was fun and clever.
The writing was beautiful, and the color aspect was interesting. Like I said, I felt compelled to finish it, but I found myself irritated while I was listening.
I did relate to the author's note about re-writing her novel multiple times though...
And the end of the book felt good... I had a feeling all Lee's visions would become her final series of art, and I'm happy with it.
Recommend to ages 13+. Very little language.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Shadows from the Past in Books
Mar 5, 2019
Synopsis: ..."It is the price you pay for choosing to be a cop. Your brother's life..." Those words haunt her dreams and her waking moments. LAPD officer, Aurora Kavvan cannot rest until she finds her brothers killer. Digging into the past always brings back unpleasant things: memories, guilt...the hitman. Now she is in a race against time to find the murderer before he finds her. ͞Kill her. I don͛t care how, and I don͛t care where, but I want her dead now! Someone was trying to kill his dead partner͛s sister. FBI agent, Jordan Reiley will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves. Even if it means going against her wishes; putting himself between her and the man who murdered her brother. Will God keep them alive long enough for them to find the truth?
My Thoughts: This is an action-packed thriller! This is the story of Aurora, has some issues from her past that keep coming back in her dreams, but she won't stop looking for the man who killed her brother.
This book has a clear message that God is there for you, especially in the hard times. That we can't do everything on our own, that we do need to give our troubles to God. It's a book about forgiveness, and not rushing into judgments of other people.
I enjoyed this novel, it was full of adventure, romance, and mystery. It was easy to follow along and the characters were wonderful. Some people may not notice quickly, but the main character Aurora suffers from PTSD; the nightmares, pushing people away all are part of it, and I believe that the author did a wonderful job bringing this forward. I did enjoy that she began to trust again, both in her friends and in God.
This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next books in the series... so look for the upcoming reviews of the shadow series.
My Thoughts: This is an action-packed thriller! This is the story of Aurora, has some issues from her past that keep coming back in her dreams, but she won't stop looking for the man who killed her brother.
This book has a clear message that God is there for you, especially in the hard times. That we can't do everything on our own, that we do need to give our troubles to God. It's a book about forgiveness, and not rushing into judgments of other people.
I enjoyed this novel, it was full of adventure, romance, and mystery. It was easy to follow along and the characters were wonderful. Some people may not notice quickly, but the main character Aurora suffers from PTSD; the nightmares, pushing people away all are part of it, and I believe that the author did a wonderful job bringing this forward. I did enjoy that she began to trust again, both in her friends and in God.
This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading the next books in the series... so look for the upcoming reviews of the shadow series.
This book has 3 stories in one. I enjoyed them all. The three stories are connected to the previous story in this book. It also mentions Aden and Annie in the last story called "The Dawn of Christmas".
The first story in the book in about Beth Hertzler and somewhat about her aunt Lizzy. The story revels some secrets throughout the book and a romance forms between Beth and Jonah. Will Beth take a chance at second love. Read to find out. You could read the the book called "The Sound of Sleigh Bells" to read about Beth and Jonah and Beth's aunt Lizzy.
The second story is about Mattie and Gideon. Mattie is living in Ohio for some time but something happen to bring her home to Apple Ridge. Her cousin Beth and Lizzy wedding. Though coming home will Mattie learn the truth of Gideon's break in the engagement on Christmas eve. Well they get back together. To find out what happens you can read it or you could read the book called "The Christmas Singing". You can read about Gideon and Mattie and about Lizzy and Beth weddings.
The third story is about Sadie and Levi. Levi is a cousin to Beth and Mattie in someway. Sadie and Levi do not trust the other gender. Though the way they met is somewhat strange that Sadie came and found him laying in the hay-field hurt. Can Sadie and Levi let go of their prejudices and learn to trust each other. You also get to hear about Lizzy and Beth and also about Mattie. There the other couple that is mention that is Aden and Annie. You can read about Aden and Annie story in the book called "The Scent of Cherry Blossoms". If you want to read about Sadie and Levi you can be getting the book called "The Dawn of Christmas".
If you want all three of the stories you can get this book called "Christmas in Apple Ridge".
The first story in the book in about Beth Hertzler and somewhat about her aunt Lizzy. The story revels some secrets throughout the book and a romance forms between Beth and Jonah. Will Beth take a chance at second love. Read to find out. You could read the the book called "The Sound of Sleigh Bells" to read about Beth and Jonah and Beth's aunt Lizzy.
The second story is about Mattie and Gideon. Mattie is living in Ohio for some time but something happen to bring her home to Apple Ridge. Her cousin Beth and Lizzy wedding. Though coming home will Mattie learn the truth of Gideon's break in the engagement on Christmas eve. Well they get back together. To find out what happens you can read it or you could read the book called "The Christmas Singing". You can read about Gideon and Mattie and about Lizzy and Beth weddings.
The third story is about Sadie and Levi. Levi is a cousin to Beth and Mattie in someway. Sadie and Levi do not trust the other gender. Though the way they met is somewhat strange that Sadie came and found him laying in the hay-field hurt. Can Sadie and Levi let go of their prejudices and learn to trust each other. You also get to hear about Lizzy and Beth and also about Mattie. There the other couple that is mention that is Aden and Annie. You can read about Aden and Annie story in the book called "The Scent of Cherry Blossoms". If you want to read about Sadie and Levi you can be getting the book called "The Dawn of Christmas".
If you want all three of the stories you can get this book called "Christmas in Apple Ridge".