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Merissa (12051 KP) rated Stronger Than Longing (Chesapeake Days #3) in Books
Oct 31, 2022
Scorching hot and full of emotions - I'm not ready to say goodbye!
STRONGER THAN LONGING is the third and final book in the Chesapeake Days series and features Nico's brother, Taran, as one of our main characters. It starts with him being dumped for being too geeky and too boring. Along comes Silas, newly back in town, to help revive his flagging... confidence.
Both Silas and Taran have their issues to deal with which, in turn, affects how they deal with each other. There was going to be a blow-up at some point, I knew that, it was just a matter of when. In the meantime, until that happened, I got an eyeful of tentative longing, sarcastic wit, and geeky flirting, and I loved every minute of it. These two are H.O.T. both in and out of the sheets.
As always, Ms McIntyre's characters are lifelike and loveable. The situations are not far-fetched, and love wins the day. This makes my hopeless romantic heart happy.
I have loved the Chesapeake Days series and was inconsolable (as I just wasn't ready to let it go) until I read that there will be a spin-off series called Chesapeake Nights. That put the smile back on my face so now I just have to wait patiently!
A brilliant addition to the series that I highly recommend. But read the others first - not because you have to but because you'll miss out on two other fantastic stories if you don't!
** 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!
Both Silas and Taran have their issues to deal with which, in turn, affects how they deal with each other. There was going to be a blow-up at some point, I knew that, it was just a matter of when. In the meantime, until that happened, I got an eyeful of tentative longing, sarcastic wit, and geeky flirting, and I loved every minute of it. These two are H.O.T. both in and out of the sheets.
As always, Ms McIntyre's characters are lifelike and loveable. The situations are not far-fetched, and love wins the day. This makes my hopeless romantic heart happy.
I have loved the Chesapeake Days series and was inconsolable (as I just wasn't ready to let it go) until I read that there will be a spin-off series called Chesapeake Nights. That put the smile back on my face so now I just have to wait patiently!
A brilliant addition to the series that I highly recommend. But read the others first - not because you have to but because you'll miss out on two other fantastic stories if you don't!
** 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!
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy, #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
I read my first Black Dagger Brotherhood book back in 2010, I think, and fell in love with this group of warriors. I have books 1-12 in paperback and they sit proudly on my bookshelf, as shown below
I guess it's not fair to have favourites but two of them always stick in my head: Rhage and Vishous, though all the guys are memorable. The King, Wrath's second book in the series took me a while to read so I gave up on the series for a while, though I have been buying the rest of the books in this series as Kindle books.
This spin off series - Black Dagger Legacy - is about the original guys finding new recruits who they will train so they can help them take on the lessers and any other threats to their population.
This one follows Paradise, a society heir who wants more from her life than parties so she fills in an application form and hopes her father will give her permission to join the programme and he does, believing she won't make it very far. Paradise proves everyone wrong, though, including Craeg - fellow trainee and the guy she has an intense attraction towards. And the feeling is definitely mutual.
I enjoyed watching this play out, although Craeg's reluctance to start with annoyed me a little. But Paradise certainly wore him down in the end and it was fun watching.
It also focuses on Butch and Marissa's relationship. Both are dealing - or more precisely NOT dealing - with issues from their pasts and it's starting to drive a wedge between them. Then there's the battered female that comes into Safe Place - where Marissa works - on the brink of death that brings up old memories.
I did enjoy seeing a lot of the brothers again, it reminded me why I love this series and I can't wait to read more. I think The Shadows will be my next read.
I guess it's not fair to have favourites but two of them always stick in my head: Rhage and Vishous, though all the guys are memorable. The King, Wrath's second book in the series took me a while to read so I gave up on the series for a while, though I have been buying the rest of the books in this series as Kindle books.
This spin off series - Black Dagger Legacy - is about the original guys finding new recruits who they will train so they can help them take on the lessers and any other threats to their population.
This one follows Paradise, a society heir who wants more from her life than parties so she fills in an application form and hopes her father will give her permission to join the programme and he does, believing she won't make it very far. Paradise proves everyone wrong, though, including Craeg - fellow trainee and the guy she has an intense attraction towards. And the feeling is definitely mutual.
I enjoyed watching this play out, although Craeg's reluctance to start with annoyed me a little. But Paradise certainly wore him down in the end and it was fun watching.
It also focuses on Butch and Marissa's relationship. Both are dealing - or more precisely NOT dealing - with issues from their pasts and it's starting to drive a wedge between them. Then there's the battered female that comes into Safe Place - where Marissa works - on the brink of death that brings up old memories.
I did enjoy seeing a lot of the brothers again, it reminded me why I love this series and I can't wait to read more. I think The Shadows will be my next read.
Wilder (Birds of a Feather #1)
8.0
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Wilder’s wonderful grandfather is dead, and so is her mother, but Grandpa Willy gives her one...
Contemporary Fantasy Romance
Blood Vow (Black Dagger Legacy, #2)
10.0
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A tough vampire warrior in training and a quick-witted aristocrat develop an irresistible attraction...
David McK (3425 KP) rated Slayers (a Buffyverse story) in Books
Aug 17, 2024
Spin-off/continuation of the late90s/early 2000s TV show 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer', with several of the cast - most noticeably James Marster's Spike and Charisma Carpenter's Cordelia - returning to their roles, alongside some noticeable absences (Buffy, Willow, Xander ...).
In Marvel terms, it's basically a multiverse story, with a large part of the story set in an alternate universe where Buffy was never the Slayer at all, and where the insane (or is she?) vampire Drusilla is still one of the main 'big bad' faced by the - in this universe, sole (unlike in the main universe, following the end of the TV series) - Slayer, Cordelia Chase.
As an audio drama, I have to say I found this to perhaps err on over-explanation of what is going on: lots of characters saying out-loud what they, or their opponents, are doing "I've just dusted a vampire" (for example), rather than the same being suggested by sound effects, or being left to the listener to fill in the blanks. For me, there's a bit too much of the former going on.
In Marvel terms, it's basically a multiverse story, with a large part of the story set in an alternate universe where Buffy was never the Slayer at all, and where the insane (or is she?) vampire Drusilla is still one of the main 'big bad' faced by the - in this universe, sole (unlike in the main universe, following the end of the TV series) - Slayer, Cordelia Chase.
As an audio drama, I have to say I found this to perhaps err on over-explanation of what is going on: lots of characters saying out-loud what they, or their opponents, are doing "I've just dusted a vampire" (for example), rather than the same being suggested by sound effects, or being left to the listener to fill in the blanks. For me, there's a bit too much of the former going on.
Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated The Tryst List (Spicy Standalone #3) in Books
Apr 15, 2024
3 good, but not for me, stars
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book seems to be a spin-off form the author's series Less Than Zero. Those guys pop up here, but I didn't think I missed anything by not reading them before this one.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book, and you all know I'm all about sharing the book feelings. So, I'm gonna say what I liked, and maybe what didn't work will wing it's way out.
I liked that both Jordan and Peter are given a voice, although that first meeting was all from Jordan. I loved that we did NOT get that first meeting, in all its glory, right as it happened. I loved that it comes in memories from both of them. I think had we had it all at the beginning, I might have dumped this one, so well played to the author for not doing that. I loved the way it all comes out along the way.
It's steamy and smexy, oh yes but I found the emotional connection a little lacking in the beginning. But then again, 10 years since their first encounter would stunt anyone's connection.
There was a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication between these two. I'm not sure whether that worked for me or not, to be honest!
I'm gonna wrap up: I liked this book, I finished it. Will I go back and read the series this spins off? Not at this time.
3 good, but maybe not for me, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewher
This book seems to be a spin-off form the author's series Less Than Zero. Those guys pop up here, but I didn't think I missed anything by not reading them before this one.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book, and you all know I'm all about sharing the book feelings. So, I'm gonna say what I liked, and maybe what didn't work will wing it's way out.
I liked that both Jordan and Peter are given a voice, although that first meeting was all from Jordan. I loved that we did NOT get that first meeting, in all its glory, right as it happened. I loved that it comes in memories from both of them. I think had we had it all at the beginning, I might have dumped this one, so well played to the author for not doing that. I loved the way it all comes out along the way.
It's steamy and smexy, oh yes but I found the emotional connection a little lacking in the beginning. But then again, 10 years since their first encounter would stunt anyone's connection.
There was a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication between these two. I'm not sure whether that worked for me or not, to be honest!
I'm gonna wrap up: I liked this book, I finished it. Will I go back and read the series this spins off? Not at this time.
3 good, but maybe not for me, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewher
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Iron Warrior (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<a href="http://www.inwonderlandbookblog.com/2016/02/the-iron-warrior-review.html"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on In Wonderland</a>
At this point in time, I'm starting to think "My name is..." is starting to become really basic.
But hey, I won't complain. It's been nearly two years since <i><a title="The Iron Traitor review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2013/11/review-the-iron-traitor-by-julie-kagawa.html"; target="_blank" rel="tag">The Iron Traitor</a></i> came out and I've been waiting to get my hands on this one since... forever.
Anyways...
The very last book in the <i>Iron Fey</i> series starts off about a month after the lovely cliffhanger Kagawa left us in the second book – Ethan finds himself back in the NeverNever and discovers that not only is the world in chaos after the split second break in the Veil, but Keirran has declared war on all of the faery courts. Family drama at its best, right?
<i>The Iron Warrior</i> is perhaps one of the darkest, if not the darkest novel in the entire series (including the main arc with Meghan). Kagawa takes us on an adventure into the NeverNever as she did with the past books, but it is one really disturbing journey. We go into parts of the faery world that have not been covered and more obstacles in the Between where creepy carnivals and malevolent witches are involved in the process as Ethan and Kenzie try to stop Kierran from raging war on the courts.
All of the characters – at least, the ones that remain alive from the spin off and the main series all make some sort of appearance in this last book, and Kagawa introduces a few new ones that will never make a future appearance. There are so many feels and internal threats to kidnap Razor – he is absolutely ADORABLE and his tiny size makes him so much more adorable – that happen throughout the book.
It's a sad thought to close the final chapter to the NeverNever, but <i>The Iron Warrior</i> is totally worth reading if only to see all of the major characters from both series once more.
At this point in time, I'm starting to think "My name is..." is starting to become really basic.
But hey, I won't complain. It's been nearly two years since <i><a title="The Iron Traitor review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2013/11/review-the-iron-traitor-by-julie-kagawa.html"; target="_blank" rel="tag">The Iron Traitor</a></i> came out and I've been waiting to get my hands on this one since... forever.
Anyways...
The very last book in the <i>Iron Fey</i> series starts off about a month after the lovely cliffhanger Kagawa left us in the second book – Ethan finds himself back in the NeverNever and discovers that not only is the world in chaos after the split second break in the Veil, but Keirran has declared war on all of the faery courts. Family drama at its best, right?
<i>The Iron Warrior</i> is perhaps one of the darkest, if not the darkest novel in the entire series (including the main arc with Meghan). Kagawa takes us on an adventure into the NeverNever as she did with the past books, but it is one really disturbing journey. We go into parts of the faery world that have not been covered and more obstacles in the Between where creepy carnivals and malevolent witches are involved in the process as Ethan and Kenzie try to stop Kierran from raging war on the courts.
All of the characters – at least, the ones that remain alive from the spin off and the main series all make some sort of appearance in this last book, and Kagawa introduces a few new ones that will never make a future appearance. There are so many feels and internal threats to kidnap Razor – he is absolutely ADORABLE and his tiny size makes him so much more adorable – that happen throughout the book.
It's a sad thought to close the final chapter to the NeverNever, but <i>The Iron Warrior</i> is totally worth reading if only to see all of the major characters from both series once more.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Jul 31, 2019
Over the top hyperbole is nothing new for the “Fast and the Furious:” franchises as ever since the series shifted gears from Street Racing to action series with the fourth film; the stunts keep getting larger and more outrageous with each offering.
With the 9th film in the series currently filming; the first Spin-Off film “Hobbs and Shaw” has arrived and combines Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), with his rival Shaw (Jason Statham) as they are reluctantly forced to work with one another to stop a deadly viral agent from being unleashed on the world.
The fact that an enhanced individual with a score to settle named Brixton (Idris Elba) is intent on stopping them no matter what leads is pretty much all the plot viewers are going to get as it provides the reason for the cast to race and punch through London and other locales along the way.
The film has some glaring plot holes which are so large you could drive any of the tricked out vehicles the film features through and one in particular seems to over complicate the narrative when it is clear that a certain character that has been monitoring them all along knows the truth and can easily clear things up.
The two stars work well with one another but are not really given much to do other than glare and chest thump with each other early on but as the film goes on they are allowed to display a bit more comedy which does help the film along with a two-hour run time.
The film does have tons of over the top stunts many of which strain plausibility even by action film standards but you know what you are getting into when you sign on and if you are coming to a Fast and Furious film expecting realism than you obviously have not seen any of the prior films in the series.
That being said the finale is absurd and clearly pandering to Dwayne Johnson but it was nice to see some new wrinkles to his character and some diversity to the series added in.
http://sknr.net/2019/07/31/hobbs-and-shaw/
With the 9th film in the series currently filming; the first Spin-Off film “Hobbs and Shaw” has arrived and combines Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), with his rival Shaw (Jason Statham) as they are reluctantly forced to work with one another to stop a deadly viral agent from being unleashed on the world.
The fact that an enhanced individual with a score to settle named Brixton (Idris Elba) is intent on stopping them no matter what leads is pretty much all the plot viewers are going to get as it provides the reason for the cast to race and punch through London and other locales along the way.
The film has some glaring plot holes which are so large you could drive any of the tricked out vehicles the film features through and one in particular seems to over complicate the narrative when it is clear that a certain character that has been monitoring them all along knows the truth and can easily clear things up.
The two stars work well with one another but are not really given much to do other than glare and chest thump with each other early on but as the film goes on they are allowed to display a bit more comedy which does help the film along with a two-hour run time.
The film does have tons of over the top stunts many of which strain plausibility even by action film standards but you know what you are getting into when you sign on and if you are coming to a Fast and Furious film expecting realism than you obviously have not seen any of the prior films in the series.
That being said the finale is absurd and clearly pandering to Dwayne Johnson but it was nice to see some new wrinkles to his character and some diversity to the series added in.
http://sknr.net/2019/07/31/hobbs-and-shaw/
David McK (3425 KP) rated Aliens: The Female War in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The third book in Dark Horse's spin-off series of novels and comics to include Billie and Wilks, this also throws Ripley into the mix, and finishes the story first began in [b:Aliens: Earth Hive|343281|Aliens Earth Hive|Steve Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1366133734s/343281.jpg|333628] and continued in [b:Aliens: Nightmare Asylum|20873|Aliens Nightmare Asylum|Steve Perry|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388857061s/20873.jpg|22061]. Wheres the 1979 film 'Alien' had a single Alien stalking the crew of the Nostromo after they picked up the transmission, with the 1986 film 'Aliens' then introducing the concept of the Alien Queen, this extrapolates even further than that with the introduction of an Alien Queen Mother providing the deus ex machina for the plot.
Talking of the plot: this is maybe a bit slower than those previous two novels, with more emphasis on character development (I know, I know: is such a thing even possible in these types of books?).
As before, not going to set the literary world alight nor win any awards, but an enjoyable enough quick diversion for a day or two.
Talking of the plot: this is maybe a bit slower than those previous two novels, with more emphasis on character development (I know, I know: is such a thing even possible in these types of books?).
As before, not going to set the literary world alight nor win any awards, but an enjoyable enough quick diversion for a day or two.
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Marked (Populations Crumble: Resurgence #1) in Books
Mar 29, 2023
MARKED is the first book in a spin-off series called Populations Crumble: Resurgence. I haven't read the first series but now I really want to. Not because something is missing from this book - oh, no. I want to read that because this one was SO good!
Demy is a likeable character from the start, running from danger, looking for safety. She joins the program not really knowing what she's doing, just hoping she will be safe. What she gets is so much more than she expected.
I loved this world. Okay, there are parts of it that aren't so good, but on the whole, I was taken with Demy and saw what she saw. There is lots of action and it's also very emotional. The choice Demy has to make is incredibly tough. I know which way I'd go, as it stands right now, but I'm hedging my bets because I have no idea which way this story is going to go. And I love that!
The cliffhanger is a killer and I honestly can't wait to see what happens next. An incredible story with amazing characters that I have no hesitation in HIGHLY RECOMMENDING.
** 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!
Demy is a likeable character from the start, running from danger, looking for safety. She joins the program not really knowing what she's doing, just hoping she will be safe. What she gets is so much more than she expected.
I loved this world. Okay, there are parts of it that aren't so good, but on the whole, I was taken with Demy and saw what she saw. There is lots of action and it's also very emotional. The choice Demy has to make is incredibly tough. I know which way I'd go, as it stands right now, but I'm hedging my bets because I have no idea which way this story is going to go. And I love that!
The cliffhanger is a killer and I honestly can't wait to see what happens next. An incredible story with amazing characters that I have no hesitation in HIGHLY RECOMMENDING.
** 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!