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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Rise (Spelldrift: Coven of Fire #1) in Books
Jul 31, 2020
135 of 200
Kindle
Rise ( Spellsrift coven of fire book 1)
By Sierra Cross
I closed the door on magic long ago...the day it made me an orphan.
Ten years ago, the Coven of Fire sacrificed their lives--my mother among them--to hold off an overwhelming demonic force. Now it's back.
As a poorly-paid bartender, how can any of this be my problem? But Callie, another orphan of that battle, swears I'm the key to reviving the coven. And there's an incredibly sexy guardian stranded on my couch who's promising to help me stop the demons and keep the veil between the realms standing.
One problem: I've never been able to use magic. Our local bad boy warlock assures me I have the talent, but even if I did, we don't have enough witches to complete a coven. The only way to survive is to pull together this pack of magicborn misfits, who have more secrets than spells, into a makeshift coven.
Can we--three untrained witches, a sarcastic warlock, and an overly intense guardian--take back the city...before the Demongate falls and the forces that killed my mother destroy us too?
I found it ok! There were a few little annoyances like her constantly reminding you that Eric was the bad guy but overall it was ok. It had an interesting concept but not one that gripped you.
A little weak in places and a few times I got a little bored of reading the same kind of scene.
Kindle
Rise ( Spellsrift coven of fire book 1)
By Sierra Cross
I closed the door on magic long ago...the day it made me an orphan.
Ten years ago, the Coven of Fire sacrificed their lives--my mother among them--to hold off an overwhelming demonic force. Now it's back.
As a poorly-paid bartender, how can any of this be my problem? But Callie, another orphan of that battle, swears I'm the key to reviving the coven. And there's an incredibly sexy guardian stranded on my couch who's promising to help me stop the demons and keep the veil between the realms standing.
One problem: I've never been able to use magic. Our local bad boy warlock assures me I have the talent, but even if I did, we don't have enough witches to complete a coven. The only way to survive is to pull together this pack of magicborn misfits, who have more secrets than spells, into a makeshift coven.
Can we--three untrained witches, a sarcastic warlock, and an overly intense guardian--take back the city...before the Demongate falls and the forces that killed my mother destroy us too?
I found it ok! There were a few little annoyances like her constantly reminding you that Eric was the bad guy but overall it was ok. It had an interesting concept but not one that gripped you.
A little weak in places and a few times I got a little bored of reading the same kind of scene.
Merissa (13314 KP) rated The Art of Living in Books
Jun 16, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
THE ART OF LIVING is a standalone, but it does have some of the same characters from The Gift of Believing. This is not an issue, take my word for it.
Robert is Garrett's dad and has always put Garrett first. He's had to be mum, dad, carer, you name it, and he's not prepared to let Garrett down just for the sake of getting some. Niall has his own issues to deal with, mainly a younger brother who wants him to forgive his absentee-dying dad. With so much going on, will Robert and Niall be able to be together?
This was a warm story with a gentle writing style that I thoroughly enjoyed. The issues Niall faces are unfortunately too close to home for me, and I can tell you his emotions are spot on. This hit me hard when I was reading it as that wish for what might have been.
Apart from Robert misguidedly pushing Niall away, this story is low angst. There are some steamy moments but all as part of the story, rather than just because. The characters are wonderful, and I really hope that Sam and Jared have their story told.
A great emotional novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in 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!
Jun 16, 2021
Robert is Garrett's dad and has always put Garrett first. He's had to be mum, dad, carer, you name it, and he's not prepared to let Garrett down just for the sake of getting some. Niall has his own issues to deal with, mainly a younger brother who wants him to forgive his absentee-dying dad. With so much going on, will Robert and Niall be able to be together?
This was a warm story with a gentle writing style that I thoroughly enjoyed. The issues Niall faces are unfortunately too close to home for me, and I can tell you his emotions are spot on. This hit me hard when I was reading it as that wish for what might have been.
Apart from Robert misguidedly pushing Niall away, this story is low angst. There are some steamy moments but all as part of the story, rather than just because. The characters are wonderful, and I really hope that Sam and Jared have their story told.
A great emotional novel that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in 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!
Jun 16, 2021
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Bubblesreview (110 KP) rated The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story in Books
Mar 17, 2019
Pros:
• Daily insights into a nurses life
• Beautiful and emotional
• Insight into the NHS
• Promotes kindness
Cons:
• Bit to self-indulgent
• it's missing something, a flow
• Ended a bit abruptly for me
Christie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A&E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astounding account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness.
@mooksterbooks bought me this book after I thoroughly enjoyed This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay.
I absolutely LOVE reading memoirs of nurses and doctors and seeing inside the NHS system.
Watson wrote her memoir in more of an attempted flowed novel unlike Kays diary entries take. I won't compare the two books too much but I must say I did enjoy the presentation of Kay's diary entries.
Looking at other reviews on this book I found that there is mixed views and some not very nice comments on it. I don't agree with the ones who say this was hyped up too much as I feel it wasn't hyped up at all, but I do slightly agree on the ones who feel it was a little too self-indulged and didn't flow too great.
Aside from this, I can't say I didn't enjoy this book, I really did enjoy reading it and I was a little saddened when it ended. I loved all the beautiful stories and the emotional ones, it bought me joy, sadness and a passion to promote caring and kindness.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading memoirs, to those who like to see the truth behind the masks of nurses and doctors but I wouldn't recommend this to people who have anxiety about hospitals as some parts were a bit too honest and gory.
• Daily insights into a nurses life
• Beautiful and emotional
• Insight into the NHS
• Promotes kindness
Cons:
• Bit to self-indulgent
• it's missing something, a flow
• Ended a bit abruptly for me
Christie Watson was a nurse for twenty years. Taking us from birth to death and from A&E to the mortuary, The Language of Kindness is an astounding account of a profession defined by acts of care, compassion and kindness.
@mooksterbooks bought me this book after I thoroughly enjoyed This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay.
I absolutely LOVE reading memoirs of nurses and doctors and seeing inside the NHS system.
Watson wrote her memoir in more of an attempted flowed novel unlike Kays diary entries take. I won't compare the two books too much but I must say I did enjoy the presentation of Kay's diary entries.
Looking at other reviews on this book I found that there is mixed views and some not very nice comments on it. I don't agree with the ones who say this was hyped up too much as I feel it wasn't hyped up at all, but I do slightly agree on the ones who feel it was a little too self-indulged and didn't flow too great.
Aside from this, I can't say I didn't enjoy this book, I really did enjoy reading it and I was a little saddened when it ended. I loved all the beautiful stories and the emotional ones, it bought me joy, sadness and a passion to promote caring and kindness.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading memoirs, to those who like to see the truth behind the masks of nurses and doctors but I wouldn't recommend this to people who have anxiety about hospitals as some parts were a bit too honest and gory.
Emma Tupper leads a busy life as a corporate lawyer. But after her mother passes away, she takes a month-long leave of absence (basically unheard of in her firm) to visit Africa -- the dream trip her mom never had the chance to take. But things go awry and Emma gets sick in Africa. Shortly after, an earthquake hits the region where she's recuperating, and her one-month trip becomes a six-month odyssey. Unable to communicate from her remote village, Emma finally returns home, only to find out that everyone thinks she died in Africa and that life has gone on without her.
This was an interesting novel. It's a fun and diversionary story, to say the least, even if not much of it seems too rooted in truth. Emma is so easily declared dead in a mere six months? When she returns back to find her apartment rented, the new tenant has no issue with her staying with him, and even wearing his clothes? Hmm. Okay. A romance triangle is thrown in, of course, with Emma's pre-Africa boyfriend having moved on (or has he?). So much of the book seemed downright silly to me, but I found it oddly addictive. Emma's a little irksome from time-to-time, but I'm not sure what I would do if I came back from vacation and everyone thought I was dead and had sold my life out from under me! It's a good exploration on how we often lead our lives out of habit and ease, versus truly going after what we truly want. Nothing earth-shattering here, but an enjoyable read.
Thanks to Goodreads for giving me a copy of this book through their First Reads/Giveaway program.
This was an interesting novel. It's a fun and diversionary story, to say the least, even if not much of it seems too rooted in truth. Emma is so easily declared dead in a mere six months? When she returns back to find her apartment rented, the new tenant has no issue with her staying with him, and even wearing his clothes? Hmm. Okay. A romance triangle is thrown in, of course, with Emma's pre-Africa boyfriend having moved on (or has he?). So much of the book seemed downright silly to me, but I found it oddly addictive. Emma's a little irksome from time-to-time, but I'm not sure what I would do if I came back from vacation and everyone thought I was dead and had sold my life out from under me! It's a good exploration on how we often lead our lives out of habit and ease, versus truly going after what we truly want. Nothing earth-shattering here, but an enjoyable read.
Thanks to Goodreads for giving me a copy of this book through their First Reads/Giveaway program.
Cori June (3033 KP) rated The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1) in Books
Dec 11, 2018
harpy scene (2 more)
the characters
The timelessness and that it grows with you
As a child l loved this movie. And I cannot write a review with out chiming in with the movie. Both the book and screenplay was written by Peter S. Beagle. So they are very similar the book expands most of the scenes. And the only thing that is omitted is basically chapter 10(?). I had watched the movie the first time when I was around 5 or 6 and first read the book while I was a college student 17 or 18 and loved it too. The book and movie is for all ages (although that harpy scene...) and it does and doesn’t change as you grow older. It’s about love and duty, innocence and aging, loss and sorrow and many many things in between. Smendrick is still my favorite character although know I’m older I realize the importance of Molly Grue. A very well written story. Good on a lazy day when you don’t want to rush through a book.
I will leave with this one quote:
“It’s a rare man who is taken for what he truly is,...there is much misjudgment in the world. Now, I knew you for a unicorn when I first saw you, and I know I am your friend. Yet you take me for a clown, or a clod, or a betrayer, and so must I be if you see me so. The magic on you is only magic and will vanish as soon as you are free, but the enchantment of error that you put on me I must wear forever in your eyes. We are not always what we seem, and hardly what we dream.”
I will leave with this one quote:
“It’s a rare man who is taken for what he truly is,...there is much misjudgment in the world. Now, I knew you for a unicorn when I first saw you, and I know I am your friend. Yet you take me for a clown, or a clod, or a betrayer, and so must I be if you see me so. The magic on you is only magic and will vanish as soon as you are free, but the enchantment of error that you put on me I must wear forever in your eyes. We are not always what we seem, and hardly what we dream.”
Merissa (13314 KP) rated Midnight Exposure (Midnight, #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Don't you just love it when you read a book and it is so much more than what you expected? This is what happened to me when I read Midnight Exposure. I thought it would the usual story of hero meets heroine, they don't get on, big calamity, insta-love, everything's fine. That is so NOT what you get with this. You get a well thought out, full of plot, suspenseful story. Yes, there are overtures of romance to the book but they are brilliantly done.
Our main female and male leads both come with baggage and flaws. Jayne is no weeping wallflower mind you. One of my favourite parts of the book was when she used her black belt karate on someone. She is not just going to sit there and be a victim. The supporting characters are all well rounded and develop really well throughout the book.
As for the 'occult' side of things - I thought this was remarkably well written and that's coming from a pagan. Too often in books, knowledge is mis-used or only given in part and the result can be something that makes me cringe as it dumps every earth and nature based religion in with satanism. The parts of this book that were revealing more about the villain and his motives etc, never painted the actual symbolism as black, instead just showing how it was being used for his purposes. I know I haven't explained it very well but trust me, Melinda Leigh did a great job. As for the reviewer who said "we get no clue what kind of religion this is", I suggest you take a re-read as it is written plain as day.
Loved this book and have started on book 2, Midnight Sacrifice. Recommended!
Our main female and male leads both come with baggage and flaws. Jayne is no weeping wallflower mind you. One of my favourite parts of the book was when she used her black belt karate on someone. She is not just going to sit there and be a victim. The supporting characters are all well rounded and develop really well throughout the book.
As for the 'occult' side of things - I thought this was remarkably well written and that's coming from a pagan. Too often in books, knowledge is mis-used or only given in part and the result can be something that makes me cringe as it dumps every earth and nature based religion in with satanism. The parts of this book that were revealing more about the villain and his motives etc, never painted the actual symbolism as black, instead just showing how it was being used for his purposes. I know I haven't explained it very well but trust me, Melinda Leigh did a great job. As for the reviewer who said "we get no clue what kind of religion this is", I suggest you take a re-read as it is written plain as day.
Loved this book and have started on book 2, Midnight Sacrifice. Recommended!
Caribou recommended Karma by Pharoah Sanders in Music (curated)
Nick Rhodes recommended Fresh by Sly & The Family Stone in Music (curated)
BookInspector (124 KP) rated A Nearly Normal Family in Books
Sep 24, 2020
As it is said in the blurb, this book is told from three different perspectives: father, daughter, and mother, all three are sharing their sides to this story. The father’s part was the least interesting to me, he sounds quite boring and not very eventful. We do find out some interesting aspects of their life, but otherwise, he mainly seems lost and confused. The daughter’s part was the most interesting to me, we have the chance to see what the accused murderer is actually thinking, and what was her take on the life she is living. This part shines a different light on her father and other very important events. The mother’s part was the most logical one, I believe. She is a lawyer, so she knows how to deal with evidence. I liked her side of the story and the thoughts she shared from her life. The characters are well developed and intriguing, but sometimes some of their thoughts about “I need to save my daughter, it wasn’t her” felt repetitive and overused.
The narrative of this book keeps changing, depending on the characters views, and that was what got me going throughout the book. We do find out some spicy and interesting details throughout each part, that makes this book deeper and more personal. If you ever have read Nordic Noir, most probably you noticed, that this genre has a specific feeling about it. It normally involves exotic names, woods and coldness. This book for some reason managed to avoid that feeling. It is a Scandi Noir and it does have those exotic names of the places, but this book feels modern and doesn’t have this gloominess surrounding it.
The narrative of this book keeps changing, depending on the characters views, and that was what got me going throughout the book. We do find out some spicy and interesting details throughout each part, that makes this book deeper and more personal. If you ever have read Nordic Noir, most probably you noticed, that this genre has a specific feeling about it. It normally involves exotic names, woods and coldness. This book for some reason managed to avoid that feeling. It is a Scandi Noir and it does have those exotic names of the places, but this book feels modern and doesn’t have this gloominess surrounding it.