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Free Fall (Life Sucks, #7)
Free Fall (Life Sucks, #7)
Elise Faber | 2023 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Honestly? Connor deserves a medal!
FREE FALL is the seventh book in the Life Sucks series. This one features Connor and Raven. She is recovering from the house fire whilst staying at Connor's and realising just how much of a pain he is, simply because he cares. When things get too much, Raven runs... straight into the arms of Aunt Pat, who sets her straight on more than one issue.

This was a great story that highlights just how much your past can affect your present and future. Raven is... erm... 'slightly' grumpy at the beginning and it does take a while for her to show her nice side. She does have one, honest. You understand why she is the way she is but, honestly, Connor deserves a medal.

You don't necessarily have to have read the previous books in this series although it would help as more than a couple of them make an appearance. I thought this was a wonderful addition to the series and I can't wait to read Lex and Frankie's story next. Definitely 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!
  
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Merissa (11961 KP) rated The Spirits of Nature (Spirits of Nature #1) in Books

Mar 31, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)  
The Spirits of Nature (Spirits of Nature #1)
The Spirits of Nature (Spirits of Nature #1)
Michelle Post | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Prepare to be taken away and immersed in the lives of Rebecca and Philip (the historical leads) as this story will take you by the heart and pull you in, not letting go until you've finished the last sentence and will leave you wanting more.

This book is set on so many different levels - spiritual; historical; current to name but a few. There is a story that runs parallel as "Darcy" (the current main female) tries to find out about her lineage.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but was intrigued enough to get it and I'm so very glad that I did. This is extremely well written, with a pace that will let you absorb and also leave you breathless. The characters are so incredibly lifelike, the historical ones more so for me at least. And just to warn you, have the kleenex ready! From about 85% of the book I was crying, but whether they were good tears or bad, you will just have to read the book for yourself and find out.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
 
* 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!
August 11, 2016
  
Wait! (Oxley College #2)
Wait! (Oxley College #2)
Stacey Nash | 2015 | Contemporary, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the third book in the Oxley College series although it can (and was by me) read as a standalone. This in no way disrupted my reading or enjoyment of the story.

This book concentrates on Jordan - a serious ex-rugby player who just wants to study hard and doesn't want any sort of relationship - and Hex - a fun-loving party girl who's hiding her hurt behind a smiling mask. They both have secrets and issues that they are dealing with and it's the way that they deal with them and each other that makes this book such a joy to read.

There is insta-lust between the two of them but they actually take the time to build up their relationship which makes a refreshing change.

This story is very well written and deals with some very hard subjects - binge drinking, the death of a sibling, the effects of words spoken by parents who don't know the child is listening - that sort of thing. None of it is preachy or judgmental but tells Jordan and Hex's story perfectly.

Definitely recommended to all fans of Contemporary Romance.

* 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!
Jun 02, 2015
  
A Little Christmas: Sawyer
A Little Christmas: Sawyer
R.A. Frick | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A LITTLE CHRISTMAS: SAWYER is a homage to one of the ultimate Christmas movies - Die Hard! In it, we have Sawyer and Holly, two littles who spend most of their time without their Daddies. Holly doesn't have a permanent one yet, and Sawyer's is a marine, so not with him most of the time. That's all well and good until a family with a grievance take everyone at the Christmas party hostage.

This is definitely one of the more action-packed Little Christmases and, to be plain, it felt as though a little of the connection between the MC's was lost in the action. It is also heavier on the BDSM side than the others I have read. Whilst a thrilling read, it appears the caring/nurturing Daddies are the ones that tick more of the boxes for me. The pacing and the story arc were smooth, giving you time to get to know the supporting characters and what role they play.

This was still a great story and a wonderful addition to the series. I have no hesitation in recommending it.

** 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!
  
The Water King's Bride (The Descendants #2)
The Water King's Bride (The Descendants #2)
T.E. Ridener | 2022 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE WATER KING'S BRIDE is the second book in The Descendants series and follows directly on from book one, so I definitely recommend you read that first!

Heidi and Isaiah have stopped their constant bickering from book one as they both realise they have feelings for the other. That has to take a backseat though, as Heidi is desperate to find her father and missing people. We meet a multitude of new characters and reunite with some old ones, although whether that's a good thing remains to be seen.

As with book one, this is just as fast-paced and it is full of action. Whilst it fits with the story, I would like to see more about the characters, their backgrounds, the world they live in. Sometimes, it feels as though it's a spin-off from another series, one that explains about TimeKeepers, etc.

Saying that, this was a brilliant addition to the series that kept my attention and had me turning the pages. A fantastic story and I can't wait to see what happens next.

** 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!
  
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)
Felicia Day | 2016 | Biography
10
9.0 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
Maybe you picked this up because you watched Buffy that one time and wanted to know what that red-headed chick who wasn't Willow was all about… or more likely, you are a fan of one of her many endeavors (and why shouldn’t you be?). She is a super-hardworking person who seems to be doing what she loves, and in my humble opinion, completely killing it. She shares her awkwardness and how even she fangirls when meeting famous people she loves.

How can I describe this book? Imagine talking to your best friend about everything in your life: your childhood, your hopes and fears, and most importantly all things geeky (comics, video games, and the internet). That is how I felt when I was reading this book. Yes, I was a fan of Felicia’s already but reading this book felt more like talking to your best friend than some impersonal narrative that you just picked up off the shelf at random. Felicia is witty, funny, and down to earth. (A bit neurotic, her words, but we still love her for it.) Her candor is endearing and makes the book incredibly relatable. Her love of video games, comics, crafting and just the simple art of creating definitely speaks to her readers (I know I definitely relate). Plus, the pictures peppered throughout are just adorable.

She took her life into her own hands and with an incredible amount of hard work, created Geek & Sundry. She filled the book with her life and quite a few really good pieces of advice (as well as motivational phrases). As I sit here in my exploding TARDIS skirt (thank you mom for helping me make it), embracing my quirkiness and inner geek, I hope Felicia would be proud. I hope that people are inspired by her book, like I am inspired and take a chance. Do what they love.

Check out all of her projects with Geek & Sundry, as well as past projects like my love Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, the show that started it all the Guild and her appearances on Supernatural! And if anyone could get me a signed copy of her book, I would love you forever. I take my book collection very seriously and would love to have this sitting on my shelf (rather than residing digitally in the nethersphere of my kindle.) Random fun fact, one of my exes and I used to sing My Eyes. I, of course, sang Penny’s part (and when I was alone I would also be Dr. Horrible, duh). It was my favourite song from the show and I’m still obsessed with it. I also found it on Sing (karaoke app, I spend too much time on there) just so that I could record it as a duet (and then sing both parts because why not?). Enough about me, go buy her wonderful book immediately and read it.
  
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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Late Night (2019) in Movies

Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Sep 25, 2019)  
Late Night (2019)
Late Night (2019)
2019 | Comedy, Drama
Show me Emma Thompson in a trailer and I'll show you a film that's going to the top of my must-see list. Comedy, drama, she can do it all, and as Katherine Newbury she got to do a bit of both.

Katherine is losing her TV show after years of being a late night icon. Where she wants serious and respectable guests, viewers tastes are edging ever closer to internet and pop culture celebs. She needs some fresh and relevant content, but the team is lacking fresh blood and the ideas just aren't coming.

Molly longs for a change of pace from working at the plants and she takes a chance and gets herself an opportunity to interview for the writing team. Pressured by Katherine to get results, Brad hires Molly to start on the entirely male team despite her less than popular when she takes the place of their recently fired colleague.

Mindy Kaling has done a great job on the script for Late Night, it's funny but still manages to transition to more serious moments. The characters all make great connections and Katherine and Molly are particularly fun together once Molly is able to break the tough shell of Katherine. The only slight quibble about it is that a couple of times I felt things didn't need to be there, but those scenes still worked well.

The story may be a new take, but it's a tale as old as time in this sort of comedy. It's predictable but in a way that you love because the chemistry on screen is so good and the outcome is genuinely what you want.

Emma Thompson on screen is a delight, there's even one point where we see her contemplating and she looks like a Jack Vettriano. The woman is a masterpiece. She can play anything (well, apart from a yeti, but that was more to do with the terrible scripting) and the role of Katherine really does come to life in her hands.

Kaling as Molly is a delight to see. Her always upbeat nature and genuine love for what she's doing shines through bringing a beautiful partnership out between her and Katherine.

The supporting cast is full of faces you'll recognise and all of them help this light-hearted comedy becomes something that genuinely made me smile.

Late Night was an unsurprising hit with me, when you have so many great things it's very difficult to create something bad.

What you should do

Have you looked at the news or Twitter today and sighed at just how depressing the world can be? If yes, go and see Late Night for a great mood lifter. If no, go and see Late Night for a great mood lifter.

Movie thing you wish you could take home

That suit Katherine wears right at the end of the movie... amazing.
  
Dead Island
Dead Island
2011 | Action/Adventure
Great Graphics (4 more)
Huge areas to explore
Free roam mostly
Different characters
20-30 hours game time 1st time round
Some tricky bits to get past (1 more)
Losing custom weapons
Zombie Island vacation
A brilliant game going back a few years now. You have huge areas to roam as you please most of the time with a few key points to complete to advance. If you want to jump in a jeep and run down zombies you can! The game is huge and with a lot of exploring will take over 20 hours to complete first time round. You have a few players with different skills you can build on to add to the replay value. The graphics were great for the time, bright colorful and detailed. You can create custom weapons with various abilities. The only real downside was if you died sometimes it could mean a good 5 minutes or more to get back to that area to try again. Some of the enemies got repetitive and were just a higher level later on. Overall though a game to lose yourself in for hours as you bash zombies in a tropical paradise. It has almost a cinematic quality at times. Wouldn't surprise me if it gets a film one day.
  
Train to Busan (2016)
Train to Busan (2016)
2016 | Action, Drama, Horror
The characters, it isn't really obvious what's going to happen later on in the film, it's different from most other zombie films. (0 more)
A gripping Korean zombie film
I was excited to watch Train to Busan the moment I saw the trailer for it. I am a huge fan of horror and zombie films and this one looked different.
I was pretty into it as soon as I started to watch it, I was pulled in and couldn't take my eyes from the screen from the moment the characters first board the train.
There were little details here and there that I loved including the fact that one character has a brand new Nintendo Ds (I love Nintendo).
Most zombie movies bore me after a while and I don't care too much for the characters, but in Train to Busan I was rooting for several of them.
I also loved the fact they were on a train, that was ont of the reasons I wanted to watch this film, I wanted to see exactly how they were gonna survive in such a small space.
I highly recommend this film, give it a try even if you don't like the look of it and it might surprise you.