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Mother-Daughter Murder Night

Nina Simon

5.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud of: her keen intelligence, impeccable...

Debbiereadsbook (1659 KP) rated Sweetest Blood in Books

Feb 4, 2026

Sweetest Blood

Regitse Liljadorff | 2026 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance

8.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

4 very good stars

Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Felix signs up to be a donor for a year to enable him to save his sister, Astrea. Severin is his latest vampire. But Felix is changing the taste of his blood, to make it sweeter for the vampires. Severin, however, tastes something completely unexpected: his mate. But keeping his mate safe is becoming harder, as the coven who has Astrea is doing things totally against the rules.

I liked this, I liked it a lot. I've not read anything by this author before an I enjoyed the way the tale was spun.

Both Felix and Severin have a say, in the first person, so I liked that.

It's got some steam, and some danger. Some drama and some emotions. Not a lot of anything, but enough to make the book interesting.

I also liked that, besides Felix and Severin, we get two other romances! I'm not sayng who for spoilers, but I liked that we watch them fall along with these two.

I liked the two epilogues as well!

All in all, a good read, that made a wet Wednesday more enjoyable!

4 very good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

Kudos

On a Sword's Edge (William the Bold #1)

J R Tomlin

(0 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Scotland. 1263. The scent of rain mingles with the smoke of campfires as word spreads: the Norse are...

Scottish Medieval Historical Fiction

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2484 KP) rated Lime and Punishment in Books

Jan 14, 2026

Lime and Punishment

Cathy Wiley | 2025 | Mystery

10.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Murder Leaves a Tart Taste on This Festival

Jackie Norwood and her friends have landed in Maverick Key, one of the smaller of the Florida Keys, for their key lime festival. Everyone is happy to be there since it is February. But Jackie is disturbed to find out that two bar owners have been killed in the last few weeks. She was hoping for a more relaxed festival this time, however, it looks like murder has followed her once again. But it’s only after she runs into her high school band teacher and learns he’s the prime suspect that Jackie decides she must investigate. Can she clear her friend of the crime?

This book sets up the story as quickly as possible and then delivers a mystery filled with plenty of twists, great suspects, and red herrings along the way to the logical climax. All of Jackie’s friends are present, and they continue to provide the cozy core of these travel stories. I love how some relationships continue to evolved. We also get a nice dose of puns and other humor. There are plenty of key lime based recipes, and not all of them dessert. I was thrilled to be back for Jackie’s latest adventure. Fans new and old will find plenty to enjoy here.

Kudos

Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Braveheart (1995) in Movies

Jul 28, 2018

Braveheart (1995)

1995 | Drama, History, War

8.2

(49 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Epic

The Story of Scottish Patriot William Wallace (Mel Gibson) and his quest to unite the clans and rise up against their English oppressors.

Acting: 10

Beginning: 10
The film gets off to a hot start by immediately drawing you into the story. Once the camera pans into the hut with all of the hanging bodies, they had my attention right away. The sheer intrigue was enough to make me want to see more.

Characters: 10
The Scots are a crazy bunch and I LOVE them. Whether old or young, they're all tough guys in their own right. One crazy person is enough to make a film interesting, but you put a bunch of them together and now you're really cooking with fire. William Wallace, of course, takes the cake of all the crazies. His character is easily one of my all-time favorite protagonists from his demeanor to the strong message he carries.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10
You kind of cheat when you shoot a film in Scotland, let's be honest. Beautiful landscapes abound, filled with mountains and lush valleys. I got lost watching William Wallace ride through the countryside on horseback. Made me think, "Damn, am I taking enough vacations?"

It's not the landscapes, however, as the battles are epic and sprawling. You get a taste of a bit of blood or something gory right before it cuts to a new fight. Seeing a fight that probably took hours abbreviated into a couple minutes is jarring and effective. These are some of the best battles captured on film.

Conflict: 10

Genre: 7

Memorability: 8
Braveheart is a film that easily stands the test of time. The brotherhood of the clans alone is memorable in and of itself. These are guys that lay down their lives for each other to advance their nation. The battles that ensue as a result of the stand that these men take are sheer inspiration. "They can take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"

Pace: 10
While the film slows down just slightly after the opening scenes, once the fighting starts, things move forward at a breakneck pace. It drives you from one scene to the next with intensity and passion. Just when you think you've had enough action, you're graced with more! Very solid pace.

Plot: 10

Resolution: 5
The ending was a bit deflating, at least for my taste. I respected the realism, but it felt counterintuitive to what the rest of the film was accomplishing. Not horrible, but perhaps a different approach would warrant a better score.

Overall: 90
I never had any interest whatsoever to watch this film and, after finally seeing it, I can't believe I waited this long. Such an inspirational, all-time classic. Loved it.