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Becs (244 KP) rated Words That Kill in Books

Oct 2, 2019  
Words That Kill
Words That Kill
Vivid Vega | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’ve always had a thing for poetry and have loved every single poetry collection that I have gotten my hands on. My husband got me Words That Kill by Vivid Vega for this past Christmas. When I started to read it, I couldn’t put it down, it was just so good and so emotional. But I eventually had to take a break because it was starting to mess with me. There are not many poetry collections that touch on the mental health subject and I’m glad that there is now one available to the public.

Genre: Mental Health, Young Adult

Audience: Young Adult but also mature audiences as well

Reading level: Middle to High School

Interests: Depression, Mental Health, Anxiety, Suicide, Abuse, Hope, and Love.

Style: Light to hard – depending on the person.

Point of view: First person

Difficulty reading: Very easy to read but be warned, it does make you very emotional.

Promise: Words That Kill promises a poetry collection that talks about mental health and it delivers.

Quality: I believe everybody should read this even if they haven’t dealt with mental health.

Insights: Not taking the grammatical and spelling errors, the poems were a lot lighter to read compared to Rupi Kuar or even Shakespeare.

Ah-Ha Moment: There wasn’t really a moment where I went ‘Ah yea, that’s the turning point’. This is only because it wasn’t really a story, more of a poem that brings memories of the past back to life.

Favorite quote: “There is no need to hide in the shade, the light will come and your pain will fade.” – This is a great representation of how depression works. You have your good and your bad moments.

Aesthetics: The thing that drew me to the book in the first place, minus the topic of mental health of course, was the fact that the entire book is white words on an entirely black background. I’ve never seen a book have that aesthetically pleasing style and I love it!

“Like a flower, I will bloom again – depression.”
  
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated Scorn of Secrets in Books

Jun 23, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)  
Scorn of Secrets
Scorn of Secrets
B. Truly | 2021 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
SCORN OF SECRETS will tear your heart out and stomp on it - this I can promise you! It hooked me in from the start as Madison tries to cope with the death of her father, plus have a relationship with her oh-so-loving mother and older sister. Her whole world is upended when they move to a new state, but it's not all that bad... is it?

Told from Madison's perspective, you are with her as she meets the rich man her mother has latched onto, the new home, the new school, the new future step-siblings. She is the quiet one of the two, more introspective than the loud Tanya, and more likely to be on Goodreads than Instagram!

This book was so emotional, I swear I wanted to kill Tanya and Charlotte. Unfortunately, family can be too similar to the way the characters are described, so my heart broke for Madison and how they treated her. The confusion and trauma she goes through were made completely understandable and showed you how little choice she thought she had. Justin is a caring and mature young man who is swept away by Madison. He wants to be there for her in every way. He struggles to understand but, once the secret is out, he fully understands.

This is the first book and does have an open ending. I can't wait to read Book 2, Thorn of Secrets, and I really REALLY hope for a happy ending for Madison and Justin. These two, gah!!! Please let them be happy, they deserve it!

In case you hadn't figured it out, I highly recommend this book! Absolutely brilliant.

** 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 23, 2021
  
PP
Plain Perfect (Daughters of the Promise, #1)
Beth Wiseman | 2008 | Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A wunderbaar Amish novel set in the quaint Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Beth Wiseman combines love, faith in God, friendship and family in a way that captures the reader and holds them to the very end!
 
Lillian Miller, trying to escape a life of lies and a relationship she doesn't need, flees to her Amish grandparents' home in Lancaster County, knowing all along that she will never fit in with her modern style. While there, she discovers truths about her past...things her mother never told her.
 
Samuel Stoltzfus is a young Amish widow, trying to raise his young son. He meets the young Englischer, the granddaughter of his close friends. He knows the rules of the Ordnung, but can he truly deny what he feels in his heart???
 
She's forced to choose between two worlds...one of lies and abuse, and one of simple, family oriented, Godly, plain living...and a life with a wunderbaar, caring man.
 
What will happen to Lillian and her perfect, modern life and Samuel, with his plain living? Will they face the truth of their feelings, hearts and God and become Plain Perfectin this amazing inspirational novel?
 
Grab some coffee and a copy of Beth's novel, sit back and enjoy this first book in a wonderful series, Daughters of the Promise! You'll be glad you did! This book truly deserves to be highly praised and I think you'll agree once you,too, have read Plain Perfect by Beth Wiseman!!!!! Two thumbs up and five stars to Mrs. Wiseman!!! <a href="http://cafinatedread.com/2009/09/16/review-plain-perfect-by-beth-wiseman/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
  
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MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated You Are Not Alone in Books

Jan 10, 2020 (Updated Jan 10, 2020)  
You Are Not Alone
You Are Not Alone
Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen | 2020 | Contemporary, Thriller
8
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the third psychological thriller from Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen, and it's my opinion that it was just not as good as the first two. That's not to say it wasn't good; just not AS good. The big reveal didn't feel all that big, and the ending felt a bit rushed. However, it's a very enjoyable read and 100% worth your time.

Shay Miller witnesses a young woman, about her age, commit suicide by jumping in front of an oncoming subway train. From there she meets sisters Cassandra & Jane Moore, and her life pretty much immediately spirals out of control. Unfortunately there's not much more I can say re: the plot without ruining the reader's experience, so here are some fairly vague observations/opinions:

- If you've read this author duo's previous two titles, then you're familiar with their writing style, and you'll be happy to know that this style continues in You Are Not Alone. I appreciate that they have a particular style that they stick with.

- I felt like it took far too long for Shay to realize what was happening to her. It also took far too long for any motives to be revealed.

- The cast of women is intriguing. Except for Jody. Jody's a bitch.

- Sean, the lone male character, is a complete non-committal, whiny afterthought. It's possible that's how the authors wanted him to come across. Mission accomplished.


You are not alone: Is it a promise, or a threat?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!
  
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated Forsaken (Reflections, #7) in Books

Apr 4, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)  
Forsaken (Reflections, #7)
Forsaken (Reflections, #7)
Dean Murray | 2013 | Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
By Jove, he's only gone and done it. Dean Murray has managed to get me shouting out at the book... again! I was unable to put this down and actually had to go and see the synopsis for the review of the next book to ensure that Alec and Adri had some sort of future together. That's how worried he got me with the scenes with Tasha in them.

So, backtracking then, this book is still following Alec and Adri as they try to come to terms with the decisions and choices they have made. Alec's pack is still small and unhealthy but rapidly becoming more unhealthy due to some mysterious illness that is affecting both shapeshifter and human alike. Adri has moved to New York where her mum is making a name for herself which means that Adri is still pretty much left on her own.

We meet new and old characters in this and learn that strength isn't always physical. What some might see as a weakness can actually be the greatest strength you can possess. It's not what it is, it's how you deal with it.

This series continues to grip and deliver on the promise of a fantastic story. Once I start one of these books, I usually tend to stop eating, drinking and sleeping until I've finished it. I really can't recommend these books highly enough to every reader out there.
 
* 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 26, 2016
  
The Freedom of Loving (Matters of the Heart #3)
The Freedom of Loving (Matters of the Heart #3)
Abrianna Denae | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE FREEDOM OF LOVING is the third book in the Matters of the Heart series and it's time for Jared and Sam to shine. Both of them appear in book 2 (Robert and Niall) and, this book runs concurrently in places, so I really would recommend you read at least that one first. I haven't read book 1 (Garrett and Presley) yet but it will be done, I promise you!

Jared is in a marriage of convenience... but not for much longer. He's put up with a lot from his wife but her latest trick is one step too far. Once his divorce is final, he'll be free to be with Sam, the man he has loved for years. Sam returns that love but refuses to be the other man. There is a little angst as Jared mistimes certain revelations but nothing too serious.

Oh, if anyone needs to be together, it's these two. The chemistry is there in spades on every page they share. But it's not all hot and heavy, it's full of emotions too. They are there for each other, and there for their found family, including horrible situations with parents that others simply may not understand.

I found the pacing to be perfect for their story. It moved along nicely without being bogged down anywhere. There isn't a single thing I would change. This is a hug-in-a-book and 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!
  
SD
Skin Deep (Dark World, #1)
T.G. Ayer | 2013
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Kailin works as a counselor at a Drug Rehab Centre but you don't actually spend much time there. Logan is a policeman working for Omega who deal with Paranormal incidences. Kailin ends up being in the middle of an Omega investigation as she makes her own inquiries.

Kailin is a brilliant main female as she states her case, doesn't back down but isn't stupid enough to continue championing something that is a lost cause already. She has relationship issues with family and friends but those she lets in, get close to her. Logan makes the perfect foil for Kailin. He is also young for his profession and has his own secrets and problems.

There is a lot of action in this book - drug issues, torture, disappearance to just name a few. It isn't all physical though - both Logan and Kailin have mental and emotional issues to work through. This is a 'busy' book, with a story that goes all the way through without any dull moments. Some of the things that happen you can guess but there is a lot that will leave you wondering just where out of left field it came from. There is also the hint and promise of romance that runs through it.

Thoroughly enjoyable and a definite page turner. Recommended for all Urban Fantasy/Paranormal fans out there.
  
Alpha Contender Boxed Set
Alpha Contender Boxed Set
Terry Bolryder | 2020 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
82 of 200
Kindle
Alpha contenders boxed set 1-4
By Terry Bolryder
 
Misty has few expectations from life. Work, read, sleep. But when she hears from a complete stranger that she's actually a powerful, shape-shifting werewolf, her life changes forever.

Lindon believes he already had his shot at love long ago. And lost it. The tall, blond, sexy shifter is now only trying to keep his promise to his father by protecting Misty as she learns about her new place in the world and seeks to find a future mate.

The only problem: she'll be meeting all of her prospective suitors at one time, and in one place. All TEN of them. All hot, single, alpha males competing for her heart.

Author's note! Alpha Contender was originally released as a four-part serial about one BBW finding out she’s a shifter and trying to choose from the ten hot alpha males trying to win her. All parts are bound here together for the first time in a full set at a special price as a thank you to my fans.


I wasn’t expecting much from this box set to be honest but I actually really enjoyed it! I felt Misty was a bit to gullible at annoying at first but I soon warmed up to her. The books were split up but it would have been better together either way still an enjoyable read!
  
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos
1966 | Action, Animals, Kids Game, Real-time
I’m reviewing Hungy Hungry Hippos? Really? Who hasn’t played Hungy Hungry Hippos?! Well, my 3-year-old son, for one. And my 8-month-old daughter for two. So this one goes out to all the young’ns and those who have never had the chance to actually play this game.


Ok so let me explain this game in great detail so that anyone may grab this and get playing. Setup the hippos around the board/disc/pool area. Fill up the marble wells with marbles (food for the hangry hippos). Choose a hippo to jockey. You are now setup.

So there aren’t really turns as everyone is playing simultaneously and marbles are going to be bouncing all over the board once launched into play. Your goal: eat as many marbles as you can until the marbles are all gone. Then count up your haul to determine the winner. Like, that’s it.
Components. Actually, the components in this one are really really good. I mean, you press a lever on the hippo’s butt (the tail maybe?) and it extends the head piece, comically, toward the center of the arena to gobble up delicious marble chow. The version we have all stores neatly together and fits in the box (YAY!) very well. I have zero complaints about the components. Well, okay, one complaint – but it’s NOT the game’s fault… is it? The marbles are wee and are definitely a choking hazard. So please please please be careful around children or dumb pets who may want to chomp them.

Though I have written this review in jest thus far as a game reviewer, the real reason I am putting this out there is because my son, age 3, absolutely loves this game. So much that I oftentimes am not allowed to actually press my hippo-butt-lever so that he may get all the marbles for himself. But, he’s having fun with board games and with his family. If that’s not the point of why people play games – to have fun and bond with people – then I do not know why people play games. This is a silly one, yes, but you have to have a few of these in your collection to just be crazy with the kids. So if you see it on the shelf, looking lonely, please pick up a copy. Your young ones will love it. I promise.