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Falling for my Ex's Twin (Falling For You #2)
Falling for my Ex's Twin (Falling For You #2)
Colette Davison | 2026 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Loved that Jimmy gave Flynn that time!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the Falling for You series. I have not read book 1, Falling for the Professor. As far as I can tell, that book sort of runs alongside this one and so I don't think it matters if you read that one or not. I want to now go back and read that book, because Angus plays a part here and you can pick things up as you go along.

Flynn moves to Leeds to get away from his ex, after their marriage ends. He knows that Jimmy, the ex's twin brother is at uni in Leeds but he never expected to reconnect. Because Jimmy hates Flynn, right?? One drunken night later, and Flynn is questioning everything he thought he knew about Jimmy and the ex' Billy.

I loved this!!

It's wonderful, it really is. A different take on the "my ex's brother" theme and I loved how it was delivered.

Jimmy is VERY different from his brother, Billy. And Flynn realises that quickly. But Flynn loved Billy and still does, and his feelings for Jimmy are confusing him greatly. I loved that Jimmy is patient, he has been waiting for Flynn for years. He knows that Flynn needs time to work through his feelings and emotions about everything and he will wait.

I loved that Jimmy gave Flynn that time. Flynn is trying to come to terms with the end of his marriage, but when others point out how Billy treated him, it makes Flynn think. When you are in that sort of relationship, you really do not see what's happening but after? The red flags are all there. And Flynn needs to come to terms with what Billy did to him.

But when Billy finds out?? The man takes it to the next level and Flynn's blinkers are left in the dust and he can see things much more clearly.

I loved that Jimmy's parents were happy for Flynn and Jimmy. They saw them together years ago, before Billy, so they were really pleased by it all.

AND!!

First person, present tense and multi POV! And I loved it! Maybe I'm getting over my dislike of books written this way, I didn't even notice til I was writing this review and filing it. SO, very well played!

5 full and shiny stars
  
Rocketman (2019)
Rocketman (2019)
2019 | Biography, Drama
Elton John has had a career that has spanned decades, millions of albums sold, packed venues, awards, and more than a few headlines. In the new film “Rocketman” audiences get a look behind the man thanks to the amazing and Oscar worthy portrayal by Taron Egerton.

The film opens with a flamboyantly dressed John entering rehab in one of his stage costumes. As he opens up with his group, he shares the story of his childhood as a shy child who is desperate to have his father show him any signs of approval or affection.

When it is discovered that he has talent with the piano; his grandmother encourages him and even takes him to apply for a position at the Royal Academy of Music.
His mother (Bryce Dallas Howard) is moderately supportive but is more focused on her social life brought on by her failing marriage.

As the film unfolds; we see Elton working in a backup band and in time answering an ad that puts him with an agent. Paired with the man who would eventually change his life; Bernie Taupin (Jamie Bell), Elton and Bernie combine to write a series of songs which in turn leads him to a series of gigs in Los Angeles. The film shifts into high gear at this point as we see how their music becomes a smash and leads to a series of parties, drugs, and money.

Elton meets Manager John Reid (Richard Madden), who becomes his
As the record sales and hits mount, so does the destructive behaviors which leads Elton down a destructive path that threatens everything he has worked for.

The movie is a masterpiece of music and story and it cleverly uses musical montages and segments around the performances to outline various segments of his life and his rise to stardom.
The performances are amazing and Egerton was simply amazing as he not only captured the complexity of his character but performed all the vocals of the hit songs himself and they were spot on.
During our Press Screening I noticed many people singing along, tapping their feet, or bobbing their heads along with the music which helps to underscore just how timeless and popular his catalog of music has been as the songs have endured the test of time.

The film also evokes some unexpected emotion as there were more than a few people wiping their eyes during the film which at its core is a store of a young, shy boy desperate to be accepted and loved.
I truly hope the film is recognized come Awards season as it is a wonderful and memorable cinematic experience.

http://sknr.net/2019/05/31/rocketman/
  
Drakaina's Fire (Drak Defense Co. #1) by Raven Lovelace
Drakaina's Fire (Drak Defense Co. #1) by Raven Lovelace
Raven Lovelace | 2022 | Paranormal, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
DRAKAINA'S FIRE is the first book in the Drak Defense Co. series and we are introduced to a first-class group of women mercenaries who are able to pull off jobs no one else can. They charge top dollar, and the US Government is happy to pay it due to their success rate. Oh, and the fact they donate some of their money to widows and children of war charities.

Daphne is the eldest and has eleven sisters (same father, different mothers) who are all Drakaina (female pronoun). Everett is the youngest General in the military and is ordered to learn more about the mercenary crew. Both of them turn into silly putty when they meet each other.

For a debut book, this was a good start. The general concept of the world - both the normal and paranormal one - has its foundations laid. The big bad has been made known to us and the reasons behind it.

However, there are sentences and phrases that are repeated unnecessarily, words spelt correctly but used wrongly (be instead of me), and some things that just don't make sense. The supporting characters fade into the background as you don't learn much about them, the exception being Charlotte but I still don't know much about her either. Also, Daphne and Everett are supposed to be leaders! Some of the things they do - both separately and together - just don't make sense or seem physically possible. For example, if you've got members of your team going missing, you're not going to go off by yourself with no backup, especially when you know what you're up against.

And don't even get me started on Daphne's blip about betrayal! My Kindle was very nearly damaged with this one. Of course, I'll believe the man who works for the enemy, who has just admitted kidnapping and torturing my sister, who baited a trap I've just walked into, over the word of my mate who has done nothing but be there for me since we've met. And how does said man reappear later when he's supposed to be absolutely and utterly dead! D.E.A.D! Apparently, Drakaina aren't as thorough as they think they are, nor is their fire as hot as they think.

On the whole, a good debut but it will definitely need to be tightened up to go forwards.

** 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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    Withered

    Amy Miles

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    I always thought when the apocalypse finally began I would be swinging my baseball bat at the...

40x40

Sarah (7800 KP) rated WandaVision in TV

Mar 7, 2021  
WandaVision
WandaVision
2021 | Action, Adventure, Mystery
A welcome return to the MCU
WandaVision is the latest Marvel series to hit the small screen, arriving in a flood of hype as the first official series to tie in with the rest of the MCU. Initially I hadn’t been interested in this after struggling to enjoy previous series, however after discovering that everyone I know was watching this, FOMO and the fact that we haven’t had a new MCU release since Phase 3 wrapped up with 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, has prompted me to give this a go. And I’m rather glad I did.

WandaVision is set not long after the events of Endgame, and follows Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany) as they live an idyllic suburban life in the small town of Westview. However all is not as it seems; Wanda and Vision appear to be starring in their own 1950s style sitcom, as a odd couple with superpowers trying to blend in with the neighbours, including nosy Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) and committee leader Dotty (Emma Caulfield). Strange things soon start happening, and as Wanda and Vision become increasingly confused and suspicious about their new life, outside of Westfield agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park), Dr Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) are also trying to figure out what’s going on.

Setting WandaVision in the style of various popular sitcoms from the 1950s onwards is a genius move. BeWitched, I Love Lucy, Malcolm in the Middle and Modern Family to name but a few of the obvious influences on show here, and this changing sitcom style really works and blends very well with the super powered action we know and love from the MCU. I’ll admit that I’m not a massive fan of sitcoms in general and my knowledge of older ones pre-1990 is limited at best, however even I could appreciate the love and care that has gone in to crafting this. It looks amazing and feels so authentic, from everything to the set design, costumes and change in aspect ratio.

It is of course helped by the stellar performances by Elizabeth Olsen. In the MCU so far Wanda has been rather sidelined and Olsen has been given little chance to shine. However she is undoubtedly the star of WandaVision and has been given ample opportunity to show off her versatility and talents, and she certainly does. We see a side of Wanda we’ve never seen before and Olsen’s ability to transform into each decade’s sitcom character is brilliant to watch. It’s a shame then that Bettany’s Vision doesn’t quite match up. No matter the decade, Vision never really seems to change much and while he is funny on occasion, I’m not entirely convinced that seeing more of Vision is a good thing. He’s always been the aloof synthezoid and this may have made him a little too ‘human’. However that said, it was still nice to see a lot more of Bettany than we have done in a while.

Once you get over the sitcom styling, the first couple of episodes are quite slow and had it continued in this vein I may have struggling to keep interested. However in typical Marvel style, it soon picks up and immerses us into the full MCU experience I was expecting. While I don’t want to say much about the plot, from episode 3 onwards I was hooked and the story never felt drawn out, and this wasn’t just due to the short half hour episodes. Unravelling the world of WandaVision was hugely enjoyable and one particular character reappearance in episode 5 had me almost squealing in geeky happiness. The only thing WandaVision is really lacking is the humour and camaraderie that have made the rest of the MCU films into what we love best. Yes there is humour and fun, but this mostly comes from Woo and Darcy, and I think it’s noticeable that the funnier Avengers are missing.

For me, WandaVision isn’t perfect however it was still hugely enjoyable and has definitely given me a new found appreciation for Wanda as a character. And mor important of all, it’s filled a rather large Marvel shaped hole brought on by coronavirus. Bring on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
  
More Than We Can Tell (Letters to the Lost # 2)
More Than We Can Tell (Letters to the Lost # 2)
Brigid Kemmerer | 2018 | Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
One of the things I don’t pay attention to when I read a book is if it is in a series. Most of the time I’ll catch it, but in this case, I didn’t know it was part of the LETTERS TO THE LOST verse. I didn’t catch it till the book REFERENCED a scene from that book. I adored LETTERS TO THE LOST. This book DID reference, but it is a stand alone story, so if you want to read it, you DO NOT have to read LETTERS TO THE LOST – although I HIGHLY recommend it.

Each chapter is told in separate POV’s

Rev Fletcher – He lives with his foster parents and is closed off due to physical torment from his highly religious nut father.

Emma Blue – Known as Azure M in her online game – She created this game and has made it public for other users to play, one user in particular is harassing her. Her parents are a different story. Her mother is a bit controlling while her father is more of a friend who designs video games.

This book, for starters, totally DID NOT use one of my least favorite tropes and have non existent parents in a world where it’s teenagers telling this story. Kudos for giving parents roles of being parents – with the exception of Emma’s father. He doesn’t really play the role of father, and it kind of makes it known in the story, which is fine with me.

Emma keeps this new game she created to herself mostly because her mother has tried to get her away from games, going as far as turning off the internet. See, if I were trying to do that, I would have taken the router/modem with me as well, not just unplugged it. That’s just me. She finds comfort in not only an online friend she made called, ETHAN, but also when she meets REV outside a church.

Rev has his own baggage. His father gave up his parental rights, and now, he’s emailing Rev and basically stirring up old resentment, but also feelings of wanting to please his father. I feel bad for Rev and I can’t even get frustrated with him when he completely shuts down even though his best friend tries to get him to talk and help him.

Emma was being stubborn, although most times I can understand with her mother, but when things escalate between her and ETHAN (and I mean they ESCALATED!) I wanted to just shake her for being so…stupid.

It is NEVER OKAY to not at least be supportive of your friend’s interest, even if you don’t find it all that interesting – just saying.

Despite a few annoyances, some from Emma and her mother, but also Rev on some occasions, I actually enjoyed this book. I liked how this story unraveled and how that while it’s told from another verse, it’s still a book by itself. I’m left with more questions than answers. I like how the author didn’t use one of my least favorite tropes even though she could have. I wind up really liking Emma’s mother and she has put up with A LOT – so it was nice seeing how Emma actually TRIES to let her mother into her life, even if there are still baby steps to be made.

Rev realizes that his father, despite being this man who tortured, he is just a man.

It was an enjoyable read with a couple of twists that maybe I should have seen coming, but I didn’t. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, however. You really get a sense of where Rev lives and his adoptive parents.

I won’t give away anymore than LETTERS TO THE LOST is worth the read. If anything, just so you can get all excited like I did when it’s referenced in this book.
  
Vikings  - Season 1
Vikings - Season 1
2013 | Action, Drama, History
Historically Accurate in terms of culture (2 more)
Doesn't hold back on the gore and grim nature of Vikings
Great Character development
Doesn't hold back on the gore and grim nature of Vikings (not for the light hearted) (0 more)
A Historically accurate fantasy series
Vikings was a show that I didn't begin watching until it was already 3 seasons in. However it is a show that I instantly fell in love with because it was very different from any show like it.

Many shows these days such as Game Of Thrones and Vikings, etc. are becoming more daring with reaching a specific audience rather than the wider audience gained through less graphically violent shows. These shows are not afraid to show us a blade slicing through someones flesh or the blood pouring out of the wounds.

Vikings, as known throughout history, have been recorded as violent and brutish warriors who slaughtered hundreds of men and women during their travels to England and other European lands. The show does not hold back when it comes to portraying their brutality in battle. It is not all brutality and war though, as the drama aspect of this show, is shown through the main cast in their homeland of Scandinavia.

Ragnar is definitely a great character to follow as we watch him rise to become Jarl of his home town. Portrayed by Travis Fimmel (Warcraft: The Beginning / The Baytown Outlaws), the character of Ragnar Lothbrok is one we see develop in many different ways. Based upon the legend of a man of the same name, who, though recorded throughout history, is a character that some historians are unsure existed, thought his sons are definitely recorded to have existed. The only way I can explain this is that his legend is so incredible that there are some who chose to believe it and others who chose to believe it is simply stories made up by travelers and poets.

Either way, this show is a brilliant fantasy drama that combines fiction with historical accuracy. This first season follows Ragnar as he begins his journey to defy the Jarl of Kattegat and sail towards England to raid, pillage and bring back treasure unlike anything the north had ever seen.

The soundtrack to the series is also brilliant and really brings the scenes of the films to life, and give them a beautiful atmosphere that sucks you into the moment, and leaves you on the edge of your seat.

With a great cast, excellent writers and great directing and cinematography, Vikings is beautiful, thrilling and horrifying and certainly, in my opinion, one of the greatest shows I have ever watched.