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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Chasing the Cure ( Caitlin Chronicles book 5) in Books
Apr 18, 2022
69 of 230
Kindle
Chasing the Cure ( Caitlin Chronicles book 5)
By Daniel Willcocks and Michael Anderle
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Madness is coming, and this time it’s personal.
Fueled by the tiny scatterings of a puzzle left behind, Caitlin journeys into the wilds to seek the elusive Helena in order to find the cure for the Madness and stop its spread once and for all.
Which is made all the more important when those closest to her are facing their toughest battles yet.
With Jaxon, Kain, and Mary-Anne by her side, Caitlin must tread farther from home than she’s ever been, risking capture, torment, and the Mad, all in the name of finding the truth behind the Madness.
Time is ticking, and the Madness is closer now than it’s ever been.
Set within the wonder of the Kurtherian Gambit Universe, discover the chaos and insanity of the Age of Madness—a time when the world turned on its head, and nothing is as it appears…
I enjoyed this book more than the last! But I’m unsure of all the new developments it all seems a bit strange. The more I think about it the more it baffles me especially the fact that these people are now flying over to Europe to find a cure! Very strange
Kindle
Chasing the Cure ( Caitlin Chronicles book 5)
By Daniel Willcocks and Michael Anderle
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Madness is coming, and this time it’s personal.
Fueled by the tiny scatterings of a puzzle left behind, Caitlin journeys into the wilds to seek the elusive Helena in order to find the cure for the Madness and stop its spread once and for all.
Which is made all the more important when those closest to her are facing their toughest battles yet.
With Jaxon, Kain, and Mary-Anne by her side, Caitlin must tread farther from home than she’s ever been, risking capture, torment, and the Mad, all in the name of finding the truth behind the Madness.
Time is ticking, and the Madness is closer now than it’s ever been.
Set within the wonder of the Kurtherian Gambit Universe, discover the chaos and insanity of the Age of Madness—a time when the world turned on its head, and nothing is as it appears…
I enjoyed this book more than the last! But I’m unsure of all the new developments it all seems a bit strange. The more I think about it the more it baffles me especially the fact that these people are now flying over to Europe to find a cure! Very strange
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Dawning Ascent ( The Pearson Prophecy book 1) in Books
Oct 24, 2022
196 of 230
Kindle
Dawning Ascent ( The Pearson Prophecy book 1)
By Jen L. Grey
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Power comes with a price.
Treated like an outcast in her own kingdom, Ariah learned to live in the shadows. But as she comes into her powers, she catches the eye of her life long crush and an unlikely ally. Trusting either of them could help her along a dangerous journey... or could bring her journey to a dangerous end.
When enemies come to light and distrust spreads, Ariah's safety is put in jeopardy. If she places her trust in the wrong people, her hidden powers will be unveiled to those who wish to use them against her.
To survive, Ariah must learn who has her best interests at heart. If she chooses wrong, it could mean not only her own death, but the crumbling of the entire country.
I did enjoy this book it had a good premise and the characters were easy to get along with. My one issue was this, the world building suggested it was very fairytale kingdom without modern technology etc which was great! But the author then throws in a coffee machine and a shower yet things like hospitals and modern equipment is not there. Just didn’t really make sense to me and took away from that fairytale feeling. It should be all or nothing I think.
Kindle
Dawning Ascent ( The Pearson Prophecy book 1)
By Jen L. Grey
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Power comes with a price.
Treated like an outcast in her own kingdom, Ariah learned to live in the shadows. But as she comes into her powers, she catches the eye of her life long crush and an unlikely ally. Trusting either of them could help her along a dangerous journey... or could bring her journey to a dangerous end.
When enemies come to light and distrust spreads, Ariah's safety is put in jeopardy. If she places her trust in the wrong people, her hidden powers will be unveiled to those who wish to use them against her.
To survive, Ariah must learn who has her best interests at heart. If she chooses wrong, it could mean not only her own death, but the crumbling of the entire country.
I did enjoy this book it had a good premise and the characters were easy to get along with. My one issue was this, the world building suggested it was very fairytale kingdom without modern technology etc which was great! But the author then throws in a coffee machine and a shower yet things like hospitals and modern equipment is not there. Just didn’t really make sense to me and took away from that fairytale feeling. It should be all or nothing I think.
ClareR (6074 KP) rated Remarkably Bright Creatures in Books
Mar 12, 2023
Lovely lovely lovely! A fabulous book! And to think I passed this one by when it was on the Kindle Daily Deal because I thought a book about an octopus sounded ridiculous. Obviously, this was before I had read Laline Paull’s Pod. So I’m pleased that The Pigeonhole drew me in and I got the chance to read about the Giant Pacific Octopus and all-round genius, Marcellus.
Honestly, I lived for the chapters from Marcellus. Wise, intelligent and perceptive, he is instrumental in sorting two of the main characters - Tova and Cameron - out.
I mean, the humans in this novel are lovely too. Tova lives alone since her husband died and cleans at her local aquarium until she has an accident and hurts her ankle. Whilst she is recovering, Cameron takes over. He has arrived in town searching of the father he has never met. His mother abandoned him as a child, and his aunt has always cared for him. Cameron is a lost soul, and he has landed in just the right place. Sowell Bay is full of the kindest people and luckily, Cameron meets them all - including Marcellus.
This is a touching story, and ultimately one of those books that swallows you up in the warmest of hugs.
So do I recommend it? Err, see above! 👆🏼
Honestly, I lived for the chapters from Marcellus. Wise, intelligent and perceptive, he is instrumental in sorting two of the main characters - Tova and Cameron - out.
I mean, the humans in this novel are lovely too. Tova lives alone since her husband died and cleans at her local aquarium until she has an accident and hurts her ankle. Whilst she is recovering, Cameron takes over. He has arrived in town searching of the father he has never met. His mother abandoned him as a child, and his aunt has always cared for him. Cameron is a lost soul, and he has landed in just the right place. Sowell Bay is full of the kindest people and luckily, Cameron meets them all - including Marcellus.
This is a touching story, and ultimately one of those books that swallows you up in the warmest of hugs.
So do I recommend it? Err, see above! 👆🏼
Merissa (13780 KP) rated The Last Families in Books
Dec 21, 2021 (Updated Jul 9, 2023)
THE LAST FAMILIES is a post-apocalyptic fantasy in which the earth has been destroyed and those surviving have left by boat to reach a safe place. Unknown to them, they go through a wormhole and end up on a different planet, one with unknown dangers to them.
This story is told from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a well-rounded view of what's happening. It moves at a fast pace so prepare yourself. I found I needed to concentrate on the story as otherwise, something would happen that I might miss which affected the whole timeline.
I'm not sure if this is the first book in a series as there seem to be questions left unanswered and open-ended storylines. However, saying that, this was a great read about their time in Gambir and the people who lived there.
There are some errors where the wrong word is used (but correctly spelt) but this didn't have too great an impact on my enjoyment.
Definitely recommended for all post-apocalyptic fantasy fans out there.
** 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!
Dec 21, 2021
This story is told from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a well-rounded view of what's happening. It moves at a fast pace so prepare yourself. I found I needed to concentrate on the story as otherwise, something would happen that I might miss which affected the whole timeline.
I'm not sure if this is the first book in a series as there seem to be questions left unanswered and open-ended storylines. However, saying that, this was a great read about their time in Gambir and the people who lived there.
There are some errors where the wrong word is used (but correctly spelt) but this didn't have too great an impact on my enjoyment.
Definitely recommended for all post-apocalyptic fantasy fans out there.
** 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!
Dec 21, 2021
ClareR (6074 KP) rated The Undiscovered Deaths of Grace McGill in Books
Feb 26, 2022
Grace McGill is a professional death cleaner. She is the person that the authorities call to clean up after a dead body has been found. Usually a dead body that has lain there for months before being discovered. It’s a grim job, but Grace does it with respect and fastidiousness.
Grace is something of a loner. She only seems to have passing contact with those she works with, and her abusive father. In fact, she seems to build more of a relationship with the dead people she cleans up after. Which is how she notices that several of the bodies have something in common. A daisy is near the spot where each of the corpses was found.
One particular person, Thomas Agnew, really affects her. He has lain undiscovered for 5 months, seemingly missed by no one. She collects some photos from his room, hoping to give them to a family member at the funeral, and then notices the piles of newspapers. They are all dated the same day over a period of many years. Something happened on that day, and Grace wants to know what it is.
This book was so well written - unputdownable. It threw a huge curveball as well and the twist, when it came, was totally unexpected. It was macabre, quirky and so different from anything else I’ve read recently. It really is well worth a read!
Grace is something of a loner. She only seems to have passing contact with those she works with, and her abusive father. In fact, she seems to build more of a relationship with the dead people she cleans up after. Which is how she notices that several of the bodies have something in common. A daisy is near the spot where each of the corpses was found.
One particular person, Thomas Agnew, really affects her. He has lain undiscovered for 5 months, seemingly missed by no one. She collects some photos from his room, hoping to give them to a family member at the funeral, and then notices the piles of newspapers. They are all dated the same day over a period of many years. Something happened on that day, and Grace wants to know what it is.
This book was so well written - unputdownable. It threw a huge curveball as well and the twist, when it came, was totally unexpected. It was macabre, quirky and so different from anything else I’ve read recently. It really is well worth a read!
David McK (3716 KP) rated The Northman (2022) in Movies
May 18, 2022
M'eh.
So, The Northman.
Been quite a bit of hype for it over here in Northern Ireland (perhaps because some of it was filmed here), which might explain why the showing I went to was absolutely jam packed - the most people I've seen in a screen since even before Covid times.
Unfortunately, and for me, the film also fell rather 'flat': I actually spent more time scanning the background to see if I could spot any familiar faces (and locations) than concentrating on the (slow, plodding) action unfolding in the foreground.
It's no secret that the plot owes much to the Icelandic sagas that inspired 'Hamlet' (or, in more modern terms, 'The Lion King'), with Alexander Skarsgard Viking protagonist on a mission of revenge against his uncle, who killed his father and stole his mother.
Perhaps that is why I (and most of those I saw this with) weren't all that impressed: basically, we've all seen it before! Well, that, and the fact the the finale felt like something out of 'Revenge of the Sith' ...
(We were also all in agreement that it would have been better if the more supernatural elements of the story had been toned down).
All this is not to say that it's a bad film, per se: just not at all what we were expecting or had been sold on by the trailers.
Been quite a bit of hype for it over here in Northern Ireland (perhaps because some of it was filmed here), which might explain why the showing I went to was absolutely jam packed - the most people I've seen in a screen since even before Covid times.
Unfortunately, and for me, the film also fell rather 'flat': I actually spent more time scanning the background to see if I could spot any familiar faces (and locations) than concentrating on the (slow, plodding) action unfolding in the foreground.
It's no secret that the plot owes much to the Icelandic sagas that inspired 'Hamlet' (or, in more modern terms, 'The Lion King'), with Alexander Skarsgard Viking protagonist on a mission of revenge against his uncle, who killed his father and stole his mother.
Perhaps that is why I (and most of those I saw this with) weren't all that impressed: basically, we've all seen it before! Well, that, and the fact the the finale felt like something out of 'Revenge of the Sith' ...
(We were also all in agreement that it would have been better if the more supernatural elements of the story had been toned down).
All this is not to say that it's a bad film, per se: just not at all what we were expecting or had been sold on by the trailers.
Forget Me Not (Ceruleans #2)
10.0
Rate It
Book
IN THE FACE OF DEATH, SHE MUST PROTECT THOSE SHE LOVES. The Ceruleans: mere mortals infused with...
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
ClareR (6074 KP) rated The Mars House in Books
Oct 1, 2024
Can I just say that I loved a book and leave it at that? Because this is one of those books.
Ok, a short summary:
January Sterling is a climate refugee, escaping the floods and intense heat for the Mars colony of Tharsis. Life as an Earthstronger on Mars isn’t ideal. He and the other Earthstrongers are seen as a danger to the native Martians: they are much stronger because of the weaker gravity, even though they’re much smaller. January and his fellow Earthstrongers are discriminated against and given the worst manual labour jobs.
January meets a Martian politician who is staunchly anti-Earth stronger, an somehow ends up in a sham-marriage. Of course, it’s a slow-burn romance with lots of peril, lies and climate change politics.
My only complaint, is that in trying to make the characters asexual, they all read as being very male. Perhaps it was just the way I read it.
The Mars House has a lot to say about climate change and its refugees - and the predictable refugee-haters. Instead of boats, they arrive in space ships, and the inhabitants of Mars are as scared of, and enraged by, these people, as some elements in our own society today.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved how different it was to Natasha Pulley’s previous books. Whatever will she write next? I’ll be waiting!
Ok, a short summary:
January Sterling is a climate refugee, escaping the floods and intense heat for the Mars colony of Tharsis. Life as an Earthstronger on Mars isn’t ideal. He and the other Earthstrongers are seen as a danger to the native Martians: they are much stronger because of the weaker gravity, even though they’re much smaller. January and his fellow Earthstrongers are discriminated against and given the worst manual labour jobs.
January meets a Martian politician who is staunchly anti-Earth stronger, an somehow ends up in a sham-marriage. Of course, it’s a slow-burn romance with lots of peril, lies and climate change politics.
My only complaint, is that in trying to make the characters asexual, they all read as being very male. Perhaps it was just the way I read it.
The Mars House has a lot to say about climate change and its refugees - and the predictable refugee-haters. Instead of boats, they arrive in space ships, and the inhabitants of Mars are as scared of, and enraged by, these people, as some elements in our own society today.
I really enjoyed this book, and I loved how different it was to Natasha Pulley’s previous books. Whatever will she write next? I’ll be waiting!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2486 KP) rated The Dark Wind in Books
Aug 14, 2025
Plane Crash Brings Mystery
Navajo police detective Jim Chee has recently transferred to a new area in the reservation, and his unfamiliarity with the area and people is making it hard to investigate cases. For example, there’s the John Doe body he can’t even identify. And he has no leads on the case of the windmill that is being sabotaged. While out staking it out overnight, Chee witnesses a plane crash. A plane that was flying low without lights. Chee figures those flying the plane were up to no good, and he is ordered to stay away from the Federal investigation. But it’s kind of hard when the Feds think he knows more about the crash. Can he figure out what happened without framing himself more?
While this is the fifth book in the series, and the second to feature Jim Chee, it reads like a standalone, with little from the previous book being brought up here. That isn’t to say that the characters are bad, it’s just a difference in storytelling from what we get today. I found the characters pulled me in. The mystery was strong with plenty to keep me guessing and a red herring that distracted me. Yet the ending was logical. As always, the landscape and culture came to life. I’m looking forward to more.
While this is the fifth book in the series, and the second to feature Jim Chee, it reads like a standalone, with little from the previous book being brought up here. That isn’t to say that the characters are bad, it’s just a difference in storytelling from what we get today. I found the characters pulled me in. The mystery was strong with plenty to keep me guessing and a red herring that distracted me. Yet the ending was logical. As always, the landscape and culture came to life. I’m looking forward to more.
ClareR (6074 KP) rated The Glassmaker in Books
Sep 2, 2025
This imaginative story begins in Murano, 1486 at the height of the Italian Renaissance, and ends in the modern day - and all with the same characters. And the thing is, never at any point did I feel that it was far fetched.
Murano comes across as a magical place, both in its ability to make beautiful pieces of art from glass, and also its ability to keep those who live there in a kind of time warp or stasis. If you live on Murano, you don’t age.
Such is the case with the main character, Orsola Rosso.
We join her family when she is 9 years old and her father dies suddenly. Her brother struggles with the responsibility and skills needed to run the business - that is until a rival matriarch teaches the Rosso women (via Orsola) how to make glass beads.
I loved how real people from history were brought into the story (Casanova and Josephine Bonaparte, amongst others), and how when time jumped hundreds of years, Orsola only aged a few in that time. We see how Italy changes over time, how it modernises and how climate change endangers both lives and livelihoods.
The story and characters felt as vibrant as the glass beads. This was such a refreshing, different read. Just outstanding 🤷🏼♀️
Murano comes across as a magical place, both in its ability to make beautiful pieces of art from glass, and also its ability to keep those who live there in a kind of time warp or stasis. If you live on Murano, you don’t age.
Such is the case with the main character, Orsola Rosso.
We join her family when she is 9 years old and her father dies suddenly. Her brother struggles with the responsibility and skills needed to run the business - that is until a rival matriarch teaches the Rosso women (via Orsola) how to make glass beads.
I loved how real people from history were brought into the story (Casanova and Josephine Bonaparte, amongst others), and how when time jumped hundreds of years, Orsola only aged a few in that time. We see how Italy changes over time, how it modernises and how climate change endangers both lives and livelihoods.
The story and characters felt as vibrant as the glass beads. This was such a refreshing, different read. Just outstanding 🤷🏼♀️