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Merissa (12038 KP) rated Shattered Ties (Guadel Chronicles #4) in Books

Apr 7, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)  
Shattered Ties (Guadel Chronicles #4)
Shattered Ties (Guadel Chronicles #4)
Dean Murray | 2013 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Va'del, Jain and Abby are fighting to make their way back to the Capital. Whilst you read about them, you have the timeline of Javin and Va'ma with the others that we lost track of during Brittle Bonds.

This book is non-stop action pretty much all the way through. You can feel the exhaustion of all of them. I have to say that I still feel sorry for Va'del as he still has to fight against the Guadel as well as the lowland mages. I am very pleased that he has the love and support of not just his wives but the rest of those that are fighting for him too.

Va'del has grown so much from the first book and not just physically. As crazy as this sounds, I feel very proud of the achievements he has made. The ending of the book is just perfect and I won't say more than that. What I will say is that Va'del once again has to make a huge sacrifice that most people don't even see or acknowledge. This book has left me with a hangover as I continued to think about the various characters and what their lives would be like "after".

Absolutely brilliant series by Dean Murray. On a par but completely different to his Reflections series. I honestly can't recommend this author highly enough.
 
* 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!
September 13, 2016
  
The Use of Heavy Water (The Valence Chronicles #2)
The Use of Heavy Water (The Valence Chronicles #2)
D'Arcy Arden | 2022 | Erotica, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE USE OF HEAVY WATER is the second book in The Valence Chronicles and continues where book one finished. Our quartet is off for some R-and-R planetside. They choose a world known for its first-class accommodations and food, etc. However, their time enjoying themselves doesn't work out quite as they imagined.

A figure from Brog's past sets the cat amongst the pigeons, leaving them vulnerable and defenceless. Pet is the one who is underestimated and therefore put in the position of having to save those he loves, with just help from his new friend, Bug.

I was in total agreement with Pet when it came to Des, Brog, and Xavis arguing. It didn't feel right and I hated how it affected them all. What I did enjoy was reading about Brog's past and how they were put into the current position. There were plenty of times when I was kept guessing, not knowing whether certain people were the good guys or the bad.

Just as with the first book, the world-building was fantastic. We meet new characters, and the pacing of the story was perfect. There were still some steamy moments but I would say the focus is on the action in this book.

A great addition to the series and I can't wait to read more. 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!
  
A King Under Siege (The Plantagenet Legacy #1)
A King Under Siege (The Plantagenet Legacy #1)
Mercedes Rochelle | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A KING UNDER SIEGE is the first book in The Plantagenet Legacy and details Richard II and the circumstances around the beginning of his reign. Crowned at ten, he was reliant upon his advisors for a time, although the frustration he felt was clear when their advice was less than helpful. We also get to meet Anne of Bohemia, his first wife and great love. Together with those of Richard's inner court, we see how it could have been (and probably was) for people at that time.

Told as an amalgamation of fact and fiction, you get the story and history with comments and questions raised by an observer. It is clear that a lot of research has gone into this book.

Richard was the last of Plantagenet kings in the direct line and you see his relationship with Henry Bolingbroke -- the most direct descendant in the male line, as opposed to the then-heir presumptive -- as a fraught affair, with Henry not involving himself too deeply in the politics of the time, but having great impact upon Richard when he did.

This part of the story takes us through to 1388, ending with a hint of Richard regaining control in 1389.

A story that will definitely intrigue and interest lovers of both the Plantagenet era and the Tudor, as this shows the build-up to future events. 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!
  
There's Someone Inside Your House (2021)
There's Someone Inside Your House (2021)
2021 | Horror
7
5.6 (5 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Movie starts with a young teen coming home, the house is empty but the egg timer is ticking away, he calls out to see if anybody is home but there is no answer and he thinks nothing of it, finishes his phone conversation and goes to sleep. He is woken up in the middle of the night by the egg timer which is now in his room, this freaks him out and he calls the police, but is interrupted by random photos placed around the house of a secret he has been keeping and we soon have our first kill. A video of his secret is then sent to everyone and as this video also contains another jock, that jock is shunned at school and ends up sitting with a different group of teens, which is who the movie follows.
After the second kill, everyone becomes aware that the killer is going after those with a secret, meaning bad news for one of the teens.

This movie has many cliches used in teen Slashers, such as running anywhere but outside when trying to escape the killer, going to parties despite a killer being on the loose, the killer wearing a mask, people blaming each other and of course the killer having a plan to frame someone. Despite this (and the look a like masks which bared no resemblance to the victims) I did enjoy this movie. The acting wasn't spot on all the time but good enough for me. I also felt that the music wasn't right for the movie as it had more of a strangers things vibe than horror.
  
The Dark (Lacey Flint #5)
The Dark (Lacey Flint #5)
Sharon Bolton | 2022 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Lacey Flint is back for another gripping story but don't worry if you haven't read any of the series before, it doesn't matter too much as Sharon Bolton does a great job of getting you up to speed with the characters without you getting bogged down in the back story.

Lacey is a complex character with secrets some of which are highlighted in the prologue. She is strong yet vulnerable, fearless and yet fearful as the opening chapter shows when a baby is snatched and set adrift on the River Thames and a pram is thrown off a bridge. What? Why? Who would do such a despicable thing?

The dark web is buzzing with the story and threatening of more to come; the incels (involuntary celibates) have had enough and want to make sure that every woman, no matter their age, knows it. The pressure to catch those behind the terrorist movement ramps up as the attacks become ever more commonplace and when it becomes clear that Lacey herself is a target, the tension becomes palpable but who are the people behind this and how can they be stopped when every man is a potential threat?

An absolutely gripping read with a scary concept that is all too frighteningly plausible that had me swiping my screen desperate to see what happened next but not wanting it to end ... and that ending ... I hope Sharon Bolton doesn't leave it as long for the next instalment is all I can say!

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Dark and to share my thoughts.
  
The Memory of Animals
The Memory of Animals
Claire Fuller | 2023 | Contemporary, Dystopia, Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’m completely braised. I love Claire Fullers writing, I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her and The Memory of Animals is no exception. And the fact that this could be described as a dystopian or even an apocalyptic novel made it even more fascinating. I love this genre - even though it usually enters my dreams and makes for an interesting nights sleep!

This is a pandemic novel - but not our pandemic, not Covid. This is a dropsy-type disease, where those infected swell up, their brains swell up too, they forget - and more often than not, they die.

Neffy (Nefeli) and a group of young people volunteer to be vaccinated against, and then infected by, the virus. Something goes wrong, and it looks as though Neffy and four other test volunteers are the only ones who are alive and well. But they can’t leave the building they’re in and the food is running out.

Neffy is a Marine Biologist, an Aquarist, and my favourite parts were her letters to ‘H’ as well as her flashbacks to childhood and pre-pandemic.

This isn’t *just* a speculative, science fiction book, it’s a story about the human condition, about the human drive to survive against the odds, regret, loss, grief, memory, love and above all, hope.

I could go on and on about this. I would never have expected a novel like this from Claire Fuller after reading her previous novels, but that’s what makes it even better. I actually read this twice (unheard of for me, actually). I finished it and immediately started reading again.

So yes, I would most definitely strongly recommend this book!
  
Hot Conduit (Hot Under the Collar #2)
Hot Conduit (Hot Under the Collar #2)
Katherine McIntyre | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
so steamy once they decide to act on their attraction!
I was gifted my copy of this book, direct from the author.

This is book 2 in the Hot Under the Collar series, and it can totally be read as a stand alone. HOWEVER, I loved book 1, Sweat Connection, like LOVED IT, so I strongly recommend you read that book as well. Not necessary, but my personal opinion.

Taken from the review I wrote for book one:

I'm not rehashing the blurb, and I'm not telling you the story, I'ma just gonna jump straight in!

READ THIS FREAKING BOOK, PEOPLE!

Again, I'm jumping straight in, cos I bloody loved this book!

Theo and Lex have chemistry, right from the start, but the major dislike for each other takes centre stage for a time. Once they click on the app, all bets are off.

I loved that Lex, once he knew about them, made an effort to ease Theo's issues with germs. Like he took wet wipes for Theo to clean the table at the diner. I loved those little things he did.

There is steam here, so much steam. Once they decide to act of the attraction, it flies hawt off the charts! But emotional too. Theo is dealing with his past exes, and Lex had his heart broken. But they get there, they really do.

I loved the goat yoga! I could see that happening, it was so much fun!

I loved book one, and I loved this one too. I can't wait for book 3!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
You, Me and the Movies
You, Me and the Movies
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
You, me and the movies is the perfect book for the fans of the movie theaters. It will fill an emptiness you have felt all your life, because such a book previously didn’t exist. Perfectly entwined movie references with one incredible love story is the only thing you might need for a perfect reading date. Okay, maybe hot chocolate too. And a warm blanket. And a few tissues…

Two people. Ten classic films. A love story you’ll never forget.

Arden has just started university when she meets Mac – and quickly falls head over heels for the handsome, charismatic film lecturer. Their love affair is dramatic, exciting and all-consuming; the sort of thing you only see in the movies. But it didn’t last…

And thirty years later, leading a very different life, Arden is visiting a friend in hospital when she suddenly comes across the man she never forgot. Badly injured in an accident, Mac can only make brief references to the classic films they once watched together: Casablanca, A Star is Born, Pretty Woman among others… and they make Arden remember everything.

Chapter by chapter we dive into the memories that Arden holds close to her heart. All the feelings she though she forgot now flow back to the surface. Mac can’t say more than a few words, but those words mean the world for Arden.

The bittersweet memories of their relationship help Arden re-connect with the world in a way she no longer thought was possible. But will a movie-worthy love ever be hers again?

This book gave me a story I wasn’t prepared for. I am a sucker for romance in real-life, but when it comes to books, I don’t ship couples easily, and I don’t do “awws” and “aaahs”. But this book got me. It captured my heart and then broke it into a million pieces.

I loved every single moment. Every single situation, every memory, every scene at the hospital. The whole story is surreal. Imagine encountering your ex from thirty years ago in a hospital, badly injured, and he can’t say anything more than words that mean so much to you.

And that is amazing, because he can at least say those words. But after so many years, don’t you want to know? Aren’t you curious about the why’s and the how’s and what happened after parts?

Arden had so many questions, unable to be answered. And maybe that was for the best. Leave the past behind and start again?

The time flow was immensely written, jumping from past to present, but in a very tidy and clear way, easy to get into. I knew exactly when in time we were, which made the reading experience significantly better for me.

And despite all this praise, I will still give this book four stars instead of five, and here is my why:
In a couple of years, I will probably remember only the vague details of this book. The movie references and the love story between Mac and Arden. But I will never forget how this book made me feel…

All those tears that I have shed because of them, all those movies I have watched, pausing the book for a while, just so I can grasp the whole meaning, and most importantly, all the ANGER I felt in the end. I finished the book, I read the last few pages and I was angry! Angry at Mac, and angry at Arden, angry at destiny and angry at the writer, for ending this book in this way.

I am slowly beginning to realise and understand why this was the perfect ending, but I can never get over the feeling of anger, and I don’t remember feeling anger in such a way about any other book. (This could be counted as a compliment, I suppose). And that is why this book can’t be my favorite. But it definitely did change something in my life and my experience, and I will carry that with me forever.
  
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death
Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death
James Runcie | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry, Religion
10
6.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
A unique series of crime
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads

In 2014, ITV broadcasted the first episode of Grantchester, a drama series based on books by British novelist, James Runcie. Although written during the twenty-first century, the story is set in the 1950s in a village on the outskirts of Cambridge. Sidney Chambers, a young Canon in charge of the Church of St Andrew and Mary, is a polite and friendly character who, despite his reluctance, ends up acting as a detective in a variety of crimes.

Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death is the first book of six in The Grantchester Mysteries. Split into six individual baffling cases, the background story of Sidney’s private life continues to develop throughout. Each crime is committed and swiftly solved by the Canon and his friend, Inspector Geordie Keating, although it is Sidney who ultimately resolves the case.

Murder, jewellery theft and art forgery and just some of the felonies Sidney grudgingly gets involved with. In fact, unresolved crimes tend to land in his lap rather than offering his assistance willingly. Up at dawn to work on sermons before rushing off to capture criminals, Sidney is never off duty.

A vicar may seem like an unlikely candidate for a detective, however, people tend to open up to him and unintentionally reveal delitescent information. Listening to suspects and witnesses without pre-judgement allows Sidney to think things through carefully rather than jumping to conclusions. From the moment the crime is committed right up until the story’s denouement, Sidney passionately does everything he can to make sure the correct culprit is discovered.

What makes this series different from other crime novels is the focus on Sidney Chambers’ own life. James Runcie emphasises the loneliness of a bachelor living in a vicarage with only a curate and crotchety housekeeper for company. Readers are drawn into Sidney’s stories and hold onto the hope that his dalliances with the beautiful Amanda turn out to be something more concrete.

Those who have watched the ITV series will be familiar with the stories in this book because the producer has stuck to the exact storyline, not missing a single thing out or adding anything extra. The fact that there were only two years between publishing and screen production goes to show how well written and thought out these stories are. Unlike famous detective novels such as Sherlock Holmes or those by Agatha Christie, The Grantchester Mysteries are not set at the time of writing, so, although they are historically accurate, the prose is suitable for present day readers.

Each story is quick to read and is easy going, making it a relaxing and enjoyable book. It is not a thriller or horror, although some of the crimes are quite terrible. Instead, it is entertaining and often humorous. It is suitable for crime fiction fans as well as those new to the genre.

Regardless of whether you have watched the television series or not, Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death is a delight to read. Of course, ITV has given away all the endings, but it is a different experience to read it in print rather than seeing it acted out on screen. Featuring the face of James Norton on the cover so as to work as a TV tie-in, the series will be easy to spot in prime position on bookshelves both in shops and personal collections.
  
Diablo (The Gifted Ones #2)
Diablo (The Gifted Ones #2)
J.M. Wolf | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Far darker a read, but brilliant!
FREE, March 2019

We met the legend of Diablo in book one, Frostbite, but you don’t need to have read THAT book for this one to make sense. It would benefit you to, though. You need to know about this pack and how it works and how they look after their own.

Years ago, Antonio, a jaguar shifter and mage, made an angry decision, and it cost him. Now unable to channel his anger into anything other than fire, he is the legend Diablo, a far more dangerous one than Frostbite would ever be. But a single glance all those years ago also cost him. It cost him the price of his soul, because a gaze into the eyes of a child made Diablo see, SEE what he has become and how he does NOT want to be. That child was Trace, a wolf shifter, and Diablo had just slaughtered his whole village. Trace and his brother Casey managed to escape. But now, their past has come back, not as the devil, but as an angel who keeps saving Trace, who Trace now knows as his mate. Can the pack accept Antonio, even if Trace will have him? Can Antonio keep his anger at bay, or will he be consumed by his own flames?

I love a bad boy turned good, I really do, and Antonio is the epitome of the bad boy turned good! I loved this one!

A far DARKER read than Frostbite, this one. Here’s why. While Frostbite KNEW what he was doing when he killed, he did it in self-defence. Diablo, however, does NOT know why he did what he did. He blacks out, coming to only when his fire has died out, and his anger gone. He doesn’t remember killing all those people, and the poor cat carries a LOT of souls on his shoulders that he has no recollection of.

But he’s trying, he really is. Not only for Trace, but for him own soul. He does not want to be like this anymore, he wants to be free of the all consuming rage, and fire that has been his life for four hundred years. Forces are working against him though, and it takes a visit from a psychic, Remy, to dig deep into Antonio’s mind, and for TRACE to visit deep into Antonio’s mind, for Antonio to finally be free.

There is a lot of other stuff happening here too. Cyrus has his baby. A friend from Cyrus’ past causes . . problems . . (for want of a better word!) for Tobias and Bruno, the pack Beta. Those two have their work cut out for them with Tim, they really do. Their 3 way book is next. We also get just what Tobias is, and what that means for the pack, for Tim and his child and any future children there might be with Tobias. Typing this up, I’m also questioning who might be paired with Remy now he’s decided to stay with the pack. Todd also gets a book. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Maybe I’m putting two and two together and getting five, but who cares!

Will there be an earth and air type mage/shifter? I dunno, don’t really mind who or what comes next, but I WILL be reading them!

5 stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**