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1000 Fires by Traci Lords
5.7
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Album Watch
1000 Fires is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Traci Lords, released on...
Mortal Kombat Virtuosity soundtrack
Love Is The Only Solution
Book
Love is the greatest thing in life and the greatest thing in the entire universe. But most people...
Ravens and Ruin (Brodyr Alarch #5)
10.0
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Book
In a land where gods still whisper through stone and stream, one man’s forbidden gift may be the...
Fantasy Romance Welsh Mythology Brothers Grimm Fairytale Retelling
Debbiereadsbook (1783 KP) rated A Lifetime of Tomorrows (Shattered Men #1) in Books
Apr 6, 2026
darker, but brilliant!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the first in a new series frm Ms Adams, and it tackles some difficult topics: addiction, self-harm, internalised homophobia. Mention of suicide, both thoughts and intent. Please heed those warnings if you have any issues.
I loved this! It's not an easy read, by any means, given the subject matter involved, and Harvey and Killian are both struggling with a lot of different things. I loved how Killian seemed to be a catalyst for Harvey to push his boundaries, but hated that Killian (unintentionally) pushed Harvey that little bit too hard.
Harvey's issues span from a single event and it takes time for that event to be made clear. You can see why he thinks the way he does, once you know what triggered it all, but until that point, I couldn't figure Harvey out, at all and I loved being kept on my toes.
Killian's problems are different, and very early on we get why he set off down the road he did. No less traumatic than Harvey's but very different. I loved that Killian knew Harvey was going to be someone important in his life, from very early on.
It's a slow burn, given Harvey being how he is, but I think it was right and proper than it was.
My only niggle, I would have liked to hear from both men, during that 3 year gap. While this is still a 5 star read, I feel that would have just been the icing on the cake!
I loved the epilogue!! Beautiful!!
5 full an shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the first in a new series frm Ms Adams, and it tackles some difficult topics: addiction, self-harm, internalised homophobia. Mention of suicide, both thoughts and intent. Please heed those warnings if you have any issues.
I loved this! It's not an easy read, by any means, given the subject matter involved, and Harvey and Killian are both struggling with a lot of different things. I loved how Killian seemed to be a catalyst for Harvey to push his boundaries, but hated that Killian (unintentionally) pushed Harvey that little bit too hard.
Harvey's issues span from a single event and it takes time for that event to be made clear. You can see why he thinks the way he does, once you know what triggered it all, but until that point, I couldn't figure Harvey out, at all and I loved being kept on my toes.
Killian's problems are different, and very early on we get why he set off down the road he did. No less traumatic than Harvey's but very different. I loved that Killian knew Harvey was going to be someone important in his life, from very early on.
It's a slow burn, given Harvey being how he is, but I think it was right and proper than it was.
My only niggle, I would have liked to hear from both men, during that 3 year gap. While this is still a 5 star read, I feel that would have just been the icing on the cake!
I loved the epilogue!! Beautiful!!
5 full an shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Rules of Magic in Books
May 5, 2024
85 of 220
Book
The Rules of Magic ( Practical Magic 2)
By Alice Hoffman
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Find your magic.
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.
Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.
From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Yet, the children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the memorable aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.
This was good much better than the previous one I read. I enjoyed learning of the 2 aunts and Vincent I got a little bored in places which is why I went with 3⭐️. Vincent was a colourful character. Definitely a nice set up for Practical Magic.
Book
The Rules of Magic ( Practical Magic 2)
By Alice Hoffman
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Find your magic.
For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.
Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.
From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Yet, the children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the memorable aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.
This was good much better than the previous one I read. I enjoyed learning of the 2 aunts and Vincent I got a little bored in places which is why I went with 3⭐️. Vincent was a colourful character. Definitely a nice set up for Practical Magic.
Debbiereadsbook (1783 KP) rated Bullets and Dandelions (Deputy Gemma Stone #0.5) in Books
Jan 30, 2025
struggled to keep up!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is billed as a kind of prequel to the Gemma Stone series. I have to say, I only read book 2 of those, but I am confused as to what Tess here has to do with Gemma in the main series.
That said, my review for this book will be almost a carbon copy of my review for book 2, Stilettos and Combat Boots.
Because in that book, Gemma gets into so many scrapes and incidents, almost as many as Tess does here! Well, I mean, her dad is trying to kill her, an enemy of said dad is also trying to kill her and a bunch of Marines are trying to keep her alive, but she doesn't trust them, especially when they won't give her the chocolate she craves! So, she isn't living the easiest of lives, but again, it's WAY too much for me in such a short book.
There is a lot of violence here, with bombs, guns and helicopter crashes, and I couldn't catch my breath between each event, so Lord knows how Tess kept up.
There is no smex here, but . . . .oh! I *think* I just made the connection. One of the Marines is called Alex Stone, and I wonder if he is Gemma's brother? I dunno if it was mentioned, to be honest. Anyway, back to my thoughts. There is very little smex here, but Alex Stone does talk a lot about Tess and what they are gonna get up to, once they are safe (but I'm not sure that would happen any time soon!)
I liked it, it passed a quiet morning at work. But I would have liked to hear from Alex as well as Tess.
3 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is billed as a kind of prequel to the Gemma Stone series. I have to say, I only read book 2 of those, but I am confused as to what Tess here has to do with Gemma in the main series.
That said, my review for this book will be almost a carbon copy of my review for book 2, Stilettos and Combat Boots.
Because in that book, Gemma gets into so many scrapes and incidents, almost as many as Tess does here! Well, I mean, her dad is trying to kill her, an enemy of said dad is also trying to kill her and a bunch of Marines are trying to keep her alive, but she doesn't trust them, especially when they won't give her the chocolate she craves! So, she isn't living the easiest of lives, but again, it's WAY too much for me in such a short book.
There is a lot of violence here, with bombs, guns and helicopter crashes, and I couldn't catch my breath between each event, so Lord knows how Tess kept up.
There is no smex here, but . . . .oh! I *think* I just made the connection. One of the Marines is called Alex Stone, and I wonder if he is Gemma's brother? I dunno if it was mentioned, to be honest. Anyway, back to my thoughts. There is very little smex here, but Alex Stone does talk a lot about Tess and what they are gonna get up to, once they are safe (but I'm not sure that would happen any time soon!)
I liked it, it passed a quiet morning at work. But I would have liked to hear from Alex as well as Tess.
3 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1783 KP) rated Perilous Cuties (Bucket List Buddies #1) in Books
Jul 5, 2025
Hector and Morty are perfect for each other!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the first in a new series by this pair of authors, and it's a too-stinkin-cute, warm-and-fuzzies, fairly-low-angst AND hangover-read all rolled into one and I thoroughly giggled my head off at it!
Morty is a meerkat, a clumsy one at that. Hector is a warthog. Neither thinks he is a catch but both want *someone* for them, to love and cherish. Meeting at a dance class was a stroke of luck and after that? It's just a matter of dealing with Hector's mother, who is, in my opinion, an overbearing witch!
I have to admit, when I read the blurb, I had immediate thoughts of another meerkat and warthog from a certain animated movie, I'm sure you know the one. And then, one of Hector's friends is a lion, and I kept expecting them to all burst into song! They don't and I think I was a bit disappointed by that!
I loved Hector and Morty, together and apart. They really are perfect for each other, and push each other's buttons beautifully! I loved how Hector's dad finally, FINALLY stood up to Hector's mum and that she actually shuts up, and listens to both dad and Hector.
Some drama, with the witch mum, but other than that, a fun read, that filled far less time than I thought it should! Sweet and smexy, cute and cuddly, I really enjoyed it!
One of those fun reads that you can just lose yourself in.
4 very VERY good stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the first in a new series by this pair of authors, and it's a too-stinkin-cute, warm-and-fuzzies, fairly-low-angst AND hangover-read all rolled into one and I thoroughly giggled my head off at it!
Morty is a meerkat, a clumsy one at that. Hector is a warthog. Neither thinks he is a catch but both want *someone* for them, to love and cherish. Meeting at a dance class was a stroke of luck and after that? It's just a matter of dealing with Hector's mother, who is, in my opinion, an overbearing witch!
I have to admit, when I read the blurb, I had immediate thoughts of another meerkat and warthog from a certain animated movie, I'm sure you know the one. And then, one of Hector's friends is a lion, and I kept expecting them to all burst into song! They don't and I think I was a bit disappointed by that!
I loved Hector and Morty, together and apart. They really are perfect for each other, and push each other's buttons beautifully! I loved how Hector's dad finally, FINALLY stood up to Hector's mum and that she actually shuts up, and listens to both dad and Hector.
Some drama, with the witch mum, but other than that, a fun read, that filled far less time than I thought it should! Sweet and smexy, cute and cuddly, I really enjoyed it!
One of those fun reads that you can just lose yourself in.
4 very VERY good stars.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Ok, so I have some thoughts about this book. From the title, I had different expectations from what actually happened in the novel, and more could possibly have been made of the ending, I feel. But perhaps I’ve just exposed my rather blood thirsty side (which I’ll be honest, I hadn’t recognised until I started to want more extreme things to happen in this!)
Kash is originally from Bangladesh, and he puts this down to his love for meat in all its forms. He co-owns a restaurant in New York where they serve up exotic meat (think: Peacock or Greenland Shark). Due to the financial crash in 2010, Kash borrows a significant amount of money from a Russian loan shark and then realises that he’s not going to be able to pay it back in the way that the Russian would like (in large instalments). So he comes up with a plan with a new client, who happens to be a billionaire with a lot of billionaire friends, to make a lot of money quickly.
There’s a lot of build up in this novel, and we get to know a lot about Kash, his restaurant, his fellow investor and his girlfriend. It takes a while to actually get going, and then I felt that the dinner scene at the end was too rushed and over far too soon - and then what happens next?! Now, this surprises me, because I’m usually a fan of the build up. But I suppose I knew what was coming and I wanted more detail, maybe more than one incident, some follow up afterwards. Even the cover of the book offered more.
There are a fair few positive 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so I imagine that this is very much a marmite book - you love it or dislike it 🤷🏼♀️
Kash is originally from Bangladesh, and he puts this down to his love for meat in all its forms. He co-owns a restaurant in New York where they serve up exotic meat (think: Peacock or Greenland Shark). Due to the financial crash in 2010, Kash borrows a significant amount of money from a Russian loan shark and then realises that he’s not going to be able to pay it back in the way that the Russian would like (in large instalments). So he comes up with a plan with a new client, who happens to be a billionaire with a lot of billionaire friends, to make a lot of money quickly.
There’s a lot of build up in this novel, and we get to know a lot about Kash, his restaurant, his fellow investor and his girlfriend. It takes a while to actually get going, and then I felt that the dinner scene at the end was too rushed and over far too soon - and then what happens next?! Now, this surprises me, because I’m usually a fan of the build up. But I suppose I knew what was coming and I wanted more detail, maybe more than one incident, some follow up afterwards. Even the cover of the book offered more.
There are a fair few positive 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so I imagine that this is very much a marmite book - you love it or dislike it 🤷🏼♀️
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers [Audiobook] in Books
Apr 16, 2023
![Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/300/2ffa3ab2-a7f9-4edd-8d81-161ea4223300.jpg?m=1681658635)
After initially thinking "oh dear, I'm not going to like this", the more I listened the more I grew to love Vera Wong.
Vera lives on her own after the death of her husband, her son being successful and not in her life quite as much as she would like. Once a thriving tea shop, Vera Wang's World Famous Tea House is now on it's last legs having only one regular customer so when she discovers a dead body in the middle of her shop one morning, she decides it has to be murder and begins to investigate and find out who killed Marshall.
Using her own logic, Vera decides that those who turn up at her shop to ask questions about the body immediately become suspects and she begins to ingratiate herself into their lives using her forthright nature, a little bit of manipulation, fantastic cooking and, if course, tea.
As the story develops, we get to know each of the characters and suspects more so by the end, you don't want any of them to be guilty of murder but one of them must be surely?
This is definitely within the 'cosy mystery' genre and whilst there is little action, I was caught up in the story hook, line and sinker and desperate to know what the ultimate outcome was going to be and I definitely wasn't disappointed.
The narrator was excellent and she totally drew me into the story and into Vera's life. This, for me, was definitely a book to listen to rather than to read myself and I am hopeful that Vera will do more investigating in the future.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.
Vera lives on her own after the death of her husband, her son being successful and not in her life quite as much as she would like. Once a thriving tea shop, Vera Wang's World Famous Tea House is now on it's last legs having only one regular customer so when she discovers a dead body in the middle of her shop one morning, she decides it has to be murder and begins to investigate and find out who killed Marshall.
Using her own logic, Vera decides that those who turn up at her shop to ask questions about the body immediately become suspects and she begins to ingratiate herself into their lives using her forthright nature, a little bit of manipulation, fantastic cooking and, if course, tea.
As the story develops, we get to know each of the characters and suspects more so by the end, you don't want any of them to be guilty of murder but one of them must be surely?
This is definitely within the 'cosy mystery' genre and whilst there is little action, I was caught up in the story hook, line and sinker and desperate to know what the ultimate outcome was going to be and I definitely wasn't disappointed.
The narrator was excellent and she totally drew me into the story and into Vera's life. This, for me, was definitely a book to listen to rather than to read myself and I am hopeful that Vera will do more investigating in the future.
Many thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio and NetGalley for enabling me to listen to and share my thoughts of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.