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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Scarred Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance book 7) in Books
Oct 20, 2021
173 of 250
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Scarred Warrior ( Dark Warrior Alliance book 7)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Being a Dark Warrior and protecting others has been the only focus in Gerrick Haele's life for centuries, until he receives the shock of his life when one of the females he rescues from the archdemon's clutches ignites an arousal that hints at her being his Fated Mate. Problem is, Gerrick's Fated Mate was murdered four hundred years earlier and you are only ever given one mate in a lifetime. Questions of Dark magic and deception carry him down a path involving time travel, serums and fights to the death. Can he set aside his doubt and be the male Shae needs him to be, or will his past come back to haunt him and history repeat itself? Shae Mitchell has spent the last seven months being tormented, raped and tortured by vile archdemons and just wants her suffering to end. She is on the verge of giving up completely when Gerrick sweeps in to rescue her. Her relief at being liberated is short-lived when she realizes the demons have sunk their claws far deeper than the scars on her neck. As she fights to rid her mind of the archdemon's influence, she discovers that the explosive heat she shares with the sexy Dark Warrior threatens to consume her whole.
These get better and better each book! This was Gerricks and Shaes story which was just so well put together. We had the trapped females finally free from cages as well as a fated pair come together. Some catch ups with familiar faces and some exciting news for the king and queen. I have to say this every book I just love Mack more and more. One demon down and one to go before they unleash all hell. Really enjoyed this one.
Kindle
Scarred Warrior ( Dark Warrior Alliance book 7)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Being a Dark Warrior and protecting others has been the only focus in Gerrick Haele's life for centuries, until he receives the shock of his life when one of the females he rescues from the archdemon's clutches ignites an arousal that hints at her being his Fated Mate. Problem is, Gerrick's Fated Mate was murdered four hundred years earlier and you are only ever given one mate in a lifetime. Questions of Dark magic and deception carry him down a path involving time travel, serums and fights to the death. Can he set aside his doubt and be the male Shae needs him to be, or will his past come back to haunt him and history repeat itself? Shae Mitchell has spent the last seven months being tormented, raped and tortured by vile archdemons and just wants her suffering to end. She is on the verge of giving up completely when Gerrick sweeps in to rescue her. Her relief at being liberated is short-lived when she realizes the demons have sunk their claws far deeper than the scars on her neck. As she fights to rid her mind of the archdemon's influence, she discovers that the explosive heat she shares with the sexy Dark Warrior threatens to consume her whole.
These get better and better each book! This was Gerricks and Shaes story which was just so well put together. We had the trapped females finally free from cages as well as a fated pair come together. Some catch ups with familiar faces and some exciting news for the king and queen. I have to say this every book I just love Mack more and more. One demon down and one to go before they unleash all hell. Really enjoyed this one.
David McK (3600 KP) rated Star Trek (2009) in Movies
Aug 23, 2020 (Updated Jan 22, 2023)
JJ Abrams prepares for Star Wars
"Space. The Final Frontier. These are the voyages ..."
2009 big screen reimagining of the iconic 60s TV series, and I use that as the touchpoint deliberately: we're back to a (recast) Kirk and co instead of the Next Generation crew, or even those from Voyager/Enterprise/Discovery.
In retrospect, it also somewhat comes across as director JJ Abrams pitch for making a Star Wars movie: this is also lens flare and slow motion, with the action ramped up considerably from the TV series or even most of the previous movies. it's also the first of the three Kelvin-verse Star Trek movies: I'm unsure whether we'll get any more in that timeline, what with the tragic death of some of the (young) key actors - I'm looking at you, Anton Yelchin (Chekov) - and with others of the cast moving on to other bigger (?) sci-fi things - yep, that's you Zoe Saldana (Uhura).
The plot, as alluded to above, involves time travel, with the events thus kicking off an entire new timeline, that here sees Chris Pine taking on the role of James T Kirk - initially introduced as a kid, driving his step fathers classic car off a cliff (talk about setting out your stall early!) - and Zachary Quinto (then more famous as the villain Sylar from TVs 'Heroes') talking on the role of a younger Spock.
Most of the cast, I felt, was pretty much spot on - the only one that really rubbed me up the wrong way was Simon Pegg as Scotty, although even he grew on me a bit (I'm also not entirely sold on the aesthetics of the USS Enterprise here - more like USS Chibiprise!). We also have the 'passing of the torch' (as it were) from one character to another, with the inclusion of a certain key half-human actor who will forever be associated with that role ...
2009 big screen reimagining of the iconic 60s TV series, and I use that as the touchpoint deliberately: we're back to a (recast) Kirk and co instead of the Next Generation crew, or even those from Voyager/Enterprise/Discovery.
In retrospect, it also somewhat comes across as director JJ Abrams pitch for making a Star Wars movie: this is also lens flare and slow motion, with the action ramped up considerably from the TV series or even most of the previous movies. it's also the first of the three Kelvin-verse Star Trek movies: I'm unsure whether we'll get any more in that timeline, what with the tragic death of some of the (young) key actors - I'm looking at you, Anton Yelchin (Chekov) - and with others of the cast moving on to other bigger (?) sci-fi things - yep, that's you Zoe Saldana (Uhura).
The plot, as alluded to above, involves time travel, with the events thus kicking off an entire new timeline, that here sees Chris Pine taking on the role of James T Kirk - initially introduced as a kid, driving his step fathers classic car off a cliff (talk about setting out your stall early!) - and Zachary Quinto (then more famous as the villain Sylar from TVs 'Heroes') talking on the role of a younger Spock.
Most of the cast, I felt, was pretty much spot on - the only one that really rubbed me up the wrong way was Simon Pegg as Scotty, although even he grew on me a bit (I'm also not entirely sold on the aesthetics of the USS Enterprise here - more like USS Chibiprise!). We also have the 'passing of the torch' (as it were) from one character to another, with the inclusion of a certain key half-human actor who will forever be associated with that role ...
Merissa (13159 KP) rated Resist Me Not (Bloody Desires) in Books
Sep 4, 2025
RESIST ME NOT is part of the Bloody Desires series, featuring Walker, a doctor, and Trey, a travel writer/serial killer. Trey doesn't target just anyone, but rather those who harm others, especially wives and children. The reasons for this are explained, so don't worry about that.
Now, of course, killing anyone is never supposed to be good, but how it is done here gives an excellent moral debate, and as shown in a group conversation, this same question has been asked many times. It becomes personal for Walker when he knows what Trey is doing. After all, he is a doctor dedicated to saving lives, while Trey is taking them. But is it as clean-cut and concise as that?
While I thoroughly enjoyed this story, there were parts that I didn't feel necessary. Firstly, there was the Daddy part. That was more of a term of endearment than anything else. And did Daddy and good boy really have to be in italics most of the time? I didn't feel any need to emphasise those words in the context they were being used in. They could have been changed for different terms, and it would still read perfectly. And secondly, was how many times First Do No Harm was mentioned. I get that was the question of the moment; I didn't need the repetition to compound on it.
Trey was an excellently written character, showing depth and thought that you might not expect. Walker was a little more self-righteous, a little more bland, until the end--that part, I loved!
I am loving this series and have no hesitation in recommending it if morally grey stories are your thing.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 4, 2025
Now, of course, killing anyone is never supposed to be good, but how it is done here gives an excellent moral debate, and as shown in a group conversation, this same question has been asked many times. It becomes personal for Walker when he knows what Trey is doing. After all, he is a doctor dedicated to saving lives, while Trey is taking them. But is it as clean-cut and concise as that?
While I thoroughly enjoyed this story, there were parts that I didn't feel necessary. Firstly, there was the Daddy part. That was more of a term of endearment than anything else. And did Daddy and good boy really have to be in italics most of the time? I didn't feel any need to emphasise those words in the context they were being used in. They could have been changed for different terms, and it would still read perfectly. And secondly, was how many times First Do No Harm was mentioned. I get that was the question of the moment; I didn't need the repetition to compound on it.
Trey was an excellently written character, showing depth and thought that you might not expect. Walker was a little more self-righteous, a little more bland, until the end--that part, I loved!
I am loving this series and have no hesitation in recommending it if morally grey stories are your thing.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 4, 2025
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Forever Fudge in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Forever Fudge by Nancy Coco is a sweet cozy mystery. Readers will salivate with the fudge recipes, be charmed on the Mackinac Island, and attempt to crack the murder mystery along with the main character Allie McMurphy.
Coco is a great pseudonym for the Fudge series. “I really enjoy writing these cozy mysteries with the humor and solving the puzzle. While writing my first series, I would put recipes on my blog. Then a friend of mine suggested I should write in this genre with a gluten free bakery. My last name was specifically chosen for this series. I love fudge, actually anything chocolate. The person in the apartment next to us said it always smells like chocolate in my house. Not only does it smell good but tastes good as well.”
Allie is an amateur sleuth. She and her dog Mal have an uncanny ability to find dead bodies. In the past, she has helped the police solve cases. As the owner of a delightful hotel and fudge shop on Mackinac Island, Allie’s excitement has grown after a television crew arrives on the island to film a television pilot for a mystery series. Throwing a wrench into the enthusiasm is the dead body found by Allie’s adorable Bichon-Poo puppy, Mal. Shot in the head, the body discovered has a letter with clues from chess moves. As the killings mount up, the murderer continues to taunt Allie, trying to get her to play his game.
The island plays a role in the story. “I have a huge family living in Michigan, which is where the island is located. If you ever saw the movie, “Somewhere in Time” starring Christopher Reeve, you can picture the setting. The island does not allow cars so people travel by foot, horse and carriage, or bicycle. It is a cool touristy place.”
There is also a love triangle. Allie is being wooed by two courters. She broke up with Trent Jessup because a long-distance relationship is not working, with him spending a lot of time in Chicago. The other beau is police chief Rex Manning who is being persistent in pursuing her, yet, willing to give her time and space.
“I thought it is interesting to compare ‘in love versus loving someone.’ I love my male friends but being ‘in love’ has excitement, a commitment, and intimacy. Allie is starting to build connections but some old timers see her as an outsider. One of those who accept her as part of the community is Rex who sees it as his responsibility to protect her and the community.”
Actual recipes are dispersed throughout the story. “I purposely did it this way to show what Allie is working on. I sprinkle it throughout to give the feel and flavor to what she is actually making. I try to relate it to the story when possible. I remember my first contract with Kensington Books required me to write ten recipes per book. Luckily, they downsized that amount. Since they had to be originals it was a relief.”
This story has an intriguing mystery, some romance, and humor. It is a fun who done it plot that has no shortage of suspects. Readers will be looking forward to the next installment, Fudge Bits, out next fall, a Halloween plot. It will highlight her cat instead of her dog that finds a Zombie body.
Coco is a great pseudonym for the Fudge series. “I really enjoy writing these cozy mysteries with the humor and solving the puzzle. While writing my first series, I would put recipes on my blog. Then a friend of mine suggested I should write in this genre with a gluten free bakery. My last name was specifically chosen for this series. I love fudge, actually anything chocolate. The person in the apartment next to us said it always smells like chocolate in my house. Not only does it smell good but tastes good as well.”
Allie is an amateur sleuth. She and her dog Mal have an uncanny ability to find dead bodies. In the past, she has helped the police solve cases. As the owner of a delightful hotel and fudge shop on Mackinac Island, Allie’s excitement has grown after a television crew arrives on the island to film a television pilot for a mystery series. Throwing a wrench into the enthusiasm is the dead body found by Allie’s adorable Bichon-Poo puppy, Mal. Shot in the head, the body discovered has a letter with clues from chess moves. As the killings mount up, the murderer continues to taunt Allie, trying to get her to play his game.
The island plays a role in the story. “I have a huge family living in Michigan, which is where the island is located. If you ever saw the movie, “Somewhere in Time” starring Christopher Reeve, you can picture the setting. The island does not allow cars so people travel by foot, horse and carriage, or bicycle. It is a cool touristy place.”
There is also a love triangle. Allie is being wooed by two courters. She broke up with Trent Jessup because a long-distance relationship is not working, with him spending a lot of time in Chicago. The other beau is police chief Rex Manning who is being persistent in pursuing her, yet, willing to give her time and space.
“I thought it is interesting to compare ‘in love versus loving someone.’ I love my male friends but being ‘in love’ has excitement, a commitment, and intimacy. Allie is starting to build connections but some old timers see her as an outsider. One of those who accept her as part of the community is Rex who sees it as his responsibility to protect her and the community.”
Actual recipes are dispersed throughout the story. “I purposely did it this way to show what Allie is working on. I sprinkle it throughout to give the feel and flavor to what she is actually making. I try to relate it to the story when possible. I remember my first contract with Kensington Books required me to write ten recipes per book. Luckily, they downsized that amount. Since they had to be originals it was a relief.”
This story has an intriguing mystery, some romance, and humor. It is a fun who done it plot that has no shortage of suspects. Readers will be looking forward to the next installment, Fudge Bits, out next fall, a Halloween plot. It will highlight her cat instead of her dog that finds a Zombie body.
Alice (12 KP) rated The Silver Tide (The Copper Cat, #3) in Books
Jul 3, 2018
My 200th book of the year was the final installment in Jen Williams’ The Copper Cat trilogy The Silver Tide and was it a doozie! The Copper Cat trilogy has got to be the best series I’ve read this year, so much so that I devoured it easily. It was without a doubt the best book of the trilogy with characters we’d only heard passing mentions of in the previous ones coming full circle and smacking us in the face. Devinia the Red? FTW!
The Silver Tide brought several running story arcs to a close nicely with just the right amount of action, drama and hate. Now I use the term hate lightly because it wasn’t hate from me but hate of some of the characters who originally I thought were good people – boy was I wrong.
The Silver Tide was the best title and I waited until right near the end to find out what the relevance of that was. Oh it was so good! I tweeted Jen Williams just before I got there grumbling because Sebastian was being abused in the book as a character and then I read the ending and my decision changed entirely.
This book had the same easy flow of dialogue and prose with character descriptions and world building in abundance – by world building, I don’t mean the standard Ede but a new “world” called Euriale where all sorts of weird and wonderful beasties and plants to die for – literally. This new world had some wonderful if slightly psychotic characters in it and there were pirates everywhere, several of those were psychotic as well.
The storyline for this book was based around Euriale and involved time travel, long dead gods and characters who have died and been reborn; Estenn a character who is half-mad at the beginning of the book and completely mad by the time Wydrin kicked her psycho butt is a new one, she’s entirely consumed by the Twins – Res’ni and Res’na – and believes herself to the their Emissary and it is because of Estenn that things happen in this book: good and innocent people die for her cause and Y’Gria followed by Y’Ruen, Res’ni and Res’na aid her in slaughtering the mages in a time gone by.
The ending, although sad because it ended, was brilliant. It was lovely seeing Sebastian finally get his happily ever after especially after the few disastrous attempts he made in the first two books – Oster and Sebastian I ship it. Dragon with dragon-kin oh yes! There was also a major overabundance of dragons and dragon-kin in this book and some pretty sweet new magical powers for Frith which was super.
Wydrin had her moments as always and this book was fantastically British in a lot of ways; including copious use of the words “fuck” and “mum” which I liked. I really can’t fault Wydrin Threefellows character in any way, shape or form and she went through some particularly freaky things in this book (when comparing the other books to this one, definitely freaky-deaky).
In all, this series was brilliant, it was a fantastic read all round and I’ve already got two people I know wanting to steal the series from me so they can read it on their own.
The Silver Tide brought several running story arcs to a close nicely with just the right amount of action, drama and hate. Now I use the term hate lightly because it wasn’t hate from me but hate of some of the characters who originally I thought were good people – boy was I wrong.
The Silver Tide was the best title and I waited until right near the end to find out what the relevance of that was. Oh it was so good! I tweeted Jen Williams just before I got there grumbling because Sebastian was being abused in the book as a character and then I read the ending and my decision changed entirely.
This book had the same easy flow of dialogue and prose with character descriptions and world building in abundance – by world building, I don’t mean the standard Ede but a new “world” called Euriale where all sorts of weird and wonderful beasties and plants to die for – literally. This new world had some wonderful if slightly psychotic characters in it and there were pirates everywhere, several of those were psychotic as well.
The storyline for this book was based around Euriale and involved time travel, long dead gods and characters who have died and been reborn; Estenn a character who is half-mad at the beginning of the book and completely mad by the time Wydrin kicked her psycho butt is a new one, she’s entirely consumed by the Twins – Res’ni and Res’na – and believes herself to the their Emissary and it is because of Estenn that things happen in this book: good and innocent people die for her cause and Y’Gria followed by Y’Ruen, Res’ni and Res’na aid her in slaughtering the mages in a time gone by.
The ending, although sad because it ended, was brilliant. It was lovely seeing Sebastian finally get his happily ever after especially after the few disastrous attempts he made in the first two books – Oster and Sebastian I ship it. Dragon with dragon-kin oh yes! There was also a major overabundance of dragons and dragon-kin in this book and some pretty sweet new magical powers for Frith which was super.
Wydrin had her moments as always and this book was fantastically British in a lot of ways; including copious use of the words “fuck” and “mum” which I liked. I really can’t fault Wydrin Threefellows character in any way, shape or form and she went through some particularly freaky things in this book (when comparing the other books to this one, definitely freaky-deaky).
In all, this series was brilliant, it was a fantastic read all round and I’ve already got two people I know wanting to steal the series from me so they can read it on their own.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Butterfly Effect (2004) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
For most people, childhood is a time filled mainly with happy memories of carefree playing, a loving family, and counting the days until the next school vacation.
Sadly, not everyone has fond memories of their childhood as for some; the years of joy and laughter are filled with pain and sadness. Such is the case of Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher) a gifted and caring individual who suffers from memory lapses much like his institutionalized father before him.
A series of traumatic events occur forcing Evan and his mother to move from their home leaving his best friends Kayleigh and Lenny behind.
Years later Evan is a successful and popular student at the state college and has not had a blackout for seven years, which is about the time his mother, moved him from the old neighborhood. Evan is persuaded by a friend to read his old journal entries and in doing so starts to recover some of his lost memories.
With the understanding that he has blacked out traumatic events in his life, Evan returns to his old home to seek out his friends with the hope that his missing memories can be restored. Sadly Evans return does not go well and his questions cause consequences for those who can remember what exactly happened.
Desperate to make sense of what is happening, Evan studies his journals and discovers that he is able to travel back to the time he has blacked out, and proceeds to make changes that he believes will improve the long-term outcome.
Evan awakens to find himself with Kayleigh (Amy Smart) and learns that the two of them have been an item ever since his childhood. What at first seems like a dream come true soon sours when Evan realizes that the ripple effects from his changes in the past have affected others around him. Desperate to undo a situation that now threatens him as well, Evan begins a series of trips into his past in an effort to recover his memories and right the wrongs that he is slowly starting to remember. Evan soon finds himself in a situation gone wild as no matter what Evan changes in the past, things are not put right as improving things for one person often makes others suffer as a result of the altered history.
Skillfully written and directed by Eric Bress and J Mackye Gruber The Butterfly Effect is a stunning look into a troubled psyche and a study in the effects of childhood trauma. The film is equally gripping and disturbing and tackles a wide-range of controversial topics. There is no sugar coating to the film as the depths of Evans repressed memories are explored making the film one of the best Dramas in recent memory.
Kutcher is amazing as he handles a difficult and complex role with skill and passion showing that he is capable of so much more than the brain dead beefcake roles he has been cast in previously. Kutcher is the key that makes the film work as the entire film and supporting cast center on him and he pulls it off brilliantly. Strong supporting work by Amy Smart, Ethan Suplee, and Eldon Henson keep the film gripping and tense.
The only issue I had with the film was the ending, which seemed to me like a tacked on Hollywood ending and not in keeping with the tone of the film. That being said, “The Butterfly Effect is a strong film and one that will not easily be forgotten.
Sadly, not everyone has fond memories of their childhood as for some; the years of joy and laughter are filled with pain and sadness. Such is the case of Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher) a gifted and caring individual who suffers from memory lapses much like his institutionalized father before him.
A series of traumatic events occur forcing Evan and his mother to move from their home leaving his best friends Kayleigh and Lenny behind.
Years later Evan is a successful and popular student at the state college and has not had a blackout for seven years, which is about the time his mother, moved him from the old neighborhood. Evan is persuaded by a friend to read his old journal entries and in doing so starts to recover some of his lost memories.
With the understanding that he has blacked out traumatic events in his life, Evan returns to his old home to seek out his friends with the hope that his missing memories can be restored. Sadly Evans return does not go well and his questions cause consequences for those who can remember what exactly happened.
Desperate to make sense of what is happening, Evan studies his journals and discovers that he is able to travel back to the time he has blacked out, and proceeds to make changes that he believes will improve the long-term outcome.
Evan awakens to find himself with Kayleigh (Amy Smart) and learns that the two of them have been an item ever since his childhood. What at first seems like a dream come true soon sours when Evan realizes that the ripple effects from his changes in the past have affected others around him. Desperate to undo a situation that now threatens him as well, Evan begins a series of trips into his past in an effort to recover his memories and right the wrongs that he is slowly starting to remember. Evan soon finds himself in a situation gone wild as no matter what Evan changes in the past, things are not put right as improving things for one person often makes others suffer as a result of the altered history.
Skillfully written and directed by Eric Bress and J Mackye Gruber The Butterfly Effect is a stunning look into a troubled psyche and a study in the effects of childhood trauma. The film is equally gripping and disturbing and tackles a wide-range of controversial topics. There is no sugar coating to the film as the depths of Evans repressed memories are explored making the film one of the best Dramas in recent memory.
Kutcher is amazing as he handles a difficult and complex role with skill and passion showing that he is capable of so much more than the brain dead beefcake roles he has been cast in previously. Kutcher is the key that makes the film work as the entire film and supporting cast center on him and he pulls it off brilliantly. Strong supporting work by Amy Smart, Ethan Suplee, and Eldon Henson keep the film gripping and tense.
The only issue I had with the film was the ending, which seemed to me like a tacked on Hollywood ending and not in keeping with the tone of the film. That being said, “The Butterfly Effect is a strong film and one that will not easily be forgotten.
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Upgrade your life with Snapdeal, India’s #1 shopping app and your one-stop shop for fast, easy and...