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Kiss Me Honey Honey (To Love a Psycho #2)
Kiss Me Honey Honey (To Love a Psycho #2)
C.F. White | 2025
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved watching them at least try a little to deny themselves
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the To Love a Psycho trilogy and you must must MUST read book one, Dream a Litte Dream before this one. There is a lot in there to unpack here and if you haven't read it, much will not make any sense.

After the events of last year, Kenny and Aaron are spiraling, both of them. They need each other, but cannot be together, not until Aaron is ready to ruin Kenny, his words. But there is a murderer in town, and they are getting close to their goal. Whoever it is, might just kill them both.

Ok so! I'm gonna be super SUPER vague here, and super short, because if I give myself free rein, I'll spoil things for someone else and I don't want to do that!

There was a BLINDER of a plot twist here, and until it was fully revealed, I wasn't able to put all the pieces together so I was kinda blindsided and I bloody loved being knocked off my axis!!

Kenny and Aaron are navigating how not to be together but are still drawn to each other at every turn. I loved watching them at least try a little to deny themselves, Kenny more so that Aaron.

The point I loved the most in this book, apart from the plot twist, was the moment that Kenny finally gives Aaron what he wants: a kiss. Kenny is a complicated fella! But letting Aaron in, finally, was a bit of a profound moment, and I had to stop a little bit to regroup.

I have no idea what's going to happen in book 3, I have a sneaking suspicion it will relate to the previously mentioned plot twist! The HEA I'm waiting on, the L-word usage better come in book 3, it really had!!

I cannot fault these books, they are dark and deadly, but so engrossing, I stayed up til 3 am reading this one!!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Our Summer Together
Our Summer Together
Fanny Blake | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

This latest book by women’s fiction author Fanny Blake is an uplifting story about family and finding love later in life. <i>Our Summer Together</i> begins with Caro, a portrait painter, and part-time art teacher, running around after her two adult daughters, Lauren and Amy. With barely a moment to herself, Caro flits between looking after her three-year-old grandson and helping out at Amy’s florist shop. However, one day, a brief encounter on the train home sparks excitement back into her life.

From the train to decorating her house and, finally, becoming her lodger, Caro gets to know the mysterious Damir as he gradually opens up about his past. Despite being fifteen years younger than her, Caro falls in love with the Bosnian and he with her, but can this elation last?

Despite her new chance at love, Caro has so many other things to worry about. Her ex-husband Chris is filing for divorce so that he can marry his new, much younger woman. However, this involves selling the house that Caro lives in and where her children grew up. On top of that, her eldest daughter, Lauren, is sceptical about Damir and is not afraid of saying so. With life as she knew it crashing down around her, Caro must decide whether Damir is worth it, but, most importantly, does he really want her in his life?

The title of the book, <i>Our Summer Together</i>, creates a sense of foreboding from the very beginning. Implying that Caro and Damir will only have one season together puts the reader on tenterhooks: what will go wrong? Desperate for a happy ending, we plough through the chapters wishing that their happiness could last forever.

It is refreshing to read about a romance developing between older characters rather than the typical twenty or thirty-something. A second chance at love feels much more satisfying than a will-they-won’t-they, playing hard-to-get attempt at a first serious relationship.

Alongside the love and joyfulness is a darker history that opens the readers’ eyes to events occurring during their lifetime that they may not have been very aware of. Growing up in Bosnia, Damir was subjected to war and violence, losing all his family and having a disastrous start at adulthood. For Damir, his relationship with Caro is not only a second-chance at love, but a second-chance at life, too.

<i>Our Summer Together</i> is a relaxing book to read that can either be devoured quickly or eked out over a period of time. With humour, reality and a range of emotions, it is impossible to find the story boring. Whatever your usual genre of choice, this book will be a refreshing change.
  
Parting Worlds (Once Upon a Curse #4)
Parting Worlds (Once Upon a Curse #4)
Kaitlyn Davis | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Parting Worlds brings everything together.
Parting Worlds is the fourth and final book in the Once Upon a Curse series, a retelling based on The Little Mermaid. This starts right where Chasing Midnight ends before going back to the very beginning and bringing everything to full circle.

We get a little intro to who Aerewyn is back in the third book, but Parting Worlds is where we truly get to know who she is and her side of the story. We get the chance to see her bond with Nymia and how it forms from complete strangers as young faeries to best friends as they train to become priestesses, where they can use their magic to protect fellow magical creatures.

I personally loved seeing their friendship bloom and how it ultimately withstands in the centuries of time they're apart from each other. I also loved seeing how they have ups and downs in their relationship and how they try to overcome those without straining it. It shows how they have a close bond with each other despite their differences.

I think Parting Worlds also gives us a chance to truly see Nymia's growth as a character as this is set before the third book but still connected. Chasing Midnight also shows her growth, but it was brief and fleeting as much of the focus was not in the past and rather on how she changes throughout the book through the events.

Going back to where all the disaster begins.
And finally, through Aerewyn's story, Kaitlyn Davis shows us how all of this began in the first place. I had so many questions after reading the third book and a lot of them were answered in Parting Worlds. Aerewyn's a faerie full of mischief and seeks to bend the rules whenever she can this sounds like me. She questions how the world can be different, where humans and magical creatures can live together in harmony, especially when she meets Erick and starts forming a relationship with him. Honestly, it's the Butterfly Effect in a fairy tale dystopia and I am living for it.

The majority of the book focuses on how Aerewyn and Erick meet and how their meeting becomes fateful for the rest of the world. But Aerewyn still grows as a character: she's still mischievous and up to no good, but she learns how her actions became major consequences for everyone, including herself. And I love how Davis does this really well.

A bittersweet end, but maybe there are more stories.
I don't know about anyone else, but Parting Worlds feels bittersweet with a (sort of?) happy ending. This puts the final piece of the story together with no loose ends in the story; it's answering all of the questions that have been there since Gathering Frost and connecting all the books together. At the same time, there sounds like there could potentially be another storyline in the future. If that happens, you know what I'm doing.
  
Hooked on a Witch (Keepers of the Veil #4)
Hooked on a Witch (Keepers of the Veil #4)
Zoe Forward | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hooked on a Witch (Keepers of the Veil #4) by Zoe Forward
Hooked on a Witch is the fourth book in the Keepers of the Veil series, and can be read as a standalone, so long as you don't mind catching up as you go along. Shannon is learning what it is to be a Pleiades Witch, for all that she may not have long to live. During her search for a specific object, she reunites with Merck, a young man she knew from school who she liked. Things move on very quickly as one enemy and another comes after Shannon and Merck, throwing them together even though they decide otherwise.

This is a fast-paced and action-filled book. Shannon is still very nervous about her magic, whilst Merck is completely confident in his. Together, these two help the other, giving them something they didn't realise was missing. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I really hope that I see more of these two, as I would love to see Shannon blossom into her abilities, and to gain confidence as the leader of the Pleiades Witches. With a neat twist at the end, this book was thoroughly enjoyable. Definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
SG
Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls #1)
Lisa See | 2009
8
7.0 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Learning about the history of other cultures has always been something I've been interested in. All of our ancestors came to the United States in various ways. They all had to struggle to find their own ways in this world. Pearl and May are no exception.

Living in Shanghai, China in the '30's Pearl and May were considered beautiful girls. Their pictures were on calendars and other forms of advertising for the city. Their father owned a rickshaw company and they spent many nights out in Shanghai. Then one day it all came to a screeching halt. The girls learn that their father had gambled all their money away and now they were to have arranged marriages and a new life in America. The girls were not too happy about this and avoided the situation at all costs. Including the costs of life, freedom and the opportunity to have children.

Through all of the struggles to get from China to America, Pearl and May stood together always. They suffered through everything together.

I'm not sure that I could ever survive the things that they had to endure, with or without my sister. And I never knew of the different struggles that Chinese-American's had to suffer once they were in this country. For this reason, it made the book much more interesting. The writing was smooth and easy to read and comprehend. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Lisa See.
  
Mending the Rift Box Set
Mending the Rift Box Set
Valentina Heart | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mending the Rift Box Set by Valentina Heart
Mending the Rift Box Set is three stories in one. I'm actually really glad I read them together as they made for one nice-sized book that way. We meet Rin, an isolated and pretty much useless prince, who has been bargained away to become another King's property. Rin shows he has a backbone by insisting he becomes his spouse. Merin is the king and trying his best to not just be the 'conqueror'. Together, they find more than they expected in each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed this box set. It was filled with fantasy elements of magic and mpreg, plus sadness and hope. The characters develop nicely throughout the three novellas, and I loved how each land was described. Rin is a little firecracker when provoked, which Merin seemed to enjoy doing! Rin and Merin are a great couple, and I only hope this series continues. I would love to know how Ori gets on, plus the others, with plenty of R/M action too.

With no obvious editing or grammatical errors, this book was a satisfying read that ticked my boxes. For a light, entertaining #M_M read, then I have no hesitation in recommending this.

* 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!
  
Game Of Thrones  - Season 7
Game Of Thrones - Season 7
2017 | Sci-Fi
Immensely satisfying
I’ve just rewatched this series in preparation for the final series (only 12 days to go!) and this really is a ridiculously satisfying penultimate series. With a limited number of episodes in comparison with earlier series, the writers really have forgotten any pointless filler and gotten straight down to business. They’ve brought together and wrapped up so many individual story arcs and characters, and being a huge fan I can’t begin to explain how warm and fuzzy it makes me feel seeing certain characters back together after so many series, or those getting their well deserved comeuppance (without any spoilers, you all know who I mean), or indeed certain characters finally doing or learning about what we as viewers have wanted or known all along.

It’s the same old Game of Thrones, thrilling, funny and quite scary and serious all at the same time. And with some great physical effects and CGI thrown in too. Watching this again, I honestly can’t fault this at all - aside from the fact that there is still at least 1 secret to be revealed that as a viewer we’ve known for ages, which is a tad frustrating. What worries me the most though is that the warm fuzzy feeling I have from watching this series is likely to be completely shattered with the final series, as it’s highly unlikely that all of my favourite characters willl survive. I don’t think my heart can take it!
  
Dating Princeton Charming
Dating Princeton Charming
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Dating Princeton Charming continues with the story of Charlie and Spencer. It is now Christmas break and Charlie has gone home to be with her family. Her mom isn't doing too well and even though she has lost her job, she knows she is where she needs to be. When Spencer shows up at her door, she is not only shocked, but also very excited to see him. Things are great with the just the two of them together, but will they be able to maintain this happiness once they are back on campus?

Thank you to Frankie Love and C.M. Seabrook for the opportunity to read and review this book.

For me, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first one, Kissing Princeton Charming. I still can't wait to see where this series is going to go.

When the scholarship girl gets with the man on campus who has a building named after his family, there seems to be nothing but chaos. From threatening notes, to bricks being thrown, and fights between just about everyone, life shouldn't be this hectic. It would be so much easier on everyone if Charlie and Spencer weren't together, but since they've had a taste of each other, they can't let the other go. Will their relationship be able to last with such a difference between the two, or will they have to let each other go?
  
Escape From Sunset Island
Escape From Sunset Island
2013 | Zombie / Survivalist
Co-operative survival game (3 more)
Hidden traitor mechanic, which plays well against the impetus to work together
Challenging gameplay
Players who are turned into zones can continue to play as zombies, rather than being eliminated
Artwork is basic (1 more)
Longevity of gameplay will depend heavily on your group
A decent enough zombie game
I have very fond memories playing this game, based primarily on the enthusiasm of my gaming group to play this 2/3 times a night, approximately twice a week, for a year! This game places a group of people on an island, with zombies that are about to awaken and chase you down to turn you. Each player has a special action and may pick up a weapon along their travels across the island, whilst on search of fuel and water, both of which are needed to leave the island. The catch? Carrying these items slows you down, so you have to work together to get to one of two points on the island to get away and win...but if the zombies turn players, there are more after the survivors, and there is also the potential for a traitor in your midst, so who can you trust? This is a difficult game to win, but is the more enjoyable for it. That said, it includes basic mechanics and therefore the strength of the game will depend heavily on the enthusiasm of your gaming group.
  
The Keeper Of Lost Things
The Keeper Of Lost Things
Ruth Hogan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.8 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
Nice Writing, some believable characters (0 more)
Muddled plot, convenient ending (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I thought that this book was generally good. The writing of this was, at times, beautiful and I think that the majority of the characters were likable and well formed. I think that Portia, Bomber's sister was rather cartoony and over exaggerated and I didn't really like her involvement in the story, it was a little bit too silly for me.

 I think the story line with Bomber was much more interesting and heart wrenching than the modern one. The idea of lost things, kind of fizzled out into something that was conventional, rather than having a more mysterious edge to it.

 I thought that the way the story lines in the present and the past were tied together, was rather flimsy and too convenient. I liked all of the characters in the present, but this story line was a little cheesy and a bit cliche ( it seems like every single woman that has a break up or a bad marriage gets a dog!)

Personally, I think it would have been better to get rid of the modern plot line all together and just have a book about Bomber and a separate book of the different short stories about the lost things, as I enjoyed reading them and felt they were the stronger points of the book.

Despite its problems, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a easy and quick read.