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Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder That Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man's Faith, and Shocked a Nation
8.5
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At 3:00 a.m. on March 1, 2008, Terry Caffey awoke to find his daughter’s boyfriend standing in his...
The Sky Is Pink (2019)
Movie
Twenty-five years in the relationship of a mother (Priyanka Chopra) and father (Farhan Akhtar) is...
Merissa (12822 KP) rated Shift (The Caelian Cycle #3) in Books
May 5, 2023
In the final edition of The Caelian Cycle, we start off with Sadie as she spends her time with her aunt. With Finicky Francis there to tell her what she should be doing and wearing at any given time, her time there isn't as much 'fun' as she was expecting. However, this all changes with the arrival of Luca and McCredie. With tragedy and loss to contend with, Sadie has her work cut out for her.
This IS the third book in a series, so you do have to have read the first two for it to make any sense whatsoever. However, if you have read them, then you are in for a treat. This book isn't as full of action as the others, being more introspective as Sadie tries to understand her Talent before it overwhelms her.
I did feel that the ending came about all too quickly for my liking. I was completely engrossed in the story and then (it seemed) like within a few pages, it was all done and dusted. This was slightly disappointing as it was what the three books had been building up to. Also, there was the question of the moles and how it impacted Sadie and Co once they knew who they were.
Shift was extremely well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors to distract the eye. The only thing taking away that fifth star was the abruptness of the ending. However, everything was still concluded nicely so, with that, I would have no hesitation in recommending this series or this book.
* 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!
Jul 22, 2016
This IS the third book in a series, so you do have to have read the first two for it to make any sense whatsoever. However, if you have read them, then you are in for a treat. This book isn't as full of action as the others, being more introspective as Sadie tries to understand her Talent before it overwhelms her.
I did feel that the ending came about all too quickly for my liking. I was completely engrossed in the story and then (it seemed) like within a few pages, it was all done and dusted. This was slightly disappointing as it was what the three books had been building up to. Also, there was the question of the moles and how it impacted Sadie and Co once they knew who they were.
Shift was extremely well-written, with no editing or grammatical errors to distract the eye. The only thing taking away that fifth star was the abruptness of the ending. However, everything was still concluded nicely so, with that, I would have no hesitation in recommending this series or this book.
* 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!
Jul 22, 2016
Merissa (12822 KP) rated Where There's a Will (Dads & Adages #1) in Books
Aug 3, 2023
WHERE THERE'S A WILL is the first book in the Dads & Adages series, and it's definitely one I'll be reading more in. It is also the first book by this author I have read.
This deals with some heavy subjects, so please take note of the trigger warnings. For myself, I thought they were incredibly well handled, providing depth and detail to the story.
Con is thirty-two, with a sister, Daisy, who is twenty-two and pregnant when we first meet them. Con is in a relationship but the cracks are showing and you know it won't last. Will is his sexy silver fox fireman neighbour who lives upstairs. Tragedy strikes early on and Daisy is killed, leaving Con in charge of her newborn baby.
Considering the topics, I found this book to be fairly low-angst. If Con and Will have a problem, they talk it through. Of course, this doesn't work out in every situation, but it was nice to see it happen. What was also nice was the support system both Con and Will had, both together and separately. Having Will's adult sons in here in a supportive role, rather than antagonistic, made it a great read.
If I had anything negative to say, it would be that I was left wondering about Daisy's accident. Why did she get in the car? Was it to see Con? What happened? Small things, I know.
Full of real-life problems with no magic answers, I was completely involved with this story. 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 3, 2023
This deals with some heavy subjects, so please take note of the trigger warnings. For myself, I thought they were incredibly well handled, providing depth and detail to the story.
Con is thirty-two, with a sister, Daisy, who is twenty-two and pregnant when we first meet them. Con is in a relationship but the cracks are showing and you know it won't last. Will is his sexy silver fox fireman neighbour who lives upstairs. Tragedy strikes early on and Daisy is killed, leaving Con in charge of her newborn baby.
Considering the topics, I found this book to be fairly low-angst. If Con and Will have a problem, they talk it through. Of course, this doesn't work out in every situation, but it was nice to see it happen. What was also nice was the support system both Con and Will had, both together and separately. Having Will's adult sons in here in a supportive role, rather than antagonistic, made it a great read.
If I had anything negative to say, it would be that I was left wondering about Daisy's accident. Why did she get in the car? Was it to see Con? What happened? Small things, I know.
Full of real-life problems with no magic answers, I was completely involved with this story. 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 3, 2023
Merissa (12822 KP) rated Warlord's Prize (Prime Omegaverse #4) in Books
May 18, 2025
Warlord's Prize is the fourth book in the Prime Omegaverse series, and is a standalone story featuring Emi, the leader of her village, and Kazuul, the Warlord oni who runs everything.
As with the previous books in this series that I have read, it starts with dub con and a public claiming as Kazuul takes Emi. She is not just a body for him though, and her mind surprises him. So much so, that she actually becomes part of the council meetings. Through her, changes are implemented, production goes up, and humans become happier. Good thing all round, right?
Wrong! The Emperor of the oni is none too pleased that his half-brother is doing better at this ruling business than he is. Especially once Emi defies his attempt to take her away from Kazuul. This leads to assassination attempts, plus a personal tragedy.
I found this to be a gentler story than the previous one I had read, although still full of action. And yes, as with my previous review, there is lots of repetition here too. BUT, saying that, either I'm more used to it now or it wasn't as much, because it definitely didn't disrupt my reading flow like the last one did.
I am thoroughly enjoying the series and hope to continue it, as well as reading other stories by this author. Definitely recommended by me if you like your books with a dark edge.
** 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!
May 18, 2025
As with the previous books in this series that I have read, it starts with dub con and a public claiming as Kazuul takes Emi. She is not just a body for him though, and her mind surprises him. So much so, that she actually becomes part of the council meetings. Through her, changes are implemented, production goes up, and humans become happier. Good thing all round, right?
Wrong! The Emperor of the oni is none too pleased that his half-brother is doing better at this ruling business than he is. Especially once Emi defies his attempt to take her away from Kazuul. This leads to assassination attempts, plus a personal tragedy.
I found this to be a gentler story than the previous one I had read, although still full of action. And yes, as with my previous review, there is lots of repetition here too. BUT, saying that, either I'm more used to it now or it wasn't as much, because it definitely didn't disrupt my reading flow like the last one did.
I am thoroughly enjoying the series and hope to continue it, as well as reading other stories by this author. Definitely recommended by me if you like your books with a dark edge.
** 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!
May 18, 2025
Comedy Can Be Deadly
10.0
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When the curtain falls, the body count rises When former nurse Sho Tanaka reluctantly takes on...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Debbie Doesn't Do It Anymore in Books
May 10, 2018
Debbie Doesn't Do It Anymore is the story of a platinum blonde, African American porn star. She is someone you would recognize everywhere. When tragedy strikes, Debbie decides that she is no longer going to live this life and try for the straight and narrow. The road to get there though is long and has quite a few bumps along the way.
This was a very explicit novel by Walter Mosley. Every word imaginable to describe the male and female genitalia was used. This did not bother me at all, but I wanted to let others who may be offended by that type of language. This was a very real look into the porn industry for me. Sure I have seen some porn in my life, not an avid watcher at all, but it's interesting to know a back story. Debbie grew up as Sandra Peal in California. She met Theon Pinckney, her husband, when she was just a girl, and he changed her world forever. When Deb comes home from a most unusual movie shoot, she finds police and paramedics at her home. Her husband had been found dead in their bathtub, with another woman, or girl is more appropriate. This doesn't upset Debbie as you would think, she was used to this kind of behavior from her husband, especially being in the industry that they were in. The death of her husband also, to Debbie, meant the death of her career. She changed her whole look so that she was no longer recognizable on the streets or even to some of her "friends". She went back to using her real name instead of the stage name of Debbie Dare.
This book was quite entertaining. I found myself looking over my shoulder whenever the explicit words were announced to see if anyone around me was listening out. This book gives you a different look at porn stars and the life they lead. I recommend this book for anyone who is not easily upset by pornographic language.
This was a very explicit novel by Walter Mosley. Every word imaginable to describe the male and female genitalia was used. This did not bother me at all, but I wanted to let others who may be offended by that type of language. This was a very real look into the porn industry for me. Sure I have seen some porn in my life, not an avid watcher at all, but it's interesting to know a back story. Debbie grew up as Sandra Peal in California. She met Theon Pinckney, her husband, when she was just a girl, and he changed her world forever. When Deb comes home from a most unusual movie shoot, she finds police and paramedics at her home. Her husband had been found dead in their bathtub, with another woman, or girl is more appropriate. This doesn't upset Debbie as you would think, she was used to this kind of behavior from her husband, especially being in the industry that they were in. The death of her husband also, to Debbie, meant the death of her career. She changed her whole look so that she was no longer recognizable on the streets or even to some of her "friends". She went back to using her real name instead of the stage name of Debbie Dare.
This book was quite entertaining. I found myself looking over my shoulder whenever the explicit words were announced to see if anyone around me was listening out. This book gives you a different look at porn stars and the life they lead. I recommend this book for anyone who is not easily upset by pornographic language.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Bite Club (The Morganville Vampires, #10) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
This book does something brand new in the series -- Shane's point of view is alternated with Claire's point of view. It is a very good thing that Rachel Caine decides to do this, as I do not think that Claire could have gotten such a good understanding of the lure of the vampire-themed fight club that Shane gets involved with.
We not only get to see into Shane's head, but we also get a fuller understanding of his anger and hatred towards vampires, as well as his internal battle with accepting his sister's death, followed by his mother's death, and his father's abuse and fanaticism. Honestly, it is amazing that Shane has any sanity left at all, considering the life he has lived up to this point. Claire has been like a bright star in his life, and it would be a real tragedy if he were to ever lose her -- which does not look like it will be happening any time soon.
On the flip side, Shane's drastic change in behavior due to the fight club puts Claire's heart through the ringer several times throughout the book and has her considering and reconsidering just how much she really wants to stay in Morganville -- especially when M.I.T., her dream school, starts calling. Luckily, Claire has always been a force to be reckoned with in Morganville, and her instincts are always right on par. Only she can stand up to Amelie, the Founder of Morganville, and come away unscathed, even if barely.
If a vampire fight club is not bad enough to be worthy of a book, a certain "big bad" comes back from the figurative dead to wreak havoc and death. Of course, my favorite character, Myrnin makes the final battle interesting with a few new toys and unforgettable one-liners. His rivalry with the new brain behind the town security system, Frank Collins, provides some fresh entertainment, too. This series just keeps getting better, and I can't wait for the release of the next book, Last Breath.
We not only get to see into Shane's head, but we also get a fuller understanding of his anger and hatred towards vampires, as well as his internal battle with accepting his sister's death, followed by his mother's death, and his father's abuse and fanaticism. Honestly, it is amazing that Shane has any sanity left at all, considering the life he has lived up to this point. Claire has been like a bright star in his life, and it would be a real tragedy if he were to ever lose her -- which does not look like it will be happening any time soon.
On the flip side, Shane's drastic change in behavior due to the fight club puts Claire's heart through the ringer several times throughout the book and has her considering and reconsidering just how much she really wants to stay in Morganville -- especially when M.I.T., her dream school, starts calling. Luckily, Claire has always been a force to be reckoned with in Morganville, and her instincts are always right on par. Only she can stand up to Amelie, the Founder of Morganville, and come away unscathed, even if barely.
If a vampire fight club is not bad enough to be worthy of a book, a certain "big bad" comes back from the figurative dead to wreak havoc and death. Of course, my favorite character, Myrnin makes the final battle interesting with a few new toys and unforgettable one-liners. His rivalry with the new brain behind the town security system, Frank Collins, provides some fresh entertainment, too. This series just keeps getting better, and I can't wait for the release of the next book, Last Breath.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Redemption (Redemption, #1) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
I reviewed this book several years ago, so this is a reread review. I can tell you that my thoughts then were high on this book and not much has changed through the years. Mrs. Kingsbury's books were introduced to me by my mother many years ago, and I was hooked. Redemption was one of the first Kingsbury books that I read, and it is one of my favorites. I was instantly hooked on it the first time I read it, and the reread was no different. Whenever I find myself in a book funk, or I suffer a tragedy in my life, I pick up Redemption and am reminded that with God's redeeming grace, I can pull through anything.
As someone who went through a bad first marriage, this book truly hits home for me. There are many elements of the book that I went through but I didn't lean on God through it all like Kari did. I loved watching her character again. It truly felt like reuniting with a long lost friend. The pain and suffering she felt, once again became my own. The sadness and the struggling, were mine. I found myself wanting to wrap her in a big old hug and fall to my knees to pray for her.
This is definitely still a 5 star book in my opinion. Mrs. Kingsbury can create a novel that will suck you in, wrap you up in God's warmth and grace, and set you down in a brand new place. Her words will stay with you long after you've shut the pages, long after you've placed the book back on the shelf. She will leave you breathless and ready for the next book. I highly recommend this book to all!
*I purchased this book for my personal collection. Cafinated Reads was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
As someone who went through a bad first marriage, this book truly hits home for me. There are many elements of the book that I went through but I didn't lean on God through it all like Kari did. I loved watching her character again. It truly felt like reuniting with a long lost friend. The pain and suffering she felt, once again became my own. The sadness and the struggling, were mine. I found myself wanting to wrap her in a big old hug and fall to my knees to pray for her.
This is definitely still a 5 star book in my opinion. Mrs. Kingsbury can create a novel that will suck you in, wrap you up in God's warmth and grace, and set you down in a brand new place. Her words will stay with you long after you've shut the pages, long after you've placed the book back on the shelf. She will leave you breathless and ready for the next book. I highly recommend this book to all!
*I purchased this book for my personal collection. Cafinated Reads was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*