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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A Tigers Destiny (Tiger Protectors #3) in Books
Sep 4, 2020
161 of 200
Kindle
A Tigers Destiny ( Tiger Protectors book 3)
By Terry Bolryder
Kel Cunningham is the only white tiger shifter in the world. Taller, stronger, and faster than almost anyone, he's the best protection money can buy. Still, his two older brothers have found mates and Kel is ready to find a special someone of his own and settle down. And when his latest job brings him face to face with curvy Sofia, the first woman to make his tiger sit up and growl possessively, he thinks maybe she's the one. That is, if he can keep her safe and figure out why everyone in the underworld seems to be hunting her.
Sofia doesn't know what to make of the giant, model-gorgeous man hired to protect her. Kel's ice blue eyes, blond hair, and tall body stand out wherever he goes, and Sofia doesn't need to fall for a man that could get her noticed. But she soon sees that Kel is capable of handling anything that comes their way, and that beneath that muscular, sexy chest is one of the kindest hearts she has ever met. She knows she should stay distant, keep her secrets and trust no one. But Kel's warm, safe arms and searing kisses make her want to break all her rules.
So the last of the brothers is mates! Terry Bolryder has a formula and she sticks to it! This doesn’t make each book less enjoyable at all I still love them and most shifter readers will! They are quick but fun reads.
So now we continue onto the dragons and finding their dragon heart!
Kindle
A Tigers Destiny ( Tiger Protectors book 3)
By Terry Bolryder
Kel Cunningham is the only white tiger shifter in the world. Taller, stronger, and faster than almost anyone, he's the best protection money can buy. Still, his two older brothers have found mates and Kel is ready to find a special someone of his own and settle down. And when his latest job brings him face to face with curvy Sofia, the first woman to make his tiger sit up and growl possessively, he thinks maybe she's the one. That is, if he can keep her safe and figure out why everyone in the underworld seems to be hunting her.
Sofia doesn't know what to make of the giant, model-gorgeous man hired to protect her. Kel's ice blue eyes, blond hair, and tall body stand out wherever he goes, and Sofia doesn't need to fall for a man that could get her noticed. But she soon sees that Kel is capable of handling anything that comes their way, and that beneath that muscular, sexy chest is one of the kindest hearts she has ever met. She knows she should stay distant, keep her secrets and trust no one. But Kel's warm, safe arms and searing kisses make her want to break all her rules.
So the last of the brothers is mates! Terry Bolryder has a formula and she sticks to it! This doesn’t make each book less enjoyable at all I still love them and most shifter readers will! They are quick but fun reads.
So now we continue onto the dragons and finding their dragon heart!
Re-Read Update:
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
Natacha (374 KP) rated Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) in Books
Sep 7, 2019
Unfortunately, it looks like I have an unpopular opinion once more and I'm so sad about it. The hype for the book is big and the concept of it made me really want to read it and I was sure I'll like it. But alas...
Things I like:
-The main idea of the book sounded very unique and interesting. A future society where humanity had overcome death and all diseases and the only way to keep the population to a normal number is having a group of people how must obey to a certain set of rule, randomly killing other members of the society. Such a nice concept and so many topics that you could dive in.
-There were a couple of nice twists.
-Scyth Curie was an interesting character with a nice backstory.
-Volta. He is a side character and yet, he was one of the most interesting ones.
Things I didn't like
-Everything came down to execution. As I mentioned the concept was unique but yet we get very little world-building and very little description in general. And this is coming for someone that despises lengthy descriptions. By the end of the book the only thing that I knew is that people don't die, they have a way to become young again but there is nothing left for them to do and they are bored. That's a missed opportunity to elaborate and dive into what would actually people do in these circumstances.
-Because we don't get enough information and rules in this world I was left with questions and also instances that looked like plot holes.
-The main characters. Throughout the book, we are constantly being told what characters are feeling, never shown through their actions, which made it very difficult for me to connect with them and believe what I was told they felt. An example was during Rowan training where he had to perform some actions and the only thing we got was "I don't like this" but this was never followed with actions to show us that he didn't like what he needed to do.
-It's hinted in the book that Rowan slowly turns into a bad person that is enjoying killing, but again this is never back with his action and I never felt that this was what was happening to him.
-The love story. So I've seen many people saying that there was instant love and unfortunately I agree. The two main characters fall in love within 3 months which I would argue that that makes it not instant love but, because once again we brush over everything we go to "I don't like you" to "I'm in love with you" without been shown how this happened. Yes, they are supposed to spend 3 months training together but if you don't show me how they slowly bonded and fall in love I'll never believe it. And this what happened to me.
-The climax. The book build-up to the final moment where one of the main characters will have to kill the other. This moment is in the last 5 pages off the book and once again just gets brush over the events and makes it looks too easy.
To sum up this could have been an amazing story but unfortunately, I felt like it was rushed and not well executed.
Things I like:
-The main idea of the book sounded very unique and interesting. A future society where humanity had overcome death and all diseases and the only way to keep the population to a normal number is having a group of people how must obey to a certain set of rule, randomly killing other members of the society. Such a nice concept and so many topics that you could dive in.
-There were a couple of nice twists.
-Scyth Curie was an interesting character with a nice backstory.
-Volta. He is a side character and yet, he was one of the most interesting ones.
Things I didn't like
-Everything came down to execution. As I mentioned the concept was unique but yet we get very little world-building and very little description in general. And this is coming for someone that despises lengthy descriptions. By the end of the book the only thing that I knew is that people don't die, they have a way to become young again but there is nothing left for them to do and they are bored. That's a missed opportunity to elaborate and dive into what would actually people do in these circumstances.
-Because we don't get enough information and rules in this world I was left with questions and also instances that looked like plot holes.
-The main characters. Throughout the book, we are constantly being told what characters are feeling, never shown through their actions, which made it very difficult for me to connect with them and believe what I was told they felt. An example was during Rowan training where he had to perform some actions and the only thing we got was "I don't like this" but this was never followed with actions to show us that he didn't like what he needed to do.
-It's hinted in the book that Rowan slowly turns into a bad person that is enjoying killing, but again this is never back with his action and I never felt that this was what was happening to him.
-The love story. So I've seen many people saying that there was instant love and unfortunately I agree. The two main characters fall in love within 3 months which I would argue that that makes it not instant love but, because once again we brush over everything we go to "I don't like you" to "I'm in love with you" without been shown how this happened. Yes, they are supposed to spend 3 months training together but if you don't show me how they slowly bonded and fall in love I'll never believe it. And this what happened to me.
-The climax. The book build-up to the final moment where one of the main characters will have to kill the other. This moment is in the last 5 pages off the book and once again just gets brush over the events and makes it looks too easy.
To sum up this could have been an amazing story but unfortunately, I felt like it was rushed and not well executed.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated It's Blunderful in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019 (Updated Jun 12, 2019)
Party games. We all have them, and our families all want to play them. But how many times can you stomach Apples to Apples or its harem of vomit-inducing copycat clones? Maybe you have a gamer family that can handle the Werewolf/Mafia/The Resistance line (Avalon ftw, homies). But if you just cannot get them to connect on something more gamer-y, maybe try putting them into awkward scenarios and see how they fare.
This is a straight up party game where you are bidding your VPs to answer questions about the person reading the question cards. We have all played games like this, right (Say Anything, anyone)? Well, this is in a similar vein, but the situations and scenarios printed on the cards here are a little more updated and unique. The genre and playstyle are not at all unique, mind you, but this may still have some value for some families.
On your turn you read a card that has an awkward scenario and three answers that you will need to answer for yourself how you would/or probably could see yourself reacting. Choose your answer card (A, B, C) and place it face-down in front of you. Every other player will have a score board that they will wager 5, 10, or 15 of their points to match your answer. Get it right and you gain the amount of wagered points. Get it wrong, and you fall that many points. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner!
Components: this game has a few different components, but the vast majority is a whomping stack of question cards. The cards are great Bicycle quality cards, and are easy to read. You also receive in the box eight dual-layered scoreboards with notches to keep your translucent scoring cube safe and bump-proof. The boards are great quality and the cube is a normal smoke-colored translucent cube (see below). No problems with components at all here.
I am going to just admit that I am not a huge fan of party games. Maybe once upon a time I liked them quite a bit, but it seems to me that many party games are just variations of the same game over and over. This one doesn’t really break the mold here, either, but it is enjoyable. The awkward situations are unique and the answers are mostly humorous. When we were playing my brother, Bryan, mentioned that he liked this game because it gave him alternatives to how he would normally react in these situations, so it was somewhat educational for him. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but I believe if you are a fan of party games, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Purple Phoenix Games gives this title an positively awkward 12/18
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/its-blunderful-review/
This is a straight up party game where you are bidding your VPs to answer questions about the person reading the question cards. We have all played games like this, right (Say Anything, anyone)? Well, this is in a similar vein, but the situations and scenarios printed on the cards here are a little more updated and unique. The genre and playstyle are not at all unique, mind you, but this may still have some value for some families.
On your turn you read a card that has an awkward scenario and three answers that you will need to answer for yourself how you would/or probably could see yourself reacting. Choose your answer card (A, B, C) and place it face-down in front of you. Every other player will have a score board that they will wager 5, 10, or 15 of their points to match your answer. Get it right and you gain the amount of wagered points. Get it wrong, and you fall that many points. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner!
Components: this game has a few different components, but the vast majority is a whomping stack of question cards. The cards are great Bicycle quality cards, and are easy to read. You also receive in the box eight dual-layered scoreboards with notches to keep your translucent scoring cube safe and bump-proof. The boards are great quality and the cube is a normal smoke-colored translucent cube (see below). No problems with components at all here.
I am going to just admit that I am not a huge fan of party games. Maybe once upon a time I liked them quite a bit, but it seems to me that many party games are just variations of the same game over and over. This one doesn’t really break the mold here, either, but it is enjoyable. The awkward situations are unique and the answers are mostly humorous. When we were playing my brother, Bryan, mentioned that he liked this game because it gave him alternatives to how he would normally react in these situations, so it was somewhat educational for him. I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but I believe if you are a fan of party games, you can’t really go wrong with this one. Purple Phoenix Games gives this title an positively awkward 12/18
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/06/11/its-blunderful-review/
Bong Mines Entertainment (15 KP) rated The Beginning - Single by The Crab Apples in Music
Jul 10, 2019
The Crab Apples is an indie pop-rock band based in Barcelona. Not too long ago, they released a wonderful indie-pop tune, entitled, “The Beginning”.
“You’ve already taken all your roots. Planted at least two seeds and you talk about them and I smile and nod my head. Though deep down I feel like dying. ‘Cause I know you have your life across the sea while I’m stuck in here, lost, wondering what I might potentially be.” – lyrics
‘The Beginning’ tells a bittersweet tale of a young woman who wants to travel overseas to visit a special guy in her life, someone who she desires to be with.
While in preparation to depart, she decides not to go and see him anymore. Subsequently, she rejects the idea of traveling on a plane to a far-away land.
Her sudden decision might be based on the fact that she considers herself an easy prey whose heart was effortlessly captured by the above-mentioned individual.
Later, she admits that if he would have opened his hand, she would’ve fallen into his trap like a big dumb fly.
What she wants now is to be free from his enchanting hook, which he uses to catch victims who are attracted to his charm.
But in order to achieve her desired goal, she can’t go to see him because she will fall under his spell once again.
‘The Beginning’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and buoyant instrumentation flavored with guitar products and alternative-pop elements. Also, the likable tune is featured on The Crab Apples’ “More Mistakes” EP.
“‘The End’ and ‘The Beginning’ are two parts of the same song. But in the versions we have made, we understand each part as different entities. Recording ‘The End’ was amazing because we experienced like never before. We went crazy with voice effects and synths. Laia came to the studio when she only needed to record the bass and recorded it in a shot as she listened and discovered how she had mutated the song throughout the process. All this took us away from our habitual ways of doing things and took us to lands we had never explored before.” – The Crab Apples
The Crab Apples consists of Carla Gimeno (vocals, guitar), Laia Alsina (electric guitar), Laia Martí (bass) and Mauro Cavallaro (drums).
What started as a project between four friends from the same town, quickly grew and they became the group we know now.
The release of their EP has led the dynamic foursome to comfortably play on stages all over Spain.
Not too long ago, Laia Alsina mentioned why their custom pedalboards for guitar and bass gives them freedom and peace of mind while on tour.
“I’ve been practically two years with the Evo Track S2 pedalboard and it has certainly been a great change. I find it very comfortable and easy to use to carry my pedals and especially when playing live. The elevation of the second row really helps me to activate and deactivate the effects easily. It prevents me to play accidentally the pedal on the side (common). I’m very happy because I’ve toured a lot and the pedalboard still lasts.” – Laia Alsina
Although they might not look like it at first sight, The Crab Apples considers their mistakes beautiful. Through their scars, what once seemed weak is now attractively strong.
“You’ve already taken all your roots. Planted at least two seeds and you talk about them and I smile and nod my head. Though deep down I feel like dying. ‘Cause I know you have your life across the sea while I’m stuck in here, lost, wondering what I might potentially be.” – lyrics
‘The Beginning’ tells a bittersweet tale of a young woman who wants to travel overseas to visit a special guy in her life, someone who she desires to be with.
While in preparation to depart, she decides not to go and see him anymore. Subsequently, she rejects the idea of traveling on a plane to a far-away land.
Her sudden decision might be based on the fact that she considers herself an easy prey whose heart was effortlessly captured by the above-mentioned individual.
Later, she admits that if he would have opened his hand, she would’ve fallen into his trap like a big dumb fly.
What she wants now is to be free from his enchanting hook, which he uses to catch victims who are attracted to his charm.
But in order to achieve her desired goal, she can’t go to see him because she will fall under his spell once again.
‘The Beginning’ contains a relatable storyline, pleasing vocals, and buoyant instrumentation flavored with guitar products and alternative-pop elements. Also, the likable tune is featured on The Crab Apples’ “More Mistakes” EP.
“‘The End’ and ‘The Beginning’ are two parts of the same song. But in the versions we have made, we understand each part as different entities. Recording ‘The End’ was amazing because we experienced like never before. We went crazy with voice effects and synths. Laia came to the studio when she only needed to record the bass and recorded it in a shot as she listened and discovered how she had mutated the song throughout the process. All this took us away from our habitual ways of doing things and took us to lands we had never explored before.” – The Crab Apples
The Crab Apples consists of Carla Gimeno (vocals, guitar), Laia Alsina (electric guitar), Laia Martí (bass) and Mauro Cavallaro (drums).
What started as a project between four friends from the same town, quickly grew and they became the group we know now.
The release of their EP has led the dynamic foursome to comfortably play on stages all over Spain.
Not too long ago, Laia Alsina mentioned why their custom pedalboards for guitar and bass gives them freedom and peace of mind while on tour.
“I’ve been practically two years with the Evo Track S2 pedalboard and it has certainly been a great change. I find it very comfortable and easy to use to carry my pedals and especially when playing live. The elevation of the second row really helps me to activate and deactivate the effects easily. It prevents me to play accidentally the pedal on the side (common). I’m very happy because I’ve toured a lot and the pedalboard still lasts.” – Laia Alsina
Although they might not look like it at first sight, The Crab Apples considers their mistakes beautiful. Through their scars, what once seemed weak is now attractively strong.
This was a powerful quick read that I couldn’t put down.
It was interesting that a book has been written about a video going viral on the internet that the person who’s in it is mortified and ashamed about and didn’t post it herself. It follows the fall out with her family and her own struggles to come to terms with what has happened whilst waiting it out abroad before returning home to Scotland.
Su-Jin was adopted from Korea by a family in Scotland, who then found out that they were pregnant after years of trying not long after. We find out that Su-Jin struggled to find her place a lot of the time and wished that she wasn’t different to her family, and tried to make her parents proud by following all of the rules set out for her.
It is definitely thought provoking, the topics dealt with are racism, revenge porn and the most relevant at the moment is spiking drinks. It points out exactly how easy it is to accept a drink from a stranger in a bar, even when you know you shouldn’t, and the implications it can have.
It was sometimes quite predictable and sometimes a bit confusing with the timelines jumping in some chapters without it being explained or obvious.
A very interesting read about something that could happen to any of us at any point.
It was interesting that a book has been written about a video going viral on the internet that the person who’s in it is mortified and ashamed about and didn’t post it herself. It follows the fall out with her family and her own struggles to come to terms with what has happened whilst waiting it out abroad before returning home to Scotland.
Su-Jin was adopted from Korea by a family in Scotland, who then found out that they were pregnant after years of trying not long after. We find out that Su-Jin struggled to find her place a lot of the time and wished that she wasn’t different to her family, and tried to make her parents proud by following all of the rules set out for her.
It is definitely thought provoking, the topics dealt with are racism, revenge porn and the most relevant at the moment is spiking drinks. It points out exactly how easy it is to accept a drink from a stranger in a bar, even when you know you shouldn’t, and the implications it can have.
It was sometimes quite predictable and sometimes a bit confusing with the timelines jumping in some chapters without it being explained or obvious.
A very interesting read about something that could happen to any of us at any point.
Kids Top 25 Nursery rhymes & Baby Songs
Education and Music
App
Nursery Rhymes for kids has top 25 kids rhymes ,kids videos and baby songs in one place. Videos of...
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated First Love in Books
May 10, 2018
First Love is a story of two young people, Alexandra and Robinson. Axi is sitting at Ernie's, a cafe in their small town, waiting for Robinson. Next week, she has finals for her two AP classes. Now, normally, this straight laced, straight A student would be studying for those finals, but today she has something else on her mind. As Robinson enters the store, all thoughts of finals escape her mind and a smile spreads across her face. He has that skill, to brighten her mood whenever he is around. As he sits down, worry starts to envelope Axi. What if her plan backfires? What if Robinson isn't interested in what she has to say? She takes a deep breath and says..."Let's Run Away".
All over the country they travel, breaking the rules and trying not to get hurt or arrested along the way. When this carefree trip takes a devastating turn, Axi comes to realize that life is way too short.
We all remember our first love. I know at that time, there was almost nothing I wouldn't do for mine. Would you lie, steal, cheat? Would you sacrifice your own life for their happiness? First Love is definitely not your typical James Patterson book. While he does have other books that are non-crime/police drama, they are few and far between. This was a cute story about teens trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Time is of the essence for them and they intend to ride it until the wheels fall off. Penning themselves Bonnie and Clyde, Axi and Robinson take a cross-country tour neither of them will ever forget. Starting in Oregon and ending in North Carolina they cross the country seeing the sites and trying to avoid the police. If you're interested in a quick, cute love story about a couple of kids, then you will enjoy this story!
All over the country they travel, breaking the rules and trying not to get hurt or arrested along the way. When this carefree trip takes a devastating turn, Axi comes to realize that life is way too short.
We all remember our first love. I know at that time, there was almost nothing I wouldn't do for mine. Would you lie, steal, cheat? Would you sacrifice your own life for their happiness? First Love is definitely not your typical James Patterson book. While he does have other books that are non-crime/police drama, they are few and far between. This was a cute story about teens trying to make the best out of a bad situation. Time is of the essence for them and they intend to ride it until the wheels fall off. Penning themselves Bonnie and Clyde, Axi and Robinson take a cross-country tour neither of them will ever forget. Starting in Oregon and ending in North Carolina they cross the country seeing the sites and trying to avoid the police. If you're interested in a quick, cute love story about a couple of kids, then you will enjoy this story!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated After the Fall in Books
Feb 13, 2018
There are all sorts of falls.
For Honor, it is an actual fall. An intelligent, proud woman, Honor raised her son, Stephen, alone. But Stephen married and then unexpectedly passed away, and Honor lives by herself. A fall down the stairs of her stately home lands her in the hospital with a broken hip and her pride deeply wounded. Suddenly, Honor is at the mercy of her former daughter-in-law, Jo, who was Stephen's wife, to help care for her.
For Jo, her fall may not be physical, but she feels as if she's always trying to catch up. Perpetually optimistic, Jo is constantly cheerful for those around her, but she cannot always hide her own doubts about where her life is headed, or if she's doing right by her three children. She's a busy mom to Lydia, Oscar, and Iris, and recently divorced from Oscar and Iris' father. She also fears she may be falling... for another man.
And for Lydia, she too has fallen in love. But she's also a teenager, who lost her father young, and she's dealing with the trials of school and exams. Lydia has a secret, as well: one that threatens her ability to blend in at school and home.
This book, oh this book. <i>I adored this book so much.</i> I fell for these characters (so sorry for that awful pun) hard. From the moment I started reading about feisty Honor, cheery Jo, and teenage Lydia, I loved them. I loved their problems, their sense of humor, and their family. This novel is beautifully written, achingly touching, and often laugh out loud funny.
It alternates between the points of view of our three main women: Honor, Jo, and Lydia. Honor and Jo have never been close, as Honor resented Jo marrying her son, and Jo felt intimidated by the intelligent and strong Honor. But after Honor's fall, she's forced to move in with Jo, her granddaughter Lydia, and Jo's young children with her second husband. The book slowly unfolds the details of how Stephen (Honor's son) passed away and the effect it had on all three women. The entire novel, really, is about little life details and how each they've impacted the three in various ways. In fact, you learn that while we are hearing these stories from three connected people, they really don't know each very well at all. Cohen captures so well how much they need each other, but can't admit it.
As such, there is a poignancy to the novel, as we watch the women navigate life and keep a variety of secrets and hidden sadness from each other. But unlike so many novels, where I want to just scream at the characters to communicate, or where it seems like the entire plot could have been avoided by someone simply talking to another character, this novel is real and true. For instance, Lydia's teen angst and the trials of her adolescence are also so beautifully (although heartbreakingly) portrayed.
It also captures the trials of having children so perfectly. There are some hilarious scenes as Jo navigates caring for her two younger children. Even better are the moments of prickly Honor interacting with young Iris and Oscar. You cannot help but laugh. There is a moment with Oscar and Honor that made me laugh and nearly cry; it was just so funny and touching. The novel is filled with many of these wonderful and witty moments.
I loved how these characters never failed to surprise me. Yes, there were some plot points you could see coming, but they didn't diminish my joy for the book or the depth of the characters. Nothing felt too cliche, and I remained captivated and intrigued. I felt a part of their story and lives. The novel really makes you think; its plot is not just "fluff."
By the end, I still loved all three so much, and my only disappointment was that the book ended. A beautiful 4.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
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For Honor, it is an actual fall. An intelligent, proud woman, Honor raised her son, Stephen, alone. But Stephen married and then unexpectedly passed away, and Honor lives by herself. A fall down the stairs of her stately home lands her in the hospital with a broken hip and her pride deeply wounded. Suddenly, Honor is at the mercy of her former daughter-in-law, Jo, who was Stephen's wife, to help care for her.
For Jo, her fall may not be physical, but she feels as if she's always trying to catch up. Perpetually optimistic, Jo is constantly cheerful for those around her, but she cannot always hide her own doubts about where her life is headed, or if she's doing right by her three children. She's a busy mom to Lydia, Oscar, and Iris, and recently divorced from Oscar and Iris' father. She also fears she may be falling... for another man.
And for Lydia, she too has fallen in love. But she's also a teenager, who lost her father young, and she's dealing with the trials of school and exams. Lydia has a secret, as well: one that threatens her ability to blend in at school and home.
This book, oh this book. <i>I adored this book so much.</i> I fell for these characters (so sorry for that awful pun) hard. From the moment I started reading about feisty Honor, cheery Jo, and teenage Lydia, I loved them. I loved their problems, their sense of humor, and their family. This novel is beautifully written, achingly touching, and often laugh out loud funny.
It alternates between the points of view of our three main women: Honor, Jo, and Lydia. Honor and Jo have never been close, as Honor resented Jo marrying her son, and Jo felt intimidated by the intelligent and strong Honor. But after Honor's fall, she's forced to move in with Jo, her granddaughter Lydia, and Jo's young children with her second husband. The book slowly unfolds the details of how Stephen (Honor's son) passed away and the effect it had on all three women. The entire novel, really, is about little life details and how each they've impacted the three in various ways. In fact, you learn that while we are hearing these stories from three connected people, they really don't know each very well at all. Cohen captures so well how much they need each other, but can't admit it.
As such, there is a poignancy to the novel, as we watch the women navigate life and keep a variety of secrets and hidden sadness from each other. But unlike so many novels, where I want to just scream at the characters to communicate, or where it seems like the entire plot could have been avoided by someone simply talking to another character, this novel is real and true. For instance, Lydia's teen angst and the trials of her adolescence are also so beautifully (although heartbreakingly) portrayed.
It also captures the trials of having children so perfectly. There are some hilarious scenes as Jo navigates caring for her two younger children. Even better are the moments of prickly Honor interacting with young Iris and Oscar. You cannot help but laugh. There is a moment with Oscar and Honor that made me laugh and nearly cry; it was just so funny and touching. The novel is filled with many of these wonderful and witty moments.
I loved how these characters never failed to surprise me. Yes, there were some plot points you could see coming, but they didn't diminish my joy for the book or the depth of the characters. Nothing felt too cliche, and I remained captivated and intrigued. I felt a part of their story and lives. The novel really makes you think; its plot is not just "fluff."
By the end, I still loved all three so much, and my only disappointment was that the book ended. A beautiful 4.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review.
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Merissa (11935 KP) rated Ice on Fire (Treble and the Lost Boys #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Ice on Fire (Treble and the Lost Boys #1) by G.R. Lyons
Ice on Fire is the first book in the new series, Treble and the Lost Boys. Set in the same world as the Shifting Isles series, it can nevertheless be read without any prior knowledge of that series.
Zac is leading a double life - he is the violinist in Treble, and the guitar player in Inferno. He can't tell his longtime friend in Inferno that he plays violing as they will see it as 'gay'. So he definitely can't tell them that he is, in fact, gay too. So he pretends, and hates every minute of it. His family life is a good one, but he is worried about telling them he is gay as well. So, all in all, Zac is firmly in the closet. The only bright spot, which he keeps to himself, is seeing the mysterious Mr Shadow when he plays with Treble. This unknown man is the root of all his fantasies.
Adrian is also leading a double life, but although it looks like he has it all, he is actually more trapped than Zac. Suffering with acute anxiety, he has to toe the line his strict father lays down, or he will be kicked out with no money to his name. He manages to go to the club every time Treble are playing though. There is no way he would miss out on seeing the vibrant and passionate violinist.
These two definitely have a bumpy road, and both of them annoyed me at times. It was heartbreaking to see their relationship splinter under the pressure of studies and exhaustion. With high expectations, and only manageable reality, we see them fall apart and can only hope for a HEA, or at least a HFN!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait to continue with this series. A brilliant start to the series, and I am waiting patiently for Rylie's story! Absolutely recommended.
* 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!
Zac is leading a double life - he is the violinist in Treble, and the guitar player in Inferno. He can't tell his longtime friend in Inferno that he plays violing as they will see it as 'gay'. So he definitely can't tell them that he is, in fact, gay too. So he pretends, and hates every minute of it. His family life is a good one, but he is worried about telling them he is gay as well. So, all in all, Zac is firmly in the closet. The only bright spot, which he keeps to himself, is seeing the mysterious Mr Shadow when he plays with Treble. This unknown man is the root of all his fantasies.
Adrian is also leading a double life, but although it looks like he has it all, he is actually more trapped than Zac. Suffering with acute anxiety, he has to toe the line his strict father lays down, or he will be kicked out with no money to his name. He manages to go to the club every time Treble are playing though. There is no way he would miss out on seeing the vibrant and passionate violinist.
These two definitely have a bumpy road, and both of them annoyed me at times. It was heartbreaking to see their relationship splinter under the pressure of studies and exhaustion. With high expectations, and only manageable reality, we see them fall apart and can only hope for a HEA, or at least a HFN!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait to continue with this series. A brilliant start to the series, and I am waiting patiently for Rylie's story! Absolutely recommended.
* 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!