Search

Search only in certain items:

    Dr. Panda Space

    Dr. Panda Space

    Education

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    **"There is so much to learn and explore, both for us and our kids" by Geeks with Juniors** 3…...

The Scarlet Code
The Scarlet Code
C. S. Quinn | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
These books must surely at least make it on to TV? They read like a film - I absolutely love them! I don’t know whether there were all-action, female spies around this time (I know there were female spies during the time just after the English Civil War, so why would they stop?), and frankly, I don’t much care. Well, I do, but what I’m hoping to get across here, is how much I LOVED this book! It’s rich in historical detail, the character development is equally good.

I’m really enjoying following Attica Morgan’s exploits (see what I did there? That’s not even a hint that I want more, that’s a “let there be more!”). Attica’s love of Paris, even at this really uncertain time between the fall of the Bastille and the actual start of the Revolution, is so well described that I felt that I could be there. I love a book where I can learn something. I’d always thought that the people released the prisoners from the Bastille (or in fact they didn’t, because it was virtually empty - or so I’ve been told), and then BAM! Voila la Révolution française! Well, by the sounds of it there was a bit of a tense hiatus between one thing and the next (we won’t discuss the fact that I was a French teacher in a former life - sshh!).

Anyway, if you enjoy a well written, historical romp, with an opinionated, strong female lead character - then this is the book for you! I can’t wait for the next one (not even hinting)!!

Many thanks to Readers First for sending me a copy of this book.
  
Mine Forever
Mine Forever
J.S. Scott | 2019
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What do you do when the love of your life is almost kidnapped by druggies? You do everything you can to convince her to come home with you, of course. Which is exactly what Simon does with Kara. But even with Kara reluctantly living with Simon again, things aren’t perfect. Kara won’t accept anything less than a relationship and Simon is still trying to figure out how to be in one. Can Simon put his past behind him so he can finally have happiness with Kara?

Like Mine for Tonight and Mine for Now, Mine Forever is a fantastic erotic romance. I like it even better than the second one because aside from getting Kara to move in with Simon again,the under-developed druggie plot has all but disappeared. and Kara is showing that she’s not willing to take any crap from Simon, even refusing sex until he opened up to her about his past. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of hot sex scenes that can make you blush, but Kara still needs Simon to open up.

And Simon, despite being an alpha male, is still awkward and endearing. 15479193670_d73f1ff314_mIt’s really obvious that he has no idea what to do in a relationship, to the point of absurdity. I mean, you have to be living under a rock not to know that flowers and chocolates are basic gifts for Valentine’s Day. As much as I like an awkward love interest, I really didn’t like how Simon handled Valentine’s Day. Getting help from his female employees is good and so is being nervous and wanting to make things right with Kara, but buying an entire carload of Valentine’s Day merchandise? That was a little to ridiculous for me. First of all, it’s unrealistic. Nervous binge-shopping and being a billionaire don’t go hand in hand. Binge-shopping leads to a broke hoarder real quick, I don’t care how high your salary is. Second of all, does he even know Kara? She’s hardly a material girl. Why would a large quantity of material goods make her happy? But Simon does express his love with gifts, so I guess that does fit.

We finally learn how Simon got his scars in this book. The suspense had actually been killing me to find out and the reason did not disappoint. Honestly, I’d have relationship problems too if I went through the same thing. And now that he’s opened up to Kara he can finally begin healing for real.

This book is one of my favorites of the series, right up there with the first one. You can’t find it by itself anymore. You’ll have to buy the entire Billionaire’s Obsession series. But if you like contemporary romance that flirts with the erotica genre, then you’ll like this series.
  
40x40

Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Saving Missy in Books

Mar 12, 2021  
Saving Missy
Saving Missy
Beth Morrey | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Wow, I don’t even know what I can say about this book.
I began the book by not particularly liking the main character – Millicent or Missy for short. But throughout the book I grew to love her, all of he, including her imperfections.
She starts off by being the lonely old woman who’s family have all left her that I’m sure we all dread to become. Through a chance meeting she meets Sylvie who becomes such a massive part of Missy’s life and in turn introduces her to the brash Angela and her adorable son Otis. To begin with, it seemed like Angela wasn’t interested in a friendship with Missy but more to take advantage of this poor, lonely old woman. But half way through the book it becomes evident that Angela really has come to love Missy and wants to spend time with her.
Through Angela, Missy inadvertently becomes a dog owner when she’s asked to do her a favour. Missy had no interest in looking after a dog, but something happens that convinces her to try it. Because of this, she opens herself up to a whole world of new friends – the dog walkers in her local park. A whole host of characters that make you feel all warm inside with how much they care about Missy.
Although most stories that are told with a little, old lady as the main character wouldn’t focus on any imperfections, this book explores them and we frequently flashback to situations and conversations which do not paint Missy in the best light. There is one situation that is referred to multiple times in the first half of the book, but it’s not until much later on that we discover what exactly happened. We also see Missy trying to apologise to certain people for some of her faults, through writing letters to the people she now realises she should have been more supportive of or more loving towards.
We also learn a lot about Missy’s marriage to her husband, Leo. This was obviously not a perfect marriage, as most aren’t, but it also sometimes made me feel that Leo didn’t really care about her as much as she cared about him. It’s only when she finds a letter from him hidden in a book that it shows how much he really has cared about her all those years and admits his own imperfections.
Thank you Pigeonhole and Beth Morrey for letting me read and review this, and I will definitely be investing in a hard copy to read again!
  
Clueless (Squad Goals #1)
Clueless (Squad Goals #1)
Willow Thomas | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
CLUELESS is the first book in the Squad Goals series and we start with Lexi - a male cheerleader - and Ryder. Lexi has been in love with Bad Boy Ryder for five years now and knows nothing can come of it but it's hard for him to change his heart. Ryder loves Kait, Lexi's sister, like a sister and has always noticed Lexi but didn't do anything about it until the day he did!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Partly because it was nice to read about male cheerleaders and how supportive each team was instead of the usual bitchiness and backstabbing that you get. And also Ryder - our not-so-bad boy. It may have taken him a while to catch on to what everyone else already knew but once he did, he was all in.

The story flowed naturally, as did the misunderstandings, easily sorted out by just taking a moment and figuring out what was important. These guys know what's what! There is also a great group of supporting characters that I am dying to hear more from.

The start of a great series and 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!
May 5, 2023
  
40x40

Brett Anderson recommended Low by David Bowie in Music (curated)

 
Low by David Bowie
Low by David Bowie
1977 | Rock
9.3 (4 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I have a weird relationship with David Bowie. There's a part of me that didn't want to include him out of bloody-mindedness, not out of any disrespect to him but because I get sick of talking about David Bowie, what with all those comparisons we drew. People said that Suede were like a mixture of The Smiths and Bowie, when actually there are all these other comparisons that could have been made. But I can't get away from the fact that he is a huge influence on what I do, and you can't get away from the fact that he simply is one of the greatest artists of all time and he made some of the greatest music of the 1970s, and six or seven unbelievably good records. Low is just one of them, I could have chosen Hunky Dory, Space Oddity, Scary Monsters, Young Americans. But I've chosen Low because I love the mystery of it, even though it's not his best song album - there's no 'Quicksand' or anything like that. You can tell that he's shifting, and looking for something else. My favourite track on it is 'Warszawa', with its amazing Wagnerian stirring in the music. Suede's 'Europe Is Our Playground' had a sense that it was a version of that. I love the way Low doesn't explain itself, and that it's a really odd record. I love the chronology of it, the fact that three of my favourite records ever were all made around the same time: Low, Never Mind The Bollocks and Music For Airports."

Source
  
The Last Star
The Last Star
Rick Yancey | 2016 | Children
1
6.8 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
FINALLY Heading for Point of View! (0 more)
Clearly the author ran out of sub-par storyline and just produced utter crap.. (0 more)
It Just Gets Worse...
Contains spoilers, click to show
This has to be the worst of the three... Finally we get headings that tell us which point of view we are reading but that's the only positive of this entire thing. Oh man where do I even start? Seriously it's that terrible. You think this is the last book we are bound to find out why "The Others" have attacked, what they want, or something... but no... nothing you're left to wonder. I think the author tried to give some kind of reasoning but it made about as much sense as a frog in a blender. "They had no answer for Love"... are you f**king kidding me with this s**t?! Ohhhh you're serious...oh dear... The. Worst. Cliche. Ever. Love makes humans what we are, sorry but there's a lot more to it than that... The ending is so unrealistic it hurts, none of that would happen. None. Of. It. *Spoilers* Self absorbed annoying little Cassie would not save the day because downloading tens of thousands of human "memories" would have killed her or at the very least turned her into a vegetable, and if by some impossibility she did survive the pod would not work because seriously you think a bunch of pyscho aliens are going to bargain with a *human* a cockroach species in their minds, the cities would be blown up, humans would be destroyed, Evan Walker would not survive electrocution and Ringer would have miscarried after the beating she recieved, Zombie and the kids would not have survived a *f**king helicopter crash* and Earth as we know it would no longer exist. This trilogy in no way shape or form should have had a fanatically ridiculous "happily ever after" bulls**t ending, but tragically it did... There's quality sci-fi fiction and then there's half-assed "Fifty Shades of the worst writing ever" stories. This whole series was unfortunately the latter... Don't waste your time...or your brain cells...