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Dana (24 KP) rated We Were Liars in Books

Mar 23, 2018  
We Were Liars
We Were Liars
E. Lockhart | 2014 | Fiction & Poetry
4
6.9 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Okay, I really wanted to love this book. There were so many people who said that it was amazing and I got my hopes up. Though I generally enjoyed the book, there were parts that didn't seem to fit for me. Even the mysterious parts, I caught on to almost too soon. It made me not really want to finish it because there was nothing to figure out anymore.

I am not saying, in any way, that you should not read this book. It was interesting, the characters were pretty cool, and it was a really fast read. Maybe it just wasn't for me. I still enjoyed reading it. If you like mysteries, quick reads, and like to contemplate stuff, pick up this book.

Please, do not use this review as a sole judgement on whether you should read this book or not. Mine is the only review that I have personally heard that did not say it was phenomenal. Go with your gut whether or not you want to pick this up. I still recommend that you read the book, if not just to see what your own thoughts on it are.

*****There may be some minor spoilers ahead, so you are warned!*****

There were a lot of really cool moments in the book that made me think. All of the philosophizing that the characters did that was very thought provoking and interesting. I especially liked how it was always about the four cousins. There is something in that familial bond that was really special to me, especially since I never really had that personally. I liked where the plot twist was headed. I understood it as well, but for me, I guessed it too early into the story. That just made me want to be able to find out why the thing happened. But, that's just me.
  
Rescued (Rescued Hearts #1)
Rescued (Rescued Hearts #1)
Felice Stevens | 2016 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved this book!
I got this free, from The Gay Romance Reader Club.

Jason broke up with his girlfriend cos he didn't want to marry her. Ryder broke up with his boyfriend cos the boyfriend didn't want to give up his drugs. Over the rescue of some pit bulls, they became friends. Ryder wants more and Jason? Well, he is digging deep into a long buried memory and realising that maybe it wasn't the fact he didn't want to marry his girlfriend, but maybe, just maybe, it was because she was a GIRL.

Oh I LOVED this book! It's one of those books that surprises you for some reason, but you've on idea why! I can't tell what surprised me, really I can't but I can tell you that I loved it!

Ryder is a lawyer, works for a pit bull rescue, has a pit called Pearl. While he loves his dog, she isn't much of a substitute for the warm male body he misses. Jason is a builder, developing his business with his brother. Finding the pit bulls chained up at a site brings Ryder into contact with Jason and both men, BOTH of them, have a reaction to the other. Ryder's is not surprising but Jason's is. As they spend more time together, Jason begins to question just what he's been doing all this time.

And I LOVED that we got to hear from both men! Cos you know I love that, but especially in books like this, when one is going against all he ever thought was right, and having that light bulb moment with someone and the world is a better place for it. And it really is a *light bulb above the head* moment for Jason, once he allows himself to just run with what he's feeling.

I did NOT like Ryder's mum. She's a Class A bitch and deserves to be alone for the rest of her days, for what she did to Ryder and his brother! So glad that his dad got his act together though!

Loved Jason's mum, especially after what his brother Liam says!

And while I'm not usually one for early professions of love, the way Jason came out with it? It was right that he said those words early, even if he didn't actually realise what he'd said! Both guys fell hard and they fell fast but it was right, for them, that they did.

There is a second book for these guys, and I'd love to read it at some point. There is a tiny snippet at the back of this one, and I have a feeling it might not be so warm and fuzzies!

First full length book by Ms Stevens I've read, the wish list is a few longer now!

5 full and shiny stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Soup 2 Nuts
Soup 2 Nuts
2018 | Card Game, Party Game
I like when I can learn something from a game. Or any experience, really. In the case of Soup 2 Nuts I learned that a proper six-course meal begins with the Soup course and ends with the Nuts course. I didn’t even know nuts was their own course! Now you are interested in what the other courses are, aren’t you? Fine, I will oblige: Soup, Appetizer, Salad, Main Course, Dessert, Nuts. These are the courses, and these are the rounds of play in this party card game of opinions and ridiculousness.

Soup 2 Nuts is a card game where players will be drawing cards from the giant stack, performing or answering questions written thereon and scoring points for what the other players deem “good enough.” The player with the highest score at the end of the six courses is the winner! … if you decide to even keep score.

DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game. It is not a prototype, so what you see is what you get. At least I think. More on that later. -T

To setup, open the aluminum can that the game comes in, dump out the components, shuffle the cards, and place them in a central stack. You are now ready to play. Yes, that’s it for setup.

So the game is very straightforward. Draw a card, read to yourself the prompt according to which course you are playing at the time (you play consecutively, so everyone will play a card at the Soup level through the Nuts level), and perform the action or answer the prompt question. After you have done this the other players will give you a thumbs up or thumbs down to indicate how well you did or how much they may agree with you. If you have a majority of ups you gain a point. A majority of downs is negative points. Yes, someone actually finished the game with negative points. I will not mention her name. You continue playing in this fashion until everyone has had a chance to complete actions on six cards (or passed if they wish, scoring zero points for the round). Tally up the points and announce the winner!

Components. This is a butt-ton of cards in a can. There is a golf pencil and tiny post-it-notes-style pad of paper. Also there was a hippo figure that came in our can. The hippo has nothing to do with the game (that we have found), and so we just keep it in the can and play around with it while waiting for people to decide what they want to do with their card. The cards are good quality, but the pencil and pad could have just as easily been left out all together. The can. Okay I have mixed feelings about the can the game comes in. On one hand, it is hilarious and appropriate for a game themed around a meal. It’s GREAT quality and comes with a plastic lid for containing the bits once you’ve popped the top. On the other hand, I now have to figure out how I am going to put it on my game shelves. One negative point to House Dunce Cap. (but I really do like the can haha)

So here’s the rub on this one. This is a VERY adult-focused game. It is NSFW and NSFKids. Please do not pull this out when you are playing games on a holiday with your parents and grandparents unless you have an incredibly modern relationship with them. Also, we very much recommend playing with as many people as you can. The more the better. We tried it with three players and it just did not work. We suggest at least five players to really let the game play shine as it should. There are also quite a few prompts that just didn’t apply as we were playing. I would house rule that you can have one re-draw if you would normally pass on a prompt, but you may play it however you’d like.

As this game is seriously a TON of prompts to get the group talking, debating, laughing, and being grossed out, we at Purple Phoenix Games give this one a hippo-in-the-can 7 / 18. It is not a horrible game, but it is not one I will be pulling off the shelves terribly often. If you enjoy TMI games and making each other squirm for points, give it a shot.
  
Deadly Games (Dallas after Dark #2)
Deadly Games (Dallas after Dark #2)
Karen Rock | 2018 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
kinda creeps up on ya!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book two in the Dallas After Dark series, but I have not read book one, Dangerous Games. I would like to, though. You don't NEED it, I don't think, I didn't feel I was missing anything by not having read it, but I would like to read Reese's story, she's the owner of the strip club here.

FBI Agent Katherine is out on a girls night out after her divorce in the male strip club, Dallas Heat. Nash is their star performer. Nash pulls Katherine (loved that it was not shortened, not once!) onto the stage, something he has NEVER done before. A night of passion follows but Katherine runs, knowing that it can only be that: one night. But Nash turns up at her office with information that might help find a serial killer. Together, they must catch this killer before one of Katherine's friends turns up dead, all the while with Katherine fighting their attraction. Nash, however, is already all in!

I really really enjoyed this book! Don't you just love being surprised by a book, but you've no particular idea why?? I *think* that it was probably Nash himself.

I must admit, I had preconceptions about a male stripper, and what he got up to with his customers. But Nash blew them all out the water. As did the fact that I, very wrongly, pegged Nash as all body and no brains! I've no idea WHY I thought that, but I did. And for that I'm truly sorry!

I liked the pace the story moved at, not too fast, at a fair and even pace so you can keep up. I DID get who the killer was, just as soon as they popped up in the story, but I did NOT get what they had done before! Loved watching the main play out, so many wrong turns!

It's not over explicit, but it is still incredibly sexy. It does get a little gruesome in the beginning, when it is describing a victim's suffering at the hands of the killer.

I do like the way Rock tells her tales, one to watch, me finks!

4 solid stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Dawn of the Zeds (Third edition)
Dawn of the Zeds (Third edition)
2016 | Action, Horror, Zombie / Survivalist
Staged rules to ease you in slowly (1 more)
Strong solo game plus team and 1 Vs many rules
Rules can be tricky to follow if you're not used to wargaming rules (0 more)
The Ultimate Zombie Tower Defense
I've been wanting DotZ for some time so jumped on the reprint and expansions when they hit Kickstarter last year.

As a solo player, having a town defense game designed as a solo game first was a big draw for me and the game certainly doesn't disappoint.

After hearing so much about it and the complexity, I was surprised to find it a lot smaller than I expected - the board is smaller than most modern board games and there aren't anywhere near as many chits and cards as other wargames. The game will play easily on a coffee table.

The first thing you see are the 5 rule books, but these are handily split into a "Start Here" basic game book which lets you quickly jump in and play a basic game, just your heroes fending off the Zeds from reaching the town, the advanced rules which lead you through the next level of difficulty, adding in extra rules, the set-up guide with all the instructions for each difficulty level plus epilogues to see how well you did. Next there is the Farmingdale Dossier - a reference book with all the various hero and zombie special skills and finally, the complete rules A-Z with rules for all difficulty levels and game modes.

The levels are all colour coded so it is easy to sort and set up the desired difficulty level and the rules are similarly split up and each rule numbered so you can quickly find what you need.

Gameplay is tight and atmospheric, you really feel like you are holding back the zombie hoardes. Careful planning and strategy is vital as actions are limited (and you never actually know how many actions you will get from turn to turn making you make some hard choices as to what is best to do each turn.

Overall a very satisfying game that will keep me busy for a long time and the ability to add more advanced rules when I feel comfortable is great.
  
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The Marinated Meeple (1853 KP) May 22, 2019

keep theboard game reviews coming, I got kudos to give....

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His Mate by Allegiance (Lunetti Pack #3)
His Mate by Allegiance (Lunetti Pack #3)
Mel Aitchess | 2025 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
steamy and deadly!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the Lunetti Pack series, and I would recommend that you books one, His Mate by Venegeance and book two, His Mate by Resistance before this one. A personal rec, is all.

I enjoyed book one, I loved book 2, but I LOVED this one!

Emilio knew that Rocco was his mate the minute they met. That kinda put his plans out, since his new husband was going to meet an unfortunate end and now his wolf would not let that happen. Rocca creeps under Emmy skin and fur and while they down and dirty quite quickly, I loved that Emmy was NOT going to bite Rocco and Rocco used his magic to bind his puppy. I loved that Rocco called Emmy puppy from the very beginning and not once did Emmy tell him to stop it!

I loved that Rocco really SAW Emmy, you know? As a witch, he didn't get the mating urge quite as bad as the shifters did, but he knew that Emmy was special, and his feelings developing super speedy was another reason that he knew.

Super smexy, and steamy! Loved that they went all in, but no biting! Rcco's power was amazing, with the wind and things and I loved that Emmy's wolf responded to that power.

Violent, too. Emilio is, after all, an assassin. But given what happens here, I think it's needed on page. Loved how Rocco responded to Emilio's trade.

Emotional, as well. Emmy is dealing with some deep emotions, after his father did what he did. And he fights Rocco all the way because of that. But once Rocco knows WHY Emmy is fighting, he understands and goes all out to make sure his puppy knows Rocco will always stand by him, and never against him.

Epilogue gives us who is next and I look forward to that one, given as Rafe and Adri have a long history!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
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Rick Astley recommended Under the Pink by Tori Amos in Music (curated)

 
Under the Pink by Tori Amos
Under the Pink by Tori Amos
1994 | Alternative

"I haven't listened to this record for ages. But I intend to! I walk a lot and used to live by Richmond Park and I like to walk with an album as I don't do that very often. That was one of my Richmond Park albums. There's that Kate Bush element, beautiful, mad lyrical content and some of those song titles are like 'what the fuck?' Just great. What was I doing during this period? I was retired. I quit in the mid 1990s and decided I was going to teach myself to make records for other people like a producer. And it was a time when Auto-tune was king in pop music and this – and other things – made me realise I didn't want to do it and also I probably can't do it. It's quite an art to make songs for other people. You give it your everything but no one writes songs for bands, no one wrote songs for The Smiths. They write them for solo artists most of the time. That void is taken up by pop and you have to make records which are autotuned because a lot of the time - in the 1990s – the idea was 'Can she sing? Well, it doesn't matter'. But it did to me! It is an alchemy of Christ knows what to make a good record and I don't think I've got the chops to do that [for someone else]. I had a record deal with Polydor in Germany at one point specifically within the context of not having to release the album anywhere else! I did a bit of promotion there but nothing happened. It wasn't the kind of record that used to get me on the radio in the 1980s but it also wasn't the kind of record that was enough of truly doing what I wanted to do."

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