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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated You Were There Too in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Mia and Harrison move to tiny Hope Springs from Philadelphia, each hoping to escape their own problems. Here they have a picture-perfect house and a supposedly matching perfect life. But Mia is struggling with infertility and her husband has his own hidden demons. Plus Mia has a secret: at night, she has recurring dreams about another man. So imagine her surprise when she runs into him--in the flesh--in Hope Springs. Even more surprising? He tells her he dreams of her, too.
This was an odd and intense read--nothing like what I expected, though I'm not sure what I was expecting, really. In fact, it was so serious at times, I had to read it in chunks. It was too much to take in, Mia's miscarriages and her emotions, the dreams and what they could mean. I don't really mean this in a bad way, either. The feelings in this book are just strong and extremely well-done.
I really liked the idea of dreams in the novel and how they are presented. I mean, what would you do if you were suddenly face to face with your fantasy, with someone who had been in your dreams for over a decade? What a particular situation.
"It's only that--at times--he feels so real. And has for the ten or more years that he's been starring in my nighttime reveries."
For me, where this book went off the rails, is when it started to meander. Oliver--Mia's dream guy in real life--and Mia join forces to try to figure out what their dreams mean. Mia laments about the men in her life. And then the book takes a turn and is just so damn sad. I felt betrayed, honestly, by its outcome. While I feel that it was very well-written--the way infertility is portrayed is well-done in a lot of ways--I felt as if I read an entire book for nothing. Why, I wondered, did we go through all that?
So, while I found the book to be quite captivating and emotional, what was going to be a 4-star read fell down to 3. Alas.
This was an odd and intense read--nothing like what I expected, though I'm not sure what I was expecting, really. In fact, it was so serious at times, I had to read it in chunks. It was too much to take in, Mia's miscarriages and her emotions, the dreams and what they could mean. I don't really mean this in a bad way, either. The feelings in this book are just strong and extremely well-done.
I really liked the idea of dreams in the novel and how they are presented. I mean, what would you do if you were suddenly face to face with your fantasy, with someone who had been in your dreams for over a decade? What a particular situation.
"It's only that--at times--he feels so real. And has for the ten or more years that he's been starring in my nighttime reveries."
For me, where this book went off the rails, is when it started to meander. Oliver--Mia's dream guy in real life--and Mia join forces to try to figure out what their dreams mean. Mia laments about the men in her life. And then the book takes a turn and is just so damn sad. I felt betrayed, honestly, by its outcome. While I feel that it was very well-written--the way infertility is portrayed is well-done in a lot of ways--I felt as if I read an entire book for nothing. Why, I wondered, did we go through all that?
So, while I found the book to be quite captivating and emotional, what was going to be a 4-star read fell down to 3. Alas.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Common Powers Box Set in Books
Aug 14, 2019
good, but not great.
Indepedent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this box set.
Four stories, of men coming together when they need each other the most.
Sammi is running away from being a sex slave, can Mitchell keep him safe?
Brian and Rush have chemistry, and they haven't even touched, but can Rush step out of the dark for Brian?
Edward is in town to visit his grandmother. The Chief of Police, Jack, is so NOT his type. So why is he drawn so badly to the man?
After a homophobic attack, Phillip finds himself taken in by Brian and Rush, and Phillip can only hope to have the kind of relationship they do.
For the most part, I did enjoy these four books, but maybe reading them back to back wasn't the best idea.
The general plot lines are very similar, and some dialogue is repaeted, particularly in the final book, when ALL four guys have a say, and it is especially when the guys are getting down and dirty! And they get down and dirty a LOT in that last book! And I'm not usually one to bawk at a lot of down and dirty but I did feel that it overshadowed Phillip's story.
I did enjoy the paranormal aspect: Sammi can read minds, Brian has premonitions, Rush can see in the dark, Edward can heal by touch and Phillip can influence by touch.
I liked that all the guys in the pairings have a say, so we hear from everyone and you know that makes me happy.
I did not like the SPEED at which things moved for the first three couples. Phillip's tale was a good deal slower, with everyone else having some thing to say. The previous three though?? Very quickly it went from attraction to love, for Sammi and Mitchell, it was the first chapter! I'm all for insta-love in places, but I did not like here, especailly for Sammi because of what he was running from. But equally, Jack and Rush are hiding, deep in their only personal hall closets, and you have expected there to be a bit more reluctancy to fall in love from those two (although they DID fight it, tooth and nail!) It was just too mcuh too soon.
It is explicit, heavily so; it also carries references to murder, rape and stalking and deals with the sex industry and being held against their will.
Still, a good read, just not a brilliant one.
3 GOOD stars
**same worded review will appear elewhere**
Four stories, of men coming together when they need each other the most.
Sammi is running away from being a sex slave, can Mitchell keep him safe?
Brian and Rush have chemistry, and they haven't even touched, but can Rush step out of the dark for Brian?
Edward is in town to visit his grandmother. The Chief of Police, Jack, is so NOT his type. So why is he drawn so badly to the man?
After a homophobic attack, Phillip finds himself taken in by Brian and Rush, and Phillip can only hope to have the kind of relationship they do.
For the most part, I did enjoy these four books, but maybe reading them back to back wasn't the best idea.
The general plot lines are very similar, and some dialogue is repaeted, particularly in the final book, when ALL four guys have a say, and it is especially when the guys are getting down and dirty! And they get down and dirty a LOT in that last book! And I'm not usually one to bawk at a lot of down and dirty but I did feel that it overshadowed Phillip's story.
I did enjoy the paranormal aspect: Sammi can read minds, Brian has premonitions, Rush can see in the dark, Edward can heal by touch and Phillip can influence by touch.
I liked that all the guys in the pairings have a say, so we hear from everyone and you know that makes me happy.
I did not like the SPEED at which things moved for the first three couples. Phillip's tale was a good deal slower, with everyone else having some thing to say. The previous three though?? Very quickly it went from attraction to love, for Sammi and Mitchell, it was the first chapter! I'm all for insta-love in places, but I did not like here, especailly for Sammi because of what he was running from. But equally, Jack and Rush are hiding, deep in their only personal hall closets, and you have expected there to be a bit more reluctancy to fall in love from those two (although they DID fight it, tooth and nail!) It was just too mcuh too soon.
It is explicit, heavily so; it also carries references to murder, rape and stalking and deals with the sex industry and being held against their will.
Still, a good read, just not a brilliant one.
3 GOOD stars
**same worded review will appear elewhere**
Sassy Brit (97 KP) rated Blame in Books
Jun 5, 2019
Imagine, several years of your life just vanish as a result of an accident, but all you know is that the person you were with was killed and everyone blames you. This is situation Jeff Abbott tackles in Blame, an engaging thriller with an ending I didn’t expect.
Jane Norton is hiding something, and although we vaguely know pretty early on what has happened to her, she is an amnesiac and not portrayed in the best light. Why was she in the car with David, the boy who died? Who wrote the note they found at the scene of the car crash, which appeared to be written in Jane’s handwriting stating “I wish we were dead together”?
The slow start of the story reflects her altered perception of things in a way which explores how she came to be in the state she is, piecing together what happened, in her own disorientated way. I felt sorry for her, yet slightly annoyed at her behaviour. Yes, she is flawed, but she is also scared and frustrated. Does she deserve the treatment some throw at her? Would you be able to forgive her if you knew the truth? As the story progressed I found I was beginning to revel in Jane’s take no sh^t attitude and she grew on me even more.
I took a while to get into this, but glad I stuck it out. That’s never a good expression to put into a review, but it is how I felt. Despite this, the plot did indeed gather speed and there were twists and turns galore, which raced to a final conclusion that made reading this book all worthwhile.
Jane Norton is hiding something, and although we vaguely know pretty early on what has happened to her, she is an amnesiac and not portrayed in the best light. Why was she in the car with David, the boy who died? Who wrote the note they found at the scene of the car crash, which appeared to be written in Jane’s handwriting stating “I wish we were dead together”?
The slow start of the story reflects her altered perception of things in a way which explores how she came to be in the state she is, piecing together what happened, in her own disorientated way. I felt sorry for her, yet slightly annoyed at her behaviour. Yes, she is flawed, but she is also scared and frustrated. Does she deserve the treatment some throw at her? Would you be able to forgive her if you knew the truth? As the story progressed I found I was beginning to revel in Jane’s take no sh^t attitude and she grew on me even more.
I took a while to get into this, but glad I stuck it out. That’s never a good expression to put into a review, but it is how I felt. Despite this, the plot did indeed gather speed and there were twists and turns galore, which raced to a final conclusion that made reading this book all worthwhile.
Aretha Franklin recommended track You Send Me by Sam Cooke in Soul Heartbreaker by Sam Cooke in Music (curated)
8.0
Album
Favorite
Merissa (13176 KP) rated Just One Night in Books
Nov 3, 2022
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish.
JUST ONE NIGHT is a standalone story in the Billionaire & Escort trope. Madden is the billionaire and Asher is the escort. Both of them are confident men, hiding their inner bruised selves from the world. However, both of them also have strong females in their lives. For Mads, it is his older sister; for Asher, his best friend. Both women know exactly what has gone on in the lives of their men and aren't prepared to stand by any longer.
I LOVED THIS STORY! And it's in a genre that usually doesn't do much for me - probably because I'm about as far away from being a billionaire as you can get! There are no unnecessary miscommunications or misunderstandings. Things happen, explanations and reasons given, BOOM, let's sort it out. I can't tell you how refreshing that was. Instead of all that angst, you get two adult men who know what they want, uniting in their feelings for each other, against those who seek to cause damage.
The pacing is smooth, the descriptions vivid, and the characters both lifelike and loveable. The steam is off the charts and I loved how their relationship grew. There is an epilogue that not only gives you everything you want but also left me wanting more from this pair. I did NOT want this book to finish!
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Highly 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I LOVED THIS STORY! And it's in a genre that usually doesn't do much for me - probably because I'm about as far away from being a billionaire as you can get! There are no unnecessary miscommunications or misunderstandings. Things happen, explanations and reasons given, BOOM, let's sort it out. I can't tell you how refreshing that was. Instead of all that angst, you get two adult men who know what they want, uniting in their feelings for each other, against those who seek to cause damage.
The pacing is smooth, the descriptions vivid, and the characters both lifelike and loveable. The steam is off the charts and I loved how their relationship grew. There is an epilogue that not only gives you everything you want but also left me wanting more from this pair. I did NOT want this book to finish!
Absolutely brilliant from start to finish. Highly 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Lost Cat Corona (2017) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Holy shit people… Its Ralph freaking Macchio… I have got to admit its been some time since I saw Daniel Larusso in a movie so of course I was gonna sit down and watch this flick, what I did not expect was to find a whole cast of actors that maybe never set the world on fire but I have a certain affinity for.
Lost Cat Corona is one of those bottle movies that takes place over one day, spending time with various different characters that you just know (because Movies) will all somehow connect to each other at some point or other, you know like Crash, Kids, Clerks, or any other movie of its nature these are just the ones come to mind.
We start the flick by meeting Dominic (Ralph freaking Macchio). Dominic is a somewhat put upon and just wants to coast through life with as little drama as possible kind of guy (I can relate). On the day of his friends dads wake his wife’s cat has decided to go AWOL. His wife Connie (its only Gina bloody Gershon) is taking her mother for an operation and tells Dom “Find the cat or your out the house”. We spend the day with Dominic and his good friend Ponce (David “Batista from Dexter” Zayas) looking all around Corona for Leonard whilst bumping into a crazy cast of characters in his local neighborhood and getting caught up in some shady shit.
This is a super simple concept but works for all the right reasons. The script is as tight as you could ask and moves at a fairly rapid pace. Our cast is group of people you know and probably actually love, all giving solid great performances in a slightly off the wall comedy that gets in, moves along and gets out before outstaying its welcome.
Macchio and Zayas have cracking chemistry and with a solid as hell script form Writer/Director Anthony Tarsitano they are given room to show us a different side to themselves. Gershon is… Well… Gershon, always a pleasure to see her face on screen. We are also treated to Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) as Uncle Sam, Sean Young (Blade Runner) and Jeff Kober (Sons of Anarchy).
Now would I recommend this Flick… Yeah I would, big time. This is one of those movies you can just put on and enjoy for what it is. If you want Action and Adrenaline, this is not your movie. If you want a well paced, superbly written, wonderfully acted good time then this is the movie for you. You know what guys, it may be because its Sunday and i’m having a lazy one or maybe i was just in the mood for this flick, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Did I mention Daniel Larusso is in this Flick… Whoooohooooo.
Lost Cat Corona is one of those bottle movies that takes place over one day, spending time with various different characters that you just know (because Movies) will all somehow connect to each other at some point or other, you know like Crash, Kids, Clerks, or any other movie of its nature these are just the ones come to mind.
We start the flick by meeting Dominic (Ralph freaking Macchio). Dominic is a somewhat put upon and just wants to coast through life with as little drama as possible kind of guy (I can relate). On the day of his friends dads wake his wife’s cat has decided to go AWOL. His wife Connie (its only Gina bloody Gershon) is taking her mother for an operation and tells Dom “Find the cat or your out the house”. We spend the day with Dominic and his good friend Ponce (David “Batista from Dexter” Zayas) looking all around Corona for Leonard whilst bumping into a crazy cast of characters in his local neighborhood and getting caught up in some shady shit.
This is a super simple concept but works for all the right reasons. The script is as tight as you could ask and moves at a fairly rapid pace. Our cast is group of people you know and probably actually love, all giving solid great performances in a slightly off the wall comedy that gets in, moves along and gets out before outstaying its welcome.
Macchio and Zayas have cracking chemistry and with a solid as hell script form Writer/Director Anthony Tarsitano they are given room to show us a different side to themselves. Gershon is… Well… Gershon, always a pleasure to see her face on screen. We are also treated to Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) as Uncle Sam, Sean Young (Blade Runner) and Jeff Kober (Sons of Anarchy).
Now would I recommend this Flick… Yeah I would, big time. This is one of those movies you can just put on and enjoy for what it is. If you want Action and Adrenaline, this is not your movie. If you want a well paced, superbly written, wonderfully acted good time then this is the movie for you. You know what guys, it may be because its Sunday and i’m having a lazy one or maybe i was just in the mood for this flick, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Did I mention Daniel Larusso is in this Flick… Whoooohooooo.
Lindsay (1774 KP) rated More Than a Soldier in Books
Sep 7, 2017
NonFiction (1 more)
Story is told about Angelo DiMarco
More than a Soldier is a really good book about a soldier and his journey to survive. We meet Angelo first in a train car, with a few of his buddies and comrades. The story then goes back to when he signs up and what his family life is like. Will he make back to his battalion?
We get to follow Angelo and struggles through the military. We see how the Germans treat their prisoners and how rough life was behind enemy lines. The Germans are taking their prisoner through some extreme things.
The author did a wonderfully great job. With this being more of a Nonfiction book, It really told the story on each and every page. It was well written. Does the 1st Battalion survive or is Angelo the only survivor? You will want to read the book. You do get a somewhat of a tour of Italy.
We get to follow Angelo and struggles through the military. We see how the Germans treat their prisoners and how rough life was behind enemy lines. The Germans are taking their prisoner through some extreme things.
The author did a wonderfully great job. With this being more of a Nonfiction book, It really told the story on each and every page. It was well written. Does the 1st Battalion survive or is Angelo the only survivor? You will want to read the book. You do get a somewhat of a tour of Italy.
Sarah (7800 KP) rated This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor in Books
May 16, 2018
Humorous, insightful and fascinating
We all know about the NHS and doctors and hospitals, yet I'm sure for the majority of us that don't work in this sector, we don't have the slightest idea what goes on in reality.
Adam Kay's book is a fascinating insight into the NHS and the real working life of a doctor. It's ridiculously funny, emotional, heartwarming and also depressing to think this is the state of our health service. I dare you to read this and not feel anything. You can't say a bad word about the NHS after reading this (not that I ever did). I feel glad that Adam has provided such an insightful and thought provoking view of the NHS. I shed a tear when I reached the end and I would have quite happily read a lot more of his stories and anecdotes, they're fascinating.
A must read for anyone in the UK.
Adam Kay's book is a fascinating insight into the NHS and the real working life of a doctor. It's ridiculously funny, emotional, heartwarming and also depressing to think this is the state of our health service. I dare you to read this and not feel anything. You can't say a bad word about the NHS after reading this (not that I ever did). I feel glad that Adam has provided such an insightful and thought provoking view of the NHS. I shed a tear when I reached the end and I would have quite happily read a lot more of his stories and anecdotes, they're fascinating.
A must read for anyone in the UK.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2395 KP) rated Assaulted Pretzel (An Amish Mystery, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Everyone, English and Amish alike, are talking about toy maker Rob Karble being in town to make a deal to distribute toys made by the local Amish. However, not too long after word leaks he intends to use his factory instead of the local Amish, he is found murdered. Once again, Claire Weatherly finds herself getting involved to clear her new Amish friends.
I still can’t get over how strong the characters in this series are. They pull you in and make you care about every page. The plot is good, and kept me guessing until the end. I did find the romantic triangle a bit too prominent, and yet with the way it ended, I can’t wait to find out what happens next there as well. The strong characters are to blame for that contradiction.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-assaulted-pretzel-by-laura.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I still can’t get over how strong the characters in this series are. They pull you in and make you care about every page. The plot is good, and kept me guessing until the end. I did find the romantic triangle a bit too prominent, and yet with the way it ended, I can’t wait to find out what happens next there as well. The strong characters are to blame for that contradiction.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-assaulted-pretzel-by-laura.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Paul Smedley (141 KP) rated Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2018
Stop. Eject.
Well! I was really looking forward to this film as I loved the first one but this is god awful.
I love Jon Boyega but in this he doesn’t seem to be acting and seems like he’s in a rush to go home.
Charlie Day is another person I love to see in films and programmes but I cannot understand why he read the script on this one and agreed to go ahead with it.
The story is ridiculous, the acting is dire and I liked nothing about it other than Burn Gorman. His character remains the same and he is a delight to watch. The rest of the film is just full of ‘cringeworthy what the f@&£ness’
Watch the first, enjoy the first and imagine there was no sequel and that it ended where it did.
Trust me, you do not want to know where they took the story; it’s diabolical and you wouldn’t believe me!
I love Jon Boyega but in this he doesn’t seem to be acting and seems like he’s in a rush to go home.
Charlie Day is another person I love to see in films and programmes but I cannot understand why he read the script on this one and agreed to go ahead with it.
The story is ridiculous, the acting is dire and I liked nothing about it other than Burn Gorman. His character remains the same and he is a delight to watch. The rest of the film is just full of ‘cringeworthy what the f@&£ness’
Watch the first, enjoy the first and imagine there was no sequel and that it ended where it did.
Trust me, you do not want to know where they took the story; it’s diabolical and you wouldn’t believe me!