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ArecRain (8 KP) rated Wolf Tales (Wolf Tales #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
This is the worst piece of trash I have ever read. I have read better smut on Literotica.
It was like Douglas tried to take something that was taboo (bestiality) and make it okay. She failed. HARD. Not only did she manage to write about bestiality, but rape, too. Within the first ten page of the book, the lead female wakes up in the dark to have sex with some naked wolfman stranger she can't even see and then goes on to make him let her live with him where they continue to have more sex for about 2 week. Apparently that's enough to fall in love with someone and not care about life anymore. Not only that, but the reason sex is so fantastic with him is because he has the penis of a DOG, knot and all, which she begs him to keep. Meanwhile, our little wolfman is lusting after the sorcerer who exposed him all to this, actually wanting the man to pretty much rape the wolfman (which isn't really rape since he wants it). Upon meeting the sorcerer, the wolfman is then "raped" by the sorcerer while the sorcerer is a wolf.
I stopped reading there.
In all the 76 pages that I read, the bestiality wasn't actually what made me hate this book. There was such an utter lack of plot line that this book couldn't even be considered a guilty pleasure book. I felt as if Douglas was trying to create plot line to explain the random sex that seemed to happen every chapter. Douglas also manipulated the characters responses and inner dialogue to make it seem as if their own feelings and thoughts conflict with what they really desire. The characters know that what they are doing is taboo, yet they still want to be raped by a wolf or have sex with a man with a dog penis.
Unfortunately for Douglas, the fact that she took something so socially taboo and tried to pass it off as an erotic novel without creating a realistic reason why any of it was happening made this book not only painful to read, but also near impossible to finish.
And before you bash me for not even finishing the book, I will tell you that I did read more than just the 76 pages. I know all about the Chanku and how the novel ends. I just couldn't force myself to read this piece of utter garbage in whole.
It was like Douglas tried to take something that was taboo (bestiality) and make it okay. She failed. HARD. Not only did she manage to write about bestiality, but rape, too. Within the first ten page of the book, the lead female wakes up in the dark to have sex with some naked wolfman stranger she can't even see and then goes on to make him let her live with him where they continue to have more sex for about 2 week. Apparently that's enough to fall in love with someone and not care about life anymore. Not only that, but the reason sex is so fantastic with him is because he has the penis of a DOG, knot and all, which she begs him to keep. Meanwhile, our little wolfman is lusting after the sorcerer who exposed him all to this, actually wanting the man to pretty much rape the wolfman (which isn't really rape since he wants it). Upon meeting the sorcerer, the wolfman is then "raped" by the sorcerer while the sorcerer is a wolf.
I stopped reading there.
In all the 76 pages that I read, the bestiality wasn't actually what made me hate this book. There was such an utter lack of plot line that this book couldn't even be considered a guilty pleasure book. I felt as if Douglas was trying to create plot line to explain the random sex that seemed to happen every chapter. Douglas also manipulated the characters responses and inner dialogue to make it seem as if their own feelings and thoughts conflict with what they really desire. The characters know that what they are doing is taboo, yet they still want to be raped by a wolf or have sex with a man with a dog penis.
Unfortunately for Douglas, the fact that she took something so socially taboo and tried to pass it off as an erotic novel without creating a realistic reason why any of it was happening made this book not only painful to read, but also near impossible to finish.
And before you bash me for not even finishing the book, I will tell you that I did read more than just the 76 pages. I know all about the Chanku and how the novel ends. I just couldn't force myself to read this piece of utter garbage in whole.

Debbiereadsbook (1536 KP) rated Scoring Position (Hockey Ever After #2) in Books
Oct 20, 2022
loved this much more than book 1!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Hockey Ever After series. I don't think its fully necessary to read book one, Winging It, before this but it might give you a better picture of the world these players live in. And I really enjoyed that book. Dante and Gabe do pop up, but knowing their story isn't essential, just helpful, especially with Tom and Kitty (side characters) playing a large part here.
Ryan is traded out and his new team is a mess. Their star player, Nico, even more so. But Ryan can see that Nico is hurting, in more ways than one. Finding his sense of humour was a great start. The Ryan messed it all up. And just what is going on with the coach?
I really enjoyed book one, gave it 4 stars, but I found this a much more engaging read, a deeper emotion read. I loved it.
Neither man is in the closet, so there was none of the coming out issue. What there was, though, was a lot of anger on Nico's part and much was misplaced. Ryan needed him to focus that anger, on the ice, rather than punishing himself. Falling for the other gay teamn member was in neither man's plans but fate has a way, huh?
I loved that it really did creep up on them both. Yes there was attraction from the start but the feelings came later and they both fought it hard. Ryan messing up, though? THAT came out of nowhere and I did NOT see that coming! I was reading, and then I was "OH MY GOD, RYAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?!" out loud and my partner was somewhat shocked at me! Oh he does redeem himself, but I loved that Nico makes him work hard for that redemption. There is not a quick fix, either, and it does take time for them to be really together.
I loved that we caught up with Dante and Gabe from book one. And Tom and Kitty. I think this is a couple of years after Winging It, since Tom is captain of Ryan's new team, and has a couple of kids. Kitty surprised me though!
Are there any more planned?? I'm loving this series, but these authors are growing on me, as a duo.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Hockey Ever After series. I don't think its fully necessary to read book one, Winging It, before this but it might give you a better picture of the world these players live in. And I really enjoyed that book. Dante and Gabe do pop up, but knowing their story isn't essential, just helpful, especially with Tom and Kitty (side characters) playing a large part here.
Ryan is traded out and his new team is a mess. Their star player, Nico, even more so. But Ryan can see that Nico is hurting, in more ways than one. Finding his sense of humour was a great start. The Ryan messed it all up. And just what is going on with the coach?
I really enjoyed book one, gave it 4 stars, but I found this a much more engaging read, a deeper emotion read. I loved it.
Neither man is in the closet, so there was none of the coming out issue. What there was, though, was a lot of anger on Nico's part and much was misplaced. Ryan needed him to focus that anger, on the ice, rather than punishing himself. Falling for the other gay teamn member was in neither man's plans but fate has a way, huh?
I loved that it really did creep up on them both. Yes there was attraction from the start but the feelings came later and they both fought it hard. Ryan messing up, though? THAT came out of nowhere and I did NOT see that coming! I was reading, and then I was "OH MY GOD, RYAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!?!" out loud and my partner was somewhat shocked at me! Oh he does redeem himself, but I loved that Nico makes him work hard for that redemption. There is not a quick fix, either, and it does take time for them to be really together.
I loved that we caught up with Dante and Gabe from book one. And Tom and Kitty. I think this is a couple of years after Winging It, since Tom is captain of Ryan's new team, and has a couple of kids. Kitty surprised me though!
Are there any more planned?? I'm loving this series, but these authors are growing on me, as a duo.
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere

Debbiereadsbook (1536 KP) rated Wisdom Check (Dungeons and Dating #2) in Books
Jan 20, 2022
loved that we are past the getting to know you stage!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Dungeons and Dating series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. I would say read book one, Strength Check, as a personal recommendation though! I loved that book!
As I did this one!
We hear about Caleb's divorce in book one, and here, it's all signed on the dotted line, and Sarah has moved out. He has Kaylee, his 2 year old daughter for a week at a time. Julian has crushed on Cal since the very beginning, calling him handsome. But Cal is hurting, and Jules is carrying the weight of his family on his shoulders.
I loved this, I really did.
Jules and Cal have been friends for a year, so there was none of the getting to know you stuff and I really liked that! The story jumps straight in.
Jules has lusted over Cal for all that time, but its really only NOW that Cal is noticing Jules, and I loved that he does wait. Granted. it isn't long after his divorce that he and Jules start something, but he does wait.
Jules carries a lot of weight on his shoulders. You can feel the weight of it pressing him down. It takes a health scare for his youngest brother for Jules to finally break down and get it all out: what he feels for his deceased mother, and his feelings for having to wait to fulfil his own dreams.
I loved that both Jules and Cal thought that this​ could be something big between them, but both of them had been hurt before.
I did NOT like Cal's ex-wife and how nasty she gets! But she really does get it back, once Cal and Jules get their act together!
Loved that Rox and Mel play a part here, and I loved all the supporting cast too.
Mason and Hunter are next and I look forward to reading their story, especially after the clues that are thrown about here!
But does Jasper get a story, Ms McIntyre?? Does he?? Puleeeeeeeeze say he does! Given as he professes to be a serial one-night-stand-er, it would be fun watching him fall, cos that boy will fall hard, I can just see it!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Dungeons and Dating series, but it can be read as a stand-alone. I would say read book one, Strength Check, as a personal recommendation though! I loved that book!
As I did this one!
We hear about Caleb's divorce in book one, and here, it's all signed on the dotted line, and Sarah has moved out. He has Kaylee, his 2 year old daughter for a week at a time. Julian has crushed on Cal since the very beginning, calling him handsome. But Cal is hurting, and Jules is carrying the weight of his family on his shoulders.
I loved this, I really did.
Jules and Cal have been friends for a year, so there was none of the getting to know you stuff and I really liked that! The story jumps straight in.
Jules has lusted over Cal for all that time, but its really only NOW that Cal is noticing Jules, and I loved that he does wait. Granted. it isn't long after his divorce that he and Jules start something, but he does wait.
Jules carries a lot of weight on his shoulders. You can feel the weight of it pressing him down. It takes a health scare for his youngest brother for Jules to finally break down and get it all out: what he feels for his deceased mother, and his feelings for having to wait to fulfil his own dreams.
I loved that both Jules and Cal thought that this​ could be something big between them, but both of them had been hurt before.
I did NOT like Cal's ex-wife and how nasty she gets! But she really does get it back, once Cal and Jules get their act together!
Loved that Rox and Mel play a part here, and I loved all the supporting cast too.
Mason and Hunter are next and I look forward to reading their story, especially after the clues that are thrown about here!
But does Jasper get a story, Ms McIntyre?? Does he?? Puleeeeeeeeze say he does! Given as he professes to be a serial one-night-stand-er, it would be fun watching him fall, cos that boy will fall hard, I can just see it!
5 full and shiny stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Oppression (Children of the Gods, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
(I hate writing reviews that are under 3 stars, but I told the author I'd write a review, so here goes).
Okay, so I wanted to really like this book, I really did. It was about Greek gods and goddesses which is a subject I like. However hard I tried to get into it, I just couldn't. It actually felt like a chore, and I hated having to read it. I took a little break from it, but when I came back to it, I still couldn't get into it.
Please keep in mind this review is only going to be about the first 9 chapters as I stopped reading when I got to chapter 10.
The title is a fantastic choice for this book. When I stopped reading, it had gotten obvious why the author chose this title.
I'm not really sold on the cover. It's just too boring for my liking. Again, this book has taken the easy way out by just putting a photo on the cover. Whatever happened to imagination!?!
The world building didn't really seem that thought out. I found myself being nagged by so many questions about Elyse's aging process that I couldn't answer. The whole aging thing just did not make much sense. Based on the bit I read of this book, I just didn't see the world building getting any better.
The pacing in this book was so slow!! I found myself becoming easily bored and not caring about anything that happened. As I said previously, I even took a book thinking maybe it was just me, but when I came back to it, I found the pacing to be even slower if that's possible.
The dialogue between the characters was well thought out. It never seemed forced and seemed to flow with the story. Based on what I read of this book, there was no swearing.
The character of Elyse didn't seem very well-developed. She does not act 89 at all but acts like a teenager. Surely she'd act her age regardless of what age she looked like physically!?! That is what mainly put me off the whole book. I liked William based on the little bit I read about him. He seems like a fun character. I would've liked to find out a bit more about Kara but I just really couldn't force myself to read this book anymore.
Like I said, I really wanted to enjoy this book. Even the synopsis sounded promising. I think the idea of the book is a good one, but it wasn't executed very well. I think if the author had maybe worked on the book a bit longer, it could've been really good.
Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you aren't very fussy with details or unless you're really bored. If you want to take a chance with it (and you may like it), I'd say it's a book for those aged 13+ from what I've read.
(I hate writing reviews that are under 3 stars, but I told the author I'd write a review, so here goes).
Okay, so I wanted to really like this book, I really did. It was about Greek gods and goddesses which is a subject I like. However hard I tried to get into it, I just couldn't. It actually felt like a chore, and I hated having to read it. I took a little break from it, but when I came back to it, I still couldn't get into it.
Please keep in mind this review is only going to be about the first 9 chapters as I stopped reading when I got to chapter 10.
The title is a fantastic choice for this book. When I stopped reading, it had gotten obvious why the author chose this title.
I'm not really sold on the cover. It's just too boring for my liking. Again, this book has taken the easy way out by just putting a photo on the cover. Whatever happened to imagination!?!
The world building didn't really seem that thought out. I found myself being nagged by so many questions about Elyse's aging process that I couldn't answer. The whole aging thing just did not make much sense. Based on the bit I read of this book, I just didn't see the world building getting any better.
The pacing in this book was so slow!! I found myself becoming easily bored and not caring about anything that happened. As I said previously, I even took a book thinking maybe it was just me, but when I came back to it, I found the pacing to be even slower if that's possible.
The dialogue between the characters was well thought out. It never seemed forced and seemed to flow with the story. Based on what I read of this book, there was no swearing.
The character of Elyse didn't seem very well-developed. She does not act 89 at all but acts like a teenager. Surely she'd act her age regardless of what age she looked like physically!?! That is what mainly put me off the whole book. I liked William based on the little bit I read about him. He seems like a fun character. I would've liked to find out a bit more about Kara but I just really couldn't force myself to read this book anymore.
Like I said, I really wanted to enjoy this book. Even the synopsis sounded promising. I think the idea of the book is a good one, but it wasn't executed very well. I think if the author had maybe worked on the book a bit longer, it could've been really good.
Overall, I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you aren't very fussy with details or unless you're really bored. If you want to take a chance with it (and you may like it), I'd say it's a book for those aged 13+ from what I've read.

Me Before You (Film Tie In)
Book
THE NEW YORK TIMES NUMBER 1 BESTSELLING NOVEL THAT IS LOVED AROUND THE WORLD, AND NOW NO 1...
This book takes a Biblical viewpoint of how the modern woman can lead the best life she can attain while still following the guidelines of the Bible and living up to her personal potential. It uses the personal examples of the two authors, as well as the examples of numerous others that these two have interacted with over the course of writing the book. A systematic approach is taken to break down the history, statistics, and advantages of the modern woman before studiously approaching the Biblical model of the female.
One of the main focuses of the book is the Biblical mandate to "be fruitful and multiply" and how modern culture has both minimized and scorned this. The authors also focus on the differences between males and females, as well as their different purposes in life. Marriage is also a central theme in the book, with the authors providing lots of advice, as well as suggestions to study other resources, in order to find a husband and maintain a healthy marriage.
To stress certain points throughout the book, the authors provide a visual illustration of the concepts discussed. They summarize the lessons taught in certain sections in a "Wise Steps" box, and they fill the book with sections that invite the reader to journal his own thoughts according to a certain topic.
What I found the most interesting about the book was how the authors broke down the multiple purposes of any woman into three categories: our purpose as humans (Core Callings), our purpose as women (Feminine Callings), and our purpose as unique individuals (Personal Callings). Each of these are further broken down, with the Core Callings having the most emphasis throughout the book: Leave and Cleave, Be Fruitful and Multiply, and Subdue and Rule.
I had a difficult time getting through this book, partly because I felt that some of the information provided simply did not apply to me and I did not find it particularly useful. I did agree with most of what the authors interpreted from Biblical scriptures, though I disliked the broad usage of many different Biblical translations. As with any Biblically-based self-help book, the Bible should be the first source and the book should be secondary. I also felt that Feldhahn used the book somewhat as a self-promotional tool, since she often refers to her previously-written book, For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men.
All the same, I appreciated the Biblical perspective and the support of marriage-minded women and stay-at-home moms. There is much wisdom in the pages of this book.
One of the main focuses of the book is the Biblical mandate to "be fruitful and multiply" and how modern culture has both minimized and scorned this. The authors also focus on the differences between males and females, as well as their different purposes in life. Marriage is also a central theme in the book, with the authors providing lots of advice, as well as suggestions to study other resources, in order to find a husband and maintain a healthy marriage.
To stress certain points throughout the book, the authors provide a visual illustration of the concepts discussed. They summarize the lessons taught in certain sections in a "Wise Steps" box, and they fill the book with sections that invite the reader to journal his own thoughts according to a certain topic.
What I found the most interesting about the book was how the authors broke down the multiple purposes of any woman into three categories: our purpose as humans (Core Callings), our purpose as women (Feminine Callings), and our purpose as unique individuals (Personal Callings). Each of these are further broken down, with the Core Callings having the most emphasis throughout the book: Leave and Cleave, Be Fruitful and Multiply, and Subdue and Rule.
I had a difficult time getting through this book, partly because I felt that some of the information provided simply did not apply to me and I did not find it particularly useful. I did agree with most of what the authors interpreted from Biblical scriptures, though I disliked the broad usage of many different Biblical translations. As with any Biblically-based self-help book, the Bible should be the first source and the book should be secondary. I also felt that Feldhahn used the book somewhat as a self-promotional tool, since she often refers to her previously-written book, For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men.
All the same, I appreciated the Biblical perspective and the support of marriage-minded women and stay-at-home moms. There is much wisdom in the pages of this book.

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Heartbreak for Hire in Books
Aug 19, 2021
A wreck of a romance
Brinkley Saunders tells everyone she works as an administrative assistant. But she really works at
Heartbreak for Hire, an undercover operation that specializes in a variety of revenge schemes for jilted lovers, annoyed coworkers, and more. She dropped out of grad school in the aftermath of a disastrous relationship--much to the despair of her mother--but the job helps Brinkley save for her dream of opening her own art gallery. However, when her boss Margo announces she's hiring male Heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley starts questioning her purpose, especially when one of the new hires is a target she was paid to take down. Markus Cavanaugh is an adjunct anthropology professor at University of Chicago. He doesn't seem like the backstabbing academic she was told to go after... and as she gets to know Markus more and continues to question her role as a Heartbreaker, Brinkley realizes a lot of things aren't what they seem.
"I had my career, my cat, control. The Three C's of avoiding that hopeless cycle of loving someone who didn't love me back."
I feel awful, but this book just did not work for me at all. I almost didn't finish it, but I really try to complete all my ARCs. Ironically I hated most of it except the end, which was actually pretty good. But most of this one had me cringing. Brinkley's job is terrible and makes no sense--I couldn't even see how Heartbreakers and the division of "Egos, Players, Cheaters, and Grifters" would even possibly translate to the real world. Her boss is absolutely awful.
"If we trained men to break women's hearts, what did that say about our mission? What did that say about us?"
The book is filled with ridiculous contrived fights and plot-lines, and I didn't buy the relationship between her and Markus at all. They like each other, hate each other, rinse and repeat, with a bunch of silly "twists" thrown in over and over to keep them apart. Do something and stop whining (this applies equally to them both). It was just boring and stupid, and I couldn't handle all the bad decisions. If there's going to be conflict, I want it to be realistic, and if there's going to be romance, I want to buy into the couple and feel a genuine affection toward them. But with everyone being so hateful to each other, an entire profession created toward tearing people down, and a bunch of random contrived obstacles thrown up to keep Markus and Brinkley apart... I just couldn't handle it.
A lot of other people enjoyed this one far more than me, so hopefully you will too.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
Heartbreak for Hire, an undercover operation that specializes in a variety of revenge schemes for jilted lovers, annoyed coworkers, and more. She dropped out of grad school in the aftermath of a disastrous relationship--much to the despair of her mother--but the job helps Brinkley save for her dream of opening her own art gallery. However, when her boss Margo announces she's hiring male Heartbreakers for the first time, Brinkley starts questioning her purpose, especially when one of the new hires is a target she was paid to take down. Markus Cavanaugh is an adjunct anthropology professor at University of Chicago. He doesn't seem like the backstabbing academic she was told to go after... and as she gets to know Markus more and continues to question her role as a Heartbreaker, Brinkley realizes a lot of things aren't what they seem.
"I had my career, my cat, control. The Three C's of avoiding that hopeless cycle of loving someone who didn't love me back."
I feel awful, but this book just did not work for me at all. I almost didn't finish it, but I really try to complete all my ARCs. Ironically I hated most of it except the end, which was actually pretty good. But most of this one had me cringing. Brinkley's job is terrible and makes no sense--I couldn't even see how Heartbreakers and the division of "Egos, Players, Cheaters, and Grifters" would even possibly translate to the real world. Her boss is absolutely awful.
"If we trained men to break women's hearts, what did that say about our mission? What did that say about us?"
The book is filled with ridiculous contrived fights and plot-lines, and I didn't buy the relationship between her and Markus at all. They like each other, hate each other, rinse and repeat, with a bunch of silly "twists" thrown in over and over to keep them apart. Do something and stop whining (this applies equally to them both). It was just boring and stupid, and I couldn't handle all the bad decisions. If there's going to be conflict, I want it to be realistic, and if there's going to be romance, I want to buy into the couple and feel a genuine affection toward them. But with everyone being so hateful to each other, an entire profession created toward tearing people down, and a bunch of random contrived obstacles thrown up to keep Markus and Brinkley apart... I just couldn't handle it.
A lot of other people enjoyed this one far more than me, so hopefully you will too.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

Mothergamer (1592 KP) rated the PC version of The Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Unlimited in Video Games
Apr 3, 2019
Many of my friends kept telling me I should play Elder Scrolls Online because it was a lot of fun and set before the events of Skyrim. I told them I didn't have it yet, but eventually I would check it out. I liked that they followed in the steps of Guild Wars 2 by not having a monthly subscription, once you buy the game it's yours to play to your heart's content. I waited until it went on sale on Steam and got the collector's edition which included three DLCs and a horse mount. I was excited to create a new character and explore the world of Elder Scrolls Online. I actually made two characters both in the Nightblade job class a Dark Elf and a Wood Elf. You can have 8 character slots which is pretty nice. I may go and try out a Khajiit character later.
One of the many Khajit characters in the game.
The character creation is very user friendly with a variety of options. However, I once again wondered why there so many different variations of bald for the female characters. I suppose that just gives you a lot of options if that's your thing. I did like that there were plenty of longer hair options for the characters. Once my character creation was complete, I could not wait to start my adventure. I also had to pick which server to play on North American or European. I went with North American as the time difference doesn't really let me play with my European friends. Depending on which character you pick: Dark Elf, Wood Elf, High Elf, Khajit, Argonian, Nord, Breton, Redguard, or Orc you start the game that gives you a tutorial introduction for the game controls and then you have racial origin quests you can play. I play the game on PC so my controls were for the PC, but you can also play the game on PS4 and XboxOne. Once I finished the tutorial quest I was able to really begin exploring the world of Tamriel.
My Dark Elf ready for adventure!
One great thing that stands out is how easy the controls are to map and use. The user menu for items and quest logs is incredibly user friendly making the game feel nicely streamlined. There is literally tons to see and do in Elder Scrolls Online ranging from a myriad of side quests to origin story quests as well as the main story quests. Another thing I like is the dungeon system. While I like Final Fantasy 14, the one thing I really do not like is how many forced dungeon crawls there are. Elder Scrolls Online has made it so that if you want to do a dungeon you can or you can just skip it if it's not your thing.
There are actually seven different types of dungeons. You have the public dungeons which if you have the right character build, you can solo very easily. This dungeon is open to everyone so solo players can come in and explore and team up with people who are in there if they wish. Public dungeons are a bit more challenging than the other dungeons so in general a group definitely helps. Delves are solo dungeons pertinent to whichever quest you're on. Non-Veteran group dungeons are instanced dungeons that require a group of four and are normal mode and scale to the level of the group leader. Veteran dungeons are instanced as well, but they don't unlock until you're level 50 and they are a higher difficulty than the other dungeons. Trials are 12 person instances that are mainly for endgame content and require a solid group and teamwork. Craglorn delves are instanced dungeons that have you kill a specific bosses inside. Finally, there is the Dragonstar Arena which is a 4 person instance PVE (Player versus event) arena. This has 10 different levels where you work together to fight 5 waves of monsters in each level and a final boss at the end. This is a difficult level dungeon for experienced players.
Battling in a Delve.
There is chat of course and for the most part it's alright in the fact that you can learn about events or people looking for groups so you can team up for quests and dungeons. This also lets you know what guilds are out there recruiting. Other times I tend to turn off zone chat because there's only so many sexual innuendo and dick jokes I can take. For the most part I run around by myself doing quests and I always have fun doing them and I have done a few group dungeons which are fun as well. The community in Elder Scrolls Online is quite friendly from what I've experienced and there are a lot of players who are willing to help if you need it and give advice about the game and class builds. I've even had a few players trade gear with me to help my Nightblade characters be even better which was so nice of them. That alone has made my experience with Elder Scrolls Online even more enjoyable.
The different areas that I've explored so far are beautiful. Just exploring is a lot of fun in itself because each area is completely different so it's a lot of fun to just look around at everything. The music in the game is fantastic as well and sets a great atmosphere for the story and quests. The battles are fun and easy to navigate. Leveling doesn't feel like a chore and unlocking skills is simple to do and with enough skill points you can even morph your skills into more powerful abilities. Traveling is great too because once you unlock a way shrine you can fast travel to those spots that you have unlocked. It does cost some gold when you fast travel however, but with all the quests you get under your belt it's not that big a deal. Traveling on a mount is easy, you can just use a command that has your character whistle and your mount will appear so you can head to where you need to go.
My Wood Elf admiring the beautiful scenery.
There is PVP (player versus player) in the game. You can fight in Cyrodiil from level 10 and above. You can also challenge other players to a duel anywhere in Tamriel. If the person accepts your duel challenge, a flag appears and you fight in the designated area marked by the flag, if you leave that area it results in a forfeit. I tried it out once just to see what it was like (PVP is not my thing) and it was alright. For those who love PVP it is one more fun adventure thing you can do in the game.
You can do crafting in the game as well. There is an introductory quest to crafting that you get so you can learn about the craft you choose. There are six crafts to choose from: Blacksmith, Clothier, Alchemy, Enchanting, Provisioning, and Woodworking. The tutorial on how to do the crafts is easy to follow and once you get started it's easy to do. This is also a terrific way to make a bit of extra coin in the game for all the things you need such as gear and healing potions.
The one issue I have with Elder Scrolls Online is that there is no cross platform gaming. This means if you play on the PC, but your friends play on the PS4 or XboxOne consoles you can't play together. This means that PC players are on their own server and the console players are on their own separate server. I can understand a bit why they did it that way, but it kind of sucks that I can't play with my friends who are on the console platforms. In that regard, Final Fantasy 14 is winning because you can play with your friends across all platforms. Perhaps that may change in the future, but for now that's not the case.
Lack of cross platform gaming aside, Elder Scrolls Online is a great game. It's a fun adventure with a ton of content to explore and plenty of things to see and do. I'm glad I was able to check it out and I'm enjoying playing by myself and with other people. It's an MMORPG that offers a lot of great things in its game and gives a huge amount of freedom to the different play styles that people have allowing everyone to enjoy the game the way they wish. Now, I'm off to do some more adventuring in Tamriel!
One of the many Khajit characters in the game.
The character creation is very user friendly with a variety of options. However, I once again wondered why there so many different variations of bald for the female characters. I suppose that just gives you a lot of options if that's your thing. I did like that there were plenty of longer hair options for the characters. Once my character creation was complete, I could not wait to start my adventure. I also had to pick which server to play on North American or European. I went with North American as the time difference doesn't really let me play with my European friends. Depending on which character you pick: Dark Elf, Wood Elf, High Elf, Khajit, Argonian, Nord, Breton, Redguard, or Orc you start the game that gives you a tutorial introduction for the game controls and then you have racial origin quests you can play. I play the game on PC so my controls were for the PC, but you can also play the game on PS4 and XboxOne. Once I finished the tutorial quest I was able to really begin exploring the world of Tamriel.
My Dark Elf ready for adventure!
One great thing that stands out is how easy the controls are to map and use. The user menu for items and quest logs is incredibly user friendly making the game feel nicely streamlined. There is literally tons to see and do in Elder Scrolls Online ranging from a myriad of side quests to origin story quests as well as the main story quests. Another thing I like is the dungeon system. While I like Final Fantasy 14, the one thing I really do not like is how many forced dungeon crawls there are. Elder Scrolls Online has made it so that if you want to do a dungeon you can or you can just skip it if it's not your thing.
There are actually seven different types of dungeons. You have the public dungeons which if you have the right character build, you can solo very easily. This dungeon is open to everyone so solo players can come in and explore and team up with people who are in there if they wish. Public dungeons are a bit more challenging than the other dungeons so in general a group definitely helps. Delves are solo dungeons pertinent to whichever quest you're on. Non-Veteran group dungeons are instanced dungeons that require a group of four and are normal mode and scale to the level of the group leader. Veteran dungeons are instanced as well, but they don't unlock until you're level 50 and they are a higher difficulty than the other dungeons. Trials are 12 person instances that are mainly for endgame content and require a solid group and teamwork. Craglorn delves are instanced dungeons that have you kill a specific bosses inside. Finally, there is the Dragonstar Arena which is a 4 person instance PVE (Player versus event) arena. This has 10 different levels where you work together to fight 5 waves of monsters in each level and a final boss at the end. This is a difficult level dungeon for experienced players.
Battling in a Delve.
There is chat of course and for the most part it's alright in the fact that you can learn about events or people looking for groups so you can team up for quests and dungeons. This also lets you know what guilds are out there recruiting. Other times I tend to turn off zone chat because there's only so many sexual innuendo and dick jokes I can take. For the most part I run around by myself doing quests and I always have fun doing them and I have done a few group dungeons which are fun as well. The community in Elder Scrolls Online is quite friendly from what I've experienced and there are a lot of players who are willing to help if you need it and give advice about the game and class builds. I've even had a few players trade gear with me to help my Nightblade characters be even better which was so nice of them. That alone has made my experience with Elder Scrolls Online even more enjoyable.
The different areas that I've explored so far are beautiful. Just exploring is a lot of fun in itself because each area is completely different so it's a lot of fun to just look around at everything. The music in the game is fantastic as well and sets a great atmosphere for the story and quests. The battles are fun and easy to navigate. Leveling doesn't feel like a chore and unlocking skills is simple to do and with enough skill points you can even morph your skills into more powerful abilities. Traveling is great too because once you unlock a way shrine you can fast travel to those spots that you have unlocked. It does cost some gold when you fast travel however, but with all the quests you get under your belt it's not that big a deal. Traveling on a mount is easy, you can just use a command that has your character whistle and your mount will appear so you can head to where you need to go.
My Wood Elf admiring the beautiful scenery.
There is PVP (player versus player) in the game. You can fight in Cyrodiil from level 10 and above. You can also challenge other players to a duel anywhere in Tamriel. If the person accepts your duel challenge, a flag appears and you fight in the designated area marked by the flag, if you leave that area it results in a forfeit. I tried it out once just to see what it was like (PVP is not my thing) and it was alright. For those who love PVP it is one more fun adventure thing you can do in the game.
You can do crafting in the game as well. There is an introductory quest to crafting that you get so you can learn about the craft you choose. There are six crafts to choose from: Blacksmith, Clothier, Alchemy, Enchanting, Provisioning, and Woodworking. The tutorial on how to do the crafts is easy to follow and once you get started it's easy to do. This is also a terrific way to make a bit of extra coin in the game for all the things you need such as gear and healing potions.
The one issue I have with Elder Scrolls Online is that there is no cross platform gaming. This means if you play on the PC, but your friends play on the PS4 or XboxOne consoles you can't play together. This means that PC players are on their own server and the console players are on their own separate server. I can understand a bit why they did it that way, but it kind of sucks that I can't play with my friends who are on the console platforms. In that regard, Final Fantasy 14 is winning because you can play with your friends across all platforms. Perhaps that may change in the future, but for now that's not the case.
Lack of cross platform gaming aside, Elder Scrolls Online is a great game. It's a fun adventure with a ton of content to explore and plenty of things to see and do. I'm glad I was able to check it out and I'm enjoying playing by myself and with other people. It's an MMORPG that offers a lot of great things in its game and gives a huge amount of freedom to the different play styles that people have allowing everyone to enjoy the game the way they wish. Now, I'm off to do some more adventuring in Tamriel!

Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Sunshine Sisters in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Ronni Sunshine was not a very good mother. Her career as an actress was always most important to her. But when life throws her a curve ball she isn't expecting, she will call her three daughters home together to try to make up for lost time.
Each daughter dealt with their mother's selfish ways the best way they knew how. Nell, the eldest,was unemotional; Meredith, in the middle, took everything to heart; and Lizzy, the youngest ignored her mother and did whatever she wanted to do anyway. They have all gone on to lead separate lives, and rarely spoke to each other. Their childhood and their relationship with they mother have shaped them into the women they became as women. Nell has lived her life being a mother to her son and running a farm, even though she loves her work and her son, is she really happy? Meredith is engaged to be married and has a great job, but is this the life she envisioned? Lizzy is a celebrity chef and is married with a son, but her life isn't as perfect as it looks from the outside.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I love Jane Green's books. They always send a wave of emotions. This book grabs at your heart strings and makes you feel for these characters How do you reconnect with family when you've been apart for so long. I don't think there has ever been a time when I didn't speak with my mom and my sister. I don't know what I would do if anything would happen to either one of them. The character I most connected with in this story was Meredith. I've always been the type of person to always make sure the people around me are taken care of before I've taken care of myself.
This book immediately makes you think of family and how to stay connected to them. Make sure your relationships are well maintained before it's too late. Life is so short and the next day is not promised to anyone. For those you love, you need to always keep them close so that when they go, as we all will someday, you will not feel as though there was something that you should have or could have done
Each daughter dealt with their mother's selfish ways the best way they knew how. Nell, the eldest,was unemotional; Meredith, in the middle, took everything to heart; and Lizzy, the youngest ignored her mother and did whatever she wanted to do anyway. They have all gone on to lead separate lives, and rarely spoke to each other. Their childhood and their relationship with they mother have shaped them into the women they became as women. Nell has lived her life being a mother to her son and running a farm, even though she loves her work and her son, is she really happy? Meredith is engaged to be married and has a great job, but is this the life she envisioned? Lizzy is a celebrity chef and is married with a son, but her life isn't as perfect as it looks from the outside.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I love Jane Green's books. They always send a wave of emotions. This book grabs at your heart strings and makes you feel for these characters How do you reconnect with family when you've been apart for so long. I don't think there has ever been a time when I didn't speak with my mom and my sister. I don't know what I would do if anything would happen to either one of them. The character I most connected with in this story was Meredith. I've always been the type of person to always make sure the people around me are taken care of before I've taken care of myself.
This book immediately makes you think of family and how to stay connected to them. Make sure your relationships are well maintained before it's too late. Life is so short and the next day is not promised to anyone. For those you love, you need to always keep them close so that when they go, as we all will someday, you will not feel as though there was something that you should have or could have done
