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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The 12 Brides of Christmas Collection in Books
Jan 2, 2019
In this collection you will find 12 short stories that are set during the 1800s in the frontier of our expanding country. As the name of the collection proclaims each story highlights a bride's journey to love and romance. This collection has a wide variety of stories and characters. While I thoroughly enjoyed each story, a couple of my favorites were: The Festive Bride by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, The Nutcracker Bride by Margaret Brownley and The Christmas Tree Bride by Susan Page Davis.
What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than 12 novellas written by some of my favorite authors? Each author did a wonderful job of capturing the Spirit of Christmas in just 50 short pages. Every story drew me into the heart of the season. The blessing that God gave us in Jesus' birth is demonstrated beautifully. Love, forgiveness and redemption are the main focus of this collection. If you are looking for a good Christmas read, I recommend this collection. You can read one here and there or burn through the whole collection in a week like I did. Either way, you are sure to enjoy the festivity between the pages.
I received a free digital copy of The 12 Brides of Christmas from Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
What better way to get into the Christmas spirit than 12 novellas written by some of my favorite authors? Each author did a wonderful job of capturing the Spirit of Christmas in just 50 short pages. Every story drew me into the heart of the season. The blessing that God gave us in Jesus' birth is demonstrated beautifully. Love, forgiveness and redemption are the main focus of this collection. If you are looking for a good Christmas read, I recommend this collection. You can read one here and there or burn through the whole collection in a week like I did. Either way, you are sure to enjoy the festivity between the pages.
I received a free digital copy of The 12 Brides of Christmas from Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated A Conspiracy of Bones (Temperance Brennan #19) in Books
Mar 14, 2020
Disappointed
Having read previous outings involving Temperance Brennan, although not for some time, I was keen to dip back in to find out what was going on with her but, and I am really sorry to say this, this one just didn't grab me like they usually do and I found myself jumping in and out rather than being captivated and enthralled. If I'm honest, I think this is my fault ... I should have kept up with the series as I believe I have missed out on an awful lot.
I found the story really hard to get into with quite a bit of inner dialogue which was a little tedious. It did pick up the more I read but just not enough to keep my interest from start to finish. The characters however are excellent and the bones of the story is there, I just felt the execution wasn't as good as previous books from this author.
I do think that people who have read the entire series will enjoy it more than I did and I would therefore suggest that if you are thinking of starting with this one, don't as it will put you off reading more of this author's work and you will certainly be missing out.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
I found the story really hard to get into with quite a bit of inner dialogue which was a little tedious. It did pick up the more I read but just not enough to keep my interest from start to finish. The characters however are excellent and the bones of the story is there, I just felt the execution wasn't as good as previous books from this author.
I do think that people who have read the entire series will enjoy it more than I did and I would therefore suggest that if you are thinking of starting with this one, don't as it will put you off reading more of this author's work and you will certainly be missing out.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review.
Bethr1986 (305 KP) rated Swipe Right for Murder in Books
Nov 6, 2021
who could believe you could find love and murder on one app!!
After Georgie feels like everybody else around her is growing up and settling down. She finally feels she is able to start dating herself after her last rough relationship so she downloads a couple of dating apps and gets a couple of matches. At the same time around her university campus there are murders happening and both of the men she has been matched and on dates with could possibly be the murderer!
Ash has a connection to every single one of the victims and Nate has an unhealthy obsession with the details of every attack going.
Well i did not expect that! I normally have a good radar on who the culprits are but this really blind sighted me! Excellent writing it really did have me gripped throughout just when you think you've got it all covered something comes out of nowhere and surprises you. It is a seriously thrilling book with twists and turns round every corner. When georgie goes away with ash i was almost screaming at her dont be so stupid a cabin in the middle of nowhere is deffinatly a recipie for desaster. i never expected the drama that followed though.
a well written novel with drama, love and murder what more could you ask for! 4/5
After Georgie feels like everybody else around her is growing up and settling down. She finally feels she is able to start dating herself after her last rough relationship so she downloads a couple of dating apps and gets a couple of matches. At the same time around her university campus there are murders happening and both of the men she has been matched and on dates with could possibly be the murderer!
Ash has a connection to every single one of the victims and Nate has an unhealthy obsession with the details of every attack going.
Well i did not expect that! I normally have a good radar on who the culprits are but this really blind sighted me! Excellent writing it really did have me gripped throughout just when you think you've got it all covered something comes out of nowhere and surprises you. It is a seriously thrilling book with twists and turns round every corner. When georgie goes away with ash i was almost screaming at her dont be so stupid a cabin in the middle of nowhere is deffinatly a recipie for desaster. i never expected the drama that followed though.
a well written novel with drama, love and murder what more could you ask for! 4/5
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2322 KP) rated Mrs. Claus and the Trouble with Turkeys in Books
Sep 28, 2023 (Updated Sep 28, 2023)
Will Santaland's First Thanksgiving Be a Turkey?
Santaland is getting ready to celebrate their first Thanksgiving. Castle Kringle has imported a live turkey for their holiday meal, but the weekend before the big day, he vanishes. Then, one of Santa's cousins dies at a potluck to kick off Thanksgiving week. Can April Claus figure out what is going on?
I love this series, and this latest entry didn't disappoint in the least. It did take a bit for the entire book to get going since there are several storylines that need to be introduced. But once it got going, it was like a turbo charged sleigh with so much going on you couldn't put the book down. I did have a couple of pieces figured out early, but there was still plenty I didn't know about that surprised me at the end. The characters are charming as always, and I'm curious where some of the growth will lead in future books. The humor just adds to the charm. This is a cozy mystery first and foremost with some light fantasy in it, and the mix works perfectly. If you are looking for a holiday series, you'll be glad you gave this series a chance. If you are already a fan, you'll be thankful for this latest book.
I love this series, and this latest entry didn't disappoint in the least. It did take a bit for the entire book to get going since there are several storylines that need to be introduced. But once it got going, it was like a turbo charged sleigh with so much going on you couldn't put the book down. I did have a couple of pieces figured out early, but there was still plenty I didn't know about that surprised me at the end. The characters are charming as always, and I'm curious where some of the growth will lead in future books. The humor just adds to the charm. This is a cozy mystery first and foremost with some light fantasy in it, and the mix works perfectly. If you are looking for a holiday series, you'll be glad you gave this series a chance. If you are already a fan, you'll be thankful for this latest book.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Foreigner (2017) in Movies
Dec 20, 2017
Boooo
If you're expecting me to say something nice about The Foreigner, please do us both a favor and click out of this review right now. On paper, it appears to be right up Jackie Chan's alley. After his daughter is killed in a terrorist attack, Quan (Jackie) is trying to hunt down the men that did it. He is willing to stop at nothing to get his revenge.
The formulaic aspect of the film ruins the entire experience. Here's the rundown: Jackie walks into Pierce Brosnan's office demanding names (Who did this????). When Brosnan is not forthcoming with the names, Jackie storms off usually doing something crazy in his departure. Brosnan sends men to take Jackie down. Jackie beats the crap out of them. When the men return, Brosnan asks, "How the hell did you get your ass kicked by this old man?"
Rinse and repeat.
I'm serious, it's so ridiculous at times it becomes almost comical. You would think with this straight-arrow formula, the film would be easy to follow, but there are a lot of moving parts and I mean A LOT. I found myself saying, "Say what now?" too many times to count. I don't know, maybe it was more of a lack of interest than confusion on my part. Blade Runner 2049 had a number of things going on throughout and it's one of the best films I've seen all year.
The Foreigner is one of those films where you think of all the other things you could be doing instead of watching it. Folding clothes. Grocery shopping. Picking boogers. Screaming at your dog to get out of the trash. I mean, ANYTHING else. Could a few solid action sequences have saved the film? Probably. Did it?
Nope.
I honestly don't know how this passed the smell test on Rotten Tomatoes. In the words of the wonderful Jay Sherman: It stinks. I give it a 42.
The formulaic aspect of the film ruins the entire experience. Here's the rundown: Jackie walks into Pierce Brosnan's office demanding names (Who did this????). When Brosnan is not forthcoming with the names, Jackie storms off usually doing something crazy in his departure. Brosnan sends men to take Jackie down. Jackie beats the crap out of them. When the men return, Brosnan asks, "How the hell did you get your ass kicked by this old man?"
Rinse and repeat.
I'm serious, it's so ridiculous at times it becomes almost comical. You would think with this straight-arrow formula, the film would be easy to follow, but there are a lot of moving parts and I mean A LOT. I found myself saying, "Say what now?" too many times to count. I don't know, maybe it was more of a lack of interest than confusion on my part. Blade Runner 2049 had a number of things going on throughout and it's one of the best films I've seen all year.
The Foreigner is one of those films where you think of all the other things you could be doing instead of watching it. Folding clothes. Grocery shopping. Picking boogers. Screaming at your dog to get out of the trash. I mean, ANYTHING else. Could a few solid action sequences have saved the film? Probably. Did it?
Nope.
I honestly don't know how this passed the smell test on Rotten Tomatoes. In the words of the wonderful Jay Sherman: It stinks. I give it a 42.
TheBookMother (105 KP) rated Why Mummy Drinks in Books
May 30, 2019
The perfect parent pick me up!
This little gem I got from a charity shop as I have had the sequel This Mummy Swears sitting on my TBR pile for yonks and decided to give it a whirl.
I do actually follow the Peter and Jane blog from the author and thought it would be very similar to other mummy blogger turn author books that I've read in the past such as The UnMumsy Mum diaries and Hurrah For Gin books.
I was quite surprised although it takes a diary format but does resemble more of a story than I imagined it to be.
I write a parent blog myself and I did really enjoy the ability to relate to alot of what was being discussed and I did enjoy the humour element (although a tad exaggerated and unrealisitc at times) but did leave me chuckling out loud a few times.
I devoured this book in two sittings, it would have been one but I myself have two moppets who did require some supervision and feeding at various points during the day!
Despite the laughs this book also tackles some fundamental darker parts of parenthood such as judgement from other parents, the guilt of being a working mum, the working mum Vs stay at home divide, resentment and balance of power in relationships and the monotony of motherhood.
It's so important to talk about these topics and it's brilliant that it can be done in a way that makes you laugh too.
After a long day of looking after my two boys and this is the perfect little pick me up to help you realise you aren't alone in this crazy parenting malarky and sometimes that's all you need! I cannot wait to pass it onto my other mum friends as I know they will find it relatable and funny too!
I do actually follow the Peter and Jane blog from the author and thought it would be very similar to other mummy blogger turn author books that I've read in the past such as The UnMumsy Mum diaries and Hurrah For Gin books.
I was quite surprised although it takes a diary format but does resemble more of a story than I imagined it to be.
I write a parent blog myself and I did really enjoy the ability to relate to alot of what was being discussed and I did enjoy the humour element (although a tad exaggerated and unrealisitc at times) but did leave me chuckling out loud a few times.
I devoured this book in two sittings, it would have been one but I myself have two moppets who did require some supervision and feeding at various points during the day!
Despite the laughs this book also tackles some fundamental darker parts of parenthood such as judgement from other parents, the guilt of being a working mum, the working mum Vs stay at home divide, resentment and balance of power in relationships and the monotony of motherhood.
It's so important to talk about these topics and it's brilliant that it can be done in a way that makes you laugh too.
After a long day of looking after my two boys and this is the perfect little pick me up to help you realise you aren't alone in this crazy parenting malarky and sometimes that's all you need! I cannot wait to pass it onto my other mum friends as I know they will find it relatable and funny too!
10 Learning Medical Quizzes - Suite 1
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Ancient Aliens And Other Strange Unsolved Mysteries
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What if history books are wrong? What if it's time for the truth to be discovered? **** This app...
I have to admit, when I first started reading this book I did stop several times, look at the cover and the blurb and think “What the heck am I reading?”
This is the first Max Porter novel I have read. He has a very interesting way of laying out his prose which baffles the brain at first, but once you adapt to the flow you just float along with the story. The book is broken up into three parts, and each part is told in a different but distinctive way.
Lanny is a young boy with a gift, a very peculiar gift that his parents can’t quite figure out. So Lanny’s mother enlists the help of ‘Pete’ a local grizzled artist to teach the boy and harness some of his ‘eccentricities’. However, a mysterious event soon throws the lives of Lanny’s parents, Pete, and indeed the whole village in to utter chaos. Questions are asked, relationships are closely examined, but what really lies beneath all that goes on in this little village just outside of London.
One aspect of the book I admired was in part two, after the main turning point of the story. This part of the book is told in sporadic paragraphs of peoples thoughts and deeds during the event. It’s not always clear whose thought or deed you’re reading (and it’s not always necessary to know) but through this episodic storytelling you build up a picture not only of what is happening but how the people involved are feeling about it.
This was very cleverly written and the way that Porter plays with words builds up a very vivid image of the events happening in ‘Lanny’. What Porter has shown us is that in order to tell a good story you don’t necessarily have to write in a smooth and progressive way, sometimes you just have to throw words at the pages and see what sticks!
This is the first Max Porter novel I have read. He has a very interesting way of laying out his prose which baffles the brain at first, but once you adapt to the flow you just float along with the story. The book is broken up into three parts, and each part is told in a different but distinctive way.
Lanny is a young boy with a gift, a very peculiar gift that his parents can’t quite figure out. So Lanny’s mother enlists the help of ‘Pete’ a local grizzled artist to teach the boy and harness some of his ‘eccentricities’. However, a mysterious event soon throws the lives of Lanny’s parents, Pete, and indeed the whole village in to utter chaos. Questions are asked, relationships are closely examined, but what really lies beneath all that goes on in this little village just outside of London.
One aspect of the book I admired was in part two, after the main turning point of the story. This part of the book is told in sporadic paragraphs of peoples thoughts and deeds during the event. It’s not always clear whose thought or deed you’re reading (and it’s not always necessary to know) but through this episodic storytelling you build up a picture not only of what is happening but how the people involved are feeling about it.
This was very cleverly written and the way that Porter plays with words builds up a very vivid image of the events happening in ‘Lanny’. What Porter has shown us is that in order to tell a good story you don’t necessarily have to write in a smooth and progressive way, sometimes you just have to throw words at the pages and see what sticks!
Top Gear: Epic Failures: 50 Great Motoring Cock-Ups
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Designing and making cars is an expensive thing to do. So is racing them. All told, the car business...