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James Koppert (2698 KP) rated The Last Tudor: Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, Book 13 in Books
Nov 13, 2019
Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated The Selkie's Coat (Waves of Fate #1) in Books
Apr 12, 2020
3 good solid stars
Indpendent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
For the most part, I did enjoy this book.
Its about a selkie, and I had to look up what a selkie was, because I really didn't know and so this is the first selkie book I've read.
Gregory is an alpha selkie, and Daniel a human omega. That Gregory can recognise his fated mate by sound is different, and there are lots of subtle differences to shifter lore in the book, and I really enjoyed that.
But Daniel is like a flipping ping pong ball, back and forth, almost through the whole book, and I got a bit dizzy keeping up with him! I mean, one minute he wants to mate with Gregory, then he reads something, and he doesn't. Then his friend says something, and he does. Then Gregory says something and Daniel is against it again. I really wanted to slap Daniel and make him make a decision.
I liked Gregory's mum getting involved but she does go a bit too far at points. Love Henri, Daniel's best friend. Loved Winston, who is Gregory's best friend too. Loved how he was all, "oh, okay then, thats us done, then, right?" when Gregory tells him he met his fated mate.
Both Daniel and Gregory have a voice, in the first person. I loved that Gregory's voice is what I call "proper" and Daniel makes reference to it being a Victorian voice. Gregory likes to use whole words, and proper words, rather than to shorten them to the modern version.
I LOVED that neither Gregory or Daniel was shortened though!
From what I can see, this is the first I've read of this author (unless something pops up in a box set somewhere) Will I read more? I will certainly give them a go. Will I continue with this series? I hope to be able to. I loved that I saw the next book going one way, but then was thrown for a loop later on.
So, a good book, with a difference, but one that doesn't quite hit *that* spot, you know?
3 good solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
For the most part, I did enjoy this book.
Its about a selkie, and I had to look up what a selkie was, because I really didn't know and so this is the first selkie book I've read.
Gregory is an alpha selkie, and Daniel a human omega. That Gregory can recognise his fated mate by sound is different, and there are lots of subtle differences to shifter lore in the book, and I really enjoyed that.
But Daniel is like a flipping ping pong ball, back and forth, almost through the whole book, and I got a bit dizzy keeping up with him! I mean, one minute he wants to mate with Gregory, then he reads something, and he doesn't. Then his friend says something, and he does. Then Gregory says something and Daniel is against it again. I really wanted to slap Daniel and make him make a decision.
I liked Gregory's mum getting involved but she does go a bit too far at points. Love Henri, Daniel's best friend. Loved Winston, who is Gregory's best friend too. Loved how he was all, "oh, okay then, thats us done, then, right?" when Gregory tells him he met his fated mate.
Both Daniel and Gregory have a voice, in the first person. I loved that Gregory's voice is what I call "proper" and Daniel makes reference to it being a Victorian voice. Gregory likes to use whole words, and proper words, rather than to shorten them to the modern version.
I LOVED that neither Gregory or Daniel was shortened though!
From what I can see, this is the first I've read of this author (unless something pops up in a box set somewhere) Will I read more? I will certainly give them a go. Will I continue with this series? I hope to be able to. I loved that I saw the next book going one way, but then was thrown for a loop later on.
So, a good book, with a difference, but one that doesn't quite hit *that* spot, you know?
3 good solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated A Demon Bound (Imp, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I wasn't sure about this to start with but I quickly warmed up to the story. Admittedly, a lot of my excitement with this was the love interests and her reactions to them as an Imp, wanting to get them into bed and do naughty stuff to them a lot of the time. I'm very intrigued as to what will happen later on in this series with Gregory and also with Wyatt.
I definitely want to read the next book!
I definitely want to read the next book!
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Imp Series: A Demon Bound, Satan's Sword, & Elven Blood (Imp, #1-3) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
I read the first book as a freebie a few months ago before this bundle came to my attention at a reduced price of 99p.
4.5 stars
A DEMON BOUND
I wasn't sure about this to start with but I quickly warmed up to the story. Admittedly, a lot of my excitement with this was the love interests and her reactions to them as an Imp, wanting to get them into bed and do naughty stuff to them a lot of the time. I'm very intrigued as to what will happen later on in this series with Gregory and also with Wyatt.
I definitely want to read the next book!
SATAN'S SWORD
It had been a while since I read the first book so I should probably have done a reread but I remembered enough once I started that I didn't bother. I remember being more intrigued by the Gregory aspect of the story than Wyatt, and I wish he was in more scenes but maybe that will change in the next one.
I do like Sam, she's a proper demon who abuses her body since she can't hurt herself too much and doesn't die easily. She gets up to quite a lot of mischief with her little gang but it's an enjoyable read.
Off to read book 3.
ELVEN BLOOD
I actually think I was more into this book than the previous one. It might have been that the previous book was fresh in my mind but I was really into it. I am still interested in something happening between Gregory and Sam. PLEASE!!
Aside from that I was intrigued by the elf/demon half breed and when it came out who it was I wasn't that surprised but it added an interesting twist. I was also eagerly waiting to see how Sam would deal with Haagenti. It was a long time coming and I enjoyed how it ended.
I can't wait to read more of this series!
4.5 stars
A DEMON BOUND
I wasn't sure about this to start with but I quickly warmed up to the story. Admittedly, a lot of my excitement with this was the love interests and her reactions to them as an Imp, wanting to get them into bed and do naughty stuff to them a lot of the time. I'm very intrigued as to what will happen later on in this series with Gregory and also with Wyatt.
I definitely want to read the next book!
SATAN'S SWORD
It had been a while since I read the first book so I should probably have done a reread but I remembered enough once I started that I didn't bother. I remember being more intrigued by the Gregory aspect of the story than Wyatt, and I wish he was in more scenes but maybe that will change in the next one.
I do like Sam, she's a proper demon who abuses her body since she can't hurt herself too much and doesn't die easily. She gets up to quite a lot of mischief with her little gang but it's an enjoyable read.
Off to read book 3.
ELVEN BLOOD
I actually think I was more into this book than the previous one. It might have been that the previous book was fresh in my mind but I was really into it. I am still interested in something happening between Gregory and Sam. PLEASE!!
Aside from that I was intrigued by the elf/demon half breed and when it came out who it was I wasn't that surprised but it added an interesting twist. I was also eagerly waiting to see how Sam would deal with Haagenti. It was a long time coming and I enjoyed how it ended.
I can't wait to read more of this series!
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Gregory and the Grimbockle in Books
Feb 11, 2018
Such a fun, imaginative read!
Gregory and the Grimbockle was one of the funniest and cute books that I’ve read with my child in a long time. It was so imaginative and fantastical. We loved the adorable illustrations, but were very glad that the Grimbockle was never illustrated going into or out of his temporary home. The sheer grossness of how that happened was so at odds with the cuteness of everything else, but it worked really well together strangely.
Melanie Schubert has enormous talent that Abigail Kraft complemented perfectly. This story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in, who is teased and sometimes bullied, and is from a home that is neither loving nor abusive will resonate with a lot of younger readers, I believe. His situation isn’t one of extremes and as a result he’s more easy to relate to. The adventures that he goes on with the Grimbockle are pure fiction, but the truth he learns along the way about the large impact that small gestures can have means is not. As a parent, that truth – that our actions have much more an impact that we might think – is one that I enjoyed having a chance to talk about with my child through the lens of Gregory and the Grimbockle.
The only thing we didn’t like about Gregory and the Grimbockle was the way it ended. It just felt like it ended too abruptly. The transition from childhood to “okay, he’s growing up now” happened so quickly that we had to re-read to make sure we hadn’t accidentally missed a few pages. While I can see why the author did it the way she did, by the time closed the book, we were both already mourning the exiting of the Bockles from our world.
Gregory and the Grimbockle is a book that any parent should delight in picking up to read with their children. It’s an easy read, a short one, and it helps reinforce an important lesson. You’ll be missing out if you don’t give it a try.
This review appeared first at Sci-Fi & Scary.
Melanie Schubert has enormous talent that Abigail Kraft complemented perfectly. This story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in, who is teased and sometimes bullied, and is from a home that is neither loving nor abusive will resonate with a lot of younger readers, I believe. His situation isn’t one of extremes and as a result he’s more easy to relate to. The adventures that he goes on with the Grimbockle are pure fiction, but the truth he learns along the way about the large impact that small gestures can have means is not. As a parent, that truth – that our actions have much more an impact that we might think – is one that I enjoyed having a chance to talk about with my child through the lens of Gregory and the Grimbockle.
The only thing we didn’t like about Gregory and the Grimbockle was the way it ended. It just felt like it ended too abruptly. The transition from childhood to “okay, he’s growing up now” happened so quickly that we had to re-read to make sure we hadn’t accidentally missed a few pages. While I can see why the author did it the way she did, by the time closed the book, we were both already mourning the exiting of the Bockles from our world.
Gregory and the Grimbockle is a book that any parent should delight in picking up to read with their children. It’s an easy read, a short one, and it helps reinforce an important lesson. You’ll be missing out if you don’t give it a try.
This review appeared first at Sci-Fi & Scary.
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Elemental Love (Warlocks #1) in Books
May 31, 2023
This book starts with the birth of Evrain, as Agatha and Gregory speak whilst they are waiting. Immediately you get a rough idea of what is going on, but as the story continues, the gaps are filled and a clear picture is given. As with everything and everyone, there is good and bad, and in this instance, Evrain is basically good, although the Wild Magic can still corrupt him. As a warlock, he needs to find his partner, the one that will steady his power and make him stronger. In Evrain's case, that turns out to be Dominic, the shy gardener that fascinates Evrain. Through circumstances beyond their control, they are forced together (although neither of them fights it much!) and a warlock makes him move against them.
In this book, you are given an excellent viewpoint of how the partnership can work, with loving and strong foundations, as with Gregory and Coryn, or you see how it can be abused, and used without love, as with Symeon and Damon. With plenty of action, romance, and humour, this is a fantastic start to the Warlocks series and one that I will be reading again. Highly recommended
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 29, 2016
In this book, you are given an excellent viewpoint of how the partnership can work, with loving and strong foundations, as with Gregory and Coryn, or you see how it can be abused, and used without love, as with Symeon and Damon. With plenty of action, romance, and humour, this is a fantastic start to the Warlocks series and one that I will be reading again. Highly recommended
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 29, 2016
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Seventh Son (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
After a two-year delay, Seventh Son has finally reached the big screen, and it will leave you conflicted.
Seventh Son is brought to us by director Sergey Bodrov. Originally set for a February 2013 release, the film had complicated distribution arrangements between Legendary and Warner Brothers, which kept causing delays.
Jeff Bridges plays one of the title characters: Master John Gregory. He is the last of an order of peacekeeper knights, which once used to be a thousand strong. All of these knights are seventh sons of seventh sons, and are self-tasked with keeping the evil creatures of the world at bay.
The movie starts off with a young Gregory completing a prison cell for an unknown woman. Years later, the prisoner, a draconic beast, breaks out and attacks a nearby town, specifically targeting the aged Knight and his apprentice (Kit Harington — Jon Snow from Game of Thrones). This recently released evil is Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), the queen of witches.
During the battle, Harington’s brief existence in this film is brought to an end, causing Gregory to seek out another apprentice. This search leads him to young Thomas Ward (Ben Barnes). After Ward goes through some sad goodbyes with his family, he and Gregory set out to take down the Witch Queen before the blood moon sets.
His training would normally take 10 years, but they only have a week.
Put simply, this movie was very fragmented. It isn’t a good movie, but it isn’t a bad one either. It has reasonable special effects and decent fight scenes.
There is plenty of star power: Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Kit Harington, Djimon Hounsou (one of my favorites), and Jason Scott Lee.
Jeff Bridges missed the mark on his character. It’s one thing to be disgruntled and war-torn with a curious sense of humor, but it’s something quite different to be outright silly.
There were no explanations. How did the order come about? Why seventh sons of seventh sons? How did Gregory KNOW there was a seventh son at that house? How did the war start? Why is Gregory the last? Why wasn’t there more about Gregory’s relationship with Malkin? Why did the skeleton in the armor attack Tom? Why do the swords hum? Where did the stone come from? Why was it powerful? Why anything, really? The story has no depth, failing to explain the “why” of any of its lore. There were only statements of fact, which confuses viewers and prevents them from becoming emotionally anchored to the story.
I simply didn’t care about the characters. The film was disorganized and rushed. Perhaps it would have been better served as two films, or a longer film, or even a mini series.
Seventh Son had the potential to be so much more. A combination of poor writing and bad direction made the movie lackluster to me and all three of my companions.
The actors delivered many campy one-liners, and the chuckles they drew from the crowd were quite unintentional.
If you are a fan of high fantasy, it’s probably worth seeing, but wait for it to arrive on Netflix and use it as background entertainment
Seventh Son is brought to us by director Sergey Bodrov. Originally set for a February 2013 release, the film had complicated distribution arrangements between Legendary and Warner Brothers, which kept causing delays.
Jeff Bridges plays one of the title characters: Master John Gregory. He is the last of an order of peacekeeper knights, which once used to be a thousand strong. All of these knights are seventh sons of seventh sons, and are self-tasked with keeping the evil creatures of the world at bay.
The movie starts off with a young Gregory completing a prison cell for an unknown woman. Years later, the prisoner, a draconic beast, breaks out and attacks a nearby town, specifically targeting the aged Knight and his apprentice (Kit Harington — Jon Snow from Game of Thrones). This recently released evil is Mother Malkin (Julianne Moore), the queen of witches.
During the battle, Harington’s brief existence in this film is brought to an end, causing Gregory to seek out another apprentice. This search leads him to young Thomas Ward (Ben Barnes). After Ward goes through some sad goodbyes with his family, he and Gregory set out to take down the Witch Queen before the blood moon sets.
His training would normally take 10 years, but they only have a week.
Put simply, this movie was very fragmented. It isn’t a good movie, but it isn’t a bad one either. It has reasonable special effects and decent fight scenes.
There is plenty of star power: Jeff Bridges, Julianne Moore, Kit Harington, Djimon Hounsou (one of my favorites), and Jason Scott Lee.
Jeff Bridges missed the mark on his character. It’s one thing to be disgruntled and war-torn with a curious sense of humor, but it’s something quite different to be outright silly.
There were no explanations. How did the order come about? Why seventh sons of seventh sons? How did Gregory KNOW there was a seventh son at that house? How did the war start? Why is Gregory the last? Why wasn’t there more about Gregory’s relationship with Malkin? Why did the skeleton in the armor attack Tom? Why do the swords hum? Where did the stone come from? Why was it powerful? Why anything, really? The story has no depth, failing to explain the “why” of any of its lore. There were only statements of fact, which confuses viewers and prevents them from becoming emotionally anchored to the story.
I simply didn’t care about the characters. The film was disorganized and rushed. Perhaps it would have been better served as two films, or a longer film, or even a mini series.
Seventh Son had the potential to be so much more. A combination of poor writing and bad direction made the movie lackluster to me and all three of my companions.
The actors delivered many campy one-liners, and the chuckles they drew from the crowd were quite unintentional.
If you are a fan of high fantasy, it’s probably worth seeing, but wait for it to arrive on Netflix and use it as background entertainment
Deborah (162 KP) rated Devil's Consort in Books
Dec 21, 2018
This is the third book by Anne O'Brien I have read recently, and I have found her to be a very readable author - far better that the dull Gregory, if you want my opinion! All three of the novels I have read have been written in the first person, which is a narrative technique that I don't generally care for as it often feels too contrived and limits the point of view (see Philippa Gregory!). However, O'Brien, for me, has managed to pull this off and the first person narrative works for her and gives you a real empathy with her protagonists.
This was a good read and a good piece of historical Fiction, with perhaps a bit more emphasis on the Fiction element, as a few incidents I'm not convinced actually happened, or have been embroidered in the retelling. This deals with Eleanor's earlier life, from just before she becomes Queen of France to just after she becomes Queen of England. There could be a whole other book to be written on her life after the end of this book!
O'Brien made Eleanor come alive for me as a person, even if, as I have already said, I did have some reservations on historical accuracy. I think that if an historical novelist gives you a real feel for a person and makes you want to know more, then they have certainly done their job. There are some good biographies on Eleanor out there, so hopefully readers of this novel will feel inspired to seek them out.
This was a good read and a good piece of historical Fiction, with perhaps a bit more emphasis on the Fiction element, as a few incidents I'm not convinced actually happened, or have been embroidered in the retelling. This deals with Eleanor's earlier life, from just before she becomes Queen of France to just after she becomes Queen of England. There could be a whole other book to be written on her life after the end of this book!
O'Brien made Eleanor come alive for me as a person, even if, as I have already said, I did have some reservations on historical accuracy. I think that if an historical novelist gives you a real feel for a person and makes you want to know more, then they have certainly done their job. There are some good biographies on Eleanor out there, so hopefully readers of this novel will feel inspired to seek them out.
Deborah (162 KP) rated The King's Concubine in Books
Dec 21, 2018
This is the second novel by Anne O'Brien that I have read recently, and I have enjoyed them both. Although both novels were written in the first person, a narrative technique that I usually don't like as it is difficult for authors to pull off, I have found O'Brien's writing convincing and applaud her for this.
The protagonist of this particular novel is Alice Perrers, best known as mistress to Edward III. Not an awful lot, it seems, is really known about Alice, at least before her time at court. O'Brien has used known facts and woven her story about these, filling in the gaps with imagination and probability. Historically, Alice Perrers has never come across as a particularly nice person, seeming to be greedy, grasping and manipulative. O'Brien doesn't do a total whitewash job on her, but she does give a more sympathetic portrayal. Her Alice is still keen to acquire land holdings, but seen as a woman who has come from practically nothing and can see what her future might be without royal patronage, it is difficult to really blame her. History has always tended to be written by the victors and by men, and in medieval times they would not have liked a woman stepping out of her 'place' so it is quite understandable that Alice Perrers should have been so vilified.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. I read Vannora Bennett's The People's Queen a while back, which is also about Alice Perrers (she seems to be enjoying something of a renaissance!) but I preferred O'Brien's book. The cover gives O'Brien a plaudit of being 'better than Philippa Gregory'. Well, I can't argue with that as I haven't cared much for either of the books by Gregory that I have read, so I will wholeheartedly agree that O'Brien is much more worth reading! I look forward to her book on Eleanor of Aquitaine.
The protagonist of this particular novel is Alice Perrers, best known as mistress to Edward III. Not an awful lot, it seems, is really known about Alice, at least before her time at court. O'Brien has used known facts and woven her story about these, filling in the gaps with imagination and probability. Historically, Alice Perrers has never come across as a particularly nice person, seeming to be greedy, grasping and manipulative. O'Brien doesn't do a total whitewash job on her, but she does give a more sympathetic portrayal. Her Alice is still keen to acquire land holdings, but seen as a woman who has come from practically nothing and can see what her future might be without royal patronage, it is difficult to really blame her. History has always tended to be written by the victors and by men, and in medieval times they would not have liked a woman stepping out of her 'place' so it is quite understandable that Alice Perrers should have been so vilified.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. I read Vannora Bennett's The People's Queen a while back, which is also about Alice Perrers (she seems to be enjoying something of a renaissance!) but I preferred O'Brien's book. The cover gives O'Brien a plaudit of being 'better than Philippa Gregory'. Well, I can't argue with that as I haven't cared much for either of the books by Gregory that I have read, so I will wholeheartedly agree that O'Brien is much more worth reading! I look forward to her book on Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated More Than Words in Books
Apr 22, 2021
This is the thirteenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Nina Gregory has always been a loyal daughter. After her mother's death, she was raised by her father, the owner of the Gregory Hotels, a renowned chain in New York City. She knows she will take over the family business someday. And her father has always taught her that family (and reputation) come before everything. But when Nina's father dies, she finds herself adrift. Not even her boyfriend, Tim, whom she's been raised with since childhood (his parents work with her father) can provide comfort. When Nina finds out something about her father that causes her to question everything, she finds herself turning to her boss, mayoral candidate Rafael. Nina's always been cautious and proper. But now, she's not so sure what to believe.
"Not only was she going to lose her father, she was going to lose the life she'd imagined for herself. The future she'd expected would be hers."
This was a good read about love, loss, and politics. I think parts of it might have annoyed me more, but I read it at a good time. Nina honestly came across as self-centered at moments, but she was certainly going through a lot, trying to find herself in the wake of her father's death. With her family legacy, she was under a lot of pressure. The book did a good job of capturing grief and loss. I also really liked Rafael--he was a character I could root for. The story seemed to meander a little and could be heartbreaking, but it was a book centered around death, after all.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It's sad, but hopeful too. A good read if you go in with the right mindset. 3.5 stars.
Nina Gregory has always been a loyal daughter. After her mother's death, she was raised by her father, the owner of the Gregory Hotels, a renowned chain in New York City. She knows she will take over the family business someday. And her father has always taught her that family (and reputation) come before everything. But when Nina's father dies, she finds herself adrift. Not even her boyfriend, Tim, whom she's been raised with since childhood (his parents work with her father) can provide comfort. When Nina finds out something about her father that causes her to question everything, she finds herself turning to her boss, mayoral candidate Rafael. Nina's always been cautious and proper. But now, she's not so sure what to believe.
"Not only was she going to lose her father, she was going to lose the life she'd imagined for herself. The future she'd expected would be hers."
This was a good read about love, loss, and politics. I think parts of it might have annoyed me more, but I read it at a good time. Nina honestly came across as self-centered at moments, but she was certainly going through a lot, trying to find herself in the wake of her father's death. With her family legacy, she was under a lot of pressure. The book did a good job of capturing grief and loss. I also really liked Rafael--he was a character I could root for. The story seemed to meander a little and could be heartbreaking, but it was a book centered around death, after all.
Overall, I enjoyed this one. It's sad, but hopeful too. A good read if you go in with the right mindset. 3.5 stars.