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Unbar the Barred (Darling Ranch #1)
Unbar the Barred (Darling Ranch #1)
JP Sayle | 2025 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
UNBAR THE BARRED is a fast-paced prequel novella to begin the Darling Ranch series, a spin-off set in the Divergent Omegaverse. If you have read Silas's Sweetheart, then you will have met Cass and his chicks. Now you have the opportunity to meet Trey, the bar owner and wolf Cass pines after. But they're just FWBs, aren't they?

This novella gives you a little more detail and behind-the-scenes footage of when Silas and his brothers and the PAs were at the Ranch. You see flirty Jupiter, who is all too intuitive. You see a sweet moment with Cass' chickens, Bowie, and Kari. Plus, it seems as though Rue had a thing going on!

I definitely recommend you read at least Silas's Sweetheart, just to get the feel of this world and how it operates. Cass is a divergent, or a shifter who can't shift. As this is a novella, it really is fast-paced, so hold onto your (cowboy) hats. I look forward to returning to Darling Ranch and the Divergent Omegaverse. Definitely recommended by me.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Aug 25, 2025
  
3 Days To Kill (2014)
3 Days To Kill (2014)
2014 | Mystery
Ethan, (Kevin Costner) is a man with some serious issues but oddly enough, his life as a spy and heavy hitter is not one of them. Ethan has a reputation for getting the job done and he is brutally efficient in his craft.

When a mission to stop a government purchasing a Dirty Bomb from a mysterious figure known as “The Wolf” goes awry, Ethan finds his life turned upside down when he learns he is on borrowed time due to a previously undiagnosed illness.

Ethan returns to Paris in an attempt to reconnect with his daughter, Zoe (Haillee Steinfeld), and her mother, Ethan comes home to learn that a group of squatters have taken up residence in his apartment, and under French law, nothing can be done to remove them until the spring arrives.

Since Ethan has been gone for five years, his family is less than thrilled to see him as it has been easier to live their lives without him. Undaunted, Ethan continues to try to make up for lost time.
Complications arise when a top level agent named Vivi (Amber Heard), arrives in Paris and attempts to recruit Ethan to identify and eliminate The Wolf when it is learned that there is a window to remove him over the next 72 hours.
Wanting no part of his past life, Ethan is dragged back into the fold by the offer of cash for his daughter and an experimental drug that will extend his life.

Ethan now must walk a deadly path between dangerous people, his former employers, and the largest danger of all, his teenage daughter and her mother.

Based on a story by Luc Besson who also had a hand in writing the script, “3 Days to Kill” is a fresh and fun film despite its flaws. Director Mc G does a good job of keeping the emphasis on Ethan and his family as that is the core of the story. There is action aplenty and some of it does play out in typical Hollywood fashion, but there is a charm to the story that one does normally associate with this type of film.

Costner does a good job of playing Ethan as a world weary man who is simply trying to do the right thing with what time he has left. Scenes where he has to deviate from his deadly profession to deal with teen trauma and domestic issues are funny as they come across as very natural. Ethan is so frustrated by the duality of his life; he even seeks parenting advice from suspects he is interrogating.

While parts of the film may drag out and some of the plot points stretch credibility, the winning cast makes the film worth seeing and I for one was pleasantly surprised by the film as you may be if you are willing to look past some of the flaws.

http://sknr.net/2014/02/20/3-days-to-kill/
  
Original Review posted on <a title="Dance in Shadow and Whisper by Sarah Godfrey and Victoria deRubeis" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/09/review-dance-in-shadow-and-whisper-by-sarah-godfrey-and-victoria-derubeis.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Original Rating: 4.5

Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste

<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> The authors provided a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The review is not influenced in any way.</i>
 
     Basically from the first chapter, I was pretty hooked. Actually, I would say the first sentence, but that could have changed from sentence two or even sentence three.

      Though if I said I nearly chucked the book across the room after sentence one, I would be telling a white lie.

      So I actually did like Dance in Shadow & Whisper. Really liked it. And I pretty much believed I was in for a good read from sentence one. In fact, I would have recommend it to my school book club but due to language, I would probably get whacked in the head. Literally.

      Yeah. Not happening. I'm the last fan of migraines and headaches (and bruises). I'm pretty sure the lot of us are as well.

      But here are a few reasons why I really liked the book and labeled it potential book club recommendation:

1. I think this tends to be the very obvious in a lot of books I read: the idea. Demons vs. Vampires. Finally vampires have a new group of people they don't really like that aren't called werewolves.
~ ABOUT TIME – in my very humble opinion. Not that anyone cares because they're probably too busy screaming “Team Jacob!” or perhaps “Team Teen Wolf!” (I probably made the Team Teen Wolf up. It is about werewolves after all.

2. I loved almost all of the characters' personalities, in which most are humorous and witty. But I particularly liked Kali, who is the main character in the book and seems to be a really fun person to be around (pigtails, lol).

3. Even though there are a few different POV changes throughout the book, it's easy to tell who's POV it is when it's not Kali.

4. The ending. Literally. If I say why I like it, I'll spill the milk and I might get haunted in the middle of the night. Because really...
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PewNyeCe7Do/TcGApe1JtjI/AAAAAAAABeU/2mvFe0wDB4s/s1600/cat-cats-kitten-kitty-pic-picture-funny-lolcat-cute-fun-lovely-photo-images-oh-god-why-would-you-do-that.jpg"; />

     It was flawless in the transition. That's all I'm going to say about the ending. But now I'm in another waiting room... just keep waiting.

      That's all I'm going to say and I refuse to say any more. But for Sarah Godfrey and Victoria DeRubeis's debut novel, Dance in Shadow & Whisper is definitely worth a read.
  
Bad, Dad, And Dangerous Anthology
Bad, Dad, And Dangerous Anthology
Rhys Ford, TA Moore, Bru Baker, Jenn Moffatt | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
great box set!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this box set.

These are four unrelated stories save for the common thread that one of the main characters is a single dad and a paranormal being.

I read all four, but I only really enjoyed 3.

KISMET & CADAVERS BY JENN MOFFATT

I haven't read anything by Ms Moffatt before, but I hope I get to soon! I LOVED this! Thomas and KJ met years ago, and Thomas felt that connection. His daughter moving up from KJ's class at school gives him the perfect chance. But things are getting in the way, and a dark magic has to be dealt with.

I loved the cat in this, I really did. You don't get many undead cats playing a huge part in stories and he made me laugh, how he is with Thomas. And that he likes KJ.

It's funny, and sexy and this was my favourite, along with the next one!

WOLF AT FIRST SIGHT BY RHYS FORD

This is a novella from the Wayward Wolves series (currently only one book!) but you don't need to have read that book to follow this.

Joesph's Nana frequents the pub he is watching. The owner is rather easy on the eye, but Levi isn't the only one keeping secrets from Joesph.

Joseph and Levi have immediate attraction and it takes them time to act on that. I loved that most of the people in the pub are not what they seem and the solution to Levi's Peacekeeping problem wasn't what I saw coming.

And it was sweet, dammit!

MONSTER HALL PASS BY BRU BAKER

Vampires with a twist!

Hugh is a vampire who feeds on energy, NEGATIVE energy gives the biggest boost. So once a year, when his daughter is at camp, he goes off to help his police friends deal with their more dangerous criminals. Meeting a Fae who can smell Hugh's daughter and then goes off on one at him, wasn't really in the plan this summer. When Rykoff reveals the truth about Hugh's daughter, he knows he needs help.

Cute, really cute. I enjoyed this one, not quite as much as the first two mentioned but I did enjoy it. I'd read more of these sorts of vampires, I really would!

ELF SHOT BY TA MOORE

I didn't like this one as much as the other three, I got a bit lost along the way with this. But still, a good read, just not a great one (Sorry!)

A thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a few hours with new to me, as well as not-so-new authors. Ms Baker and Moffatt are now sat on my wish list!

4 good solid stars across the whole set, But 5 for Kismet and Cadavers and for Wolf at First Sight.

~same worded review will appear elsewhere~
  
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
9
8.7 (108 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fall down the rabbit hole with this series
This was everything it promised to be by those who recommended it and its the first book I've read by Sarah J. Maas. I have to say, that it is exquisitely written.

The premise for the book is a beauty and the beast tale. Feyre is a young woman, from a family that once had wealth and position but brought to poverty and near starvation by bad debts. The setting is fantastical, with humans and fairies living in the same lands with a wall separating their kinds. Feyre has become the hunter in her family, keeping them just about fed. It is a stark life with no pleasure. One day she kills a wolf who was one of the fairie. She knew this, but still went ahead. Now Tamlin has arrived from the land of the High Fairie to pursue revenge with her life lived in his lands. This is a twisty, completely absorbing tale. The creatures are light and dark, scary and warm and the relationships are so compelling. The culmination of this tale is utterly unpredictable and it is left wide open for the next book. I cannot wait to read more.

Audio update: this was brought to life most wonderfully by Jennifer Ikeda. I got even more from the story and characters through audio. I even developed a sympathy for Rhysand.
  
The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019)
2019 | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
The hidden truth of those dogs, cats, and other four-legged friends you care about continues. More like a three episode animated series than a 80 minute feature film, The Secret Life of Pets is a collection of three interconnected stories, a Pup Furtion with Chloe as the wise Paul and four wolves instead of just Winston Wolf. First, Max (now voiced by Patton Oswald) and Katie have a new master, the baby/toddler Liam. Parenthood give Max an anxiety disorder turning him into a canine version of Marlin protecting his yound ward from all the dangers of New York City instead of the Great Barrier Reef. Katie and new hubby take Max and Duke to the country for some relaxation where Max meets alpha dog Rooster who teaches our old dog new tricks. The second story is Gidget who is entrusted with Max's toy Busy Bee and loses it in the apartment of a cat lady. Gidget is given lessons in cattitude by Chloe to save Busy Bee. Last up, Snowball who moonlights as a costumed hero meets a femme fatale Daisy who wants Snowball to save a circus tiger from an abusive Russian. For a supposed family feature, there is a lot of animal cruelty on display whether intentional or not. I cannot support any film without regard for the safety of its animal cast. Therefore, avoid Secret Life of Pets and watch Aladdin a second time.
  
Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock &#039;n&#039; Roll
Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll
Peter Guralnick | 2015 | Biography
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
For those not familiar with the name Sam Phillips, he is the man who started up Sun Records in Memphis, TN. And it was there at 706 Union Avenue that Sam invented rock n roll. Now, he didn't invent the music or the soul behind rock n roll, rock n roll was cooked up by the men and women working in the cotton fields, folks in the churches singing hymns, heartbreak, and good times goofing off with friends; just to name a few ingredients. With any recipe, no matter how great the ingredients, a great cook is needed; and Sam Phillips was a five star chef ahead of his time. Thankfully for all us, he made it his time. He produced and laid down the first tracks for some of the greats, such as Howlin' Wolf, Ike Turner, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis just to name a few. I wouldn't say he discovered these great musicians, but rather helped them discover themselves. Back to the book, that's only a small portion of his story. Learning more about the man, who and what made him who he was, all of his accomplishments, and all of the details of what most know and a lot of what you had no idea about, made for a very fascinating read. If you have a love for music, then this is a must read book.