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The Hellion is Tamed (League of Lords #4)
The Hellion is Tamed (League of Lords #4)
Tracy Sumner | 2021 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE HELLION IS TAMED is the fourth book in the League of Lords series. We jump forward a few years in this one, to ensure Simon is now an adult. It is made very clear that he has spent the past years searching for a way to find, and bring back, Emma. Although, saying that, he is still hurt by her not coming back to him after stealing the stone from Sebastian. As for Emma, well, she did return but, being as she doesn't have full control of her gift, she caught Simon in a compromising situation and hightailed it out of there.

Miscommunication and avoidance are the two words I would use to describe this book. Now, of course, if love ran smoothly then there would be no romance books to read but Simon and Emma seemed to take it to the extreme.

The focus is also on Emma's gift, not so much Simon's. I would like to have learnt more about him and his gift. How the ghosts see him as their benefactor/protector. Why? How? What does he do? And how do they protect him in return? We saw one example but are there others?

I would definitely recommend reading this as a series, rather than a set of standalones as I do feel the other books help set the situation up for the next one along. And as Simon and Emma are fourth, then it was good to have some background information on them, and the world they inhabit.

Still, a good addition to the series that I enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Hard By A Great Forest
Hard By A Great Forest
Leo Vardiashvili | 2024 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I turned the last page of Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili, and felt like my heart had been well and truly put through the wringer. This is going to be one of those books - you know the ones: this book has broken my heart and destroyed me - here! You MUST read it!

Saba, his brother and father escaped the conflict in post-Communist Georgia when he was a child, leaving behind their mother because they couldn’t afford the bribes. Saba’s father never recovers from having to leave her behind, and when things in Georgia start to settle down more, he returns there. However he goes missing, Saba’s brother goes to look for him and he goes missing too. So Saba goes to look for them both.

Saba’s head is full of the voices of his past, people who are no longer living and stories that his mother used to tell him. His brother leaves Saba a paper trail of clues, including the play that their father wrote, and parts of fairy stories and Shakespeare quotations from their childhood.

This is an emotional novel. There’s the constant feeling of being watched, danger is around every corner. The police are corrupt, and you don’t know if friends are really friends or working for the police.

Saba’s journey is both cathartic and dangerous. It takes him and his friend into the danger zone through a military blockade. It was so tense. Throughout, Saba has to deal with the trauma of his childhood and it’s impact on his adult life. He may have survived the war, but will he survive the trauma and the quest to find his father?

I loved this. I was rooting for Saba throughout, and I feel that I learnt a lot about what has happened in Georgia (considering I knew nothing beforehand). It’s wonderful book.
  
Kari's Kismet (Divergent Omegaverse #6)
Kari's Kismet (Divergent Omegaverse #6)
JP Sayle | 2026 | LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Bowie and Kari are perfect for each other!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 6 in the Divergent Omegaverse series, and I recommend you read them in order. While the books themselves are overlapping in the timeline, some things happen in previous books that are mentioned here, and talked about but not fully recapped and you really do need to know about the visit to the ranch, and what happened at the factory.

There have been hints about Kari and Bowie in previous books and I really enjoyed their book. Not loved though, and I can't figure out why!

Kari is a born Starling, twin to Kodi. He's the calmer of the two.

Kari watches Bowie, like a hawk, so he notices when something isn't right, his wolf knows something is very wrong. Once Kari finds Bowie, his Daddy side kicks in. And that Daddy side is so powerful, and sweet, and loving and neither of them saw this coming, so it was cute as well.

Bowie had a difficult upbringing, and it spills over into his adult life. The prologue made me cry! But once Bowie finds his feet, as it were, with his Daddy, and once they get smexy? Oh my days, that boy is fierce!

Some darker things happen, but I'm not spoiling it for you.

I'm looking forward to Kodi's book, and there is also Jupiter and Laken still to fall. I do enjoy the snippets of text messages, between the PA's and the Starling brothers. And the little bits we get of Lane and Derick (Popi and Dad!)

It's a fairly easy read, and I can't figure out why I didn't love it! Sorry!

4 very, very good stars

*Same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Cabbages & Kings
Cabbages & Kings
Morgan Sheppard | 2022 | Fiction & Poetry
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
wonderful retelling of a local legend
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

As a Nottingham girl, I grew with tales of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. So, finding this tale having tipped those tales on their heads was a delight!

The story tells of Alana Dale, and her new husband, Will Scathlock and how they came to suffer at the hands of Robin and Guy, and just how, after all that, THEY came to be the bad guys!

This is a delightful tale, set in places in and around Nottinghamshire, so I know these places, and I love reading books about places I really know.

It's wonderfully written, with detailed descriptions of the things needed to get by, with Alana having ideas wise beyond her years, especially when it comes to health matters.

Alana is a strong-minded young lady (only 16 here!) and she will stand up for herself in a time when it wasn't the done thing. I loved Alana, and her teasing of Will, but to be fair, he gave as good as he got. Alana's deepest fears come to life here, and how she manages to hold it together to keep Will safe BEFORE she loses it, I have no idea.

There is some violence, Alana and Will's village is destroyed in the beginning of the book and the attack's aftermath is described in some detail. Because of this, I would class it as upper young adult, maybe 14+.

Tipping the Robin Hood legend on its head, Ms Sheppard made new heroes, and new bad guys. She tells of everyday life in Medieval England, and just how the common folk survived.

4 very good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Immortal (The Awakening Series #2)
Immortal (The Awakening Series #2)
Dean Murray | 2015 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
So what happens when you start reading a book and find out that not only does it involve insta-love but also love triangles - both of which you hate?! You carry on reading, that's what! Because by the time you realised, you were already hooked into the story and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell of putting it down until it was finished. That's what happens when you read a book by Dean Murray.

Immortal is the second book in The Awakening Series and continues exactly where Reborn finished. You find out that Kyle and Selene were actually together WAY before Jace and Selene were. So how does Kyle fit into the scenario? I was fully prepared to dislike Kyle, after all, Jace and Selene were the ones that needed to be together, right? The trouble is I couldn't actually dislike him. You will have to read the book yourself to understand why but trust me, he's not a straightforward "villain".

There are quiet times when Selene (and you) find pieces out of the puzzle and there are also times of action, fighting and battles. Then there are the emotional times that you become invested in.

This story continues to be intriguing and complex with plot twists and turns that keep you on your toes. It was completely un-put-down-able and I loved every moment. Even though this book deals with tropes that I usually find irritating, the way Immortal has been written makes it a pleasure to read. Highly recommended to all fans of Young Adult, Contemporary Paranormal.
 
* 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!
March 5, 2015