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Merissa (12950 KP) rated The Red Zone (Big Play, #2) in Books
Jan 17, 2019 (Updated Jun 7, 2023)
The Red Zone (Big Play #2) by Jordan Ford
The second book in the series focuses on Mack and Kaija, although Colt and Tori still have integral roles to play to my unashamed pleasure! Mack is the Quarterback, the one every girl wants and every guy wants to be. He knows the 'rules' of the school, although he has his doubts when he sees how happy Tori and Colt are. It comes to a head when he sees Kaija for the first time and is instantly struck by her. Kaija feels the same way but has her own reasons for trying to stay away from him and keep under the radar.
Once again, this story is a smash!!! With believable characters that will have you laughing out loud at their prank war, and yet wiping your eyes at a different part, and a compelling and emotional storyline, this book is a fantastic addition to the Big Play series.
Exceedingly well written, smoothly paced, with enough angst to keep everyone happy, and no editing or grammatical errors that I found, I have no hesitation in highly recommending this to all fans of Young Adult, Contemporary, and Romance.
* 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!
Apr 23, 2016
Once again, this story is a smash!!! With believable characters that will have you laughing out loud at their prank war, and yet wiping your eyes at a different part, and a compelling and emotional storyline, this book is a fantastic addition to the Big Play series.
Exceedingly well written, smoothly paced, with enough angst to keep everyone happy, and no editing or grammatical errors that I found, I have no hesitation in highly recommending this to all fans of Young Adult, Contemporary, and Romance.
* 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!
Apr 23, 2016

Merissa (12950 KP) rated Bella's Countryside Christmas in Books
Oct 4, 2024
BELLA'S COUNTRYSIDE CHRISTMAS is set in Haileybrook. To escape a boring conference, she fakes illness and goes to the church where she should have been married, if she hadn't called it off. While there, she saves a nativity scene from guaranteed disaster, as well as helping a cute man by pretending to be his date. After a better-than-expected day/evening and a moment of connection complete with a kiss, she disappears to help her younger sister, leaving Jack all alone. Fast forward a year (give or take) and Bella is returning to Haileybrook, this time to live and work.
This was such a great story! It is gentle, with no unnecessary angst or drama, with a healthy dose of mystery. Character-led with cameos from characters out of other books, this was a story I didn't want to end. The people here were funny and likeable, especially the ones from the home!
The flow of the story was smooth and left me wanting to continue reading, even when I got to the chapter breaks. It has Christmassy vibes but doesn't rule the whole story. A fantastic read and 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!
Sep 25, 2024
This was such a great story! It is gentle, with no unnecessary angst or drama, with a healthy dose of mystery. Character-led with cameos from characters out of other books, this was a story I didn't want to end. The people here were funny and likeable, especially the ones from the home!
The flow of the story was smooth and left me wanting to continue reading, even when I got to the chapter breaks. It has Christmassy vibes but doesn't rule the whole story. A fantastic read and 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!
Sep 25, 2024

Merissa (12950 KP) rated Cruising Right into Love in Books
Jul 2, 2024
CRUISING RIGHT INTO LOVE is part of the Pride Cruise 2024 collection. It features Victor and Denton as the MCs, ably supported by a brilliant cast of colourful characters.
Denton saw Victor at his lowest and has tried to give him time to heal. Only, in doing that, he has created more distance. Victor has crushed on Denton for three years now, always from a distance. So when they have the opportunity to get up close and personal, will they take it?
This is a great summer read and the heat in these pages isn't only from the sun! I will admit, I love what happened with Mr Polished! If anyone deserved that, it was him. I really REALLY want Ollie and Beckett's story though, and my next job is going through this author's backlist to see if I have already read it or not!
This is low angst for the main part, with just a little bit with Nese and Victor. You have to remember, these two have had unrequited love for YEARS, so if you think things are moving fast, just think on that.
Brilliantly written, as always, and I look forward to more in the Pride Cruise 2024 collection.
** 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!
Jun 19, 2024
Denton saw Victor at his lowest and has tried to give him time to heal. Only, in doing that, he has created more distance. Victor has crushed on Denton for three years now, always from a distance. So when they have the opportunity to get up close and personal, will they take it?
This is a great summer read and the heat in these pages isn't only from the sun! I will admit, I love what happened with Mr Polished! If anyone deserved that, it was him. I really REALLY want Ollie and Beckett's story though, and my next job is going through this author's backlist to see if I have already read it or not!
This is low angst for the main part, with just a little bit with Nese and Victor. You have to remember, these two have had unrequited love for YEARS, so if you think things are moving fast, just think on that.
Brilliantly written, as always, and I look forward to more in the Pride Cruise 2024 collection.
** 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!
Jun 19, 2024

Merissa (12950 KP) rated Sexless in Seattle in Books
Feb 6, 2024
SEXLESS IN SEATTLE is the first book in a new series and is loosely based upon Sleepless in Seattle (no surprise there!)
Zach and Eric lost their parents two years ago, and Zach gave up everything to look after his brother, who was only ten at the time. Zach was only twenty and missed out on a lot of things. Luckily for him, he still has his friend group who try to make things better. Tristan is a little older than Zach and is looking for love. He's had enough of hookups. Through Eric's machinations, these two start texting and then the story moves along.
Low angst and super sweet - that's what you'll get if you pick this book up, and I loved every word! Zach and Tristan were great characters who weren't too good to be true. They both had doubts and fears but also communicated and thought about each other. I loved how they both changed in the bedroom! It was hot and steamy between them when they finally reached that stage, but I loved that Tristan took it slowly for Zach.
A great story and loads of other characters I now want stories for! Plus Skylar's!!! Absolutely 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!
Feb 6, 2024
Zach and Eric lost their parents two years ago, and Zach gave up everything to look after his brother, who was only ten at the time. Zach was only twenty and missed out on a lot of things. Luckily for him, he still has his friend group who try to make things better. Tristan is a little older than Zach and is looking for love. He's had enough of hookups. Through Eric's machinations, these two start texting and then the story moves along.
Low angst and super sweet - that's what you'll get if you pick this book up, and I loved every word! Zach and Tristan were great characters who weren't too good to be true. They both had doubts and fears but also communicated and thought about each other. I loved how they both changed in the bedroom! It was hot and steamy between them when they finally reached that stage, but I loved that Tristan took it slowly for Zach.
A great story and loads of other characters I now want stories for! Plus Skylar's!!! Absolutely 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!
Feb 6, 2024

Debbiereadsbook (1454 KP) rated SWAT for Dummies (Deputy Gemma Stone #2) in Books
Feb 13, 2024
some very funny moments
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Deputy Gemma Stone series. I have not read book one, but I picked this one up quick enough. So I'd say it can be read as a stand alone.
And for the most part, I did enjoy this short read, some 130 pages, I really did.
I just found the fact that Gemma got into so many scrapes and bumps, accidents and getting shot at, it all became a bit too much. FOR ME! I need to stress that, for me, I found it a bit too much in the short space of time it took me to read this book.
There is some kooky going on inthe Sheriff's department, and Gemma, along with her new boyfriend, need to figure it out, especially as it might have some relation to Dante's parent's deaths. And they do, eventually.
Some very funny moments, that really were laugh out loud bits and I think these are what made me give it 4 stars and not 3. It's full of drama, but not real angst. Low on the steam scale too. But I didn't mind that here.
I'm not usually one for comedy in my romance books, but I did enjoy this one. Whether I read more, will remain to be seen, though.
An enjoyable, 4 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Deputy Gemma Stone series. I have not read book one, but I picked this one up quick enough. So I'd say it can be read as a stand alone.
And for the most part, I did enjoy this short read, some 130 pages, I really did.
I just found the fact that Gemma got into so many scrapes and bumps, accidents and getting shot at, it all became a bit too much. FOR ME! I need to stress that, for me, I found it a bit too much in the short space of time it took me to read this book.
There is some kooky going on inthe Sheriff's department, and Gemma, along with her new boyfriend, need to figure it out, especially as it might have some relation to Dante's parent's deaths. And they do, eventually.
Some very funny moments, that really were laugh out loud bits and I think these are what made me give it 4 stars and not 3. It's full of drama, but not real angst. Low on the steam scale too. But I didn't mind that here.
I'm not usually one for comedy in my romance books, but I did enjoy this one. Whether I read more, will remain to be seen, though.
An enjoyable, 4 star read
*same worded review will appear elsewhere

Merissa (12950 KP) rated Bad Idea (Brooklyn Kings #1) in Books
Feb 20, 2025
BAD IDEA is the first book in the Brooklyn Kings series and we're off to an amazing start!
Hayden is the best of the best when it comes to being a PA. No false modesty here, folks. When he unexpectedly needs a new job, he is sent to the Brooklyn Kings where he reunites with Armi, a hot one-night stand they had recently had. What follows is simply fantastic.
I can honestly say that this book had me in its grip from the start, but I was really REALLY on tenterhooks just waiting for Russell to slip up. Oh man, but how I hated that character, truly! And then he sank even lower. 😡
There is no unnecessary angst, just honest-to-God worries about past mistakes, concerns about the present, and hope for the future. This book had it all. The best bit for me was seeing Armand grow in his confidence, to the benefit of the Brooklyn Kings as well as him personally. BUT the relationship and support worked both ways, it wasn't just Hayden supporting Armi.
What a brilliant beginning to what I am sure will be an amazing series. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and can't wait for the next.
** 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!
Feb 20, 2025
Hayden is the best of the best when it comes to being a PA. No false modesty here, folks. When he unexpectedly needs a new job, he is sent to the Brooklyn Kings where he reunites with Armi, a hot one-night stand they had recently had. What follows is simply fantastic.
I can honestly say that this book had me in its grip from the start, but I was really REALLY on tenterhooks just waiting for Russell to slip up. Oh man, but how I hated that character, truly! And then he sank even lower. 😡
There is no unnecessary angst, just honest-to-God worries about past mistakes, concerns about the present, and hope for the future. This book had it all. The best bit for me was seeing Armand grow in his confidence, to the benefit of the Brooklyn Kings as well as him personally. BUT the relationship and support worked both ways, it wasn't just Hayden supporting Armi.
What a brilliant beginning to what I am sure will be an amazing series. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book and can't wait for the next.
** 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!
Feb 20, 2025

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Read Me Like a Book in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Ashleigh Walker's life is crumbling around her. Her parents are fighting constantly, she's not doing well in school, and her boyfriend, Dylan, doesn't exactly make her heart sing. Suddenly, the one bright spot in Ash's life becomes her new English teacher, Miss Murray. Young and hip, Miss Murray engages Ash in a way she's never felt before. She's even joined the debate club, for pete's sake, and started working hard on her English submissions. But there's more to it than that. Miss Murray makes Ash feel something else. If she really admits it, Miss Murray makes Ash feel what Dylan (and other boys) should. Is something wrong with Ash? And more importantly, Ash starts to think... does Miss Murray feel the same way?
This is a lovely gem of a book. It's the perfect blend of heartbreaking and funny. Kessler, who, as I mentioned, has previously written a series of books for young teens, expertly captures the older teen voice in this novel (which was actually her first book, finally published and updated for the more modern, digital era). She creates a picture as she writes, allowing you to vividly imagine her multi-faceted and complicated characters. Ash is no one-dimensional teen: she's intricate and her own person. As she deals with the agony of her parents' own issues, plus her own inner angst about her love life, your heart goes out to the girl.
Kessler easily paints the angst one feels when in love with a teacher, especially if LGBT - coupled with the delusion that comes with youth, no matter your sexual orientation. Ash's feelings are so real, so strong, and she seems so alone. It's an excellent portrayal of what young teens go through as they wrestle with their sexuality (believe me, I know; it took me back to some tough times in high school).
If anything, some of the resolution is a little too easy, a bit quick and forced at times, but it really doesn't diminish from the force of the book. Watching Ash grow up before our eyes is rather magical. There are some excellent comedic portions from the novel to balance out the heaviness, coupled with a great supporting cast of characters, including Ash's best friend, Cat, and some other youth she meets via school, family, and friends. The novel is perfect for teens struggling with their own sexuality, or needing to see someone "like them" in print, and those looking to support a LGBT best friend, but should also be given to parents of those teens -- as Ash's parents play a role in the story as well.
Overall, I found myself completely wrapped in Ash's coming of age (and coming out) tale. Books with a true to life, multi-dimensional lesbian heroine are still sadly hard to come by, it seems, but Kessler's novel certainly tries to change that.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review - thank you!
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>
This is a lovely gem of a book. It's the perfect blend of heartbreaking and funny. Kessler, who, as I mentioned, has previously written a series of books for young teens, expertly captures the older teen voice in this novel (which was actually her first book, finally published and updated for the more modern, digital era). She creates a picture as she writes, allowing you to vividly imagine her multi-faceted and complicated characters. Ash is no one-dimensional teen: she's intricate and her own person. As she deals with the agony of her parents' own issues, plus her own inner angst about her love life, your heart goes out to the girl.
Kessler easily paints the angst one feels when in love with a teacher, especially if LGBT - coupled with the delusion that comes with youth, no matter your sexual orientation. Ash's feelings are so real, so strong, and she seems so alone. It's an excellent portrayal of what young teens go through as they wrestle with their sexuality (believe me, I know; it took me back to some tough times in high school).
If anything, some of the resolution is a little too easy, a bit quick and forced at times, but it really doesn't diminish from the force of the book. Watching Ash grow up before our eyes is rather magical. There are some excellent comedic portions from the novel to balance out the heaviness, coupled with a great supporting cast of characters, including Ash's best friend, Cat, and some other youth she meets via school, family, and friends. The novel is perfect for teens struggling with their own sexuality, or needing to see someone "like them" in print, and those looking to support a LGBT best friend, but should also be given to parents of those teens -- as Ash's parents play a role in the story as well.
Overall, I found myself completely wrapped in Ash's coming of age (and coming out) tale. Books with a true to life, multi-dimensional lesbian heroine are still sadly hard to come by, it seems, but Kessler's novel certainly tries to change that.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review - thank you!
<a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">My Blog</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/justacatandbook">Twitter</a>

Robert Englund recommended East of Eden (1955) in Movies (curated)

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Turning Red (2022) in Movies
Mar 7, 2022
The digital animation geniuses at Pixar are back with “Turning Red” and it marks a departure for the studio known for the “Toy Story” and “Cars”, franchises.
Set in 1990s Toronto, the film centers around 8th grader Mei (Rosalie Chiang), who considers herself an adult at 13 and eagerly applies herself to school when she is not helping her family tour business at a local Temple or hanging with her friends.
Life comes crashing to a halt when after a traumatic day of embarrassment; Mei awakens in the form of a large Red Panda. In a panic, Mei attempts to hide her situation which causes her over-protective mother to assume it is Puberty related and that her hormones are kicking in.
Mei desperately wants to get her life back to normal and learns that as long as she is calm her Panda is under control. However, this proves to be harder than expected and soon Mei learns that the Panda is the result of a family bloodline but there is a way to end it during a Lunar ceremony in a couple of weeks.
Chaos soon follows as Mei struggles with her situation and must find a way to cope with the changes that are going on and make some very important decisions about her life and her future.
The film is a difficult one to review for me as never having been a teenage girl dealing with puberty, raging estrogen, and the issues that go with it. That being said the film struggles to find a balance as it tacks on the capers of Mei in Panda form without being overly funny or charming and keeps the focus on Teen Angst, puberty-related issues and becoming an adult.
The film lacks the interesting characters, charm, and appeal that have set the foundation for so many Pixar films and it is surprising that a company that can elicit a range of emotions in an animated short fail to really connect with their latest feature. There were some amusing parts but the film as a whole was rather dull and lacked much in the way of humor and was very predictable.
The decision to put the film directly on Disney+ as the studio’s recent “Soul” and “Luca” was raised some controversy but in the end, I do believe it was the right decision as “Turning Red” is not likely to be a film that draws people to the cinema beyond the opening weekend.
It is a film that is a bold step for the company, but one that lacks the charm and humor of previous films as not everyone is going to want to sit through a feature-length film on teenage angst and dealing with changing bodies and the emotional turmoil that follows. However, the target audience is likely to connect with the characters and it will be interesting to see what the reaction to the film is long-term.
3 stars out of 5
“Turning Red” will debut on Disney+ on March 11th
Set in 1990s Toronto, the film centers around 8th grader Mei (Rosalie Chiang), who considers herself an adult at 13 and eagerly applies herself to school when she is not helping her family tour business at a local Temple or hanging with her friends.
Life comes crashing to a halt when after a traumatic day of embarrassment; Mei awakens in the form of a large Red Panda. In a panic, Mei attempts to hide her situation which causes her over-protective mother to assume it is Puberty related and that her hormones are kicking in.
Mei desperately wants to get her life back to normal and learns that as long as she is calm her Panda is under control. However, this proves to be harder than expected and soon Mei learns that the Panda is the result of a family bloodline but there is a way to end it during a Lunar ceremony in a couple of weeks.
Chaos soon follows as Mei struggles with her situation and must find a way to cope with the changes that are going on and make some very important decisions about her life and her future.
The film is a difficult one to review for me as never having been a teenage girl dealing with puberty, raging estrogen, and the issues that go with it. That being said the film struggles to find a balance as it tacks on the capers of Mei in Panda form without being overly funny or charming and keeps the focus on Teen Angst, puberty-related issues and becoming an adult.
The film lacks the interesting characters, charm, and appeal that have set the foundation for so many Pixar films and it is surprising that a company that can elicit a range of emotions in an animated short fail to really connect with their latest feature. There were some amusing parts but the film as a whole was rather dull and lacked much in the way of humor and was very predictable.
The decision to put the film directly on Disney+ as the studio’s recent “Soul” and “Luca” was raised some controversy but in the end, I do believe it was the right decision as “Turning Red” is not likely to be a film that draws people to the cinema beyond the opening weekend.
It is a film that is a bold step for the company, but one that lacks the charm and humor of previous films as not everyone is going to want to sit through a feature-length film on teenage angst and dealing with changing bodies and the emotional turmoil that follows. However, the target audience is likely to connect with the characters and it will be interesting to see what the reaction to the film is long-term.
3 stars out of 5
“Turning Red” will debut on Disney+ on March 11th

Merissa (12950 KP) rated Trusting Him (Bromley Brothers #1) in Books
Nov 22, 2017
Trusting Him (Bromley Brothers #1) by Laura N. Andrews
Trusting Him is the first book in a new series by Laura N. Andrews. In this story, we meet the brothers but concentrate on Trey, the youngest of the Bromley Brothers. To be fair, my first impression of him wasn't that good, when he mouths off at a bouncer just because the bouncer won't speak to him. However, this does lead up to the rest of the story, so it was forgiven once I got into the story itself.
This is a 'cute' story (although I am loathe to use that term!) There is some low angst, caused by misunderstanding and miscommunication, but there is also lots of support too. The characters are all well-rounded, with their own individual personalities. Trey is a highly strung individual who is balanced out by David. It doesn't appear that his brothers will be quite as highly strung, but I'm sure that their secrets will be revealed in due time.
Trusting Him is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The scenes change smoothly, the storyline is smooth, and the whole thing was a delight to read. I loved delving into the world of the Bromley Brothers and can't wait to continue their stories. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
This is a 'cute' story (although I am loathe to use that term!) There is some low angst, caused by misunderstanding and miscommunication, but there is also lots of support too. The characters are all well-rounded, with their own individual personalities. Trey is a highly strung individual who is balanced out by David. It doesn't appear that his brothers will be quite as highly strung, but I'm sure that their secrets will be revealed in due time.
Trusting Him is very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The scenes change smoothly, the storyline is smooth, and the whole thing was a delight to read. I loved delving into the world of the Bromley Brothers and can't wait to continue their stories. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!