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Debbiereadsbook (1416 KP) rated Crystal Shard (Paladins of Crystal. #1) in Books

Aug 5, 2022

Amazing world building!

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Oooooohhhhh! I loved this! I really did!

The thing I loved the most, was there wasn't that info dump you get in some fantasy books. When Crystal gets pulled into the rose bush and spat out the other side, she has to learn everything about where she now is. And as she learns, we learn. So, it comes in dribs and drabs, just enough for you to process that bit and move on to the next. Loved that, it meant I could fully engage with the characters, instead of trying to keep up with information. Excellent world building!

I loved that Crystal has her say in the first person, and the Paladins, her group of protectors at this point, have their say in the third. Different, yes, but I loved that it was.

And I say at this point, because given what happens at the end (which, to be honest I saw coming, but hey, still loved it!) things will change in future books.

I've not tagged it as romance or multi partner YET, cos there isn't any romance, and the only smexy times is in dreams, for both Crystal and the guys. But it's coming, oh yes, it's a-coming!

Obviously, things aren't smooth sailing, and I've an idea who might be wanting to cause all this trouble. I'm fairly certain they aren't done yet.

So, when is the next one out? Cos I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED it!

This is the second book of Cameron's I tried to read. I didn't much care for the first one, but this?? Bloody loved it!

5 stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

Kudos

Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated Before I Go to Sleep in Books

Mar 15, 2018

Before I Go to Sleep

S.J. Watson | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry

8.3

(24 Ratings)

Book Rating

I had been hearing good things about this book from a very large number of my coworkers, and with the movie coming out I figured it was a good time to tackle it. What a harrowing story it turned out to be. Christine wakes up every day having completely forgotten the majority of her life before that point, next to a husband she can't remember. She has begun keeping track of the events of her days in a journal, at the encouragement of a doctor who has to call her every morning to remind her to do so. Through doing this, she has begun to piece together the last several decades of her life and, perhaps most importantly, how it is that she came to be the way she is. This turns out to be a wonderfully clever way to tease out a mystery, and is balanced with just enough sadness and fear over the very condition itself, which truly does seem terrible. I can't say anything more without giving away the plot, but trust me, you will want to read this one for yourself, as it is quite the good climax. Read it before you see the movie, you won't be disappointed.

Kudos

Drama Girls

Mia Archer

10.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

The church girl and the drama geek. Two wildly different worlds come together as two girls fight for...

Coming Out Lesbian

Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Reign of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles #2) in Books

Sep 16, 2020

Reign of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles #2)

Helen Schueurer | 2020 | Horror, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

168 of 200
Kindle
Reign of Mist ( The Oremere Chronicles book 2)
By Helen Scheuerer

The realm's darkest secret is out.

The cruelty of the capital and the power-hungry King Arden have scattered Bleak and her companions across the continents.

On the run in a foreign land, Bleak finds herself tied to some unexpected strangers. When the answers she yearns for are finally within reach, she must face the hard truths of her past and take her fate into her own hands before it's too late.

Meanwhile, secrets and magic unravel as a dark power corrupts the realm. Bleak's friends are forced to decide where their loyalties lie, and who, if anyone, they can trust.

But one thing is certain: War is coming, and they must all be ready when it does.

This is the second book of this is series and it was brilliant I really enjoyed it. The characters have evolved so much and taking on their own trials aswell as coming together when needed. There were a few litte shockers in there too which I won’t spoil! Recommend!

Kudos

Never Saw You Coming

Erin Hahn

9.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

Book

Tell Me Three Things meets Saved! in Erin Hahn’s next thrilling contemporary about forgiveness and...

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Our Own Private Universe in Books

Feb 18, 2021

A great book for gay teens finding their way

This is the fifteenth 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!

Aki Simon is ready to start living her life. At fifteen, she believes she's bisexual, but she's only dated boys, and only her best friend, Lori, knows about her feelings. So when Aki and Lori go on a church trip to Mexico, Aki vows to stop sitting around and start living. This becomes possible when she meets Christa, another student on the trip. Christa, older and more worldly, clearly seems to like Aki as much as Aki likes her. But how does Aki--whose father is a pastor and along on this trip--experiment with Christa on this trip? How does she figure out if she likes, or even loves, Christa? And if she does, how does she tell her religious parents?

I've read several books by Robin Talley and really loved them all. This one was a little young for me, but I think it would be an excellent read for the teen age group. It covers a range of vital and big themes for teens: bisexuality, coming out, safe sex, parental expectations, religion and being gay, etc. There's a moment when Aki is trying to track down dental dams, and she's researching how to use them. I'm honestly not sure I've ever seen that in a book, and it's so important and honestly, really cool. I would have loved to find a book like this when I was a teen trying to figure out a lot of various things.

Unfortunately, a lot of the plot of UNIVERSE is based on the premise of one character lying to another, which I really do not care for. It gets off to a slow start. And there is a lot of teen drama, with Lori and other kids on the trip at the center. Maybe it wouldn't seem so melodramatic for teens, who live in that world, but it's a bit much and gets repetitive.

Still, I love how important this book is, covering coming out and featuring such a diverse cast of characters. It's serious yet romantic. I would certainly recommend it for teens grappling with their sexuality, those coming out, or those wanting to support their queer friends or kids. 3.5 stars. (Also, if you are older and queer (or even if you're not), read Robin Talley's PULP. It's amazing.)