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Dana (24 KP) rated All I Know Now: Wonderings and Reflections on Growing Up Gracefully in Books
Mar 23, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. If you have ever struggled with the words on how to explain the advice you want to give or would have liked to have had as a younger person, give this book a read.
Carrie does a marvelous job getting across her message of hope and kindness, while keeping her advice genuine. It does not come across as a complete guidebook on how to live your life, but it can act as a helping hand when you are struggling.
There were so many sections in this book that I would have loved to have read as a younger teen. Not only does she make things relatable by having anecdotes of her own life, she also keeps the reader engaged by reminding them that they are not alone. No matter how alone you feel, there is someone who cares about you.
I loved how Carrie takes on the role of the honorary big sister. She keeps a line of communication open to those who need it, no matter the circumstances. It is refreshing to see someone who genuinely cares about helping others.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, not just teenage girls. I was able to relate much of this stuff to my life right now and I am no longer a teen!
It was an excellent read and I will be coming back to it whenever I need some reassurance.
Carrie does a marvelous job getting across her message of hope and kindness, while keeping her advice genuine. It does not come across as a complete guidebook on how to live your life, but it can act as a helping hand when you are struggling.
There were so many sections in this book that I would have loved to have read as a younger teen. Not only does she make things relatable by having anecdotes of her own life, she also keeps the reader engaged by reminding them that they are not alone. No matter how alone you feel, there is someone who cares about you.
I loved how Carrie takes on the role of the honorary big sister. She keeps a line of communication open to those who need it, no matter the circumstances. It is refreshing to see someone who genuinely cares about helping others.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, not just teenage girls. I was able to relate much of this stuff to my life right now and I am no longer a teen!
It was an excellent read and I will be coming back to it whenever I need some reassurance.
Dana (24 KP) rated The Hearts We Sold in Books
Mar 23, 2018
Okay, so I got this in one of my Owlcrate boxes and I very much enjoyed it. For some reason, I haven't actually read a lot of the books I have gotten in my boxes, but this cover looked really cool, so I wanted to give it a read.
I loved the opening scene. I mean, come on, if you saw a demon knitting, wouldn't you want to see what is up about it? I know I would. That is what immediately drew me in.
The story itself was very well thought out. I loved the pacing and all of the intricacies in the book itself. The rag tag crew of misfit deal makers was fun. I loved whenever they would just hang out. Granted them actually going on missions was really exciting because you could see all of their skills coming out to play.
Whenever they would interact with their demon, I imagined him like a disgruntled mother figure for some reason. I loved him so much.
The character relationships were awesome. I loved how everyone interacted with one another, especially when it wasn't a romantic interest. (even though I loved those too)
The ending (spoiler) was heartbreaking, but beautiful. I loved it so much even though I cried.
I can definitely say that the crew at Owlcrate did an excellent job picking this book out and I can't wait to actually read more of the books from the boxes!
I loved the opening scene. I mean, come on, if you saw a demon knitting, wouldn't you want to see what is up about it? I know I would. That is what immediately drew me in.
The story itself was very well thought out. I loved the pacing and all of the intricacies in the book itself. The rag tag crew of misfit deal makers was fun. I loved whenever they would just hang out. Granted them actually going on missions was really exciting because you could see all of their skills coming out to play.
Whenever they would interact with their demon, I imagined him like a disgruntled mother figure for some reason. I loved him so much.
The character relationships were awesome. I loved how everyone interacted with one another, especially when it wasn't a romantic interest. (even though I loved those too)
The ending (spoiler) was heartbreaking, but beautiful. I loved it so much even though I cried.
I can definitely say that the crew at Owlcrate did an excellent job picking this book out and I can't wait to actually read more of the books from the boxes!
Merissa (13600 KP) rated The Finding (Law of the Lycans, #5) in Books
Mar 26, 2018
The Finding (Law of the Lycans #5) by Nicky Charles
The Finding wraps up the story of Cassandra, Marla, and Leon Aldrich. In this book, Bryan manages to find Cassandra and heads off to Vegas to bring her back. He has been obsessed with finding her for years, and now it's his chance. Although Cassandra is having 'fun' in Vegas, she still has no wish to become a wolf, or part of a pack - not after watching her uncle be murdered by one. Through a series of events, Cassandra doesn't really have a choice, and Bryan does all he can for her. We also get to spend some time with Ryne and Mel, and Kane and Elise, which leads nicely onto Damien's book.
I will say that the parts with Marla and her wolf were excellent writing. Marla went from being the big bad, to one you feel sorry for. Franklin is another superb character, and I love the idea of him, Mrs Teasdale, and Meredith wandering around doing their thing! Read it, you'll find out what I mean.
Another excellently written story by Nicky Charles, finishing this round of stories (for now). I'm very glad I've got around to reading them now, although I'm sorry it's taken me five years to do so. If you want a thick paranormal read to sink your teeth into, then I can highly recommend this book and the series.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I will say that the parts with Marla and her wolf were excellent writing. Marla went from being the big bad, to one you feel sorry for. Franklin is another superb character, and I love the idea of him, Mrs Teasdale, and Meredith wandering around doing their thing! Read it, you'll find out what I mean.
Another excellently written story by Nicky Charles, finishing this round of stories (for now). I'm very glad I've got around to reading them now, although I'm sorry it's taken me five years to do so. If you want a thick paranormal read to sink your teeth into, then I can highly recommend this book and the series.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Kid Presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents in Books
Jun 18, 2018
Kid presidents: True Tales of Childhood from America's Presidents by David Stabler is a book of just that American presidents when they were kids. The book is an excellent source of information about the childhood lives of many American presidents. The book is presents in a way that gets children today interested in history.
The information is presented in a humorous and engaging way. By presenting information this way children will realize that they do not have to be perfect or great at everything they do; they just need to have motivation, interest, and the will to succeed in order to be successful. By reading this book children will learn that they to can have a positive impact on the world they live in.
This story shows that the American Presidents were normal children. Some were outdoorsy. Some were bratty. Some were brainy. Some were a complete mix. I loved the illustrations of the presidents. The illustrations really enhanced the book. The childhood biographies and fun facts helped to make the book interesting for children and adults.
This book could easily be used by parents and teachers to help children become interested in history and to learn about the popular and not so popular American Presidents.
I highly recommend this book. I give this book a 5/5 stars.
I received this book from Quirk Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The information is presented in a humorous and engaging way. By presenting information this way children will realize that they do not have to be perfect or great at everything they do; they just need to have motivation, interest, and the will to succeed in order to be successful. By reading this book children will learn that they to can have a positive impact on the world they live in.
This story shows that the American Presidents were normal children. Some were outdoorsy. Some were bratty. Some were brainy. Some were a complete mix. I loved the illustrations of the presidents. The illustrations really enhanced the book. The childhood biographies and fun facts helped to make the book interesting for children and adults.
This book could easily be used by parents and teachers to help children become interested in history and to learn about the popular and not so popular American Presidents.
I highly recommend this book. I give this book a 5/5 stars.
I received this book from Quirk Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Leah (: (569 KP) rated Stalk me (Keatyn Chronicles book 1) in Books
Jul 8, 2018
Could not stop reading and have even read a second time.
The first book in the Keatyn Chronicles is excellent.
To be honest it took me a little while to get into the book as at the beginning Keatyn came across as shallow and superficial, flitting from one guy to the next and only caring about being popular. However Jillian Dodd made sure to balance this with other scenes so that we were able to get to know Keatyn and realise she is just like and teen girl, trying to fit and and find her identity. And I was hooked!!
Although predominantly a romance Stalk Me also has action and suspense. As Keatyn is stalked by someone and we wait to find out who and what they will do next.
The characters are all very relatable as each person has their own clear personality and flaws. This makes it easy to get to know them, however you will go from loving to hating a character in a few pages as they do something stupid.
The book is written as a diary. This works really well as it gives an unfiltered view into Keatyn’s thoughts and life. I became very invested in the story and could not stop reading.
I would absolutely recommend this book if you enjoy teen/ young adult books. It is one of the very few books/ series that I have ever re read.
To be honest it took me a little while to get into the book as at the beginning Keatyn came across as shallow and superficial, flitting from one guy to the next and only caring about being popular. However Jillian Dodd made sure to balance this with other scenes so that we were able to get to know Keatyn and realise she is just like and teen girl, trying to fit and and find her identity. And I was hooked!!
Although predominantly a romance Stalk Me also has action and suspense. As Keatyn is stalked by someone and we wait to find out who and what they will do next.
The characters are all very relatable as each person has their own clear personality and flaws. This makes it easy to get to know them, however you will go from loving to hating a character in a few pages as they do something stupid.
The book is written as a diary. This works really well as it gives an unfiltered view into Keatyn’s thoughts and life. I became very invested in the story and could not stop reading.
I would absolutely recommend this book if you enjoy teen/ young adult books. It is one of the very few books/ series that I have ever re read.
AmyBee (4 KP) rated The Damnation Game in Books
Sep 6, 2018
This novel has to be one of, if not THE sickest, goriest horror novels I have ever read. For that reason, I LOVED it! The plot is strong, the characters are entertaining and the scare-factor is off the scale!
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
It soon becomes clear that the author of this novel is the same guy who wrote and directed the first HELLRAISER film. His ability to 'think outside the box' in his writing is evident with certain tropes in this novel that I wouldn't have even thought existed but are absolutely terrifying. I was blown away.
I love the way that horror and comedy seem to be interchanged in this novel in a way that makes the horror even sicker. As the reader, once you realise that certain scenes are actually making you chuckle, it makes YOU feel like the sick one for daring to laugh at such a grim scene. It takes a great writer to be able to do this and to pull it off without coming across like they are just trying to cash in a cheap gag and Barker has this skill down to a T. Excellent stuff!
Just one thing annoyed me about this and that is the two young Jehovah's Witnesses who make an appearance somewhere like halfway through the novel. I thought their characters were far more 2D than all the rest were, and they could have been written much better. To me, they were just not believable at all.
Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine in Books
Sep 26, 2018
Black sheep on this one
I’m shocked by how little enjoyment this book brought to my brain and heart considering it’s high ratings/review. I was completely underwhelmed by the storyline and by Eleanor herself. This was a tragic and depressing read that didn’t bring any joy or warmth to my reading soul either through chinks of light or quality of writing.
I struggled with this book from the off. The book is narrated solely from Eleanor’s point of view and considering its clear that she has a cognitive problem of initially undetermined origin, in particular with social interaction, her train of thought was jarring and difficult to follow. This didn’t make for good narrative flow and it felt like walking through sludge at times.
There are two elements of the storyline that piqued my interest, Eleanor’s mother and Raymond. They were the only elements that kept me reading and Raymond in particular was everything normal and decent in terms of friendship. The mother element was just something I needed answers on.
The cover is clever, once I realised the connection, I really think it was excellent.
I am clearly in the minority on this book but I am also very happy to stand by my opinion on it. It didn’t capture me in any way and I feel deflated at the end.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in return for a honest review.
I struggled with this book from the off. The book is narrated solely from Eleanor’s point of view and considering its clear that she has a cognitive problem of initially undetermined origin, in particular with social interaction, her train of thought was jarring and difficult to follow. This didn’t make for good narrative flow and it felt like walking through sludge at times.
There are two elements of the storyline that piqued my interest, Eleanor’s mother and Raymond. They were the only elements that kept me reading and Raymond in particular was everything normal and decent in terms of friendship. The mother element was just something I needed answers on.
The cover is clever, once I realised the connection, I really think it was excellent.
I am clearly in the minority on this book but I am also very happy to stand by my opinion on it. It didn’t capture me in any way and I feel deflated at the end.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in return for a honest review.
Merissa (13600 KP) rated Melting For You (Neighborhood Shindig #1) in Books
Jun 19, 2019
Melting For You (Neighborhood Shindig #1) by A.M. Arthur
Melting For You is the first book in the Neighborhood Shindig series. This is decidedly lower angst than previous books by Ms. Arthur I have read, and we meet Joel and Isaiah. Joel has had the dirty done to him by his (ex) partner, in both his personal and professional lives. Isaiah has returned home to look after his dad after he had a heart attack, and also, hopefully, to build a better relationship with him.
The relationship between Joel and Isaiah starts off fast, but then slows down some, as they spend time together doing things, not just each other. I loved how the two of them worked together, and bounced ideas around. One major plus for me were the excellent descriptions of the Neighborhood Shindig itself. I could see it clearly in my mind, and my mouth was certainly watering with the descriptions given.
If I had anything bad to say about the book, it would be the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I only had six minutes reading time left, and neither Joel nor Isaiah had spoken to the other about staying. Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to returning to the Shindig. Definitely recommended.
* 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!
The relationship between Joel and Isaiah starts off fast, but then slows down some, as they spend time together doing things, not just each other. I loved how the two of them worked together, and bounced ideas around. One major plus for me were the excellent descriptions of the Neighborhood Shindig itself. I could see it clearly in my mind, and my mouth was certainly watering with the descriptions given.
If I had anything bad to say about the book, it would be the ending felt a bit rushed to me. I only had six minutes reading time left, and neither Joel nor Isaiah had spoken to the other about staying. Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and look forward to returning to the Shindig. Definitely recommended.
* 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!
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Captive Heart in Books
Jan 2, 2019
There are a few times that I change-up my review schedule to accommodate a book. The Captive Heart is one such book. I kept hearing my friends praising Michelle Griep, and figured, I had better give it a try. WOW, I am so very glad I did. A compelling story of love and forgiveness. You will find a lot of adventure, mishaps, romance, and passion within these pages.
I found this story not only tender and passionate between our hero and heroine, but also filled with the love and forgiveness of our Lord. His fierce love for us and His undying forgiveness is portrayed through this story. No matter what we go through, the trials that we see, the heartache we endure, the choices we make, He will never leave our side. Yet we must make the choice to walk in the light. To walk in His forgiveness and forgive ourselves.
The minute you open The Captive Heart, you will find yourself transported back to Revolutionary America, and the tensions are high. With non stop adventures, you will find yourself unable to set this book down to you know, eat, cook, clean...With an excellent storyline and gracefully composed with an elegant hand, Michelle Griep has indeed captured my heart with this book.
I received a complimentary copy of The Captive Heart through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
I found this story not only tender and passionate between our hero and heroine, but also filled with the love and forgiveness of our Lord. His fierce love for us and His undying forgiveness is portrayed through this story. No matter what we go through, the trials that we see, the heartache we endure, the choices we make, He will never leave our side. Yet we must make the choice to walk in the light. To walk in His forgiveness and forgive ourselves.
The minute you open The Captive Heart, you will find yourself transported back to Revolutionary America, and the tensions are high. With non stop adventures, you will find yourself unable to set this book down to you know, eat, cook, clean...With an excellent storyline and gracefully composed with an elegant hand, Michelle Griep has indeed captured my heart with this book.
I received a complimentary copy of The Captive Heart through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Merissa (13600 KP) rated Wings of the Wicked: A Limited Edition Urban Fantasy Collection in Books
Jan 8, 2019
Guarding Reese by R.S. McCoy
Guarding Reese is a story by R.S. McCoy, in the Wings of the Wicked anthology. In it we meet Cass, a guardian angel who has had to spend nine years away from his charge. Reese has worked his way through five other guardians, but no one seems to work. Cass is given the chance to work with Reese again, and he follows his heart to the one who has held it since the first moment they met.
This book is a paradox - it is both steamy and sexy, whilst also fading to black. The passion between Reese and Cass is full-on, and full of emotion. I was hoping for that ending, but I wasn't sure I would get it. R.S. McCoy managed to keep me on tenterhooks throughout.
This is an excellent story, being well written, and with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The pacing is smooth, and the characters well rounded. I would love to know if this is part of a series, as I would love for Vin and Alexander to have their stories too!
If you like reading about hot and sexy angels, or ripped musicians who know what they want, then I can definitely recommend this book.
* 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!
This book is a paradox - it is both steamy and sexy, whilst also fading to black. The passion between Reese and Cass is full-on, and full of emotion. I was hoping for that ending, but I wasn't sure I would get it. R.S. McCoy managed to keep me on tenterhooks throughout.
This is an excellent story, being well written, and with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The pacing is smooth, and the characters well rounded. I would love to know if this is part of a series, as I would love for Vin and Alexander to have their stories too!
If you like reading about hot and sexy angels, or ripped musicians who know what they want, then I can definitely recommend this book.
* 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!