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Love on the Edge (Mindful Writers Retreat Series #3)
Love on the Edge (Mindful Writers Retreat Series #3)
Kathleen Shoop | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
You may be looking for a book that has some stories of love. This book has a few different tiers of redemption of love. It got stories about the loss of love and a few others; there are even poems about love.

The stories are all sweet and enjoyable. Some occur around the Pittsburgh area. I know the names of the rivers around my neighborhood, and they signify mentioned in this book. They are featured in some of the stories as well.

Here seems like an excellent book to have around for Valentine's day. You can read this book anytime; You can pick and choose a story here or there. There is no reason to read the whole book at one time. They are all sweet.

There are various authors, and they all write differently. Primarily the stories are focused on love or a form of love. This one is not as a promise to me as the second book in the series. But it is decent and enjoyable to read.

The short stories focused on the writer's love stories or their meaning of love to them. I enjoyed each story, though. There was not one the stuck out from the rest. This book is rated four and a half stars (Moons) for me. This book can be for anyone who might have lost a loved one or loves to read some romance.
  
The Silent Victims (Hanlon Series #4)
The Silent Victims (Hanlon Series #4)
Alex Coombs | 2021 | Crime, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Once again, I am not disappointed with this, the final book in the series featuring the unconventional DCI Hanlon.

I have now read all 4 books in this series and have enjoyed each and every one of them. I rarely say this about a series but I really do think you need to have read at least the first one (The Stolen Child) if you want to understand the main characters in the book; if you don't, I really think you will be flailing a little with the relationships they have and their motivations and this will, I think, detract from the overall story.

Hanlon is a very strong female character and one tough cookie. I admit that she is quite difficult to like but she has definitely grown on me over the series. In this, we see the odd glimpse of the softer side to Hanlon which makes her more "human" but don't let these snippets fool you - she will stop at nothing and nothing will stand in her way.

With a cast of excellent characters wrapped up in an intriguing plot, lots of action, tension and violent scenes, this is a great story well written which is gripping and exciting and makes it difficult to stop reading.

Highly recommended series and my thanks go to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
  
'Twas the Morning of Easter
'Twas the Morning of Easter
Glenys Nellist | 2021 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Are you a fan of the classic book called "'Twas Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore? The style implies it applied in this book called "'Twas the Morning of Easter." It is quite enjoyable; It sees the rhyming of the poem throughout the book. My rating is four and a half stars (Moons). I am curious about how the first book called "'Twas the Evening of Christmas" is done. I would love to read that one.

It is a neat way to do the story of Jesus' resurrection; It a book that will have children interacting with it or continuing to read every year. The could become a new Easter tradition by having this book read either the night before Easter, even a few days before, on the morning of Easter.

Children and grandchildren can see a fresh and new way to see Jesus' resurrection through this book. The poem style is down wonderfully. I enjoyed reading it this way. Not too hard to understand and is enjoyable. I have not found a better way to read the resurrection of Jesus as completing and knowledge as this book.

The pictures do it the story well. Children and adults will treasure this book and want to read it year after year—it an excellent book to start a new tradition with family. Grandparents and parents can read this to their children and youngsters. Children may even understand the meaning of Easter better than before.
  
Traitor's Moon (Gladstone Shifters #2)
Traitor's Moon (Gladstone Shifters #2)
Alexander Elliott | 2019 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
TRAITOR'S MOON is the second book in the Gladstone Shifters series and it does follow on from book one so I definitely recommend you read that book just to get the full picture.

Ben and Evan are still trying to make their Pack a safe home but Wilburn still has other plans. Jack and William are 'on tour' trying to bring the reality of True Elders to other packs.

There is so much intrigue in this book, making it fast-paced and full of action without it being rushed. As a reader, you daren't blink in case you miss anything. And yet, there is still time for romance, for love, for hope. And not just for MM couples either. Personally, I think this is one of the best parts of these books - instead of just one romance, you get a couple or more!

The world-building is excellent and you also get the political structure and problems too. Although there are a host of characters, each one is fully fleshed out, making every single one of them completely believable.

This is a fantastic addition to the series and I look forward to carrying on with their stories. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Jonah!

* 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!
  
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Lindsay (1779 KP) rated The Red Fence in Books

Jul 17, 2021  
The Red Fence
The Red Fence
Ed Damiano | 2021 | Children, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I found an excellent book that gives off the vibe of Dr. Seuss. The town in this book reminds me of Whoville in the sense of what is on the cover. Children will love this book as it is funny and enjoyable. I have a feeling that the author has got his inspiration from Dr. Seuss.

There is a message about community. It also teaches moments like colors and the same and different. This book will have you chuckling when you read this to your child. If your child or children are reading this, you may hear some chuckles.

The story is about a message of a community but also learning to accept who you are. The way this book goes about it is fun. It also will teach children colors, or at least they can learn about different colors, not how they get created.

We meet Little Todd, Ned, and Astred, when they come to live at Vanderloo; what will happen when they decide to change their white fence to red. This book also teaches about creativity. What will happen when Vanderloo town folks see a different color fence? Will they succeed in having to go back, or will Ned and his family have success?

Sometimes doing something different does not mean that it will affect someone else; I believe this does not matter as long as it does not harm someone. The pictures are colorful; the images tell the story.
  
Harry Potter Trading Card Game
Harry Potter Trading Card Game
2001 | Card Game, Collectible Components, Fantasy, Fighting, Book
Gameplay (3 more)
Variety of Characters
Variety of Card
Game Length
Potential costs (0 more)
Great game, but costs could add up.
Firstly, this is a great game, for seasoned gamers or beginners; very quick and easy to play and understand.

The aim of the game is a simple one, to empty your opponents deck. Simple as that. This is done by choosing a character (each with a unique special skill), and playing creature, spell and item cards to attack their deck.

The range of spells are superb, with everything from forgotten spells from the books, to flipendo, best remembered from the 2001 PS1 Philosophers Stone game. The range of beasts could be better, but as this is only based on the first book, the range could be considered excellent, including creatures including Devil's Snare, Fluffy, Fang, Hounds, Boa Constrictors, Wolves, Trolls and anything you can think of when it comes to the first film/book.

The only issue nowadays is potential costs. As this is out-of-print and nearly 20 years old, cards are a bit of a nuisance to find and expensive when you do find them. Small lots of cards can be found on ebay for a reasonable price, but if you're after individual cards, costs could easily mount up with cards starting at 99p and going up to £5 or more for some of the rarer cards.

Overall though, a great game, and well worth getting a starter set and a few extras :)
  
The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel
The Night Window: A Jane Hawk Novel
Dean Koontz | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
5th and final novel of the Jane Hawk series
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

4.51 · 2,534 ratings ·

The Night Window by Dean Koontz is the 5th and final Jane Hawk novel in the series. I have read many books by Koontz and am a fan of his Odd Thomas series. Somehow, I missed reading his Jane Hawk series.

I was provided with a copy of the 5th novel and, to give a fair review, needed to read the earlier books in the series. I am so glad that I did. I could not put them down! It would help, but you do not need to read the other books. However, you would be missing out on an excellent and chilling series. Koontz gives you enough information, so you have a general outline of the events leading up to The Night Window.

In the Silent Corner, the first novel, Jane begins a campaign to reveal the truth about her husband's suicide. Early on, we learn a number of government officials and other influential individuals with the help of nanotechnology and an army of mind-altered citizens are responsible. It is the possibility of this "revolution" occurring that makes the story so disturbing. Often you find supernatural creepiness in Koontz's books, but I found this series to be the scariest.

This review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 6/24/19.
  
Codename Villanelle (Killing Eve #1)
Codename Villanelle (Killing Eve #1)
Luke Jennings | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
Whilst binge-watching the BBC’s excellent Killing Eve I kept promising myself that I would hunt down a copy of the source material to learn more about the fascinating female protagonists.

It was certainly intriguing to hear the inner workings of Eve’s & Villanelle’s minds and to discover more about their backstory. I particularly enjoyed learning how Villanelle was moulded into the cold-bloodedly efficient assassin that fans of the show have come to love and fear.

“Black, white and red. Darkness, snow and blood. Perhaps it takes as Russian to understand the world in those terms.”

The novel is well written and clips along nicely. There are some well-executed (pun intended) set pieces in exotic or glamourous locations, it easy to see why it was targeted for adaptation. I’m glad that they resisted the temptation to give it the big screen treatment, turning it into what would probably been a beautifully shot but ultimately forgettable ‘sexy spy’ film.

It was an inspired decision to inject humour into the TV show; Phoebe Waller-Bridge brought this book to life in a darkly, deliciously, delightful way. Because of that I was a little disappointed with the book itself. Eve’s kookiness and Villanelle’s bat-s**t craziness are absent and sorely missed by anyone who has seen the series. It is still a good read but Waller-Bridge has shown us what the characters are truly capable of.
  
Peaky Blinders - Season 5
Peaky Blinders - Season 5
2019 | Action, Drama, History
Shame about the loose ends
All in all, this is a rather good series and aside from the slightly dodgy Russian series (3), I’m impressed at how good a run Peaky Blinders has had. It’s not often anymore that you get such a consistently excellent series, and yes I am still ignoring series 3.

Unsurprisingly there are stellar performances in this yet again. Cillian Murphy is fantastic as we see Tommy spiralling into a terrible state, and I absolutely adore the rabid dog with a heart of gold that is Arthur. And Sam Claflin is truly slimy and despicable as Oswald Mosley, I didn’t realise I could hate him so much, he really embodies such an awful character. There are also some surprise deaths and reappearances in this too, some of which that were unexpected and very welcome.

The plot itself is good, but my main issue with this series is the amount of loose ends that haven’t been tied up by the end of the final episode. One of the things I’ve loved about the earlier series, is that everything is wrapped up rather nicely so the next series can start ‘afresh’ set a few years later. The same can’t be said about this fifth series, there’s a lot of plot points that aren’t cleared up and it’s rather frustrating that we have to wait another couple of years to find out!
  
Good Gave Us The Bible
Good Gave Us The Bible
Lisa Tawn Bergren | 2019 | Children
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I know some parents might be seeking an excellent book for their children. Are you seeking a way to identify Gods story to little one? Well this book, God Gave Us the Bible as a few favorite stories. It a good one and well done.

The stories are brief but mean full. They may allow the children asking some questions about the bible or the meaning of the story. This book retains characters that display this though animals with a Mama bear and a few forest animal kids. I like this concept and could understand it. The stories are not in depth of the Bible, but it gives the children or animal kids in the book to ask about a b meaning of a word or prase. Mama explains them try to provide them an answer that they would understand.

The pictures are effectively put together. I enjoy looking them, and they did tell the story. I was able to read this book in one sitting. I had to take a break when I was going an appointment. I finished the same day as I started it. If I did not have to go any where and launched this at home, I would completed reading it in one sitting.

This book does teach you some lessons and the story of Christ though the eyes of little cubs. Parents should think to put this on their bookshelves for their children or grandchildren. Good for children of juvenile readers.