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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Taming of Ilona ( Vampire Memoirs 2) in Books
Apr 22, 2023
48 of 235
Kindle
The Taming of Ilona ( Vampire Memoirs 2)
By Nicola Ormerod
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ilona lives a simple life in the seventeenth century. She is the youngest daughter of a farming family and is the apple of her father's eye. Then her world is turned upside down when her father sells her hand in marriage to an older wealthy businessman. Cut off from her family, raped and abused, Ilona struggles to cope with the hand she has been given. She befriends a local businesswoman and friend of her husband, Katrina, who teaches her how to fit into higher society. When she falls pregnant, she tries to see it as a blessing and tries to make the best of her new, brutal life. But Ilona is desperate to know what it is like to be held tenderly and, in her hour of need, turns to her friend and asks her to arrange one night, one night where she will know love and passion. She is introduced to Redvick. He is tall, dark, and gorgeous. Un-natural sparks fly between them, their passion is undeniable, and Redvick is forced to reveal his true nature. Their love is forbidden, but they are soul mates, connected in mind, body, and spirit, but how can they ever overcome their impossible situation and be together.
I absolutely devoured this book in 1.5 hours. It almost broke me in the middle been a while since a book made me cry! Maybe the mother in me. This is the story of Reds mother and how she dealt with her life and believe me it was hard! I thought the first book was good but this just was brilliant! I classic vampire love story was entwined with the tragic life of a 15 year old new wife. Loved it!
Kindle
The Taming of Ilona ( Vampire Memoirs 2)
By Nicola Ormerod
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ilona lives a simple life in the seventeenth century. She is the youngest daughter of a farming family and is the apple of her father's eye. Then her world is turned upside down when her father sells her hand in marriage to an older wealthy businessman. Cut off from her family, raped and abused, Ilona struggles to cope with the hand she has been given. She befriends a local businesswoman and friend of her husband, Katrina, who teaches her how to fit into higher society. When she falls pregnant, she tries to see it as a blessing and tries to make the best of her new, brutal life. But Ilona is desperate to know what it is like to be held tenderly and, in her hour of need, turns to her friend and asks her to arrange one night, one night where she will know love and passion. She is introduced to Redvick. He is tall, dark, and gorgeous. Un-natural sparks fly between them, their passion is undeniable, and Redvick is forced to reveal his true nature. Their love is forbidden, but they are soul mates, connected in mind, body, and spirit, but how can they ever overcome their impossible situation and be together.
I absolutely devoured this book in 1.5 hours. It almost broke me in the middle been a while since a book made me cry! Maybe the mother in me. This is the story of Reds mother and how she dealt with her life and believe me it was hard! I thought the first book was good but this just was brilliant! I classic vampire love story was entwined with the tragic life of a 15 year old new wife. Loved it!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Rafael (Anita Blake book 28) in Books
Jan 31, 2022
19 of 230
Book
Rafael (Anita Blake book 28)
By Laurell K Hamilton
Rafael, king of the wererats, must fight to the death to defend his crown. He wants Anita Blake, one of his closest allies, with him as he faces an opponent unlike any he’s faced before. He will ask Anita to risk everything to be at his side....
But some of the wererats fear that Rafael depends too much on Anita and her ties to the vampires. They believe that there is only room in America for one supernatural king, and Rafael will turn them into nothing more than food for the bloodsuckers.
Among his enemies, a new challenger has arisen who is younger, hungrier, and has dark secrets that could destroy both the wererats and the vampires. Rafael will go into the magical heart of his people to find the power and violence that he needs to save them all, or die trying.
Ok so at first I thought oh god here we go again with all the relationship stuff BUT omg I loved it!!!! Rafael has been one of my favourites since book 1 I love him,so getting to know him more in this book was just so special. I loved catching up with Micah too I love that leopard. Anita was back to kicking ass too. Claudia is just brilliant. So much to love in such a short book I loved Anita using powers that we have forgotten she has. I could even stomach Jean Claude and Nathanial in this one as they are not my favourite boys at all unfortunately Asher is still a a massive no for me I would forgive him so fast! Overall the book was really good and finally we get some of the old Anita!
Book
Rafael (Anita Blake book 28)
By Laurell K Hamilton
Rafael, king of the wererats, must fight to the death to defend his crown. He wants Anita Blake, one of his closest allies, with him as he faces an opponent unlike any he’s faced before. He will ask Anita to risk everything to be at his side....
But some of the wererats fear that Rafael depends too much on Anita and her ties to the vampires. They believe that there is only room in America for one supernatural king, and Rafael will turn them into nothing more than food for the bloodsuckers.
Among his enemies, a new challenger has arisen who is younger, hungrier, and has dark secrets that could destroy both the wererats and the vampires. Rafael will go into the magical heart of his people to find the power and violence that he needs to save them all, or die trying.
Ok so at first I thought oh god here we go again with all the relationship stuff BUT omg I loved it!!!! Rafael has been one of my favourites since book 1 I love him,so getting to know him more in this book was just so special. I loved catching up with Micah too I love that leopard. Anita was back to kicking ass too. Claudia is just brilliant. So much to love in such a short book I loved Anita using powers that we have forgotten she has. I could even stomach Jean Claude and Nathanial in this one as they are not my favourite boys at all unfortunately Asher is still a a massive no for me I would forgive him so fast! Overall the book was really good and finally we get some of the old Anita!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Aug 20, 2022
Ali A (82 KP) rated If You Could See the Sun in Books
Oct 11, 2022
Alice Sun strives to be the very best of her class at her elite Beigin international boarding school, where she is the only student with a (partial) scholarship. She’s around China’s most rich and influential teens and she needs to do everything she can to get a leg up. But one day, she starts to turn invisible, as in, no one can actually see her type of invisible.
When she realizes she can use her new power in exchange for money she desperately needs, especially since her parents have dropped the bomb shell that they can no longer afford her school tuition after this semester, Alice will discover all the secrets her classmates have.
But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual illegal crimes, Alice must decide what it's all worth.
This was a very quick and engrossing read for me and I was very interested in how it would all play out. I also enjoyed how the power Alice has of invisibility is never quite mastered and she doesn’t know when she will have the ability.
This is the second book I’ve read recently where the main character absolutely hates their rival and they then become friends with said rival and the rival is utterly confused by the actual hatred and then they fall in love. I couldn’t love it more! Ann Liang does the rivalry so perfectly that within the first few pages I was cheering for Alice to open her eyes and for them to kiss.
Overall, I stayed for the love trope between Alice and Henry, but also to see how Alice would handle the big situation she got herself in. Will be recommending this to quite a few people whom I know will enjoy it.
*Thank you Inkyard Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
When she realizes she can use her new power in exchange for money she desperately needs, especially since her parents have dropped the bomb shell that they can no longer afford her school tuition after this semester, Alice will discover all the secrets her classmates have.
But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual illegal crimes, Alice must decide what it's all worth.
This was a very quick and engrossing read for me and I was very interested in how it would all play out. I also enjoyed how the power Alice has of invisibility is never quite mastered and she doesn’t know when she will have the ability.
This is the second book I’ve read recently where the main character absolutely hates their rival and they then become friends with said rival and the rival is utterly confused by the actual hatred and then they fall in love. I couldn’t love it more! Ann Liang does the rivalry so perfectly that within the first few pages I was cheering for Alice to open her eyes and for them to kiss.
Overall, I stayed for the love trope between Alice and Henry, but also to see how Alice would handle the big situation she got herself in. Will be recommending this to quite a few people whom I know will enjoy it.
*Thank you Inkyard Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Debbiereadsbook (1437 KP) rated Stronger Than Longing (Chesapeake Days #3) in Books
Oct 28, 2022
great addition to series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Chesapeake Days series, and while not necessary to have read books one, Stronger Than Hope and two, Stronger Than Passion before this one, I personally recommend you do. I loved them.
And while I enjoyed this one, it didn't grab me quite as much as those two books and (insert whining noise) I don't know why!
Taran pops up in the previous 2 books, but Silas does not, as he returns to town to meet his daughter.
I liked that Taran had Silas as his high school crush, and Silas had no clue. I liked that they both started into that first encounter with open eyes, but very quickly they both realised that a one and done was not going to work for them. Silas did not want a relationship but Taran does.
It's relatively lower on the angst scale, with all the drama revolving around Silas' daughter and the stoopid decision he makes that pushes Taran away. I found it lower on the emotion scale, and lower on the explicit scale. Passion and love, yes but smexy times were on the lower scale. Not a bad thing, I'm just trying to write out why I didn't love this one, so needs a mention.
Both Taran and Silas have a say, and baby Fi steals the show. We get to catch up with Nico and Hudson and with Nate and Linc and I did LOVE that we did.
I can't work out why this one didn't connect with me the way the previous two did, but it was still a very VERY good read.
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 3 in the Chesapeake Days series, and while not necessary to have read books one, Stronger Than Hope and two, Stronger Than Passion before this one, I personally recommend you do. I loved them.
And while I enjoyed this one, it didn't grab me quite as much as those two books and (insert whining noise) I don't know why!
Taran pops up in the previous 2 books, but Silas does not, as he returns to town to meet his daughter.
I liked that Taran had Silas as his high school crush, and Silas had no clue. I liked that they both started into that first encounter with open eyes, but very quickly they both realised that a one and done was not going to work for them. Silas did not want a relationship but Taran does.
It's relatively lower on the angst scale, with all the drama revolving around Silas' daughter and the stoopid decision he makes that pushes Taran away. I found it lower on the emotion scale, and lower on the explicit scale. Passion and love, yes but smexy times were on the lower scale. Not a bad thing, I'm just trying to write out why I didn't love this one, so needs a mention.
Both Taran and Silas have a say, and baby Fi steals the show. We get to catch up with Nico and Hudson and with Nate and Linc and I did LOVE that we did.
I can't work out why this one didn't connect with me the way the previous two did, but it was still a very VERY good read.
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Town Bronze Box Set
8.0
Rate It
Book
All three novellas in Ellie Thomas’ Regency Town Bronze series are gathered together in this box...
Merissa (12879 KP) rated End Game (Brooklyn Kings #2) in Books
May 5, 2025
END GAME is the second book in the Brooklyn Kings series. This time, we meet with Dev and Brody, quarterback and tight end, who have been together since college, and in love for nearly as long. Unfortunately for them, they can't share their love openly and have to keep it secret.
Dev and Brody have a strong relationship, but there is a bit of telling, not showing, with them, as well as time jumps. This detracted from their story for me because I wanted to see them fall in love, see the hardships and trials the separation of being drafted caused them. Instead, I was told about it, and then we hopped, skipped, and jumped to another timeframe.
Brody has a solid relationship with his mom, but doesn't get on too well with his stepfather, Theo. This is simply because he doesn't want to forget his father, but it doesn't really add anything to the story. There is no real angst between Theo and Brody - it just sort of fizzles out. As for Dev's parents, well, the less said about them the better. I thought they were bad when we first met them, but they got even worse, especially when Dev was injured and in hospital.
Even with these niggles, I still enjoyed this book, albeit not as much as book one. The team is a solid group of characters I look forward to seeing more from, although maybe not Zeke. He was a piece of work, for sure.
A good addition to the series and 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!
Apr 30, 2025
Dev and Brody have a strong relationship, but there is a bit of telling, not showing, with them, as well as time jumps. This detracted from their story for me because I wanted to see them fall in love, see the hardships and trials the separation of being drafted caused them. Instead, I was told about it, and then we hopped, skipped, and jumped to another timeframe.
Brody has a solid relationship with his mom, but doesn't get on too well with his stepfather, Theo. This is simply because he doesn't want to forget his father, but it doesn't really add anything to the story. There is no real angst between Theo and Brody - it just sort of fizzles out. As for Dev's parents, well, the less said about them the better. I thought they were bad when we first met them, but they got even worse, especially when Dev was injured and in hospital.
Even with these niggles, I still enjoyed this book, albeit not as much as book one. The team is a solid group of characters I look forward to seeing more from, although maybe not Zeke. He was a piece of work, for sure.
A good addition to the series and 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!
Apr 30, 2025
Like Driftwood On The Salish Sea
Book
When they met in the fourth grade, it was love at first sight for Mitchell Brody and Jessica...
Contemporary Military
Merissa (12879 KP) rated A Wolf's Love: A Paranormal Romance Short Read (Flame #5.1) in Books
Nov 20, 2017
A Wolf's Love: A Paranormal Romance Short Read (Flame #5.5) by Caris Roane
A Wolf's Love is a short story addition to the Flame series. Cole and Lauren were together, until Lauren did something that Cole couldn't accept, and he called it off. However, when a teenager is kidnapped, Cole is the one that Lauren turns to, even though he refuses to help (at first). What follows is the two of them putting another's needs before their own, and working together to save her.
As with all Caris Roane's books, this is very well-written. It may only be a short story, but a full story is here. Nothing has been skimped on, instead you can settle in for a very good read. Personally, I would recommend that you start at book one, just to get the full enjoyment of the world of the Flame, but it isn't fully necessary. You 'could' read them in any order and as a standalone, but I do feel that you would miss something out of this well-developed world. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I can highly recommend this short story.
* 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!
As with all Caris Roane's books, this is very well-written. It may only be a short story, but a full story is here. Nothing has been skimped on, instead you can settle in for a very good read. Personally, I would recommend that you start at book one, just to get the full enjoyment of the world of the Flame, but it isn't fully necessary. You 'could' read them in any order and as a standalone, but I do feel that you would miss something out of this well-developed world. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I can highly recommend this short story.
* 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!
Luke (278 KP) rated La La Land (2016) in Movies
Jul 21, 2017
The Songs Are Very Good (1 more)
It Can't Decide What Kind Of Film It Wants To Be
The People Handing Out Awards & Praise For This Film Are In La La Land
As a man that loves musicals, I do not love this. There are amazing musicals such as Les Mis which is breath taking in everyway, then theres disappointments like this.
Its a shame becuase i love emma stone, any film she does automatically drags it up to a better standard. However the style of singing at parts was not her best, she has a beautiful voice when she sings, slow talk singing doesnt work best for her.
When me and my wife first saw the trailer we said "Deffinatly not watching that it looks like a mess" but after all the awards we thought we would give it a go.
The best way to summarise would be to describe the cinema, There a lot of people of all different ages. I look around near the end and i can see people putting there jackets on wanting to leave, as soon as it ends a older man stands up and turns to his wife and says "What a crock of S*%&"... I laughed quite hard that he said it that loud we heard it across the room, but that was the feel of the room
Its a shame becuase i love emma stone, any film she does automatically drags it up to a better standard. However the style of singing at parts was not her best, she has a beautiful voice when she sings, slow talk singing doesnt work best for her.
When me and my wife first saw the trailer we said "Deffinatly not watching that it looks like a mess" but after all the awards we thought we would give it a go.
The best way to summarise would be to describe the cinema, There a lot of people of all different ages. I look around near the end and i can see people putting there jackets on wanting to leave, as soon as it ends a older man stands up and turns to his wife and says "What a crock of S*%&"... I laughed quite hard that he said it that loud we heard it across the room, but that was the feel of the room