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Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Heart of the Ocean in Books
Feb 8, 2018
I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am a lover of historical fiction and love anything paranormal so this story was one I was much anticipating so here goes.
Our heroine Eliza Robinson is sent to stay with her Aunt Mauve in the puritan community of Maybrook.
She comes to escape gossip after a refusal of marriage to her fathers business partner Mr. Thomas Beesly.
Eliza hears ghostly voices and later that night her aunt is murdered in her bed leading our Eliza on an adventure of ghosts murder romance and an old Journal belonging to Helena the deceased mother of our hero Jonathan Porter who supposedly drowned when Jon was a child.
I could say a lot more about this book but don't want to spoil it for anyone needless to say it was an excellent read and i really enjoyed it i do so love a happy ending give it a try you wont be disappointed.
I am a lover of historical fiction and love anything paranormal so this story was one I was much anticipating so here goes.
Our heroine Eliza Robinson is sent to stay with her Aunt Mauve in the puritan community of Maybrook.
She comes to escape gossip after a refusal of marriage to her fathers business partner Mr. Thomas Beesly.
Eliza hears ghostly voices and later that night her aunt is murdered in her bed leading our Eliza on an adventure of ghosts murder romance and an old Journal belonging to Helena the deceased mother of our hero Jonathan Porter who supposedly drowned when Jon was a child.
I could say a lot more about this book but don't want to spoil it for anyone needless to say it was an excellent read and i really enjoyed it i do so love a happy ending give it a try you wont be disappointed.
John Berendt recommended The Earl of Louisiana in Books (curated)
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Oct 9, 2020
Dean (6921 KP) rated Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) in Movies
Aug 8, 2022 (Updated Dec 6, 2022)
Daisy Edgar-Jones (1 more)
Cinematography
A touching story
I haven't read the book but after seeing the trailer it looked like it might have a Murder mystery element to it. It's actually a mix of genres from life story, courtroom drama, mystery and Romance.
It looks lovely from the setting and cinematography as most of it is filmed out in the Marsh land. Daisy Edgar-Jones stands out the most from the cast. Playing a girl who becomes a loner and recluse almost shunned by the small local town. She becomes accused of Murder of a young man she was once dating but is there anything to it more than town gossip. A entertaining film although the courtroom side of it is only a small back drop to her life story. Almost a Romance story at the heart of it as well, with a Notebook vibe. Maybe not as deep or clever as it might imply but I definitely enjoyed the story.
It looks lovely from the setting and cinematography as most of it is filmed out in the Marsh land. Daisy Edgar-Jones stands out the most from the cast. Playing a girl who becomes a loner and recluse almost shunned by the small local town. She becomes accused of Murder of a young man she was once dating but is there anything to it more than town gossip. A entertaining film although the courtroom side of it is only a small back drop to her life story. Almost a Romance story at the heart of it as well, with a Notebook vibe. Maybe not as deep or clever as it might imply but I definitely enjoyed the story.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2072 KP) rated I Scream, You Scream in Books
May 25, 2018
You’ll Scream for This Debut
Tally Jones is trying to get her new ice cream shop off the ground, but business has been slow. It’s so slow, she’s agreed to cater the dessert for Wayne, her ex-husband, at the picnic his company puts on each fall. The morning after the picnic, Wayne’s new girlfriend is found dead in bed. When gossip and the police begin to look at Tally, she knows she has to find the truth. Can she clear her name?
I felt right at home with these characters within just a few chapters. Tally is wonderful, and the rest of the cast of regulars are just as much fun. The suspects were strong as well. Unfortunately, the mystery wasn’t quite as strong, especially in the first half. Still, it did pick up in the second half and provide some good surprises before we reached the logical climax. Add in enough talk about ice cream to make me drool and you’ve got a perfect book to enjoy during the summer.
I felt right at home with these characters within just a few chapters. Tally is wonderful, and the rest of the cast of regulars are just as much fun. The suspects were strong as well. Unfortunately, the mystery wasn’t quite as strong, especially in the first half. Still, it did pick up in the second half and provide some good surprises before we reached the logical climax. Add in enough talk about ice cream to make me drool and you’ve got a perfect book to enjoy during the summer.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2072 KP) rated Farmed and Dangerous (Local Foods Mystery, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Winter has settle on Massachusetts, but farmer Cam Flaherty is still very busy. She’s growing food in her hoop house and hoping to land a contract to provide produce during the summer at the local assisted living facility. However, the night that her food is served, one of the residents dies from poison. With local gossip and the police looking at her, Cam must dive in to the mystery to clear her reputation.
The book did start a little slowly, but once the murder takes place, things pick up. I was turning pages as quickly as I could until I reached the satisfying ending. It was great to spend time with these characters again, and the suspects were equally engaging. Be sure to read through the recipes, too, since there is a joke in one of them.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-farmed-and-dangerous-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book did start a little slowly, but once the murder takes place, things pick up. I was turning pages as quickly as I could until I reached the satisfying ending. It was great to spend time with these characters again, and the suspects were equally engaging. Be sure to read through the recipes, too, since there is a joke in one of them.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-farmed-and-dangerous-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Dazzling Heights (The Thousandth Floor #2) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The Thousandth Floor series is Gossip Girl set in a near-future world in which technology is fascinatingly advanced. The Dazzling Heights continues the story and follows the characters in the aftermath of the Thousandth Floor. As this is the sequel, there will be spoilers for the first book in the series but not the second book.
The varied cast of characters from the first book return with the addition of a new girl, Calliope Brown. I liked that the author changed perspective with each chapter because it allowed us to get to know each character better than we would have otherwise. With such a large group, it would have been difficult to achieve otherwise and some of the characters would have been relegated to forgettable, supporting roles.
The events in the Thousandth Floor have hit some of the characters much harder than others. We get to see and experience their emotional rollercoasters as they each try to cope. It was nice to see the continued development and evolution of the characters. Avery is not just the perfect, popular girl who lives on the top floor; Watt is not just the genius with a supercomputer friend; Leda is not just the addict with a penchant for revenge; Rylin is not just the poor kid from a lower floor that got roped into the highliers' lives.
The story takes place almost entirely in the Tower, but that's not a negative for the world building because the locale is like a world itself. The author vibrantly describes various floors and shows how the building houses almost anything imaginable from a farm to a school, parks to gyms, and anything you can think of in between.
The Dazzling Heights also ends with a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more. The character most involved in the cliffhanger wasn't one that I particularly connected with, so I'm not as impatient to know what happened - but I am to know what happens to the rest of the characters in the aftermath of this new development.
Obviously, you need to read the first book the Thousandth Floor before you continue with this, but I would definitely recommend this series as it is a fun, intriguing, Gossip Girl-esque romp with the 1% set in a world more advanced than our own.
The varied cast of characters from the first book return with the addition of a new girl, Calliope Brown. I liked that the author changed perspective with each chapter because it allowed us to get to know each character better than we would have otherwise. With such a large group, it would have been difficult to achieve otherwise and some of the characters would have been relegated to forgettable, supporting roles.
The events in the Thousandth Floor have hit some of the characters much harder than others. We get to see and experience their emotional rollercoasters as they each try to cope. It was nice to see the continued development and evolution of the characters. Avery is not just the perfect, popular girl who lives on the top floor; Watt is not just the genius with a supercomputer friend; Leda is not just the addict with a penchant for revenge; Rylin is not just the poor kid from a lower floor that got roped into the highliers' lives.
The story takes place almost entirely in the Tower, but that's not a negative for the world building because the locale is like a world itself. The author vibrantly describes various floors and shows how the building houses almost anything imaginable from a farm to a school, parks to gyms, and anything you can think of in between.
The Dazzling Heights also ends with a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more. The character most involved in the cliffhanger wasn't one that I particularly connected with, so I'm not as impatient to know what happened - but I am to know what happens to the rest of the characters in the aftermath of this new development.
Obviously, you need to read the first book the Thousandth Floor before you continue with this, but I would definitely recommend this series as it is a fun, intriguing, Gossip Girl-esque romp with the 1% set in a world more advanced than our own.
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated Spilled Blood in Books
Jan 15, 2018
I won an ARC of this book from First Reads.
This is the first Brian Freeman book I've ever read. Now that I'm done with it I feel like I've been missing out on a fantastic author! This book was so well written! It had colorful but realistic & well developed characters. The suspense was top notch. The conclusion was fast paced & 1 that I did not see coming in the least. So many books like this turn out to be too predictable. Thankfully this one was not!
Spilled Blood tells the story of Olivia Hawk, a high schooler who is arrested for murdering another high school girl. The evidence points strongly to her, both in the physical evidence from the scene & from the gossip around town. In sweeps her dad, a lawyer, who beings to slowly unravel the mysteries of the crime while struggling with the ever present, "Did she do it?" question. I hate to say much more than that for fear of ruining a fantastic plot!
This book had action, mystery, big companies, cancer, cover-ups, and bombs all covered yet still managed to throw in a good romance without feeling forced. This was an AMAZING read!!
This is the first Brian Freeman book I've ever read. Now that I'm done with it I feel like I've been missing out on a fantastic author! This book was so well written! It had colorful but realistic & well developed characters. The suspense was top notch. The conclusion was fast paced & 1 that I did not see coming in the least. So many books like this turn out to be too predictable. Thankfully this one was not!
Spilled Blood tells the story of Olivia Hawk, a high schooler who is arrested for murdering another high school girl. The evidence points strongly to her, both in the physical evidence from the scene & from the gossip around town. In sweeps her dad, a lawyer, who beings to slowly unravel the mysteries of the crime while struggling with the ever present, "Did she do it?" question. I hate to say much more than that for fear of ruining a fantastic plot!
This book had action, mystery, big companies, cancer, cover-ups, and bombs all covered yet still managed to throw in a good romance without feeling forced. This was an AMAZING read!!
When Edwina’s funds get low enough, she starts advertising for a boarder. Fortunately for her, Beryl sees it. The two women, though very different, are boarding school friends, and this new living arrangement suits them both. But Beryl’s presence in Edwina’s small village creates some gossip, which Beryl fuels by hinting that the two women are actually employed by His Majesty. When someone tries to kill Edwina, the two realize there is a secret to uncover. What might it be?
This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This book perfectly transports us back to 1920 and the English countryside. The repercussions of World War I are still there, and it is a fascinating look at how the war affected the rest of life. The British Edwina and American Beryl are very different, and their differences can be fun, yet they make a good detecting pair, and we feel the depth of their friendship. The plot is strong, keeping us surprised until the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/10/book-review-murder-in-english-village.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Aurora (9 KP) rated The Witchfinder's Sister in Books
Nov 7, 2018 (Updated Nov 7, 2018)
Historically-accurate setting (4 more)
Gripping
Emotional
Dramatic
Well-written characters
Emotional and Dramatic Historical Fiction
This book had me hooked from the start. I adore the amount of research done by Underdown to create the world of Alice Hopkins so artfully and accurately. Not only does the author capture the turbulence of the English civil war and the complex social systems of the time, but she also brings the reader into that world through the intensely relatable emotions felt by Alice throughout the story. Underwood expertly develops the personalities and flaws of each character in really believable ways, creating the complex relationships that we often see in real life. The story is also often pushed forward by gossip and secrets which the reader must choose whether or not to believe, adding an extra element of mystery to an already thrilling read.
After visiting many of the towns mentioned in the book (Manningtree, Mistley Wells, Colchester, Ipswich), I am in awe of the detail that Underdown used to bring these places to life. While some artistic license was taken (and described in the Author's Note), this book remains a beautiful and chilling glimpse into England's dark past.
After visiting many of the towns mentioned in the book (Manningtree, Mistley Wells, Colchester, Ipswich), I am in awe of the detail that Underdown used to bring these places to life. While some artistic license was taken (and described in the Author's Note), this book remains a beautiful and chilling glimpse into England's dark past.