Search
Search results
Merissa (11805 KP) rated Running from My Heart (Rock Bottom #3) in Books
Oct 10, 2019
Running From My Heart is the third book in the Rock Bottom series but can be read as a standalone. I haven't read any of the others, and it certainly didn't have an impact on my enjoyment of it.
Ross and Arden are both drowning in grief, but dealing with it in very different ways. Arden has shut himself away from everyone and everything, whereas Ross is King of the One-Night-Stands. They are doing what works best for them. But then they meet in a grocery store and both their lives change for the better, although not painlessly.
This is a very emotional read as the two of them certainly go through the wringer. They have personal revelations that both help and hinder them in their recovery from such soul-destroying grief. I will admit to shedding a tear or two as the baby Osprey, but enough of that!
I have no idea if there were any errors in this book, but I don't think there were as I usually get jolted out of the storyline. With this book, I was completely engrossed from start to finish. The story is smooth, the pacing is perfect. There is a fantastic cast of characters, both main and supporting, that help bring this story to life. I definitely want to read book one, Foster and Justin's story, even though I know from this book they have their HEA.
Absolutely fantastic and definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Ross and Arden are both drowning in grief, but dealing with it in very different ways. Arden has shut himself away from everyone and everything, whereas Ross is King of the One-Night-Stands. They are doing what works best for them. But then they meet in a grocery store and both their lives change for the better, although not painlessly.
This is a very emotional read as the two of them certainly go through the wringer. They have personal revelations that both help and hinder them in their recovery from such soul-destroying grief. I will admit to shedding a tear or two as the baby Osprey, but enough of that!
I have no idea if there were any errors in this book, but I don't think there were as I usually get jolted out of the storyline. With this book, I was completely engrossed from start to finish. The story is smooth, the pacing is perfect. There is a fantastic cast of characters, both main and supporting, that help bring this story to life. I definitely want to read book one, Foster and Justin's story, even though I know from this book they have their HEA.
Absolutely fantastic and definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Morgan Sheppard (926 KP) created a post
Sep 21, 2022 (Updated Sep 21, 2022)
Book Divas (227 KP) rated Look Past in Books
Dec 12, 2017 (Updated Dec 12, 2017)
This read had me feeling a range of emotions; from heartache to anger to pride. Avery was born in the wrong body and has always identified as a male. That in itself is already hard to deal with as people and his peers are constantly giving him grief and calling him all sorts of things from freak to queer but now he also has to deal with an unforeseen tragedy that has everyone reeling.
This author's gripping tale of lost love, tragedy, bigotry and acceptance captured me from the very beginning with a beautifully written story line and characters that draw you in. As the mother of a teenager that identifies as a female I highly recommend this to everyone and thank the author for this well written book.
This author's gripping tale of lost love, tragedy, bigotry and acceptance captured me from the very beginning with a beautifully written story line and characters that draw you in. As the mother of a teenager that identifies as a female I highly recommend this to everyone and thank the author for this well written book.
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Big Hero 6 (2014) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Impossible not to love Baymax
There are way too many animated films released every year, and the majority of them are pretty awful. Despite Big Hero 6 being Disney, the trailer didn't really appeal. However after watching it, it's probably one of the best animated films I've seen in the past few years.
The character of Baymax is the real reason why this film excels. He's cuddly, adorable and so funny and matter of fact. Although the rest of the characters are likeable enough, it's really Baymax that makes this film. The plot is interesting and a slightly different take on the usual Disney story of loss and grief, and the animation is unsurprisingly top notch. Its also great to see (hear) Alan Tudyk as usual.
I love drunk/low battery Baymax:
The character of Baymax is the real reason why this film excels. He's cuddly, adorable and so funny and matter of fact. Although the rest of the characters are likeable enough, it's really Baymax that makes this film. The plot is interesting and a slightly different take on the usual Disney story of loss and grief, and the animation is unsurprisingly top notch. Its also great to see (hear) Alan Tudyk as usual.
I love drunk/low battery Baymax:
Awix (3310 KP) rated Riders of Justice (2020) in Movies
Jul 24, 2021
Danish revenge thriller. A veteran soldier teams up with a gang of geeks to find the man responsible for his wife's death. Looks like yet another attempt at something like a Liam Neeson movie, but this is much defter and funnier, and more emotionally articulate.
Great performance from Mikkelson, playing the straight man as he is surrounded by comic performances from his various sidekicks - but this is a serious film about grief and how the world works and how people attempt to make sense of this. The director manages to slide the film from farce to thriller to drama without any of the changes in tone jarring in the slightest, even if the plot is a bit reliant on the occasional contrivance. Lots of fun but also undeniably moving.
Great performance from Mikkelson, playing the straight man as he is surrounded by comic performances from his various sidekicks - but this is a serious film about grief and how the world works and how people attempt to make sense of this. The director manages to slide the film from farce to thriller to drama without any of the changes in tone jarring in the slightest, even if the plot is a bit reliant on the occasional contrivance. Lots of fun but also undeniably moving.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Savage ( Vixen Bluff book 3) in Books
May 15, 2022
85 of 230
Kindle
Savage ( Vixen Bluff book 3)
By C. Black ( Catherine Black)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶
One free-spirited tree hugger running from grief.
One technology-addicted IT manager on the road to self-discovery.
6 states. 1200 miles. 1 cramped SUV.
What could possibly go wrong?
**********
Skyler
I never thought I'd lose the best thing to ever happen to me...and then I did. Without my best friend at my side, the world drains of color and the commune I grew up in no longer feels like home. So I give into the wanderlust plaguing my heart and set out to rid myself of the grief hanging onto my soul like beggar's lice. Then he sits down in front of me in a small roadside diner and everything changes.
Reed is high-strung, materialistic, and shows little to no interest in the world around him, which is the only reason I take him under my wing. I'm bound and determined to teach him how to embrace the hideous beauty that comes with each sunrise, as well as the bliss and heartache that passes with each sunset. But it's hard as hell to learn anything new about life when you're weighed down by a secret, and Reed Stanley's has the power to ruin everything.
Reed
I don't stand a chance with a gypsy witch like Skyler Kassamali, but I don't care. Her tattoos and piercings are enough to intimidate me, but there's something else to her—a sharp sadness—that draws me in and refuses to let go. But she's so much more than a shattered heart lost on a grief-fueled adventure and I want to know her best-kept secrets, all while never revealing my own.
But secrets have a way of undoing you, whether you want them to or not, and despite all my shortcomings, Skyler sees something in me and takes a chance. On an adventure that brings us both to our knees, she teaches me the greatest lesson of all: No matter how convincing the smile is, no matter how untarnished the skin seems to be, no matter how we bend and fold to conform—inside, we're all a little savage.
This was good. It was quite sweet compared to book 2 which was just pure filth. I don’t think it was as good as I wanted it to be the start was a bit patchy but it did all come together nicely in the last third of the book.
Kindle
Savage ( Vixen Bluff book 3)
By C. Black ( Catherine Black)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶
One free-spirited tree hugger running from grief.
One technology-addicted IT manager on the road to self-discovery.
6 states. 1200 miles. 1 cramped SUV.
What could possibly go wrong?
**********
Skyler
I never thought I'd lose the best thing to ever happen to me...and then I did. Without my best friend at my side, the world drains of color and the commune I grew up in no longer feels like home. So I give into the wanderlust plaguing my heart and set out to rid myself of the grief hanging onto my soul like beggar's lice. Then he sits down in front of me in a small roadside diner and everything changes.
Reed is high-strung, materialistic, and shows little to no interest in the world around him, which is the only reason I take him under my wing. I'm bound and determined to teach him how to embrace the hideous beauty that comes with each sunrise, as well as the bliss and heartache that passes with each sunset. But it's hard as hell to learn anything new about life when you're weighed down by a secret, and Reed Stanley's has the power to ruin everything.
Reed
I don't stand a chance with a gypsy witch like Skyler Kassamali, but I don't care. Her tattoos and piercings are enough to intimidate me, but there's something else to her—a sharp sadness—that draws me in and refuses to let go. But she's so much more than a shattered heart lost on a grief-fueled adventure and I want to know her best-kept secrets, all while never revealing my own.
But secrets have a way of undoing you, whether you want them to or not, and despite all my shortcomings, Skyler sees something in me and takes a chance. On an adventure that brings us both to our knees, she teaches me the greatest lesson of all: No matter how convincing the smile is, no matter how untarnished the skin seems to be, no matter how we bend and fold to conform—inside, we're all a little savage.
This was good. It was quite sweet compared to book 2 which was just pure filth. I don’t think it was as good as I wanted it to be the start was a bit patchy but it did all come together nicely in the last third of the book.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Evvie Drake Starts Over in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Oh goodness, what can I say about Evvie that hasn't been said before? Nothing, I'm sure. This is such raw, real, funny, and lovely read. Evvie Drake lives alone in her small Maine town. She's recently widowed and the entire town--including her best friend, Andy--thinks her solitude is due to her grief. Meanwhile, in New York, pitcher Dean Tenney is a national joke. He's struggling with the "yips" --Dean can no longer pitch properly, and he has no idea why. Dean is also Andy's childhood friend, and so he accepts an invitation to stay in Evvie's back apartment. She needs the money, and he needs a place to get away. They make a deal: he won't ask about her husband, and she won't ask about baseball. But, even so, the two form an unlikely friendship.
Oh yeah, you say, I can see where this is going. They'll form a "friendship" and it will bloom into something more and yeah, yeah. Well, maybe. But this book is so much more than a typical romance. Evvie is not a romance caricature at all. There is true grief that screams across the pages in this novel--Evvie's and, yes, Dean's too. Dean is not just a celebrity love interest tossed in for fun. You root for him--and for them.
This story, this book. It has these funny moments and cute sections. It's sweet and tender, but there is no schmaltz. And Holmes weaves in pop culture quite seamlessly, too. Evvie and Dean will seem like people to you, your friends, and they will break your hearts, and yet, in the end, maybe mend them too. This is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
Oh yeah, you say, I can see where this is going. They'll form a "friendship" and it will bloom into something more and yeah, yeah. Well, maybe. But this book is so much more than a typical romance. Evvie is not a romance caricature at all. There is true grief that screams across the pages in this novel--Evvie's and, yes, Dean's too. Dean is not just a celebrity love interest tossed in for fun. You root for him--and for them.
This story, this book. It has these funny moments and cute sections. It's sweet and tender, but there is no schmaltz. And Holmes weaves in pop culture quite seamlessly, too. Evvie and Dean will seem like people to you, your friends, and they will break your hearts, and yet, in the end, maybe mend them too. This is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it. 4.5 stars.
Peter Strickland recommended Midsommar (2019) in Movies (curated)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated In Another Light in Books
Nov 11, 2021
Phoebe Glassman's life has been on hold for three years, ever since her husband Logan died in a car accident. Phoebe continues to work at the funeral home they co-owned, where she restores dead bodies. Then one day a deceased woman comes in who bares a startling resemblance to Phoebe. Her name is Pauline Steele, and she has a tattoo that Phoebe finds familiar: she once saw it on her late husband's phone. As she investigates further, Phoebe finds a photo of herself in Pauline's belongings, and her world stops. Who is this woman--what is her tie to Phoebe, and to Logan?
"She prefers to remain in limbo, to act as if she too, has died. She walks the earth, but she might as well be a phantom flitting through her life unnoticed, disturbing the air but barely registering her presence."
This excellent read is not quite what I expected--at times it's more emotional and character driven than pure thriller, but it does not matter: it's quite good. I tore through it, and I'm quickly realizing that I really enjoy A.J. Banner's books. They are reliable page turners and typically quite mesmerizing.
IN ANOTHER LIGHT kept me guessing from the beginning. Is Phoebe crazy from grief and simply obsessed with this lookalike woman? Or is there more to it--as she delves into Pauline's life, we truly wonder if we can trust Phoebe, yet you cannot help but root for this broken and grief struck woman. While she does not always make the best decisions, she's a fascinating character. The book balances touching moments with mysterious ones, and there are plenty of twists along the way. I appreciated Banner's deft touch and something different from the usual thriller. 4+ stars.
"She prefers to remain in limbo, to act as if she too, has died. She walks the earth, but she might as well be a phantom flitting through her life unnoticed, disturbing the air but barely registering her presence."
This excellent read is not quite what I expected--at times it's more emotional and character driven than pure thriller, but it does not matter: it's quite good. I tore through it, and I'm quickly realizing that I really enjoy A.J. Banner's books. They are reliable page turners and typically quite mesmerizing.
IN ANOTHER LIGHT kept me guessing from the beginning. Is Phoebe crazy from grief and simply obsessed with this lookalike woman? Or is there more to it--as she delves into Pauline's life, we truly wonder if we can trust Phoebe, yet you cannot help but root for this broken and grief struck woman. While she does not always make the best decisions, she's a fascinating character. The book balances touching moments with mysterious ones, and there are plenty of twists along the way. I appreciated Banner's deft touch and something different from the usual thriller. 4+ stars.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Come Find Me in Books
Apr 4, 2019
Megan Miranda is an author where I'll read whatever she writes. The topic of this book is slightly bizarre, but it's a completely compelling and fascinating read. I read it in less than 24 hours, as it's very easy-to-read, and I totally fell for the characters. Kennedy and Nolan are united in grief--two kids who have been through so much for being so young.
This novel is creepy and often inexplicable, but the plot is really great. I was completely hooked. Kennedy and Nolan are tied together in interesting ways, and there's also a mystery-type story that unfolds as well. There are a couple of great twists that fully surprised me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It's compelling and heartfelt, with strong characters and a sort of fun yet creepy undertone. 4 stars.
This novel is creepy and often inexplicable, but the plot is really great. I was completely hooked. Kennedy and Nolan are tied together in interesting ways, and there's also a mystery-type story that unfolds as well. There are a couple of great twists that fully surprised me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It's compelling and heartfelt, with strong characters and a sort of fun yet creepy undertone. 4 stars.