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Caught in the Crossfire (PROTEKT #3)
Caught in the Crossfire (PROTEKT #3)
Michael Mandrake | 2018 | LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
butfor the missing information, might have been 5 stars!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Tryst is new to PROTEKT, and is sent to "babysit the pop tart". Bastien finds himself attracted to Tryst, but equally to Claudius, the guy who saved his life. Bastien is, however, in the middle of something far bigger than even his books could give him.

This is book 3 in the PROTEKT series. I have not read books one, On The Run, or book 2, Closely Guarded and I think maybe I should have done. While everything becomes clearer as to what's happening in THIS book, I wanted to know BEFORE. I wanted to know how Tryst came to PROTEKT, how the others guys knew just what he was really up to. I NEEDED that information, and it isn't fully recapped here.

THAT said, I rather enjoyed this, the first I've read of Mr Mandrake. Three very different guys, from very different backgrounds, are thrown together, and neither one is strong enough to keep away from the other.

It's very well told, from all three guys point of view. I saw no spelling or editing errors. I read it in one sitting, a little over the hour mark. Fully engrossed, I was!

I liked how it all played out, LOVED who the informant was! Did not see that one coming! Loved that the bad guy gets his come-uppence, and by whom! Well played there, Mr Mandrake, very well played.

I'd like to go back and read the other two books. just to fill in those missing pieces of information that I am missing. Maybe I'll come back and re-read this one after (don't die of shock, I'm so not a re-reader! ) I just need to know how Tryst came to PROTEKT, really!

Thank you, Mr Mandrake, for an enjoyable 75 minutes.

4 solid stars (but had I all the information, might have been 5!)

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Impractical Jokers
Impractical Jokers
2011 | Comedy, Reality-TV
It's harmless fun (2 more)
It's silly in a serious world
The guys actually seem like really nice guys.
They keep it fresh
So I've played the game snog marry avoid using these guys and I genuinely couldn't avoid any so for fun I have included what I said in the game lol.I've seen every episode atleast 3 times yet I am still so entertained.
Sal - he's the looker, the sassy dude. He gets some hilarious punishments because he just wears his heart on his sleeve.
I would love to be mates with Sal, feel like he'd be fun to date too, but I Couldn't marry him, his quirks would be so annoying long term lol.
Joe - he is just fearless. He will embrace any punishment and rarely refuse. He also seems like a really great dad and husband. He also actively encourages people to rescue dogs instead of buying them and you get to meet his adoreable dogs on the show.
I couldn't say I'd want to marry him as he seems just so in love with his beautiful wife but I'd love a husband like him.
Murr - He takes so much stick bless him but doesn't stop him being so funny. Especially when he annoys Sal. He just seems like someone you'd want in your life, someone that doesn't take things to heart and can laugh at themselves.
I'd want him as a brother, not my type in the slightest but he's so lovely I'd want to help find him someone lol.
Q - Now. Right, Q can be fearless, goofy and hilarious but one thing for me stands out. He has aged WELL. To my knowledge he is the oldest of the group and he kind of used to make me cringe with his long hair and baby face.
Then, he shaved his head and grew a beard, he just became so fit to me lol I'd definitely marry him.
  
The Edge of the World
The Edge of the World
Garrett Leigh | 2020 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
took a while, but excellent book!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is one of those books that I nearly dumped! NEARLY, but didn't.

Ollie said something, Shay said something, I forget who said what, but one of them said something that made the book a whole LOT more readable and I wanted to know what more. More Ollie, more Shay, just plain MORE! Cos ya'll know how greedy I am!

I loved that, when Ollie was keeping the things he found about Shay's family from Shay til certain points, he kept it from US too, and we only found it all out, just as Shay does. Loved being kept on my toes for that!

I loved that what happened to Ollie isn't immediately laid out for you and you have to piece together the clues. Again, we don't get the FULL picture til Ollie tells Shay all about it.

There is immediately attraction between the guys, yes, but it's a way WAY through the book before they actually get their sexy time, and strangely, I think I would have preferred that they did NOT have on-screen time, you know? I was loving the EMOTIONS that run rife through the book, real gut wrenching ones in places, and the sexy time, while still emotional for the guys, it kinda felt thrown in, that it was supposed to be there, just because, if you see what I mean? probably not, I'm not making much sense, I know!

Both guys have a say, in the third person, so we get all of Ollie's fear about doing this again, about being behind the camera again. We get all of Shay's growing feelings for Ollie, and we get it all from them both when the full history of Shay is revealed.

So, because it took me a while to fully engage . . .

4 solid stars

**same wroded review will appear elsewhere**
  
    Wamba - meet new people

    Wamba - meet new people

    Social Networking and Lifestyle

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    Wamba is your chance to find your love! It unites flirty beautiful men and women looking to meet...

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Merissa (11961 KP) rated Jamison (Maxim #1) by A.N. Waugh in Books

Jun 7, 2022 (Updated Jun 13, 2023)  
Jamison (Maxim #1) by A.N. Waugh
Jamison (Maxim #1) by A.N. Waugh
A.N. Waugh | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
JAMISON is the first book in the Maxim series and we are introduced to the guys in the band. This story (obviously) focuses on Jamison and I can't wait to read about the other guys too.

Six years ago, Jamison left love behind because he was told it would hold back his dream. He, and the rest of the guys, worked hard to make Maxim a hit and now, their dream is within their grasp. Vance is one left behind, courtesy of a Dear John letter. He followed his heart and got a degree in PR, ending in the same town as Jamison. Vance makes no bones about the fact he has always loved Jami, and Jami loves him back. But, sometimes, love just isn't enough.

Out of the two characters, I liked Jami a bit more than Vance. He took advice from people in the business and lost his way a bit, but once he found it again, he went for it. Vance was full of martyr complex, choosing his career because of Jami, but then making choices and decisions that affect both of them without talking about it.

Most of the story takes place on tour but not a lot is mentioned about performances, apart from the one at the end. Also, Marcy seemed to be heading somewhere but then disappeared, although she was mentioned in the epilogue by one of the other band members, so maybe she will reappear in future books.

On the whole, this was a quick and easy read with no real surprises, just a question of 'when'. I look forward to reading more in this series and seeing the pairings hinted at here. Definitely 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 3, 2022
  
Wild Hogs (2007)
Wild Hogs (2007)
2007 | Action, Comedy
8
7.3 (6 Ratings)
Movie Rating
When four middle aged men all face a collection of issues at the same time, some people might think this premise is a setup for an emotional drama that will explore aging from a men’s point of view.

However in the new film Wild Hogs, the topic is skewered with hysterical results thanks to a great cast and some very funny moments.

When dentist Doug (Tim Allen), worries he has lost his edge and can no longer connect with his past glory, he convinces the three members of his local biking club to join him on a cross country trip from Ohio to California.

Along for the ride are Woody (John Travolta), who has learned he is broke and is getting divorced from his supermodel wife, Shy and socially awkward computer programmer Dudley (William H. Macy), and henpecked plumber Bobby (Martin Lawrence), who after taking a year off to work on a project that has not come to fruition, now finds himself facing the same plumbing issues that made him flee in the first place.

None of the men are happy with their place in life and are in need of a spark to lift them from their middle aged funk. The group sets off and soon finds one misfortune after another as well as some very awkward moments with law enforcement, male bonding, and an over eager family they meet along the way.

Despite this, this trip is going well until the group decides to stop for a drink at a local biker bar. Once in the bar, the leader of the Del Fuegos, Jack (Ray Liotta) decides to make life hard for the guys as he cannot stand suburbanites passing themselves off as bikers. He decides to take one of their bikes and not allow the group to venture further West down the highway in front of the bar.

Resigned to their fate, the guys are ready to head back, when Woody decides to fix the situation and sneaks back to recover Dudley’s bike and play a trick on the Del Fuegos. Everything goes according to plan until the bar explodes from the prank, and the guys end up running from the bikers who are bent on revenge.

The only issue is that Woody has not told the other three what he did, and has his friends convinced that he had a conversation with the bikers where they came to an understanding. Undaunted, the guys stop at a local New Mexico town for gas and learn that they must wait until Monday for the gas station to reopen.

Of course, Woody is freaking out as he knows the bikers will be out looking for them, and matters are further compounded when Dudley falls for a local restaurant owner (Marissa Tomei), and is eager to hang around for a few more days.

What follows is a funny set of circumstances as the guys take part in the local community while they wait for gas, which ultimately leads up to a final confrontation with the Del Fuegos.

Wild Hogs, is one of the funnier comedies I have seen in a while. I went in not expecting much, and I must say I was very surprised. The four leads work well with one another, and there are some very funny segments in the film, which I will not spoil for you, but suffice it to say the audience was in hysterics.

It is rare to find a comedy that not only makes you laugh but makes you leave the theater with a smile, and this film delivers.
  
Five Minutes Longer (Enhanced #1)
Five Minutes Longer (Enhanced #1)
Victoria Sue | 2017 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
different but brilliant
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book.

Some 30 years ago, children began waking up with a mark on their faces and enhanced abilities: speed, strength, mental abilities. Talon, now given the job of setting up a human/enhanced task force within the FBI, was one of the first. He doesn't want to work with normals on his team, but this task force is his, and the other enhanced team members, last chance at becoming a useful member of society, not just a mark on his face. Finn wanted to join the FBI forever, and worked hard to get to apply, but he is not accepted. Instead he gets a cryptic phone and flies to Florida, and finds himself face to face with several huge enhanced, one of whom makes Finn want that boyfriend he never had. They have four weeks to make this team work, do or, quite possibly, die.

Oooooo-eeeee! Loved this! Different, very different and different is always good in my book!

The guys on the team really don't want Finn around, but know they gotta put up with him, at least for a little bit, but he grows on them, Talon especially but Talon fights that attraction all the bloody way, and when he finally gives up the fight?? Oh yes ma'am, that boy falls hard and he falls FAST! And when Finn gets caught in the cross fire at a bank robbery?? Talon goes all MAJOR Alpha-Male- Protect-What's-Mine!

I loved that not everything is fully revealed about the guys abilities, I think there is quite a bit more to come!

Nick J Russo narrates and he does a sterling job! He's a firm favourite of mine, and each and every time I listen to his work, it becomes my NEW favourite!

Russo's voices are clear and distinctive, even in multi person conversations. He reading voice is deep and even and I had no trouble, not at all, keeping up.

He gets cross all of Finn's emotions and his reactions to the guys, to Talon. His intense dislike of his brother and how his mum was with his dad. Russo gets across all of Talon's fighting, and that boy fights hard, his feelings for Finn, and you get just how much Finn means to him, when he thinks Finn is lost.

This is book one, there appears to be an underlying story arc running through these books, and I look forward to watching that unfold, and to watching these guys fall, like dominoes, one by one.

Off to listen to book 2, which is a continuation of Finn and Talon's story.

5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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JT (287 KP) rated Contraband (2012) in Movies

Mar 10, 2020  
Contraband (2012)
Contraband (2012)
2012 | Action, Mystery
6
6.7 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
This is an action film of epic underrated proportion, director Baltasar Kormákur, who was a producer on the original film Reykjavik-Rotterdam, gives us a good old fashioned heist where you root for the bad guys, or in this case the good guys.

When Chris Faraday (Whalberg) has to help out his brother-in-law Andy, after his attempts at smuggling in drugs for Giovanni Ribisi’s excellent villain go pear shaped, Faraday must go back to his criminal roots in order to save him and his family.

Do you feel lucky?
It certainly isn’t as slick as Ocean’s Eleven but it has a similar impact, in that you are desperate for these guys to succeed and pull off the job, and what a job it is! The heist or smuggle as you want to call it is as elaborate as anything that Danny Ocean himself could have put together, its all just a little rushed and certainly not all that conventional.

Whalberg’s crew, a band of misfits, all work on board a container ship heading to Panama where they will pick up a van and fill it with counterfeit bank notes, a plan which would seem simple enough. They’ve even gone to great lengths to make sure the ship stays in port long enough for them to get the job done.

Of course it doesn’t all go to plan, and in the mean time Briggs (Ribisi) is terrorizing Faraday’s wife Kate (Beckinsale) and his family. Andy still manages to try and pull off (and f*** up) his own job mid way through, and Faraday’s best friend Sebastian (Foster) has a little more about him that meets the eye.

The plot has a distinct Gone in 60 Seconds feel to it, with a relative coming to the aid of another family member which results in them racing against time to pay off the bad guys. The action is OK, an elaborate car chase and shootout is probably the most notable sequence, while the rest of the time we watch and wait as Faraday plans the heist.

I enjoyed this quite a lot, its a format that I find if done right works well which in this case it was. Ribisi was a standout for me, not just in his mannerisms as a psycho drug lord but his voice and look about him made me think he put some real effort into this role. Wahlberg is an action hero at the end of the day and here, he is out doing what he does best, Beckinsale is left out in the cold a bit but as a supporting role she does alright.
  
Storm Siren (Storm Siren #1)
Storm Siren (Storm Siren #1)
Mary Weber | 2014 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (7 Ratings)
Book Rating
Be prepared for a tale full of twists and turns that will knock you off your feet and steal the very breath from your lungs. Infused with the powers of the Elementals Storm Siren has everything a YA Fantasy novel should posses.

Epic battles, devastating loss, search for purpose, simmering romance, bad guys that are the most vicious sort of people and good guys that will sacrifice everything for the good of the people. Nym has totally swept me into her world and I am looking forward to reading the next books in the series (which I was SMART this time around and placed all three books on hold at the same time at my library).

While the elements of faith are not blatantly in your face. I do recognize the threads weaving through the story. The constant battle between good and evil, the enemy being a deceiver, the good sacrificing everything. But maybe most importantly is seeing what is inside ourselves...and recognizing it for the GIFT it is rather than a curse.

If you enjoy Young Adult Fantasy with clean content and decent morals, you should definitely check this series out! Stay tuned for my thoughts on the remainder of the series.

I borrowed a copy of Storm Siren from my local library. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.