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Beating Again
3.5
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Min Ho is a cold-blooded corporate raider who takes no prisoners. He is a scoundrel investment...
korean drama asian international romance
I Was Anastasia
9.5
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In an enthralling new feat of historical suspense, Ariel Lawhon unravels the extraordinary twists...
Anastasia Romanov Russian Revolution insane historical fiction Anna Anderson
The Boy in the Attic (Wartime Holland Book 3)
7.0
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Anna opened the letter with trembling hands. ‘My darling, if you’re reading this, I haven’t...
ClareR (5879 KP) rated The Kingdoms in Books
Mar 6, 2022
I’m writing this review two weeks after finishing ‘The Kingdoms’, and I realise that I haven’t actually stopped thinking about it (off and on, obviously. I’m not THAT obsessed!). It’s one of those books that has really caught my imagination, and I’m certain that I’ll have to read it again at some point.
Basically (and I warn you: there’s nothing basic about this storyline!), Joe Tournier finds himself at a London train station, and realises that he doesn’t know how he got there, or who he is. A kind stranger takes him to the hospital where he’s diagnosed with amnesia. After a week at an asylum, his owner and his wife come to claim him. His French owner. He is a slave in Londres, which is occupied by the French after they won the Napoleonic Wars. But none of this feels right to him.
A month or so later, he receives a postcard written in illegal English, from a lighthouse in rebel Scotland - written 100 years ago. After gaining his freedom as a slave, Joe becomes an engineer, and is sent to the same lighthouse to make repairs. And that’s all I’ll say, because I really don’t want to spoil the story. I will say that there’s some jumping around in time, and it shows that if you change a small thing in the past, there can be huge ramifications in the future.
I loved the characters, the plot, the setting - just everything about it really appealed to me. I can’t say as I’ve read many books set mainly on boats, naval or otherwise. The rules and the running of the ships were really interesting, and the sea battles were gripping.
It’s a fabulous book, and I’d most definitely recommend it. Thanks to The Pigeonhole for the serialisation!
Basically (and I warn you: there’s nothing basic about this storyline!), Joe Tournier finds himself at a London train station, and realises that he doesn’t know how he got there, or who he is. A kind stranger takes him to the hospital where he’s diagnosed with amnesia. After a week at an asylum, his owner and his wife come to claim him. His French owner. He is a slave in Londres, which is occupied by the French after they won the Napoleonic Wars. But none of this feels right to him.
A month or so later, he receives a postcard written in illegal English, from a lighthouse in rebel Scotland - written 100 years ago. After gaining his freedom as a slave, Joe becomes an engineer, and is sent to the same lighthouse to make repairs. And that’s all I’ll say, because I really don’t want to spoil the story. I will say that there’s some jumping around in time, and it shows that if you change a small thing in the past, there can be huge ramifications in the future.
I loved the characters, the plot, the setting - just everything about it really appealed to me. I can’t say as I’ve read many books set mainly on boats, naval or otherwise. The rules and the running of the ships were really interesting, and the sea battles were gripping.
It’s a fabulous book, and I’d most definitely recommend it. Thanks to The Pigeonhole for the serialisation!
Merissa (12919 KP) rated When Darkness Turns to Light (Dark River Stone Collective #2) in Books
Jun 11, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
WHEN DARKNESS TURNS TO LIGHT is the second book in the Dark River Stone Collective. Lincoln and Mason play a part in this but you don't have to have read their book for this one to make sense, although events are referred to.
Toad has been on the run from his family for a while, escaping a mental health facility to do so. His being under the radar is scuppered when he messes up his hand and has to go to the hospital. This opens a whole can of worms that he didn't want to deal with or for his brothers to know about. Sid has his own issues to contend with, which means that these two don't have a smooth ride of it. It's not major angst, but there is still some.
This was a brilliant addition to the series, with Sid and Toad definitely in the limelight. Lincoln and Mason are their supporting cast, and we get to see Mason in his full lawyer glory once again. The relationship between Sid and Toad has its bumps as they're both stubborn as...! These two are sexy as anything though, and I loved both the hot action and also the tender moments between them. The ending was perfect, such a Toad thing to do, and it was great to see the heat hasn't diminished between Lincoln and Mason too.
I am loving every word of this series and have no hesitation in recommending it. Now who comes next?
** 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 11, 2021
Toad has been on the run from his family for a while, escaping a mental health facility to do so. His being under the radar is scuppered when he messes up his hand and has to go to the hospital. This opens a whole can of worms that he didn't want to deal with or for his brothers to know about. Sid has his own issues to contend with, which means that these two don't have a smooth ride of it. It's not major angst, but there is still some.
This was a brilliant addition to the series, with Sid and Toad definitely in the limelight. Lincoln and Mason are their supporting cast, and we get to see Mason in his full lawyer glory once again. The relationship between Sid and Toad has its bumps as they're both stubborn as...! These two are sexy as anything though, and I loved both the hot action and also the tender moments between them. The ending was perfect, such a Toad thing to do, and it was great to see the heat hasn't diminished between Lincoln and Mason too.
I am loving every word of this series and have no hesitation in recommending it. Now who comes next?
** 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 11, 2021
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Transplanted Evil in Books
Apr 1, 2024
61 of 220
Book siren’s review
Transplanted Evil
By Len Handleand
⭐️⭐️
Meet Elizabeth Bennington. A shy young girl raised in privilege with a distant and uncaring father and a doting and overly protective mother outside of Boston in the neighboring town of Charlestown. Yet, despite coming from wealth, Elizabeth was born with a congenital heart condition, leading to bullying at school, hopelessness, and a failed suicide attempt rescued by her parents. She is sent to Bourneville psychiatric hospital, where she undergoes transformative therapy sessions, dramatically improving her outlook on life. She is released after a year. But Elizabeth has a secret: she can see into the future and is haunted by recurring nightmares foreshadowing unspeakable acts of murder involving a mysterious young man with hair the color of a raven splattered with blood. Marty Bowles attends school with Elizabeth and is madly in love with her, almost obsessed with her. Marty’s propensity for violence at school, his depraved lust for killing stray animals, and his involvement with the black arts, including demonic worship, conjuring a demon named Kashgar, and possession, directly threaten her. Could Marty be the mysterious young man in her nightmares who will stop at nothing to gain her love and unite them with his sinister plan?
Oh this is a difficult one for me. I love the premise of the book it was really interesting and hard in some places I wanted to love it but found that Elizabeth’s side of things felt stilted and kinda forced where as Marty’s read better I got a little frustrated half way through wondering where it was going there was a lot things that didn’t need to be there.
BUT like I said the premise was really interesting and different.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Book siren’s review
Transplanted Evil
By Len Handleand
⭐️⭐️
Meet Elizabeth Bennington. A shy young girl raised in privilege with a distant and uncaring father and a doting and overly protective mother outside of Boston in the neighboring town of Charlestown. Yet, despite coming from wealth, Elizabeth was born with a congenital heart condition, leading to bullying at school, hopelessness, and a failed suicide attempt rescued by her parents. She is sent to Bourneville psychiatric hospital, where she undergoes transformative therapy sessions, dramatically improving her outlook on life. She is released after a year. But Elizabeth has a secret: she can see into the future and is haunted by recurring nightmares foreshadowing unspeakable acts of murder involving a mysterious young man with hair the color of a raven splattered with blood. Marty Bowles attends school with Elizabeth and is madly in love with her, almost obsessed with her. Marty’s propensity for violence at school, his depraved lust for killing stray animals, and his involvement with the black arts, including demonic worship, conjuring a demon named Kashgar, and possession, directly threaten her. Could Marty be the mysterious young man in her nightmares who will stop at nothing to gain her love and unite them with his sinister plan?
Oh this is a difficult one for me. I love the premise of the book it was really interesting and hard in some places I wanted to love it but found that Elizabeth’s side of things felt stilted and kinda forced where as Marty’s read better I got a little frustrated half way through wondering where it was going there was a lot things that didn’t need to be there.
BUT like I said the premise was really interesting and different.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Merissa (12919 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
Case Files Anesthesiology, 1st Edition
Medical and Education
App
“The book targets medical students, but even junior anesthesia trainees would find it very...
Fairy Sisters 2 - Magical Forest Adventures & Animal Care
Games and Education
App
Welcome to the magical forest! Meet the adorable Fairy Sisters to play ant learn in their enchanted...
KalJ95 (25 KP) rated Marvel's Spider-Man in Video Games
Jun 19, 2020
All Round Performances Are Fantastic. (4 more)
Combat Is Arkham-esque.
New York Sandbox Is The Definition Of Fun.
Story Feels Fresh And Thrilling.
The Webswinging.
Frame Rate Issues. (1 more)
Few Missed Opportunities With The Story.
The Best Superhero Game Ever?
When I was nine years old, I fell thirty feet out of a tree on a British summers day. Coincidently, because of damp moss on a branch. I spent seven days in a hospital, recovering from a punctured lung, caused by impact on my ribs. In that week, I spent most of my time playing Spider-Man 2, a tie in with the Sam Raimi film, on a hospital owned PlayStation 2. Why am I telling you this story? Well, I spent quite a substantial amount of time playing that game, and it slowly made me realise the mechanics and skill that go into making a video game. Spider-Man wouldn't just shoot his web up in the sky and start swinging, like the Spider-Man game previous. Spider-Man would have to attach his webs to buildings he flew by, and this blew my mind and kept me occupied for hours and hours. For me, it encapsulated a feeling of being so immersed within a medium, you forget everything around you, and in my case it just so happened to be bed ridden in a hospital with a punctured lung. Spider-Man games have come and gone since that 2004 classic, but none have ever been as fun to play.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man game ever made, and an even bolder statement, it just might be the best superhero game ever made. Insomniac have crafted an original experience, whilst keeping the spirit and tone of Spidey the same of that from the comics. You can tell right from the opening cinematic, Insomniac have done their research extensively, from the witty dialogue of Peter Parker’s banter, to the wise cracks he makes as his alter ego when punching the pulp out of thugs and villains. The fundamental idea of what this game strives to be is fun, and this is the very definition.
The story is follows Peter, as he juggles the responsibility of being a superhero, with the very normal aspects of everyday life, like holding down an apartment, or retaining a relationship with his Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson. While this remains the core of the narrative, villainy is taking shape in the background, as multiple antagonists are preparing to take down the web-slinger, once and for all. Included in the story comes a variety of side missions, activities to complete, collectables to find, and costumes to unlock. The sheer amount of things to do in this game is unbelievable. The costumes alone ranks up to thirty eight (with DLC included), all in ridiculously beautiful detail. I specifically remember a moment when the rising sun over the Big Apple shone over the windows of a skyscraper, bouncing onto the red of Spider-Man’s suit. I was in awe. In fact, I was in awe over the entire map of New York City, which feels alive, even a character within itself. The major monuments all bring such authenticity to the overall feel of a city you can fully explore. Its a massive playground for Spider-Man, and I never felt the need to fast travel at all.
The characters make the story worth playing multiple times. Certain characters can’t be mentioned due to spoiling aspects of the narrative, but stand-out performances happen time and time again. This also brings a dynamic between characters that shines over the entire experience. Peter and MJ are partners, yet their relationship seems distanced from past troubles. We never find out specifically, but the seeds are planted from dialogue that we can only guess from an audiences’ perspective. It brings so much back story to the characters, making them seem so fleshed out and real. No Uncle Ben death scenes either, so that is a plus in my book.
The combat, at first, felt all to familiar with Rocksteady’s Arkham Series, which isn't a problem, but instead I wanted something a little new to engage with. Then a collection of gadgets are introduced, and this mixes everything up. Everything feels so fluid and silky smooth, from webbing thugs against a wall, or sending out a spiderdrone to fire rounds of electric bullets to incapacitate an opponent. Again, this never feels stale, even when I had collected every collectable and finished all activities, I spent hours just waiting for police calls so I could attend crimes an battle enemies. This is perhaps where Insomniac need to be commended most. Games are all too disposable at times, once its done you're done with it, but Marvel’s Spider-Man is so damn fun, even when everything is done. You feel the need to explore, the need to finish the side missions and activities, because every aspect is so well produced.
I do however have minor issues to mention. I did experience tiny pauses in gameplay whilst the city loaded more buildings, I don't know if this was down to playing on a standard PS4 rather than a Pro. The story does sometimes cut a few beats short in areas, and the DLC feels like it could of been included within the game, which ultimately feels like it was, and was decided to be DLC for an extra cost. But, these are little gripes for an overall fantastic package. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man game ever made, and an even bolder statement, it just might be the best superhero game ever made. Insomniac have crafted an original experience, whilst keeping the spirit and tone of Spidey the same of that from the comics. You can tell right from the opening cinematic, Insomniac have done their research extensively, from the witty dialogue of Peter Parker’s banter, to the wise cracks he makes as his alter ego when punching the pulp out of thugs and villains. The fundamental idea of what this game strives to be is fun, and this is the very definition.
The story is follows Peter, as he juggles the responsibility of being a superhero, with the very normal aspects of everyday life, like holding down an apartment, or retaining a relationship with his Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson. While this remains the core of the narrative, villainy is taking shape in the background, as multiple antagonists are preparing to take down the web-slinger, once and for all. Included in the story comes a variety of side missions, activities to complete, collectables to find, and costumes to unlock. The sheer amount of things to do in this game is unbelievable. The costumes alone ranks up to thirty eight (with DLC included), all in ridiculously beautiful detail. I specifically remember a moment when the rising sun over the Big Apple shone over the windows of a skyscraper, bouncing onto the red of Spider-Man’s suit. I was in awe. In fact, I was in awe over the entire map of New York City, which feels alive, even a character within itself. The major monuments all bring such authenticity to the overall feel of a city you can fully explore. Its a massive playground for Spider-Man, and I never felt the need to fast travel at all.
The characters make the story worth playing multiple times. Certain characters can’t be mentioned due to spoiling aspects of the narrative, but stand-out performances happen time and time again. This also brings a dynamic between characters that shines over the entire experience. Peter and MJ are partners, yet their relationship seems distanced from past troubles. We never find out specifically, but the seeds are planted from dialogue that we can only guess from an audiences’ perspective. It brings so much back story to the characters, making them seem so fleshed out and real. No Uncle Ben death scenes either, so that is a plus in my book.
The combat, at first, felt all to familiar with Rocksteady’s Arkham Series, which isn't a problem, but instead I wanted something a little new to engage with. Then a collection of gadgets are introduced, and this mixes everything up. Everything feels so fluid and silky smooth, from webbing thugs against a wall, or sending out a spiderdrone to fire rounds of electric bullets to incapacitate an opponent. Again, this never feels stale, even when I had collected every collectable and finished all activities, I spent hours just waiting for police calls so I could attend crimes an battle enemies. This is perhaps where Insomniac need to be commended most. Games are all too disposable at times, once its done you're done with it, but Marvel’s Spider-Man is so damn fun, even when everything is done. You feel the need to explore, the need to finish the side missions and activities, because every aspect is so well produced.
I do however have minor issues to mention. I did experience tiny pauses in gameplay whilst the city loaded more buildings, I don't know if this was down to playing on a standard PS4 rather than a Pro. The story does sometimes cut a few beats short in areas, and the DLC feels like it could of been included within the game, which ultimately feels like it was, and was decided to be DLC for an extra cost. But, these are little gripes for an overall fantastic package. I can’t wait to see what happens next.