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The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt
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An engrossing biography of the longest-reigning female pharaoh in Ancient Egypt and the story of her...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Spires in Books
Oct 28, 2021
Penelope Cox thinks she's put her college years behind her, when, twenty years later, her old friend Willa shows up unexpectedly on her doorstep. Willa Blaine needs help escaping her abusive husband. Penelope hasn't seen Willa since their gap year after college, when they and three other friends lived together in a converted church. Calling themselves "the Spires" they were a close-knit group, until hidden resentments and jealousies tipped over. Focused on their leader, Jack, things started to change when he brought home a girlfriend, Grace. Then tragedy struck and the group went their separate ways. Now, Willa seems the perfect guest, bringing order and happiness to the Cox household. But Penelope feels like her friend is putting her life off-balance and bringing up horrible memories: memories she'd rather leave long buried.
"Six months after they moved in, he brought home Grace and sent them all into a tailspin."
This is slow burn read--it's sluggish to start, but picks up as the story gets moving. Less thriller, more character-driven, THE SPIRES focuses on relationships more than mystery, though there is certainly plenty to figure out as the tale progresses.
The book skips back and forth between the group's gap year after college at The Church House and present day, when Penelope's friend Willa shows up without warning. The two haven't seen each other since they scattered after The Church House tragedy. We know something bad happened at The Church House, but it takes a while (basically the whole book) to get it all figured out. There is a lot of drama and angst as this all happens. None of the characters are particularly likeable, but there are plenty of motives and secrets tossed in along the way.
I didn't find THE SPIRES as thrilling as some of Moretti's other books. Still, it became more interesting and suspenseful as I read, and there are definitely some good twists. This is an especially good read for those who like a good psychological mystery. 3.5 stars.
"Six months after they moved in, he brought home Grace and sent them all into a tailspin."
This is slow burn read--it's sluggish to start, but picks up as the story gets moving. Less thriller, more character-driven, THE SPIRES focuses on relationships more than mystery, though there is certainly plenty to figure out as the tale progresses.
The book skips back and forth between the group's gap year after college at The Church House and present day, when Penelope's friend Willa shows up without warning. The two haven't seen each other since they scattered after The Church House tragedy. We know something bad happened at The Church House, but it takes a while (basically the whole book) to get it all figured out. There is a lot of drama and angst as this all happens. None of the characters are particularly likeable, but there are plenty of motives and secrets tossed in along the way.
I didn't find THE SPIRES as thrilling as some of Moretti's other books. Still, it became more interesting and suspenseful as I read, and there are definitely some good twists. This is an especially good read for those who like a good psychological mystery. 3.5 stars.
The King's Intelligencer: The Discovery of the Missing Princes in the Tower
Book
London, 1674: When children’s bones are unexpectedly unearthed in the Tower of London, England’s...
Historical Fiction Mystery
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated I Feel Like Going On: Life, Game, and Glory in Books
May 10, 2018
<u>I Feel Like Going On</u> tells the story of Ray Lewis's life through his point of view. From his early childhood to the man he is today. I learned quite a bit about Ray Lewis that I didn't know and found very interesting. A religious and family man with seven children, he is a very different person than the man who used to be on the football field.
Growing up in Maryland, I only root for two teams, the Washington Redskins and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. When I was a kid, the Baltimore team had been long, so the Redskins were who I went for. I respect, Ray Lewis as an amazing defensive player in the NFL. Occasionally, I would cheer for Baltimore especially when they were in the Super Bowl. It was interesting to find out that the Redskins were Ray's favorite as well. He has a very religious side to him that you don't get to see on the field. He is also very family oriented, always there for his kids as well as his mother and brothers and sisters. There are a lot of things I learned from this book about Ray Lewis and about life in general. The best part of the book came at the end when Ray talks about what his mother taught him.
"Be an example. Be a force for good. And know that every one with a great name has been through something. A great deal of something. It's not about doing what everybody else is doing. It's just about being true to yourself whatever the majority of people are doing, go ahead and do the opposite--if you know what you're doing to be right and good and true. Live your legacy. Do your thing. Walk in a certain light."
This book is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling through life and may be unsure how they are going to make it through the storm. Ray Lewis made it through a single mom household, losing friends and coaches, and being accused of the most terrible things. He made it through alive andd on top.
Growing up in Maryland, I only root for two teams, the Washington Redskins and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. When I was a kid, the Baltimore team had been long, so the Redskins were who I went for. I respect, Ray Lewis as an amazing defensive player in the NFL. Occasionally, I would cheer for Baltimore especially when they were in the Super Bowl. It was interesting to find out that the Redskins were Ray's favorite as well. He has a very religious side to him that you don't get to see on the field. He is also very family oriented, always there for his kids as well as his mother and brothers and sisters. There are a lot of things I learned from this book about Ray Lewis and about life in general. The best part of the book came at the end when Ray talks about what his mother taught him.
"Be an example. Be a force for good. And know that every one with a great name has been through something. A great deal of something. It's not about doing what everybody else is doing. It's just about being true to yourself whatever the majority of people are doing, go ahead and do the opposite--if you know what you're doing to be right and good and true. Live your legacy. Do your thing. Walk in a certain light."
This book is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling through life and may be unsure how they are going to make it through the storm. Ray Lewis made it through a single mom household, losing friends and coaches, and being accused of the most terrible things. He made it through alive andd on top.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Economic Meltdown: A Family Preparedness Plan for Disaster in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The purpose of this book is quickly understood to motivate and aid the reader to prepare for a "man-made disaster" of the magnitude that is illustrated through a fictional story that the author, Karen McHale, apparently believes is impending for the U.S.A. I won't address whether or not I believe such a disaster is imminent or not. The story takes up the first 132 pages of the book, and the remaining pages is a quick guide to self-sufficiency, with a step-by-step guide and divided by Pantry and Utilities.
What I will address is the text of the book itself, which, frankly, could use some work. I can be a stickler for grammar, and it is obvious to me that the author used the spelling and grammar check function that is found in your typical text-formatting program, such as Word. Simply having someone read over the book before publication could catch these errors. For example, starting on page 50, the word "panty" has replaced what should have been "pantry," not every time, but often enough to be obvious. Other things showed up in the text to show the author's weakness in writing fiction, such as this: "...the unspoken thought hung unspoken in the air..." (pg. 11).
The story itself is a thinly veiled attempt at teaching the reader what is already listed in the section at the end of the book. Much more of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of these preparations than to the development of the different characters. Towards the end of the book, time speeds up as the author skips ahead several times to fast forward the plot to 2012, with snapshots of plot to show the progress of the fictional family in its preparations for the economic disaster.
Honestly, this book would have been much better written had the author spent more time developing the different characters and made them unique and interesting to the reader, as well as gotten a few extra people to read the text before publication. McHale does not even bother with last names for this "typical American household." Sadly, except for the eight page guide at the end, it is all very forgettable.
What I will address is the text of the book itself, which, frankly, could use some work. I can be a stickler for grammar, and it is obvious to me that the author used the spelling and grammar check function that is found in your typical text-formatting program, such as Word. Simply having someone read over the book before publication could catch these errors. For example, starting on page 50, the word "panty" has replaced what should have been "pantry," not every time, but often enough to be obvious. Other things showed up in the text to show the author's weakness in writing fiction, such as this: "...the unspoken thought hung unspoken in the air..." (pg. 11).
The story itself is a thinly veiled attempt at teaching the reader what is already listed in the section at the end of the book. Much more of the book is devoted to detailed descriptions of these preparations than to the development of the different characters. Towards the end of the book, time speeds up as the author skips ahead several times to fast forward the plot to 2012, with snapshots of plot to show the progress of the fictional family in its preparations for the economic disaster.
Honestly, this book would have been much better written had the author spent more time developing the different characters and made them unique and interesting to the reader, as well as gotten a few extra people to read the text before publication. McHale does not even bother with last names for this "typical American household." Sadly, except for the eight page guide at the end, it is all very forgettable.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Morrigan's Cross in Books
May 17, 2019
Magical & beautifully written
I was gifted this book by Nora Roberts herself as a “thank you” for putting together the #CopyPasteCrisList & helping bring all of the plagiarism by Cristiane Serruya to light. Needless to say, when I opened the package I cried tears of excitement & dived into Morrigan’s Cross almost immediately. This is my very first Nora Roberts, and I can guarantee that it won’t be my last.
I’ve always been hesitant to read Nora Roberts. When I first got into romance, I avoided many of the well-known authors simply because I felt the need to be “cool.” Luckily, I got out of that phase because I would have missed out on some of the best books I have read. Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts is beautiful. The writing is spectacular, and I didn’t know what to do with myself after finishing it. The writing style was so formal and elegant. I’m a quote hoarder, and this book was heaven. There were so many quotable moments and phrases that I had to stop myself from highlighting the entire book.
One thing that struck me with this book was just how developed each character was. Many of the books I have read can’t compare. It was refreshing and beautiful to read a book that was so flushed out. It was like every sentence had a purpose, and every character was there for a reason. Because of this, it took me a while to read this book. I realized about halfway into the book that this book needed to be savored and not devoured like I was used to. Everything was just so well done that I took my time entirely immersing myself into this book.
The plot was something completely different. I loved all of the various plot points to it. The time travel aspect was a fun twist, and I loved having both vampire and wizard elements. The romance was also top notch and kept me swooning the entire time.
I could keep going with how amazing this book was, but my words can’t do it justice. This book was beautiful, and I can see why Nora Roberts is a household name.
I’ve always been hesitant to read Nora Roberts. When I first got into romance, I avoided many of the well-known authors simply because I felt the need to be “cool.” Luckily, I got out of that phase because I would have missed out on some of the best books I have read. Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts is beautiful. The writing is spectacular, and I didn’t know what to do with myself after finishing it. The writing style was so formal and elegant. I’m a quote hoarder, and this book was heaven. There were so many quotable moments and phrases that I had to stop myself from highlighting the entire book.
One thing that struck me with this book was just how developed each character was. Many of the books I have read can’t compare. It was refreshing and beautiful to read a book that was so flushed out. It was like every sentence had a purpose, and every character was there for a reason. Because of this, it took me a while to read this book. I realized about halfway into the book that this book needed to be savored and not devoured like I was used to. Everything was just so well done that I took my time entirely immersing myself into this book.
The plot was something completely different. I loved all of the various plot points to it. The time travel aspect was a fun twist, and I loved having both vampire and wizard elements. The romance was also top notch and kept me swooning the entire time.
I could keep going with how amazing this book was, but my words can’t do it justice. This book was beautiful, and I can see why Nora Roberts is a household name.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated An Inconvenient Beauty in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Kristi's debut series is beyond fabulous and she wraps it all up perfectly with Griffith's story! With several laugh out loud moments and an equal number of touching scenes that will tug at your heart, you will want to read this book in one sitting. (If only that were a reality in my household.) Griffith has been my favorite since the first book, A Noble Masquerade. And he completely lived up to (and quite possibly exceeded) my expectations that I have held on to. Especially picturing him as Chris Hemsworth...
One of the aspects that stood out to me in this story, is discerning God's direction for our lives. Especially when it comes to thinking that we don't deserve happiness, or a second chance, or forgiveness. These blinders can distract us from the GOOD that God wants to give to us.
I.LOVE.GRIFFITH. That is all...actually, I could go on about him for hours. So, what I want to highlight is his protective nature. His family is more important to him than anything, and he would go to any lengths to keep them safe and cared for. However, that means he puts their needs before his own. And this sacrificial love hasn't left much room for him to worry about his own future. BUT, when love strikes, things change. You could say his "world is turned upside down." He is adorable and hilarious!
Isabella is my new favorite woman in the Hawthorne Series. Even though she has secrets to hide, it is impossible to ignore her pure heart. And Uncle Percy, can only be described as the opposite of pure. The bitterness that stemmed from a heartbreaking loss has turned into a vendetta.
Four books, five if you include the novella, a slew of Hawthornes, romance, kidnappings, adventures, foiled plans, and upstanding and *ahem* SWOONY gentlemen...while my heart is sad that this series has ended. I am so thankful for the friends that I found within these pages.
I received a complimentary copy of An Inconvenient Beauty. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
One of the aspects that stood out to me in this story, is discerning God's direction for our lives. Especially when it comes to thinking that we don't deserve happiness, or a second chance, or forgiveness. These blinders can distract us from the GOOD that God wants to give to us.
I.LOVE.GRIFFITH. That is all...actually, I could go on about him for hours. So, what I want to highlight is his protective nature. His family is more important to him than anything, and he would go to any lengths to keep them safe and cared for. However, that means he puts their needs before his own. And this sacrificial love hasn't left much room for him to worry about his own future. BUT, when love strikes, things change. You could say his "world is turned upside down." He is adorable and hilarious!
Isabella is my new favorite woman in the Hawthorne Series. Even though she has secrets to hide, it is impossible to ignore her pure heart. And Uncle Percy, can only be described as the opposite of pure. The bitterness that stemmed from a heartbreaking loss has turned into a vendetta.
Four books, five if you include the novella, a slew of Hawthornes, romance, kidnappings, adventures, foiled plans, and upstanding and *ahem* SWOONY gentlemen...while my heart is sad that this series has ended. I am so thankful for the friends that I found within these pages.
I received a complimentary copy of An Inconvenient Beauty. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Petting Zoo - Funny animated animal picture book
Education and Games
App
21 beautifully animated animals. Full of surprises, wit and quirky animations! "A wonderful App for...
Our Groceries Shopping List
Shopping and Lifestyle
App
The easiest way to manage your family’s grocery shopping—and it’s FREE! "I love technology,...
The Lost Detective: Becoming Dashiell Hammett
Book
A 2016 Edgar Award Nominee Before he became a household name in America as perhaps our greatest...