
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Anne of Green Gables in Books
Oct 4, 2022
I’ve never read this well-loved classic, and I decided it was time to fix that. It came out in 1908, so some of the language is dated, although there is nothing offensive here. I think I needed to be a pre-teen girl to fully enjoy this book. There were certainly parts I did enjoy, but overall, I found the book more episodic than a real novel. That tends to happen to me when a novel covers such a span of time. Also, the events in the second half of the book got to be too much for me. Having said that, I can see the appeal. The characters definitely grew on me, and I laughed at various events along the way. I’m curious enough about what happens next that I might go on with the series.

Merissa (12911 KP) rated Mirrors and Ashes: A Snow White Retelling in Books
Mar 6, 2022
Ember is the main female and she has a lot to put up with from her mother, which she is made to believe is her fault. When things in the kingdom start going wrong, Ember is the one they blame. She has made friends with the Dwarves though and is welcomed among them when she escapes the death that waits for her. Through them, she learns about who she is and what love truly is, and what forms it can come in. Romance plays a part here but is not the focus.
This was very well-written, with plenty of depth and detail, giving this a polished edged. I loved the Dwarven way of life, their language, their customs, etc. I loved seeing the growth of Ember from a child, to a woman of two cultures.
The pacing was perfect for the story, and it always flowed and never faltered. A great retelling that I thoroughly enjoyed and have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!

The Silver Ones (The Silver Series, #1)
Book
When she has to convince the Alpha of Warden to pick her as his mate, she finds herself...
Paranormal Romance Shifters Witches

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Bring the Night in Books
Sep 8, 2023 (Updated Sep 8, 2023)
The suicide or murder question is a common trope of mysteries, and this book doesn’t spend long before Nate is certain it was murder. I had a couple of the twists figured out, but I didn’t grasp the full picture until the end. Even then, I had to think about the ending to make sure everything made sense; a little more exposition would have been nice. Nate is fun to be around as always, and the rest of the cast is interesting as well. As a PI novel, there’s a little more language and violence than in the typical novels I read, but it was still minimal. The use of slang from the time is a bit over the top, but it does help bring the period to life. Fans of the genre will be glad they picked up this book.

Heal Yourself: Body ~ Mind ~ Spirit
Book
The body wants to return to balance. It just needs the tools to do so. Heal Yourself ~ Body ~ Mind ~...
Body~Mind~Spirit Healing

Leviathan's Song (The Boundlands #1) by Elsie Winters
Book
With the magical mafia knocking down the front door, the last thing Elara needs is to follow the...
Paranormal Romance Portal Fantasy Slow Burn Series

Poetry from My Heart: A Journey through Feelings
Book
Poetry: writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience, in language...
Poetry

Loving the Enemy (7 Forbidden Arts #0)
Book
If your father is a powerful criminal, you can't trust anyone, especially not the stranger who saves...
Paranormal Romance Adult

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Ashes Never Lie in Books
Nov 29, 2024 (Updated Nov 29, 2024)
As a fan of Lee’s other books, I really enjoyed seeing Eve and Duncan pop up in this book. If you haven’t met them before, no need to worry, you’ll easily follow their characters here. Meanwhile, it was nice to get to know Sharpe and Walker more in their second case, this time told from Walker’s third person point of view. Something about the set up didn’t quite work for me, but once the book got rolling, I was hooked all the way to the over the top but still fun climax. We get a little bit of language and crude humor here, but it is kept to a minimum. On the other hand, there are lots of jokes and teasing that I did enjoy. Overall, this is another winner you’ll have a hard time putting down.

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated Written in Blood in Books
Jan 30, 2025
I enjoyed the first in the series enough to pick up this book, but I didn’t enjoy this book at all. Yes, some of it was the content in the Kindle version I purchased last year. There was more language, violence, and other stuff that made it hard for me to really enjoy the book. Plus, the mystery really took too long to get going. When we reached the climax, too much was thrown at us without truly explaining why or how it was happening that way. And, I feel like some of the things at the end contradicted the facts we’d gotten earlier in the story. On the other hand, I did like Claudia as a character. I’m not sure that will be enough to pull me further into the series even though I’ve already purchased some of the books.