Search
Search results
Merissa (13123 KP) rated Dawn's Desire (Prairie Smoke Ranch #1) in Books
Aug 16, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
DAWN'S DESIRE is the first book in the Prairie Smoke Ranch series and we are introduced to a whole host of characters, but we focus on Nathan and Bishop. Nathan is the foreman of the ranch and is older (although I don't think we actually ever get his age). Bishop is a twenty-eight-year-old, newly-minted professor of Palaeontology and is on the ranch due to the discovery of possible dinosaur bones.
There is a lot going on in this story - trouble with the ranch next door, bone poachers, European tours, and a possible thief working on the ranch. Because of this, I didn't feel like this was a character-led story and I didn't really feel the connection between our two MCs.
Nathan and Bishop get an HFN ending and there is definitely no conclusion to any of what's gone on during their story, so I hope more answers will be available in the next books.
This is the first book and I am looking forward to reading book two. This series has a lot to offer and I love V.L. Locey's writing. Although it didn't tick my boxes in the way her stories usually do, I still thoroughly enjoyed this beginning and have no hesitation in recommending it.
** 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!
Aug 16, 2021
There is a lot going on in this story - trouble with the ranch next door, bone poachers, European tours, and a possible thief working on the ranch. Because of this, I didn't feel like this was a character-led story and I didn't really feel the connection between our two MCs.
Nathan and Bishop get an HFN ending and there is definitely no conclusion to any of what's gone on during their story, so I hope more answers will be available in the next books.
This is the first book and I am looking forward to reading book two. This series has a lot to offer and I love V.L. Locey's writing. Although it didn't tick my boxes in the way her stories usually do, I still thoroughly enjoyed this beginning and have no hesitation in recommending it.
** 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!
Aug 16, 2021
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) in Movies
Mar 3, 2022
The original Independence Day is a beloved sci-fi classic for a lot of people, so I can understand why this arguably unnecessary sequel takes on a lot of disdain and criticism. "Legacy sequels", a term I've heard thrown around a fair bit lately, can be very hit and miss, and Resurgence lands smack bang in the middle. It's not bad, it's not good, it's not Emmerich's best, but it's far from being his worst. It's just kind of there.
On the one hand, it's brimming with corny dialogue, bloated exposition, ridiculous set ups for sequels that will probably never happen, characters that are difficult to care about, and loads of plot points that don't make sense (the alien ship is so big, it has its own gravitational pull, causing mass destruction to Earth upon arrival, but then just fucks off at the end without any further damage)
On the other hand, I was surprised by how commited Jeff Goldblum is to his returning role, and is quite simply a pleasure for the entirety of his screentime, the ultra-destruction that's we're all here to see is visually pleasing and satisfying, there are some genuinely fun set pieces (the alien queen running around the desert fucking shit up is a blast), and it's all self aware enough to not disappear up its own arse.
I personally feel that Resurgence gets an unjustified bad rap. It doesn't need to exist, and is far from perfect, but there's enough here to enjoy. Just be sure to leave your brain at the door.
On the one hand, it's brimming with corny dialogue, bloated exposition, ridiculous set ups for sequels that will probably never happen, characters that are difficult to care about, and loads of plot points that don't make sense (the alien ship is so big, it has its own gravitational pull, causing mass destruction to Earth upon arrival, but then just fucks off at the end without any further damage)
On the other hand, I was surprised by how commited Jeff Goldblum is to his returning role, and is quite simply a pleasure for the entirety of his screentime, the ultra-destruction that's we're all here to see is visually pleasing and satisfying, there are some genuinely fun set pieces (the alien queen running around the desert fucking shit up is a blast), and it's all self aware enough to not disappear up its own arse.
I personally feel that Resurgence gets an unjustified bad rap. It doesn't need to exist, and is far from perfect, but there's enough here to enjoy. Just be sure to leave your brain at the door.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Shadow Keepers in Books
Dec 9, 2022
220 of 230
Kindle
The Shadow Keeper
By Marisa Noelle
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sixteen-year-old Georgia Boone has seen the shadow creatures in mirrors and other reflective surfaces since she was six-years-old. But no one--not even her
brother, the person she’s closest to in the entire world--believes her. She is all alone in the hellish world where crow-like creatures hunt her everywhere she goes
When an afternoon of shopping ends in violence and blood, Georgia is sent to the UK’s most prestigious mental health hospital: Brookwood Hospital.
There, she’s forced to face her fears and answer the question:
Are the shadows real, or is this all in her head?
At Brookwood, the shadow creatures are more present than ever. Each day they grow stronger. With the help of a mysterious boy who lives inside the mirror world, she might be able to prove that she’s not hallucinating and stop the shadows from destroying the human world.
I’ve seen a lot from this author on social media and was really looking forward to reading her work. I was not disappointed this is a great YA with some sensitive issues that in my opinion were dealt with very very well. I could relate to a lot in this book from my teenage years to now. It was such an interesting concept and I’m glad it went the way it did it’s nice to see that people with mental health issues can face our demons and win sometimes whether they are real or not!
Kindle
The Shadow Keeper
By Marisa Noelle
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sixteen-year-old Georgia Boone has seen the shadow creatures in mirrors and other reflective surfaces since she was six-years-old. But no one--not even her
brother, the person she’s closest to in the entire world--believes her. She is all alone in the hellish world where crow-like creatures hunt her everywhere she goes
When an afternoon of shopping ends in violence and blood, Georgia is sent to the UK’s most prestigious mental health hospital: Brookwood Hospital.
There, she’s forced to face her fears and answer the question:
Are the shadows real, or is this all in her head?
At Brookwood, the shadow creatures are more present than ever. Each day they grow stronger. With the help of a mysterious boy who lives inside the mirror world, she might be able to prove that she’s not hallucinating and stop the shadows from destroying the human world.
I’ve seen a lot from this author on social media and was really looking forward to reading her work. I was not disappointed this is a great YA with some sensitive issues that in my opinion were dealt with very very well. I could relate to a lot in this book from my teenage years to now. It was such an interesting concept and I’m glad it went the way it did it’s nice to see that people with mental health issues can face our demons and win sometimes whether they are real or not!
ClareR (5916 KP) rated Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary Queen of Scots in Books
Jun 14, 2025
Tudor England has always been a favourite subject of mine, and then on to the Elizabethan period as well. It’s always interested me how Elizabeth I treated her cousin, Mary Queen of Scots, especially after I visited Carlisle Castle and saw some of the displays that explained her captivity there. It may have only been a few weeks out of the 19 years that she was held captive, and I was curious about the rest of those years.
Captive Queen explains a lot of Mary’s life and also tells of how she got to the point of her imprisonment. So much information was gleaned from the encrypted letters that she sent to, and received from, her supporters. When they were decrypted, after their discovery in a French archive, they answered a lot of questions.
Jade Scott uses this information to paint a really interesting picture of Mary’s captivity, and just how involved she was in the various plots to release her and put her on the English throne. I mean, who can blame her?! She was imprisoned in some awful places - regardless of the fact that she was in castles or stately homes.
I rather enjoyed the little fictional chapter headers. They made it feel more personal, and ideal for people like me who don’t always enjoy dry, academic historical writing. This is absolutely not that - I whizzed through this book, thoroughly enjoying it.
So, if you enjoy history and want to find out more about Mary, Queen of Scots, you may well enjoy this too.
Captive Queen explains a lot of Mary’s life and also tells of how she got to the point of her imprisonment. So much information was gleaned from the encrypted letters that she sent to, and received from, her supporters. When they were decrypted, after their discovery in a French archive, they answered a lot of questions.
Jade Scott uses this information to paint a really interesting picture of Mary’s captivity, and just how involved she was in the various plots to release her and put her on the English throne. I mean, who can blame her?! She was imprisoned in some awful places - regardless of the fact that she was in castles or stately homes.
I rather enjoyed the little fictional chapter headers. They made it feel more personal, and ideal for people like me who don’t always enjoy dry, academic historical writing. This is absolutely not that - I whizzed through this book, thoroughly enjoying it.
So, if you enjoy history and want to find out more about Mary, Queen of Scots, you may well enjoy this too.
Merissa (13123 KP) rated My Swan Prince in Books
Apr 1, 2025
MY SWAN PRINCE is a retelling of The Six Swans where one of the main characters (Max) is a descendant of the original swans and hates the story. The other MC (Lourde) is part of the witch's line, being brought up to know his destiny is to kill the last swan and rid the world of their influence.
Max is very wealthy but works hard. His only friend is his bodyguard, Fizz. He does a lot of work for charity and ends up getting roped into storytime at a library. That would be okay except he has to read The Six Swans. Lourde goes to Chicago from London, determined to find and kill the last swan shifter. These two have a history and bond that neither are aware of at first. The story unravels a complicated history and motives.
This is a fast-paced story with a lot of backstory/history to understand. I'll be honest, I didn't get it all as I kept having to go back and figure out just who was which name. Although Max and Lourde were protective over each other, I didn't feel much of a connection between them other than what I was told had happened.
It was a good retelling of an underrated Brothers Grimm story.
** 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 1, 2025
Max is very wealthy but works hard. His only friend is his bodyguard, Fizz. He does a lot of work for charity and ends up getting roped into storytime at a library. That would be okay except he has to read The Six Swans. Lourde goes to Chicago from London, determined to find and kill the last swan shifter. These two have a history and bond that neither are aware of at first. The story unravels a complicated history and motives.
This is a fast-paced story with a lot of backstory/history to understand. I'll be honest, I didn't get it all as I kept having to go back and figure out just who was which name. Although Max and Lourde were protective over each other, I didn't feel much of a connection between them other than what I was told had happened.
It was a good retelling of an underrated Brothers Grimm story.
** 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 1, 2025
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Great Expectations in Books
Oct 10, 2017 (Updated Oct 11, 2017)
Not as classic as some of Dickens' other tales
As much as I love Dickens' left-wing plots, his novels are depressing, and this is no different.
From orphans, to children living in danger, protagonist Pip falls in love with a young girl named Estella while visiting the home of the wealthy dowager Miss Havisham. Pip attempts to win her love by attempting to become a gentleman, but instead is made a common labourer in the Havisham household. After many trials and tribulations, he returns to the house and to Estella.
There are a lot of deaths, and it is a melancholic novel. However, I do prefer some of his other works because I find the unrequited love story rather tedious.
From orphans, to children living in danger, protagonist Pip falls in love with a young girl named Estella while visiting the home of the wealthy dowager Miss Havisham. Pip attempts to win her love by attempting to become a gentleman, but instead is made a common labourer in the Havisham household. After many trials and tribulations, he returns to the house and to Estella.
There are a lot of deaths, and it is a melancholic novel. However, I do prefer some of his other works because I find the unrequited love story rather tedious.
You have to stick with it
Red Nexus is a magnificent book, but it did take me a while to read it as I kept putting it off again and again. Sammy and Andrei were my favourite characters from the beginning, right until the end. When Wen's heart broke, mine followed right after. Joe always surprised me. The way technology was used in this book really made me think about it some more. Is this where we are headed? Could this be our future? It actually caused me to ask a lot of questions. The last couple of chapters made me feel like getting up and doing something more with my life. It made me empowered. When they cheered, I cheered.
Kieran Harvey (51 KP) rated The Guest (2014) in Movies
Jul 18, 2017
Great story (7 more)
Thriller aspects are amazing
Creepy in a good way
Dan Stevens is fantastic
Directing is great
Action is very good
Supporting cast great as well
Soundtrack
Awesome movie
The guest is an extremely underrated movie in my opinion because it delivers everything you want from a thriller/horror and then more added on. It's a really great movie with a lot of mystery going on and throughout the movie more is learned in a clever way, it is a very clever and well made movie with nothing really wrong with it.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about it and think that most people will too but it just needs more recognition from everyone so go and watch it !
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about it and think that most people will too but it just needs more recognition from everyone so go and watch it !
Kym Penny (24 KP) rated The Last Hour of Gann in Books
Jul 22, 2017
Realistic characters and character development (2 more)
Unique and fearless writing
Addictive
Keep your mind open and you'll question everything.
This book was my introduction to this author and this story made me believe that there are still authors out there that can do whatever the hell they want without sacrificing a story for shock value. This story has plenty of shock. This book tends to get classified into genres that it doesn't quite fit. It sort of needs it's own. I recommend this book to any adult that like a little (a lot of) naughty darkness in their cup of tea. I would not recommend this to anyone with sensitivities to sex, religion, horror and abuse.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated The House on Cold Hill in Books
Jul 25, 2017
Actually creepy, had to switch on lights
It takes a lot to usually scare me, but I am rather impressed by Peter James' first venture into the spine-chilling horror genre. There were actual moments where I had to turn on lights and look over my shoulder.
There are several moments in particular that makes your heart leap as the suspense builds, one near the beginning with Jade and her friend on Facetime, two near Chapter 42 and the vicar, and three with a scene containing a sledgehammer.
And while I feel there is little resolve, not really understanding what happened to the male protagonist in the end, it's helpful to remember all classic horrors end with a sense of unease.
There are several moments in particular that makes your heart leap as the suspense builds, one near the beginning with Jade and her friend on Facetime, two near Chapter 42 and the vicar, and three with a scene containing a sledgehammer.
And while I feel there is little resolve, not really understanding what happened to the male protagonist in the end, it's helpful to remember all classic horrors end with a sense of unease.