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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Dirty Game (Annie Carter #1) in Books
Oct 27, 2021
178 of 250
Book
Dirty Game (Annie Carter book 1)
By Jessie Keane
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Adultery, murder and dangerous love collide in Jessie Keane's gritty debut novel. For longer than she cares to remember Annie Bailey has lived in the shadow of her older sister Ruthie. Now Ruthie has her hands on Max Carter, the much feared head of the Carter family and a top class villain. Seducing Max wasn't a problem, but the guilt, shame and anger of rejection afterwards was. Thrown onto the streets Annie finds herself living with Celia, a wayward aunt with a shocking secret. As the months pass Annie's resourceful nature sees her mature and carve out a life for herself, albeit not legal. But if you play with fire, you can expect to get burned and her lavish new lifestyle and connections may be about to come crashing down around her. Annie has unwittingly placed herself between two rival gangs and upset too many people, and these kind of people don't forget. But as everyone knows, Annie Bailey is no ordinary woman.
Growing up I was always fascinated with London gangs especially the Krays so this was right up my street. Jessie writes brilliantly about a hard ,fast paced and violent lifestyle. I love Annie’s journey in this book and can’t wait to read more. It’s brilliantly written and so similar to Martina Cole (I’m not sure who came first I just found Martina first!) the whole work surrounding these characters is violent and intricate, what I love in this one is the slight twist at the end! Highly recommend to those who love this style of writing.
Book
Dirty Game (Annie Carter book 1)
By Jessie Keane
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Adultery, murder and dangerous love collide in Jessie Keane's gritty debut novel. For longer than she cares to remember Annie Bailey has lived in the shadow of her older sister Ruthie. Now Ruthie has her hands on Max Carter, the much feared head of the Carter family and a top class villain. Seducing Max wasn't a problem, but the guilt, shame and anger of rejection afterwards was. Thrown onto the streets Annie finds herself living with Celia, a wayward aunt with a shocking secret. As the months pass Annie's resourceful nature sees her mature and carve out a life for herself, albeit not legal. But if you play with fire, you can expect to get burned and her lavish new lifestyle and connections may be about to come crashing down around her. Annie has unwittingly placed herself between two rival gangs and upset too many people, and these kind of people don't forget. But as everyone knows, Annie Bailey is no ordinary woman.
Growing up I was always fascinated with London gangs especially the Krays so this was right up my street. Jessie writes brilliantly about a hard ,fast paced and violent lifestyle. I love Annie’s journey in this book and can’t wait to read more. It’s brilliantly written and so similar to Martina Cole (I’m not sure who came first I just found Martina first!) the whole work surrounding these characters is violent and intricate, what I love in this one is the slight twist at the end! Highly recommend to those who love this style of writing.
Of Lilies and Lies (Stirling Harbor #1)
10.0
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Book
When the past refuses to stay buried, can I trust him enough to protect me? Kit After my...
Contemporary Romance Suspense
In Deeper Water: Part Two (Aria & the Seven Seas, #2)
10.0
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Book
With a new gift burning under my skin, our rag-tag delegation has entered deeper waters. In the...
Multi Partner Paranormal Romance
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Smith's Corner: Delilah & Dallas (The Heartwood Series #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)
SMITH'S CORNER: DELILAH & DALLAS is the first book in the Heartwood series. Delilah is young but with a mature head on her shoulders. She knows what she wants to do and isn't afraid to work hard to get it. Dallas is older and has played the field, but when Delilah arrives on the scene, his playboy days are over, his eyes and heart are now Delilah's if only he can convince her to take a chance on him.
This was a great story that took the unusual turn of knowing who the stalker was but waiting for him to be caught. I loved that as it didn't detract from the main story, but also kept you on your toes for the next time he would turn up.
There were a couple of minor issues that I didn't understand, but that in no way detracted from the story. It's definitely a case of it's me, not the story! I loved all the brothers and hope we get all of them. Layla and Levi are up next, but I have high hopes for Ash and Alora, Stone and Storm, Holden and Harper, but no idea yet about Fox, and I really REALLY want his story. Of course, these may not be the official couples, but are the ones I have in my head!
With a smooth pace throughout, this story definitely kept my attention. With some steamy moments, along with banter between the brothers, the pages turned themselves.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue the series.
** 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 17, 2021
This was a great story that took the unusual turn of knowing who the stalker was but waiting for him to be caught. I loved that as it didn't detract from the main story, but also kept you on your toes for the next time he would turn up.
There were a couple of minor issues that I didn't understand, but that in no way detracted from the story. It's definitely a case of it's me, not the story! I loved all the brothers and hope we get all of them. Layla and Levi are up next, but I have high hopes for Ash and Alora, Stone and Storm, Holden and Harper, but no idea yet about Fox, and I really REALLY want his story. Of course, these may not be the official couples, but are the ones I have in my head!
With a smooth pace throughout, this story definitely kept my attention. With some steamy moments, along with banter between the brothers, the pages turned themselves.
Absolutely recommended by me, and I can't wait to continue the series.
** 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 17, 2021
Centaur Rift (Warrior Hearts Academy #1)
8.0
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I thought I understood the way the world worked. Family was something other people had. Trust was...
Fantasy Romance
Shadow Fall (Shadow #2)
8.0
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Book
Dark magic, danger, and romance entwine when a hunter from the fae shadowlands crosses into the...
Urban Fantasy Romance Suspense
Sign Off, a murder mystery by Patricia McLinn, is a marvelous book about a woman named Elizabeth who works for a news station when a little girl asks her to look into a murder case that has been unsolved. At first Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she could solve it, but as she looks at the news from the case, she finds herself curious about all parties involved and begins asking questions. Along the way, she start to find herself after having had a rough past that left her in a small town, as well as finding someone who might be interested in her. With her small team of colleagues, they all work to try to solve the case and find out what really happened.
At first, I was worried the book would leave out details about the main character that could help fill in her background, but upon reading further I was pleasantly surprised with hoe they would tie in the information that was left out in the beginning, using the case to help introduce the said information. I enjoy the suspense and the way the book was written so that you were trying to solve the murder mystery alongside Elizabeth and Mike. The details McLinn used to describe different scenes and things in the book was chilling to think about. Even though it would be accurate in the way she was suing them, it still makes me shiver at the thought of such descriptions used.
I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities which made you want to suspect someone over another person and even take notes mentally in hopes to figure it out before the murderer was revealed. Though, your thoughts may be wrong. I also enjoyed the underlying tone of romance in the brewing. It made it so that it was realistic and made it able to give reasons for Mike to want to spend time with Elizabeth other than helping solve the case. I would have loved to see that develop more, but was pleasantly surprised with everything that was said about such a development between the characters and seeing them be mature about it.
Though they were mature about most things, it was clear not everything earned such merit. While the characters seemed to be able to handle themselves, you couldn’t help but wonder why in some instances where they so brave and in others seemed slightly cowardly or lost for words. There were also a few things that had confused me on the approach the characters took to certain problems but wasn’t like confused in the way that left you unhappy, but more like “why would they do that instead of this”? While I believe even though the characters made some slight error in my own opinion of what should be done, I found that these small errors made the story feel more well-rounded, unlike some story-lines that can make their characters seem like a god in their area of expertise. I quite enjoyed the reality feel for this murder mystery.
Sign Off was a real page turned that kept me wanting more, and even though it is book one of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series, I will have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it could easily stand alone. I will be looking forward to the rest of the series, as there are currently seven books in total. Patricia McLinn has given us a fabulous product that can satisfy just about any need you may have. It you want action, mystery, suspense, and a tad bit of romance mixed in with some comedy, this is a book for you. I would rate this book 4 star out of 4 stars. It was just a truly amazing tale that kept me wanting more.
At first, I was worried the book would leave out details about the main character that could help fill in her background, but upon reading further I was pleasantly surprised with hoe they would tie in the information that was left out in the beginning, using the case to help introduce the said information. I enjoy the suspense and the way the book was written so that you were trying to solve the murder mystery alongside Elizabeth and Mike. The details McLinn used to describe different scenes and things in the book was chilling to think about. Even though it would be accurate in the way she was suing them, it still makes me shiver at the thought of such descriptions used.
I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities which made you want to suspect someone over another person and even take notes mentally in hopes to figure it out before the murderer was revealed. Though, your thoughts may be wrong. I also enjoyed the underlying tone of romance in the brewing. It made it so that it was realistic and made it able to give reasons for Mike to want to spend time with Elizabeth other than helping solve the case. I would have loved to see that develop more, but was pleasantly surprised with everything that was said about such a development between the characters and seeing them be mature about it.
Though they were mature about most things, it was clear not everything earned such merit. While the characters seemed to be able to handle themselves, you couldn’t help but wonder why in some instances where they so brave and in others seemed slightly cowardly or lost for words. There were also a few things that had confused me on the approach the characters took to certain problems but wasn’t like confused in the way that left you unhappy, but more like “why would they do that instead of this”? While I believe even though the characters made some slight error in my own opinion of what should be done, I found that these small errors made the story feel more well-rounded, unlike some story-lines that can make their characters seem like a god in their area of expertise. I quite enjoyed the reality feel for this murder mystery.
Sign Off was a real page turned that kept me wanting more, and even though it is book one of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series, I will have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it could easily stand alone. I will be looking forward to the rest of the series, as there are currently seven books in total. Patricia McLinn has given us a fabulous product that can satisfy just about any need you may have. It you want action, mystery, suspense, and a tad bit of romance mixed in with some comedy, this is a book for you. I would rate this book 4 star out of 4 stars. It was just a truly amazing tale that kept me wanting more.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Power Rangers (2017) in Movies
Jul 12, 2019
When I first heard that The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers would be getting a film adaptation, I was a bit apprehensive. Hollywood has had a bit of trouble converting many of the themes and issues brought up in a variety of shows into films that stay loyal to their respective franchises.
Fans on social media have often expressed their dissatisfaction with films not staying true to the origin stories or their inabil;ity to retain much of the character and charm that endeared them to their fans. Power Rangers does not suffer from this dilemma. As someone who watched the series as it first hit American markets in the 1990s, I was unsure of how this story would transfer onto the big screen.
It wasn’t something that I was too personally invested in. It was a series in which I considered myself to be a casual fan understanding the background, characters, and general direction of the show. I wasn’t prepared for what the film version offered.
This adaptation is near perfect in the way that it is able to create a modern, mature version that incorporates many aspects into weaving their story.
The basics of the film are roughly the same as the show: it is based in Angel Grove, there are five teenagers serving the role of rangers whose goal is to save the world, and all the complexities that come with being a superhero who has a “real life.”
One of the more remarkable issues related to the film is how the writers and director are able to be inclusive with their characters without being condescending to their audiences old and new. We get a glimpse of a team that is more colorful and diverse. Where the original crew showed a group of youths of different races, the film version does not stop with race as demonstrating the variety that exists within our world. The film allows for the inclusion of people on the autism spectrum, as well as, allowing for the inclusion of the LGBT community. The film shows audiences that there are people just like them or people that they know in the superhero realm. It is not limited by race, gender, sexual orientation, or cognitive development.
Power Rangers itself is a fun movie with depth. As the film continued, I tried to look for areas to pick it apart and find those pieces that really detracted from the story. The film has its faults in a simply developing storyline, but that goes with the franchise. It isn’t supposed to be complex or overbearing. The humor ranges from sophomoric to sophisticated. The film is accessible to those who are new to the franchise and those who have been watching since its inception. Additionally, it is a superhero movie it is not insulting to its audience. It demonstrates the difficulties that exist with teen life, presents real problems that they have to deal with in contrast to the fantasy that they are living out as part of this team.
The film is beautifully shot and the CGI is nearly seamless (the film is not overly reliant on it, either). The fighting and action sequences are as much a part of the story as the characters themselves. Power Rangers allows for audiences to be entertained visually and comedically. Additionally, it allows for those of us who have not watched or followed the Power Rangers in a while to be a bit nostalgic and look back to when we ourselves could not get home quickly enough for “Morphin’ Time.” The film is updated, mature, and will have fans young and old beaming with delight.
Fans on social media have often expressed their dissatisfaction with films not staying true to the origin stories or their inabil;ity to retain much of the character and charm that endeared them to their fans. Power Rangers does not suffer from this dilemma. As someone who watched the series as it first hit American markets in the 1990s, I was unsure of how this story would transfer onto the big screen.
It wasn’t something that I was too personally invested in. It was a series in which I considered myself to be a casual fan understanding the background, characters, and general direction of the show. I wasn’t prepared for what the film version offered.
This adaptation is near perfect in the way that it is able to create a modern, mature version that incorporates many aspects into weaving their story.
The basics of the film are roughly the same as the show: it is based in Angel Grove, there are five teenagers serving the role of rangers whose goal is to save the world, and all the complexities that come with being a superhero who has a “real life.”
One of the more remarkable issues related to the film is how the writers and director are able to be inclusive with their characters without being condescending to their audiences old and new. We get a glimpse of a team that is more colorful and diverse. Where the original crew showed a group of youths of different races, the film version does not stop with race as demonstrating the variety that exists within our world. The film allows for the inclusion of people on the autism spectrum, as well as, allowing for the inclusion of the LGBT community. The film shows audiences that there are people just like them or people that they know in the superhero realm. It is not limited by race, gender, sexual orientation, or cognitive development.
Power Rangers itself is a fun movie with depth. As the film continued, I tried to look for areas to pick it apart and find those pieces that really detracted from the story. The film has its faults in a simply developing storyline, but that goes with the franchise. It isn’t supposed to be complex or overbearing. The humor ranges from sophomoric to sophisticated. The film is accessible to those who are new to the franchise and those who have been watching since its inception. Additionally, it is a superhero movie it is not insulting to its audience. It demonstrates the difficulties that exist with teen life, presents real problems that they have to deal with in contrast to the fantasy that they are living out as part of this team.
The film is beautifully shot and the CGI is nearly seamless (the film is not overly reliant on it, either). The fighting and action sequences are as much a part of the story as the characters themselves. Power Rangers allows for audiences to be entertained visually and comedically. Additionally, it allows for those of us who have not watched or followed the Power Rangers in a while to be a bit nostalgic and look back to when we ourselves could not get home quickly enough for “Morphin’ Time.” The film is updated, mature, and will have fans young and old beaming with delight.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Stranger Things - Season 2 in TV
Nov 17, 2017
A great series following on from the ground-breaking first. Extra characters are revealed and the current characters are explored in more detail as they grow and mature. The addition of Paul Reiser and Sean Astin was simply inspired, somehow managing to conjure up memories of Aliens, The Goonies, LoTR and ... erm ... My Two Dads.
There are the usual geeky references here and there (the boys dressed as ghostbusters and awkwardly discussing why Lucas should be Winston; Eleven wanting to wear the same Halloween costume as ET etc etc).
The action was a little slow to get going in the first few episodes, but it was still enjoyable viewing all the same, getting the chance to see the boys in action without the fear or tension from the events of the first series.
I feel a bit sorry for the actor playing Will - he is a bit like Doug from The Hangover - barely there and when he is there he is quite weedy and annoying.
For me Hopper was the star of the series showing his paternal side with Eleven while still being the strong leader/father figure that some of the boys don't have.
The only slight negative I had was the timeline of the DemaDog's growth - it seemed to take almost a year for the slug that Will coughed up to grow to the size of a frog and then from there it became dog-sized in a matter of days. Unless these were separate creatures and I have mistaken this but, a la Prometheus, this wasn't all that well explained. It could just be the incredible nutritious qualities of nougat.
All in all another excellent series and a taste of more to come, possibly with Max's brother (a dead-ringer for Jason Patric in The Lost Boys) and Dustin (with his Corey Haim hair at the Snow Ball) teaming up to battle vampires.
There are the usual geeky references here and there (the boys dressed as ghostbusters and awkwardly discussing why Lucas should be Winston; Eleven wanting to wear the same Halloween costume as ET etc etc).
The action was a little slow to get going in the first few episodes, but it was still enjoyable viewing all the same, getting the chance to see the boys in action without the fear or tension from the events of the first series.
I feel a bit sorry for the actor playing Will - he is a bit like Doug from The Hangover - barely there and when he is there he is quite weedy and annoying.
For me Hopper was the star of the series showing his paternal side with Eleven while still being the strong leader/father figure that some of the boys don't have.
The only slight negative I had was the timeline of the DemaDog's growth - it seemed to take almost a year for the slug that Will coughed up to grow to the size of a frog and then from there it became dog-sized in a matter of days. Unless these were separate creatures and I have mistaken this but, a la Prometheus, this wasn't all that well explained. It could just be the incredible nutritious qualities of nougat.
All in all another excellent series and a taste of more to come, possibly with Max's brother (a dead-ringer for Jason Patric in The Lost Boys) and Dustin (with his Corey Haim hair at the Snow Ball) teaming up to battle vampires.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Ninth City Burning in Books
May 16, 2018
J. Patrick Black’s debut novel, Ninth City Burning, is an incredibly intense ride alongside humanity’s bid for survival against an alien race seeking Earth’s destruction. Complete with a wide cast of unique characters with their own voices, this novel has earned its place among my favorites.
More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)
For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.
Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.
Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)
For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.
Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.
Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.