Search
Search results
What it’s about:
Sisters is about July and September, born 10 months apart and as close as twins. They’ve only ever needed each other. But when school bullying results in them moving away with their mother to an abandoned house on the Yorkshire coast, their relationship starts to fracture. And as they push one another to do increasingly daring things, July starts to realise that something isn’t quite right.
My thoughts:
I love a quirky read, and Sisters is exactly that. I was never quite sure what July and September were going to do next, and their demands of each other were at times really dangerous. They are very insular and don’t seems to want anyone else involved in their relationship - even their mother. Even the house they live in is unfriendly, set in a hostile environment.
This isn’t a scary book at all, but it’s packed with suspense and there’s a really uncomfortable, disorientating atmosphere.
I loved it.
Sisters is about July and September, born 10 months apart and as close as twins. They’ve only ever needed each other. But when school bullying results in them moving away with their mother to an abandoned house on the Yorkshire coast, their relationship starts to fracture. And as they push one another to do increasingly daring things, July starts to realise that something isn’t quite right.
My thoughts:
I love a quirky read, and Sisters is exactly that. I was never quite sure what July and September were going to do next, and their demands of each other were at times really dangerous. They are very insular and don’t seems to want anyone else involved in their relationship - even their mother. Even the house they live in is unfriendly, set in a hostile environment.
This isn’t a scary book at all, but it’s packed with suspense and there’s a really uncomfortable, disorientating atmosphere.
I loved it.
ClareR (5996 KP) rated Small Worlds in Books
Sep 20, 2023
Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson is an intensely emotional coming of age story, of a Ghanaian Londoner called Stephen.
As a young black man, Stephen feels safety in his small worlds: music, family and friends. And then there is outside those worlds where Stephen feels less safe: places in London where there is brutality or unrest, and University, which is where he really doesn’t want to be, as it’s so far from his friends and family - and his world.
Stephen needs these constants in his life, and when it’s taken away, he’s lost.
Stephen goes to Ghana to see the people and places of his parents youth, and it’s here that he finds some connection with those he loves. When he goes home, he’s able to come to terms with those people he has lost and rebuild relationships.
This was a really moving novel that made me really think about the challenges of culture, family, race and policing in London (in particular).
Recommended.
As a young black man, Stephen feels safety in his small worlds: music, family and friends. And then there is outside those worlds where Stephen feels less safe: places in London where there is brutality or unrest, and University, which is where he really doesn’t want to be, as it’s so far from his friends and family - and his world.
Stephen needs these constants in his life, and when it’s taken away, he’s lost.
Stephen goes to Ghana to see the people and places of his parents youth, and it’s here that he finds some connection with those he loves. When he goes home, he’s able to come to terms with those people he has lost and rebuild relationships.
This was a really moving novel that made me really think about the challenges of culture, family, race and policing in London (in particular).
Recommended.
Where the Guilty Hide
10.0
Rate It
Book
On the shore of Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, a body lays half hidden, the waves slowly moving it with...
The Illusions
9.0
Rate It
Book
Bristol, 1896. Used to scraping a living as the young assistant to an ageing con artist, Cecily...
Historical fiction
Merissa (13378 KP) rated Guardian Core (Sky Stone #2) in Books
May 20, 2023
The second book in the series takes us back to the world of the Sky Guardians, with Skyla and Aaron. This is once again a book filled with action and emotion, with characters that jump out at you whether you like them (James) or not (May). May is an essential part of this story, but I just couldn't warm to her. James, on the other hand, has an integral role but I liked his character straight away.
With kidnap, heartbreak, a residence for the Sky Guardians, plus lots more, this book is filled from start to finish. With the story moving along at a fair pace, it builds to the climax and ends with a positive. It isn't all simple though, and Skyla has her work cut out for her.
A wonderful young adult fantasy to read and enjoy, definitely recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 29, 2016
With kidnap, heartbreak, a residence for the Sky Guardians, plus lots more, this book is filled from start to finish. With the story moving along at a fair pace, it builds to the climax and ends with a positive. It isn't all simple though, and Skyla has her work cut out for her.
A wonderful young adult fantasy to read and enjoy, definitely recommended.
* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 29, 2016
Back Together Again (The Wish Makers #5)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Everyone wants a home. Will Ainsley ever get one? A best friend, a boyfriend, and a coveted spot...
Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Infinity Chronicles: Book 2 in Books
Mar 2, 2024
41 of 220
Kindle
Infinity Chronicles:Book 2
By Albany Walker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m learning to accept that my entire life has been a lie, and that with my mother’s disappearance there are mysteries I may never uncover. Not to mention, my abilities are manifesting and I’m just beginning to understand what being part of an Infinity really means.
As my relationship with each guy grows, so does the Infinity bond between us. Living with four moody guys—who give me butterflies with a simple look—can be slightly overwhelming. Still, I need answers, and moving forward is the only way to get them.
But there is a problem—each revelation provokes new questions, and secrets I may not be ready for are rising to the surface.
I found myself enjoying this a lot more than the first book. We had a lot more interest and a bit more story development. The characters were rounding out and coming into their own.
Kindle
Infinity Chronicles:Book 2
By Albany Walker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m learning to accept that my entire life has been a lie, and that with my mother’s disappearance there are mysteries I may never uncover. Not to mention, my abilities are manifesting and I’m just beginning to understand what being part of an Infinity really means.
As my relationship with each guy grows, so does the Infinity bond between us. Living with four moody guys—who give me butterflies with a simple look—can be slightly overwhelming. Still, I need answers, and moving forward is the only way to get them.
But there is a problem—each revelation provokes new questions, and secrets I may not be ready for are rising to the surface.
I found myself enjoying this a lot more than the first book. We had a lot more interest and a bit more story development. The characters were rounding out and coming into their own.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Kilned at the Ceramic Shop in Books
Feb 18, 2025
Broken Debut
Tammy Wright is taking time this summer to help her Aunt Clara run her ceramics shop. But she’s only been in town a few hours before she learns about a real estate agent who is pressuring Clara to sell. A murder and a disappearance only up the stakes. Can Tammy figure out what is going on?
Yes, the ceramics is what caught my eye here, although that’s not the official hook for the series. It reminded me of the few months I did some with my grandma and how much she enjoyed that hobby for decades. But that was where the good ended for me. The writing was poor throughout the book. The pacing was off with events substituting for investigation. And the characters were weak, although I did like them. There was definitely promise here, but the book needed a good edit. Others seemed to enjoy this book more than I did, but I won’t be moving forward with this series.
Yes, the ceramics is what caught my eye here, although that’s not the official hook for the series. It reminded me of the few months I did some with my grandma and how much she enjoyed that hobby for decades. But that was where the good ended for me. The writing was poor throughout the book. The pacing was off with events substituting for investigation. And the characters were weak, although I did like them. There was definitely promise here, but the book needed a good edit. Others seemed to enjoy this book more than I did, but I won’t be moving forward with this series.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated A Murder Most Fowl in Books
Sep 10, 2025
This Debut Wasn’t Quite My Chicken Wing
Twins Beth and Seth Lloyd have inherited a food truck from their aunt, and Beth decides to increase their exposure by entering a reality competition. However, after the first day of filming, a fellow competitor, one that Beth has a history with, is found dead in his food truck. In order to clear her name, Beth starts poking around. Can she find the truth?
I was looking forward to this debut since it sounded fun. And the book started out well, with me laughing and the set up moving along well. But as the book kept going, I found events took the place of actual investigation. Many of the suspects were thin, and the main characters started to wear on me with their antics. The book wasn’t all bad, but it needed a little more time to become more polished. Hopefully, a second book will be better.
I was looking forward to this debut since it sounded fun. And the book started out well, with me laughing and the set up moving along well. But as the book kept going, I found events took the place of actual investigation. Many of the suspects were thin, and the main characters started to wear on me with their antics. The book wasn’t all bad, but it needed a little more time to become more polished. Hopefully, a second book will be better.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Frostbite in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I enjoyed this book nearly as much as the first one in the series, but I'm getting really frustrated with the lack of progress in Dimitri and Rose's forbidden romance. Instead, it seems to have taken a backseat to other plotlines, such as the turmoil between Rose and her mother and the political climate that Lissa is moving into. I find Rose's mother, Janine, intriguing in that she seems to be what Rose could become if Rose chooses duty over love. I sure wish that Janine would open up more since there seems to be a lot of great plot material there that was not exploited very much - Rose's black eye being a perfect example. The politics that Lissa is dealing with appear to be moving in the direction that I guessed might happen when I read the first book, which is an equalizing between the Moroi and Dhampir classes of their society, especially when it comes to dealing with the Strigoi.
Despite how Rose views Adrian, I actually rather like him. There is always something attractive about the flirty-jokester that entices women - afterall I don't know a woman who doesn't like to laugh. It's obvious that he really likes Rose and I find myself feeling sorry for him since Rose is definitely taken, even if not in the literal sense yet. Mason really ends up in the worst position, though, even if I don't include what happens to him in the end. Rose all but lies to him while he falls for her hard, all the while being the perfect gentlemen. In a way, Mason and Adrian are opposite in styles, and yet Rose is blind to both - not that I blame her, as she likes to say, "Dimitri is a badass." Why is it that female protagonists always seem to have hords of guys going after them? (Think - Twilight saga, Rachel Morgan series, Mercy Thompson series, House of Night series, etc.)
I wish that Rose's nazar could be explained a bit more, as there seems to be more to it than anyone is discussing. Adrian knows things that he is not spilling, and Janine sure is tight-lipped about most of her life, excluding what she does in the line of duty.
Despite how Rose views Adrian, I actually rather like him. There is always something attractive about the flirty-jokester that entices women - afterall I don't know a woman who doesn't like to laugh. It's obvious that he really likes Rose and I find myself feeling sorry for him since Rose is definitely taken, even if not in the literal sense yet. Mason really ends up in the worst position, though, even if I don't include what happens to him in the end. Rose all but lies to him while he falls for her hard, all the while being the perfect gentlemen. In a way, Mason and Adrian are opposite in styles, and yet Rose is blind to both - not that I blame her, as she likes to say, "Dimitri is a badass." Why is it that female protagonists always seem to have hords of guys going after them? (Think - Twilight saga, Rachel Morgan series, Mercy Thompson series, House of Night series, etc.)
I wish that Rose's nazar could be explained a bit more, as there seems to be more to it than anyone is discussing. Adrian knows things that he is not spilling, and Janine sure is tight-lipped about most of her life, excluding what she does in the line of duty.