Search

Search only in certain items:

Oh man I love me some historical erotica. Something about it makes the sex especially delicious. And make no mistake, this book is HIGHLY erotic. If you don’t like that than you should look elsewhere. It’s not fair to give the book a low rating for being explicit when it is plain and clear in the descriptions just how erotic it is going to be. If sex isn’t your things, that’s fine. But don’t shame being who do enjoy it, however gratuitous it is.

Don’t be fooled though. As insignificant as it is, there is a plot. Enough to keep it the story moving between the erotic scenes. There is also some depth to the characters although it is not anything original as far as historical romances go. There is the hero with a troubled past the woman so deep in love with him, she couldn’t fall for anyone else.

Overall, the plot and characters weren’t spectacular, just interesting enough to keep me invested the HEA.
  
All the Crooked Saints
All the Crooked Saints
Maggie Stiefvater | 2017 | Paranormal, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
7.8 (12 Ratings)
Book Rating
Life changing reflection (0 more)
Slow to gain momentum (0 more)
Slow to suck you in, but then seriously moving
This book was so hard for me to get into. I restarted it four times - I'm confident that was a result of my self inflicted expectations.

The Crooked Saints are not the traditional fictional characters we have grown to expect from Maggie - they are instead a reflection, a little bit from each of us. They are the struggles that we each experience, and for some of us the self-actualization that helps us move successfully through life.

I thought that once I brought it home, I'd read this book in just a few hours. I was so excited by this prospect, that the fiction of my assumption actually shocked me. I was somewhat disappointed in myself for my delay, but as I went on to learn - some miracles take longer than others.

I love this book. I will place it with my favorites and go back whenever I need a reminder about the type of person I'd like to be.
  
Xia: Legends of a Drift System
Xia: Legends of a Drift System
2014 | Adventure, Exploration, Fighting, Miniatures, Science Fiction
So Much Sand in Space
A board game billing itself as a ‘sandbox’ is always going to be a little bit clunky, and Xia Legends of a Drift System is no exception. There are plenty of different systems for new players to learn and you will have to be patient when teaching the game. Xia Legend sof a Drift System isn’t particularly heavy, but there are many moving parts. A smarter person than me might have been able to figure out a way of sanding down Xia’s rough edges to make a more elegant experience, but I can’t honestly recommend better ways to implement its systems.

Ultimately, Xia’s dice rolling and the inherent meanness of blowing up your rivals and disrupting their turns, will be deal breakers for some. But if you invite people into your sandbox that won’t take themselves too seriously, there are plenty of toys to go around. I highly recommend you pick up Xia Legends of a Drift System.

Original Score: 4.4/5
Reviewer: John Severn
Read the full review here: https://www.gamesquest.co.uk/blog/xialegendsofadriftsystem/
  
Maxine “Max” O’Hara is only a month away from opening her new brewpub in Pittsburg. Unfortunately, she is having very bad luck with things that keep going wrong. Her friend Kurt, who is supposed to be in charge of the kitchen, thinks it is sabotage. After he calls Max one night, she arrives to find him dead in the brewery. Was he right? Can Max find the killer before her new business tanks?

While the book started with a bang, it then slowed down a bit to set up the series before fully getting into the mystery. By the time we reached the end, things were moving quickly and I couldn’t put it down before the great ending. The characters are charming and leap off the page. I’m already looking forward to visiting them again.

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-to-brew-or-not-to-brew-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Stan has been summoned to Rhode Island to work with a group of master chefs. Sheldon Allyn is hoping to put together an impressive dinner that will convince investors who give his business money, and if he succeeds, Stan will get the money to expand her gourmet pet food business. When Stan and the others arrive at their secret location, they find out of the chefs beat them there only to be murdered. As the weekend begins to fall apart, can Stan figure things out?

Since this book takes place in Rhode Island instead of Stan’s usual local, many of the series regulars only get cameos. That was my only complaint with this great book. The new characters are lots of fun, and even the brief time we spend with the series regulars seems some growth in them. The mystery is very strong with lots of moving pieces. I didn’t have it all put together until the end myself.


Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-murder-most-finicky-by-liz.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1)
A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1)
Daryl Wood Gerber | 2017 | Mystery
10
8.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mimi Rousseau is preparing for a celebrity wedding at her bistro and inn, but before things can really get underway, her mentor and financial supporter is found dead on the premises. With him gone, Mimi is under no obligation to repay the funds he had lent her to get her business started, so that makes her look mighty suspicious in the eyes of the law. Afraid that she’ll lose both her business and her freedom, Mimi decides to get to the bottom of things.

Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames) is one of my favorite cozy authors, so I jumped at the chance to read the first book in her new mystery series. I was not disappointed. Good food, great friends, and plenty of intrigue keep this story moving along. It’s a well-plotted mystery with lots of delicious sounding recipes included at the end. Culinary cozy fans will not want to miss this one.

<i>NOTE: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book.</i>
  
40x40

Britt Smith (36 KP) rated Dredd (2012) in Movies

Mar 12, 2018 (Updated Mar 12, 2018)  
Dredd (2012)
Dredd (2012)
2012 | Action, Sci-Fi
Pure action (2 more)
True to the comic
MaMa
Yeah.
What's not to love here? A fan of the comic, I had the chance to see the movie in 3D and it is one of the best cinema experiences ever (and the best action to date). Carl Urban does absolute justice to the character, and the movie itself does Mega-City 1 right. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor.

Also, favorite female villain of all time goes to Ma-Ma. Best put by Lena Headey when she said "I think of her like an old great white shark who is just waiting for someone bigger and stronger to show up and kill her. She's ready for it. In fact, she can't wait for it to happen. And yet no one can get the job done. She's an addict, so she's dead in that way, but that last knock just hasn't come. This big, fat, scarred shark moving through the sea and everyone flees and she's like, 'Will someone just have the balls to do it? Please?'"
  
40x40

Gail (4 KP) rated Seventeen Days in Books

Jun 4, 2018  
SD
Seventeen Days
D.B. James | 2016
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Seventeen days to fall in love. To give your everything to one person and hope for forever. Morgan is spoiled but not in the traditional way. Her mother wants nothing to do with her. She just wants her to stay out the light and press. She has no father either. So after a trip to Paris where she ends up in jail. She has been sent to live with her aunt.
Harrison is pretty awesome. Morgan has been through so much and yet she keeps moving. Nothing prepared her for Harrison and definitely wasn’t ready for his love or the consequences of that love. Harrison has overcome hardships and is a great catch for any girl. The love is instant and some what believable but I enjoyed it anyway.
This is a great book for an debut. I was amazed at home put together it was. No grammatical errors that I noticed. The plot and character growth were great. I can’t wait to see what she has in story for us next.
  
Ash vs Evil Dead  - Season 1
Ash vs Evil Dead - Season 1
2015 | Action, Comedy, Horror
Brings new life to the franchise (0 more)
I have never enjoyed horror films so when a friend convinced me to watch Ash vs Evil Dead, a continuation of a classic horror film reviving both tha characters and their actors into a new chapter of the Evil Dead story, I was expecting to enjoy it. I went into the show with minimal knowledge other than the fact that it was horror based and the film remake they had done a few years back. Surprisingly one episode turned into two and he next thing I know I had finished the entire first season. I also enjoyed that he show took the time to show flashbacks to the originals films so that viewers who haven’t see them could still know the history of the series before the show while also moving forward and past that history. In fact I plan to watch the original films now and I look forward to the continuation of the television series as well. I seriously recommend everyone to give the film a chance.
  
Pretty Ugly Lies
Pretty Ugly Lies
Pamela Crane | 2018 | Thriller
10
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A moving, incredible book for every woman who has ever felt a moment of unappreciation, exhaustion or of just never being enough. Not for the weak of heart, we get a glimpse into the lives on Oleander Way... Following four different women throughout each of their own daily private struggles to be a wife and mother, providing for their families while getting so little in return - all while upholding the image they have created about their perfect lives. Jo, Ellie, Shayla, and June, each dealing with their own private turmoil, never finding a moments peace or an outlet for the growing pain inside them.

I can't imagine there isn't a woman or mother alive who could not connect with this story on some personal level. We get a glimpse into four not-so-perfect lives and witness the heartbreak of a woman finally losing it. Incredibly painful yet such a beautiful story, I was brought to tears at not only the struggle and loss but of the strength of those who held on and found the good in their lives.