Search
Search results
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated You and Me (Faith to Love, #7) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
You and Me by Cleopatra Margot is just that, a story about you and me. It is the everyday moments, the big life decisions, the family drama, and finding love for the first time. I enjoyed Cleopatra Margot’s writing style as it was down to earth and read like you were part of the family. From the decisions that Sam was faced with, the mysteries surrounding Braeden’s family, to some surprising revelations in Sam’s own family; Cleopatra Margot spun a heartwarmingly real and engaging story that kept me hooked from the very first chapter.
I enjoyed getting to know Sam and felt for her and the decisions that she had to make. Her character was very relatable, strong, and gentle all wrapped up in one complete package. Braeden fits his description to a T, Tall, Dark, and Yummy (first time I have heard it put like that, but it fits his character's sense of humor). He had quite a few obstacles to overcome and I loved how he treated Sam through everything, a true gentleman. With the additional side characters, I thought this book was very well rounded and I loved the layers added by the secondary characters.
“But despite the slight chill air this late in August held, there was a warmth inside her.”
The plot was filled with a good bit of mystery mixed with finding your place in the world and a friends to lovers’ type theme. One of my favorite things about this book was the characters continually pointed out that God must be the center of your life before anything else can really grow. I enjoyed this book, and I am going to be going back and reading the previous books in the series so I can read the other family member's stories. Readers who enjoy family centered books (like Susan May Warren or Dee Henderson’s books) will enjoy this one.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
I enjoyed getting to know Sam and felt for her and the decisions that she had to make. Her character was very relatable, strong, and gentle all wrapped up in one complete package. Braeden fits his description to a T, Tall, Dark, and Yummy (first time I have heard it put like that, but it fits his character's sense of humor). He had quite a few obstacles to overcome and I loved how he treated Sam through everything, a true gentleman. With the additional side characters, I thought this book was very well rounded and I loved the layers added by the secondary characters.
“But despite the slight chill air this late in August held, there was a warmth inside her.”
The plot was filled with a good bit of mystery mixed with finding your place in the world and a friends to lovers’ type theme. One of my favorite things about this book was the characters continually pointed out that God must be the center of your life before anything else can really grow. I enjoyed this book, and I am going to be going back and reading the previous books in the series so I can read the other family member's stories. Readers who enjoy family centered books (like Susan May Warren or Dee Henderson’s books) will enjoy this one.
*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Postscript Murders in Books
Mar 4, 2021
Witty mystery with lots of bookish references
When the elderly Peggy Smith passes away, her carer, Natalka, is convinced the death was suspicious. While helping clean out Peggy's flat, she finds a variety of books--all crime novels--dedicated to Peggy. Then a gunman breaks into Peggy's flat to steal only a book. DS Harbinder Kaur is not convinced at first about Peggy's death, but she cannot deny everything that begins to happen after Peggy's death. After another death occurs, DS Kaur is convinced writers are being targeted.
This is such a fun book. Not only is it an engaging mystery, it's truly a wonderfully bookish book for people who love reading, especially mysteries. This is Griffiths' second book featuring Harbinder Kaur, the Best Gay Sikh Detective in West Sussex--the "first out of a field of one," as she puts it. It's wonderful to have a crime series with a lesbian lead, especially one as intelligent and witty as Harbinder. She notices everything and offers some humorous insights into her life living with her parents and working with her rodent-like partner, Neil.
POSTSCRIPT is written in truly Elly Griffiths fashion. It's incredibly easy to read and everyone just embodies their characters so effortlessly. The supporting cast here is excellent: a former monk; Peggy's elderly neighbor; Natalka; and a host of folks spread across the writing community. The wonderful inside jokes and asides about writing, publishing, and books are so much fun.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. The mystery of what happened to Peggy and the subsequent sequence of events is interesting while the story and characters are witty and diverse. Elly Griffiths remains my go-to author. I highly recommend you read both Harbinder books, but this one does stand-alone.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in return for an unbiased review. The U.S. version releases 03/02/2021.
This is such a fun book. Not only is it an engaging mystery, it's truly a wonderfully bookish book for people who love reading, especially mysteries. This is Griffiths' second book featuring Harbinder Kaur, the Best Gay Sikh Detective in West Sussex--the "first out of a field of one," as she puts it. It's wonderful to have a crime series with a lesbian lead, especially one as intelligent and witty as Harbinder. She notices everything and offers some humorous insights into her life living with her parents and working with her rodent-like partner, Neil.
POSTSCRIPT is written in truly Elly Griffiths fashion. It's incredibly easy to read and everyone just embodies their characters so effortlessly. The supporting cast here is excellent: a former monk; Peggy's elderly neighbor; Natalka; and a host of folks spread across the writing community. The wonderful inside jokes and asides about writing, publishing, and books are so much fun.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. The mystery of what happened to Peggy and the subsequent sequence of events is interesting while the story and characters are witty and diverse. Elly Griffiths remains my go-to author. I highly recommend you read both Harbinder books, but this one does stand-alone.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in return for an unbiased review. The U.S. version releases 03/02/2021.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated The Girl in the Letter in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This novel is told from multiple perspectives, so there is no single protagonist in this novel. Sam is a journalist who finds a letter from Ivy, written in 1956, and she is trying to find out who Ivy was and is she related to her own family. Even though we learn about Ivy through her letters, the whole story kind of circles around her. I really liked all the characters chosen for this novel, I think they are well well developed and truly intriguing. I liked Sam, and her personality, but my most favourite one was Ivy. Her story is mesmerizing, and the way everything unfolds as you carry on reading left me unsettled.
The narrative of this novel is very creatively written, the plot keeps travelling between the present and the past, unravelling long forgotten secrets and mysteries. There is plenty of great turns and twists in this book, and I was kept on my toes page after page. There is plenty of great topics discussed in this book, such as mother-baby bond, couple relationships, family dramas, cruelty and abuse from church workers, revenge, and many more. I really loved the research done for this novel, I could feel the pain Ivy felt and see how this kind of institutions ruined lives instead of saving them.
The writing style of this book is easy to read but difficult emotionally. The setting of this novel constantly changes between different characters, so it doesn’t leave the reader bored. The chapters are pretty short and flew by really quickly for me. The ending rounded up the novel very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, it is a really powerful book, filled with pain, love, and broken lives. The characters are very well crafted and the narrative just sucked me in from the first pages. If you, like me, like the books about haunting and scary institutions from the past, this book is definitely for you!
The narrative of this novel is very creatively written, the plot keeps travelling between the present and the past, unravelling long forgotten secrets and mysteries. There is plenty of great turns and twists in this book, and I was kept on my toes page after page. There is plenty of great topics discussed in this book, such as mother-baby bond, couple relationships, family dramas, cruelty and abuse from church workers, revenge, and many more. I really loved the research done for this novel, I could feel the pain Ivy felt and see how this kind of institutions ruined lives instead of saving them.
The writing style of this book is easy to read but difficult emotionally. The setting of this novel constantly changes between different characters, so it doesn’t leave the reader bored. The chapters are pretty short and flew by really quickly for me. The ending rounded up the novel very nicely and left me satisfied with the outcome.
So, to conclude, it is a really powerful book, filled with pain, love, and broken lives. The characters are very well crafted and the narrative just sucked me in from the first pages. If you, like me, like the books about haunting and scary institutions from the past, this book is definitely for you!
First off... WTF?!?!
I did NOT want to put this book down! Unfortunately, the body cannot function without sleep and I'd denied mine too much in the days leading up to starting Verity. I know better than to begin a new book at night because I'm always convincing myself of one more chapter. But, I mean, it's Colleen Hoover, how could I deny myself the simple pleasure of just one... or eleven chapters before I lay my head down at night?
I finished the book as soon as I got up the next day, all in one sitting, my eyes refusing to be torn away from the pages. With each chapter, I grew more and more concerned. I was freaked out more often than not. There was still that oddly recognizable voice that belonged to Colleen in most areas, but there were moments when I had to remind myself who the author really was. At one particular point, I could literally describe myself as numb. I had to set my book down and stare vacantly at my wall for a solid five minutes, my eyes not even in focus, as I absorbed the insanity of what I was reading. With each word read from Verity's manuscript, I kept telling myself it couldn't get worse, but somehow it did. Then I reached the epilogue and thought, surely, it would focus on a happily ever after to cleanse my mind of the atrocious events leading up to it. But no. Colleen knew better than to do that. Instead, the epilogue ended on a twist so disturbing, so crazy, I'm still not sure what to believe!
For the last few months, before I heard about Verity's release and the genre Colleen was thinking about stepping her foot in, I'd been finding myself leaning more toward thriller mysteries instead of the romance I've always read. And now I know why. I was unknowingly preparing myself for Verity, putting myself in the right mindset and headspace. And Colleen still blew me away.
I did NOT want to put this book down! Unfortunately, the body cannot function without sleep and I'd denied mine too much in the days leading up to starting Verity. I know better than to begin a new book at night because I'm always convincing myself of one more chapter. But, I mean, it's Colleen Hoover, how could I deny myself the simple pleasure of just one... or eleven chapters before I lay my head down at night?
I finished the book as soon as I got up the next day, all in one sitting, my eyes refusing to be torn away from the pages. With each chapter, I grew more and more concerned. I was freaked out more often than not. There was still that oddly recognizable voice that belonged to Colleen in most areas, but there were moments when I had to remind myself who the author really was. At one particular point, I could literally describe myself as numb. I had to set my book down and stare vacantly at my wall for a solid five minutes, my eyes not even in focus, as I absorbed the insanity of what I was reading. With each word read from Verity's manuscript, I kept telling myself it couldn't get worse, but somehow it did. Then I reached the epilogue and thought, surely, it would focus on a happily ever after to cleanse my mind of the atrocious events leading up to it. But no. Colleen knew better than to do that. Instead, the epilogue ended on a twist so disturbing, so crazy, I'm still not sure what to believe!
For the last few months, before I heard about Verity's release and the genre Colleen was thinking about stepping her foot in, I'd been finding myself leaning more toward thriller mysteries instead of the romance I've always read. And now I know why. I was unknowingly preparing myself for Verity, putting myself in the right mindset and headspace. And Colleen still blew me away.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Haunted House Murder in Books
Aug 30, 2019
Cozy Halloween Hauntings
This collection of three novellas focuses on Halloween. The book opens with the title story featuring Leslie Meier’s protagonist Lucy Stone. A couple has moved into the old abandoned house in town, but they are rebuffing efforts from Lucy and others to welcome them to town. Then strange things start happening and rumors start flying. What is happening? Up next is “Death by Haunted House” by Lee Hollis which takes up back to 2009 and shows us what life was like for Hayley Powell while she was married. When the house next door, which is rumored to be haunted, gets a new family, Hayley’s husband Danny is certain that they are up to something. The discovery of a dead body in the nearby woods just confirms his theory – at least to himself. Is he right? Finally comes “Hallowed Out” from Barbara Ross. The local Haunted House tour is gearing up for Halloween, trying to bring some more people to town in the fall. However, when a reenactment of a crime leaves an actor dead, Julia Snowden must figure out what happened.
As you might expect in a collection of stories by various authors, some are stronger than others. Personally, I found the opening story to be the weakest – I think it might have worked as a short story, but even as a novella is was too long. The middle story was better, with some fun scenes and a good twist to the mystery. I adore Barbara Ross’s Maine Clambake mysteries, so it was the reason I picked up the book. It also means I found the third story to be the best, with some good twists and a very fun sub-plot. While each story has plenty of fall atmosphere, these stories aren’t that spooky – they are by cozy mystery authors after all. Still, fans of these authors will enjoy picking up the book.
As you might expect in a collection of stories by various authors, some are stronger than others. Personally, I found the opening story to be the weakest – I think it might have worked as a short story, but even as a novella is was too long. The middle story was better, with some fun scenes and a good twist to the mystery. I adore Barbara Ross’s Maine Clambake mysteries, so it was the reason I picked up the book. It also means I found the third story to be the best, with some good twists and a very fun sub-plot. While each story has plenty of fall atmosphere, these stories aren’t that spooky – they are by cozy mystery authors after all. Still, fans of these authors will enjoy picking up the book.
VV
Virtual Villagers 3
Games and Entertainment
App
Villagers: The Secret City is the third chapter in the award-winning Virtual Villagers series from...
How to Read Water: Clues & Patterns from Puddles to the Sea
Book
A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Jam-packed with information, this book will fascinate sailors,...
Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green
Book
The bestselling author of Shakey: Neil Young's Biography presents the first in-depth biography of...
Music biography
Last Wolf and Herman
George Szirtes, László Krasznahorkai and John Batki
Book
Two short masterworks by the most recent winner of the Man Booker International Prize: here, in...
Fiction travel thriller
Two Orb Reel by Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
Album Watch
The modular maestro mounts his most varied solo release to date with the sci-fi knots and whorls of...
dance electronic