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The Princes of Florence
7.4
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Tabletop Game
A new game for all great strategists! Experience the golden age of the Renaissance! Assume the role...
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My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots
7.0
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A long-overdue and dramatic reinterpretation of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots by one of the...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Where the Crawdads Sing in Books
Aug 12, 2021
A haunting story of survival
Kya Clark is very young when her mother leaves, abandoning her to their marshland home and her violent father. His presence is in her life is scattered, at best, and Kya mostly raises herself, learning about the land, the wildlife, and the swamp on her own. She forms attachment to few, but meets two very different young men from town whom she feels drawn to. In 1969, one of those men is found dead and Kya--always a source of gossip among the locals--is the prime suspect.
I'm not sure there's much I can add to the many reviews of this popular book. I read it as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my third book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read! I'm glad I finally read it-- it's a very mesmerizing tale, and Kya's improbable life on the marsh quickly drew me in.
This is part a character-driven and coming of age story combined with a mystery and courtroom drama. It covers a lot of Kya's life, but focuses on her growing up in the marsh. There's a lot that seems hard to believe--especially that no one does anything to help this parent-less child, growing up alone in the marsh. The book covers a lot of heady topics, including racism, sexual assault, and more. Its description of nature and the marsh are beautiful. At the heart of the story is Kya, and it's impossible not to root for our heroine. She's tough and smart, and the way she loves her marsh is simply beautiful.
Overall, rating on pure enjoyment, I really liked this book. If I don't delve too deep into pondering about the inner workings of the plot, this was a great read--mesmerizing, haunting, and lovely. 4+ stars.
I'm not sure there's much I can add to the many reviews of this popular book. I read it as part of my new reading project--choosing books off my shelves based on their Goodreads rankings. This is my third book of the project, forcing me out of my comfort zone and to try books in genres I don't usually read! I'm glad I finally read it-- it's a very mesmerizing tale, and Kya's improbable life on the marsh quickly drew me in.
This is part a character-driven and coming of age story combined with a mystery and courtroom drama. It covers a lot of Kya's life, but focuses on her growing up in the marsh. There's a lot that seems hard to believe--especially that no one does anything to help this parent-less child, growing up alone in the marsh. The book covers a lot of heady topics, including racism, sexual assault, and more. Its description of nature and the marsh are beautiful. At the heart of the story is Kya, and it's impossible not to root for our heroine. She's tough and smart, and the way she loves her marsh is simply beautiful.
Overall, rating on pure enjoyment, I really liked this book. If I don't delve too deep into pondering about the inner workings of the plot, this was a great read--mesmerizing, haunting, and lovely. 4+ stars.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Viper: The Prophecy (Odins Wolves 2) in Books
Oct 19, 2023
155 of 235
Kindle
Viper :The Prophecy (Odins Wolves MC 2)
By Candi Fox
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gaia. the mother of all created a werewolf shifter class to serve as guardians. To avoid war, Gaia gifted those that answered the call to Odin, who infused the warriors with immortality creating a class of demigods who fight for justice.
20 years ago, the world found out that humans were not the only Earth dwellers. Now Dark Fae and Shifters live in the light.
Logan Haagan: Viper, Viking demigod, and retired Dallas police officer will join his brothers in White Horse, OK as part of the OWMC who will work to exact justice when the law can’t. Before leaving Dallas, Viper sees Lady Death fight in an underground ring. The fight has mafia ties and ruthlessly pits all manner of dark fae creatures often encouraging the death of the loser.
Billie, Lady Death has been fighting for the Tromlui capo, Cayum since she was a teenager. She becomes a champion of the ring and wants nothing more than to win her contract back and help her friend who is being threatened. Viper and Synne, a dark fae, work to get her released, but Cayum is not easily discouraged and will stop at nothing to keep Billie right where he wants her.
Viper and Billie are sent to New Orleans to uncover a curse, unearth an ancient vampire relic, and discover an age-old prophecy that will change everything...
Don’t miss this epic tale of myths, justice, and prophecy.
I did enjoy this one but think I was expecting to feel the same as I did about book 1 and I didn’t. The world building is really good with complex characters and storylines. Loved catching up with Odins wolves and finding other creatures especially loving Deaths identity . Also a gator shifter that’s a first for me too!
Kindle
Viper :The Prophecy (Odins Wolves MC 2)
By Candi Fox
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gaia. the mother of all created a werewolf shifter class to serve as guardians. To avoid war, Gaia gifted those that answered the call to Odin, who infused the warriors with immortality creating a class of demigods who fight for justice.
20 years ago, the world found out that humans were not the only Earth dwellers. Now Dark Fae and Shifters live in the light.
Logan Haagan: Viper, Viking demigod, and retired Dallas police officer will join his brothers in White Horse, OK as part of the OWMC who will work to exact justice when the law can’t. Before leaving Dallas, Viper sees Lady Death fight in an underground ring. The fight has mafia ties and ruthlessly pits all manner of dark fae creatures often encouraging the death of the loser.
Billie, Lady Death has been fighting for the Tromlui capo, Cayum since she was a teenager. She becomes a champion of the ring and wants nothing more than to win her contract back and help her friend who is being threatened. Viper and Synne, a dark fae, work to get her released, but Cayum is not easily discouraged and will stop at nothing to keep Billie right where he wants her.
Viper and Billie are sent to New Orleans to uncover a curse, unearth an ancient vampire relic, and discover an age-old prophecy that will change everything...
Don’t miss this epic tale of myths, justice, and prophecy.
I did enjoy this one but think I was expecting to feel the same as I did about book 1 and I didn’t. The world building is really good with complex characters and storylines. Loved catching up with Odins wolves and finding other creatures especially loving Deaths identity . Also a gator shifter that’s a first for me too!
Merissa (12316 KP) rated Unlike Any Other by Ed Londergan in Books
May 18, 2022 (Updated Jun 19, 2023)
UNLIKE ANY OTHER is the story of Bathsheba Spooner, the first woman to be executed in the new United States of America. You find out, through her eyes, what it was like to live a life of privilege, to be passed on in an arranged marriage, to have all her hopes and dreams dashed, to a point where murder is the only way out.
Bathsheba was brought up to speak her mind, to be strong-spirited. She had dreams of marrying a wealthy man from Boston and joining Society. So when she finds out her father has arranged a marriage to a local merchant, she's not happy but eventually agrees to it. Her marriage isn't a happy one, with Joshua frequenting the local taverns more than he does his home. That doesn't stop him from his conjugal rights though. When a young man, half of Bathsheba's age, stays at their home to recover from an illness, she feels the stirrings of desire she hasn't felt for a long time.
This was a well-written piece of history that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found out more about what it was like for the people of America at that time, as well as the Boston Tea Party! Bathsheba's options were so limited at a time when a woman's rights were close to zero. I do wonder why she didn't contact her brother but, at a time when the war was dividing families, I guess I'm not 100% surprised.
I would have liked to have heard a little from Ezra Ross but maybe there isn't enough written from his account to tell his story.
A historical fiction based on a true story that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
May 12, 2022
Bathsheba was brought up to speak her mind, to be strong-spirited. She had dreams of marrying a wealthy man from Boston and joining Society. So when she finds out her father has arranged a marriage to a local merchant, she's not happy but eventually agrees to it. Her marriage isn't a happy one, with Joshua frequenting the local taverns more than he does his home. That doesn't stop him from his conjugal rights though. When a young man, half of Bathsheba's age, stays at their home to recover from an illness, she feels the stirrings of desire she hasn't felt for a long time.
This was a well-written piece of history that I thoroughly enjoyed. I found out more about what it was like for the people of America at that time, as well as the Boston Tea Party! Bathsheba's options were so limited at a time when a woman's rights were close to zero. I do wonder why she didn't contact her brother but, at a time when the war was dividing families, I guess I'm not 100% surprised.
I would have liked to have heard a little from Ezra Ross but maybe there isn't enough written from his account to tell his story.
A historical fiction based on a true story that I have no hesitation in recommending.
** 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!
May 12, 2022
Becoming His Perfect Daddy (Unlikely Daddies #1)
10.0
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Publisher Description A new trans Daddy. A boy who’s given up on love. When a moment changes...
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Supporting Your Children’s Talents: Encourage Your Kids to Take Ownership of Their Creativity &...
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FilmIntuition (33 KP) rated Picture Us In The Light in Books
May 23, 2018
A Book of the Heart
While many novelists refer to their latest works as “the book of my heart,” in the case of young adult author Kelly Loy Gilbert’s finely crafted, humanistic new effort Picture Us In the Light, that description is entirely justified.
Sensitively penned within the immediately convincing first person point-of-view of our main character, high school senior and aspiring artist Danny Cheng, the author pulls us into Picture’s picturesque world within the very first chapter.
After stumbling upon a mysterious box of his father's and going through it with gusto, Danny begins to wonder just how much his loving but secretive parents have been keeping from him.
Unable to come of age until he can come to terms with unexplained gaps and tragedies in his past, he enlists the help of his two best friends - only to discover that he can’t examine the lives of those closest to him without doing the same himself.
Balancing wry observations and deft characterizations with heavy subject matter, Loy Gilbert foreshadows big twists to come as we move further into the novel. And although it begins with a steady climb, Picture slows down just long enough to ensure that we feel as connected to the characters as they are to each other.
Now sure she’s got you, the author returns to full speed - moving like a bullet train from roughly the hundred page mark all the way through to its bittersweet but very satisfying final chapter.
Written during the tumultuous 2016 election and revised afterward, Loy Gilbert is right on YouTube when she acknowledges the vital role that stories play in this post election world where “facts don't matter,” due to fiction’s empathetic ability to introduce us to people, places, and plights we might not encounter otherwise.
Filled with so much internal and external dramatic mystery that in less gifted hands, Picture could’ve easily resulted in a messy collision of conflicts, although there are a few revelations about both the plot and our protagonist that we’re able to deduce long before he does, the author wraps things up artfully.
Dropping hints and red herrings into sentences and passages so gorgeous that I found myself making multiple notes throughout, Kelly Loy Gilbert never once lets us feel as though she’s taking a shortcut on her way to the book’s resolution.
Relatively new to twenty-first century post-Harry Potter young adult fiction, if I had not received this stunning Picture through the Bookish First raffle, I would’ve completely missed what’s since become one of the best novels I’ve read so far this year.
To put it another way, it’s a book of the heart indeed.
Sensitively penned within the immediately convincing first person point-of-view of our main character, high school senior and aspiring artist Danny Cheng, the author pulls us into Picture’s picturesque world within the very first chapter.
After stumbling upon a mysterious box of his father's and going through it with gusto, Danny begins to wonder just how much his loving but secretive parents have been keeping from him.
Unable to come of age until he can come to terms with unexplained gaps and tragedies in his past, he enlists the help of his two best friends - only to discover that he can’t examine the lives of those closest to him without doing the same himself.
Balancing wry observations and deft characterizations with heavy subject matter, Loy Gilbert foreshadows big twists to come as we move further into the novel. And although it begins with a steady climb, Picture slows down just long enough to ensure that we feel as connected to the characters as they are to each other.
Now sure she’s got you, the author returns to full speed - moving like a bullet train from roughly the hundred page mark all the way through to its bittersweet but very satisfying final chapter.
Written during the tumultuous 2016 election and revised afterward, Loy Gilbert is right on YouTube when she acknowledges the vital role that stories play in this post election world where “facts don't matter,” due to fiction’s empathetic ability to introduce us to people, places, and plights we might not encounter otherwise.
Filled with so much internal and external dramatic mystery that in less gifted hands, Picture could’ve easily resulted in a messy collision of conflicts, although there are a few revelations about both the plot and our protagonist that we’re able to deduce long before he does, the author wraps things up artfully.
Dropping hints and red herrings into sentences and passages so gorgeous that I found myself making multiple notes throughout, Kelly Loy Gilbert never once lets us feel as though she’s taking a shortcut on her way to the book’s resolution.
Relatively new to twenty-first century post-Harry Potter young adult fiction, if I had not received this stunning Picture through the Bookish First raffle, I would’ve completely missed what’s since become one of the best novels I’ve read so far this year.
To put it another way, it’s a book of the heart indeed.
Steph Freeman (26 KP) rated Altered Carbon in TV
Feb 19, 2018
Excellent character development (2 more)
Phenomenal special effects
Edge of your seat action throughout the plot line, never felt the story lagging.
Phenomenal Show
Contains spoilers, click to show
In this age of technology I am rarely singularly glued to the television when a show is playing; I'm playing Candy Crush, surfing Etsy, creating new glassware designs... From the moment Takeshi Kovacs is apprehended from the Protectorate until the very last scene of the series this show had me glued to the screen. It combines the "locked room" mystery Agatha Christie made famous with a sci-fi Game of Thrones feel that evokes the Red Rising trilogy sense of Golds vs. Reds.
The lack of regard for anyone below them (literally as well as figuratively) makes it easy to hate the Meths and the decadence that surrounds them. Their wealth allows a god-like immortality, and a lack of respect for life and "real death". Kovacs was detained for crimes against the Protectorate and his stack placed "on ice" for 250 years until the meth Laurens Bancroft pays for his release and a new skin. As Kovacs accepts the offer to find Bancrofts murder, and as he searches for the killer he finds friendship in an AI Edgar Allen Poe (one of the best characters in the whole show), a former military drunk and his wife and daughter, who is damaged emotionally trapped in virtual life, and a police officer. There are also several people after Elias Ryker (a police officer who was a little too curious), which causes issue for Kovacs because that is the skin Bancroft selected when he was taken off ice.
The locked room mystery portion of the season ends in episode 7, but that is far from the end of the action. As we learn more about Kovacs' history his interest in the Envoy mission of recapturing humanity and forcing real death on the world is made more evident, as is his love for Quell. His sister, Rei, did not believe in the mission as much as spending eternity with her big brother. While Kovacs was on ice his sister built a meth empire, acquiring wealth and power, becoming everything Quell and Kovacs fought against. The final moments with his sister, and his decision to find Quell's stack were gripping.
The cinematography, costuming, and CGI in this show are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is obvious. As Netflix is transitioning to big budget productions it's clear they have the right people handling the decisions. I didn't realize this series was also a book trilogy written by Richard Morgan, this series has definitely peaked my interest and I will be reading the books before the next season drops.
The lack of regard for anyone below them (literally as well as figuratively) makes it easy to hate the Meths and the decadence that surrounds them. Their wealth allows a god-like immortality, and a lack of respect for life and "real death". Kovacs was detained for crimes against the Protectorate and his stack placed "on ice" for 250 years until the meth Laurens Bancroft pays for his release and a new skin. As Kovacs accepts the offer to find Bancrofts murder, and as he searches for the killer he finds friendship in an AI Edgar Allen Poe (one of the best characters in the whole show), a former military drunk and his wife and daughter, who is damaged emotionally trapped in virtual life, and a police officer. There are also several people after Elias Ryker (a police officer who was a little too curious), which causes issue for Kovacs because that is the skin Bancroft selected when he was taken off ice.
The locked room mystery portion of the season ends in episode 7, but that is far from the end of the action. As we learn more about Kovacs' history his interest in the Envoy mission of recapturing humanity and forcing real death on the world is made more evident, as is his love for Quell. His sister, Rei, did not believe in the mission as much as spending eternity with her big brother. While Kovacs was on ice his sister built a meth empire, acquiring wealth and power, becoming everything Quell and Kovacs fought against. The final moments with his sister, and his decision to find Quell's stack were gripping.
The cinematography, costuming, and CGI in this show are phenomenal, and the attention to detail is obvious. As Netflix is transitioning to big budget productions it's clear they have the right people handling the decisions. I didn't realize this series was also a book trilogy written by Richard Morgan, this series has definitely peaked my interest and I will be reading the books before the next season drops.
Louise (64 KP) rated The Weight of Water in Books
Jul 2, 2018
After reading One by Sarah Crossan I wanted delve into more of her works. This is Sarah's debut novel and I really enjoyed it. What makes her books unique is that they are written in verse, so you can either read it like poetry or just as a normal book.
The weight of water follows Kasienka and her mother who are Polish migrants travelling to the UK to find her father who upped and left one day never to return, all they know is that he lives in Coventry. They manage to rent a bed sit with one bed that they have to share and with little money Kasienka's mum takes on a hospital job. Kasienka's mum is determined to find her husband and as Kasi's English is better than hers she is forced to walk streets of Coventry looking for her dad. Not only does she have to contend with her mum, she also started a new school where she doesn't fit in and becomes a target to bullies. The only thing that Kasienka was good at was swimming which she loved and was also pretty good at. It was where she could escape, It was there she met William.
I loved this book, it is so realistic, raw and heart - breaking. In the UK we have thousands of Polish people come to live in the UK sometimes for work and sometimes for unknown reasons but what we forget is how hard and challenging it can be for them to arrive in a country they are not familiar with and the language barrier.You also forget how difficult it must be at school for them - due to Kasi's language barrier the teacher was not aware of how intelligent she was and enrolled her in a younger year. Kasi is 12 and a very intelligent girl who just wants to fit in at school or even better to return to Poland with her Mother and Father. You see the struggles that she has to overcome and her developing and hitting puberty. I really liked the fact that Sarah Crossan didn't shy away and told us Kasi's periods starting and her becoming more body conscious it makes it so much more real and relatable.
The bit that I really liked was when Kasienka realised that she had treated a new girl at her school back in Poland just as she was being by the bullies in her school, she wasn't perfect and she knew it.
This is a brilliant coming of age story that could be classed as middle grade though it has more depth to it as deals with Poverty, bullying, immigration and families
I definitely recommend this book for anyone that wants to read YA,Poetry or contemporary
Overall I rated 4.5 out 5 stars.
The weight of water follows Kasienka and her mother who are Polish migrants travelling to the UK to find her father who upped and left one day never to return, all they know is that he lives in Coventry. They manage to rent a bed sit with one bed that they have to share and with little money Kasienka's mum takes on a hospital job. Kasienka's mum is determined to find her husband and as Kasi's English is better than hers she is forced to walk streets of Coventry looking for her dad. Not only does she have to contend with her mum, she also started a new school where she doesn't fit in and becomes a target to bullies. The only thing that Kasienka was good at was swimming which she loved and was also pretty good at. It was where she could escape, It was there she met William.
I loved this book, it is so realistic, raw and heart - breaking. In the UK we have thousands of Polish people come to live in the UK sometimes for work and sometimes for unknown reasons but what we forget is how hard and challenging it can be for them to arrive in a country they are not familiar with and the language barrier.You also forget how difficult it must be at school for them - due to Kasi's language barrier the teacher was not aware of how intelligent she was and enrolled her in a younger year. Kasi is 12 and a very intelligent girl who just wants to fit in at school or even better to return to Poland with her Mother and Father. You see the struggles that she has to overcome and her developing and hitting puberty. I really liked the fact that Sarah Crossan didn't shy away and told us Kasi's periods starting and her becoming more body conscious it makes it so much more real and relatable.
The bit that I really liked was when Kasienka realised that she had treated a new girl at her school back in Poland just as she was being by the bullies in her school, she wasn't perfect and she knew it.
This is a brilliant coming of age story that could be classed as middle grade though it has more depth to it as deals with Poverty, bullying, immigration and families
I definitely recommend this book for anyone that wants to read YA,Poetry or contemporary
Overall I rated 4.5 out 5 stars.