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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Oct 26, 2020
Open Water
9.0
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'A tender and touching love story, beautifully told' Observer 10 Best Debut Novelists of 2021 'A...
Literary fiction Race Cultural Novella British Literature
One Day (Nights, #9)
6.0
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I will never tire of this man. Whatever he wants. Whenever he wants it. I will accept it all. All of...
Adult Contemporary Romance
Hush (Nights #8)
4.5
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Tom Sutherland is an arrogant prick. There, I said it. Okay, so he’s also my assistant and I...
Adult Contemporary Romance
The Very Merry Omega
8.0
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Zachary: I wasn’t one for big crowds, or any social situation really. That’s one of the reasons...
Contemporary Omegaverse MM Romance Seasonal
Jamie (131 KP) rated Little Lies in Books
Jul 26, 2017
Extremely predictable (2 more)
Unlikeable main character
Poor representation of social workers
The worst social worker ever
What bothered me the most about this book was how poor of a representation Ellen Moore is of a social worker. Just think, if it was you or your own children that were involved in a case, would you want the CPS worker talking to other people idly about it? Carelessly giving personal information out even years after the case has been closed? Of course not. It would go against the code of ethics. A considerable portion of the story involved Ellen discussing a previous case involving a now grown child to multiple people, some that were involved in the case and some not. Then there’s the added bonus that Ellen ends up investigating a murder right along with buddy cop, adding her own opinions and speculations on the case without doing any actual police work. One of her theories involved said child from a previous case, which is quite frankly ridiculous and a serious violation of the code. I personally found this portrayal of social workers to be incredibly irresponsible.
I also wasn’t digging the pseudo romance between Ellen and the police officer. Ellen is supposed to be happily married with children, yet keeps going back to how she’s sure that mister cop is sweet on her, and how awkward it is even though they’re close friends. I rolled my eyes when she felt guilty not telling her husband about the not date at a diner to look at crime scene photos and discuss a case. This extra bit of fluff just made Ellen’s character more of an annoyance to me.
The plot tries really hard to set up a classic bait and switch in order to throw readers off the trail and make the reveal at the end that much more surprising and exciting, but it was so painfully obvious it just seemed amateurish. A let down, really, considering how much I loved one of Gudenkauf’s previous works, The Weight of Silence. This story felt so shallow in comparison. Taking it as an introduction to the characters in Little Mercies, well, I’m not sure if I’d want to pick up the full length novel after reading this and that’s a shame. Overall, this little novella was disappointing and could easily be skipped.
I also wasn’t digging the pseudo romance between Ellen and the police officer. Ellen is supposed to be happily married with children, yet keeps going back to how she’s sure that mister cop is sweet on her, and how awkward it is even though they’re close friends. I rolled my eyes when she felt guilty not telling her husband about the not date at a diner to look at crime scene photos and discuss a case. This extra bit of fluff just made Ellen’s character more of an annoyance to me.
The plot tries really hard to set up a classic bait and switch in order to throw readers off the trail and make the reveal at the end that much more surprising and exciting, but it was so painfully obvious it just seemed amateurish. A let down, really, considering how much I loved one of Gudenkauf’s previous works, The Weight of Silence. This story felt so shallow in comparison. Taking it as an introduction to the characters in Little Mercies, well, I’m not sure if I’d want to pick up the full length novel after reading this and that’s a shame. Overall, this little novella was disappointing and could easily be skipped.
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated An Amish Heirloom in Books
Feb 27, 2019
This is a wonderful collection of stories! Amy, Kathleen, and Kelly are among authors that I love to read and read over again. An Amish Heirloom is beautifully written and collaborated, and each story brought something new to the table. As soon as I opened the book, I was hooked.
Amy, Kathleen and Kelly all wrote amazing stories for this novella. I loved the firefighter in Amy’s story! Of course, I’m married to one so I’m always partial to them. But, in trademark Amy fashion she creates a story that is believable and captivating, and full of second chances. Her characters, Leon and Susie, are chiseled perfectly and she always leaves me wanting more.
Kathleen’s story of longing and hope is stunning and also beautifully written. Shane and Lucy are sweet characters and I loved watching them interact! The connection they share over a Bible is felt throughout their story and I didn’t want it to end.
Kelly wrote a sweet story of a quilt and a baby bringing two people who have longed for each other together is another well rounded, believable story and I loved every second of it! Kelly, like Kathleen and Amy, is a well seasoned author when it comes to creating stories of hope, longing and inspiration.
However, despite me loving those stories, I wasn’t overly fond of Beth’s story in this one. For a while now, I’ve had a hard time getting into her stories. Something about her writing style has changed and I find it difficult to get into. But, I didn’t let that deter me. I read her story and pushed on and finished it, and while I didn’t care for this one, it still lent a nice piece to the collaboration.
That all said, this is a 4 star read for me! These ladies bring inspiring messages to the table for their fans and left me wanting more from them. Each story has something in it that is special to the characters, and really made miss my grandmother (she passed away in 2017), and how she would make everyone a quilt here, or give them something special there, to cherish and love. Well done ladies, and I look forward to another collaboration!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Amy, Kathleen and Kelly all wrote amazing stories for this novella. I loved the firefighter in Amy’s story! Of course, I’m married to one so I’m always partial to them. But, in trademark Amy fashion she creates a story that is believable and captivating, and full of second chances. Her characters, Leon and Susie, are chiseled perfectly and she always leaves me wanting more.
Kathleen’s story of longing and hope is stunning and also beautifully written. Shane and Lucy are sweet characters and I loved watching them interact! The connection they share over a Bible is felt throughout their story and I didn’t want it to end.
Kelly wrote a sweet story of a quilt and a baby bringing two people who have longed for each other together is another well rounded, believable story and I loved every second of it! Kelly, like Kathleen and Amy, is a well seasoned author when it comes to creating stories of hope, longing and inspiration.
However, despite me loving those stories, I wasn’t overly fond of Beth’s story in this one. For a while now, I’ve had a hard time getting into her stories. Something about her writing style has changed and I find it difficult to get into. But, I didn’t let that deter me. I read her story and pushed on and finished it, and while I didn’t care for this one, it still lent a nice piece to the collaboration.
That all said, this is a 4 star read for me! These ladies bring inspiring messages to the table for their fans and left me wanting more from them. Each story has something in it that is special to the characters, and really made miss my grandmother (she passed away in 2017), and how she would make everyone a quilt here, or give them something special there, to cherish and love. Well done ladies, and I look forward to another collaboration!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Lighthouses have long been the symbol of salvation, warning sailors away from dangerous rocks and shallow waters. Along the Great Lakes, America’s inland seas, lighthouses played a vital role in the growth of the nation. They shepherded settlers traveling by water to places that had no roads. These beacons of light required constant tending even in remote and often dangerous places. Brave men and women battled the elements and loneliness to keep the lights shining. Their sacrifice kept goods and immigrants moving. Seven romances set between 1883 and 1911 bring hope to these lonely keepers and love to weary hearts. The Last Memory by Kathleen Rouser 1899—Mackinac Point Lighthouse Natalie Brooks loses her past to amnesia, and Cal Waterson, the lighthouse keeper who rescues her, didn’t bargain on risking his heart—when her past might change everything.
My Thoughts: This is a collection of short stories "novellas" about lighthouses and their keepers. The authors have given a precise account of the lives that these people led while helping to save the lives of others. The hardships they faced, loneliness, living in a remote area and dealing with the aftermath of shipwrecks.
The stories will draw the reader in and will fall in love with the heroines in the stories. I think of all the stories my favorites were Rose and Natalie. Rose being strong and independent, Natalie has a wonderful outlook on life after losing her memory. The reader will love all the women in the stories, these are the two that I identified with the most.
Living on a small island has given me a love for the lighthouse, and I have visited many on the Eastern Shore. That's one of the reasons I enjoyed these stories and the characters in them. Whenever you visit a lighthouse you try to envision the people that were once living there, this book gives us a wonderful look into some of those lives.
The readers will also learn how important the lighthouse is to people and the ships. It is fascinating to learn the working day of the lighthouse keepers. It was pleasant reading that the writers did make sure that the word of God was written into the stories. God is our lighthouse and we must always remember to look toward the light.
I think that everyone will enjoy this novella.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Thoughts: This is a collection of short stories "novellas" about lighthouses and their keepers. The authors have given a precise account of the lives that these people led while helping to save the lives of others. The hardships they faced, loneliness, living in a remote area and dealing with the aftermath of shipwrecks.
The stories will draw the reader in and will fall in love with the heroines in the stories. I think of all the stories my favorites were Rose and Natalie. Rose being strong and independent, Natalie has a wonderful outlook on life after losing her memory. The reader will love all the women in the stories, these are the two that I identified with the most.
Living on a small island has given me a love for the lighthouse, and I have visited many on the Eastern Shore. That's one of the reasons I enjoyed these stories and the characters in them. Whenever you visit a lighthouse you try to envision the people that were once living there, this book gives us a wonderful look into some of those lives.
The readers will also learn how important the lighthouse is to people and the ships. It is fascinating to learn the working day of the lighthouse keepers. It was pleasant reading that the writers did make sure that the word of God was written into the stories. God is our lighthouse and we must always remember to look toward the light.
I think that everyone will enjoy this novella.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kyera (8 KP) rated Six of Crows in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Six of Crows is set in the world of the Grisha trilogy, but with an entirely new cast of characters. As the reader is already familiar with the world it only takes a few chapters to be hooked. The beginning of the book introduces us to the gang who we will accompany on a perilous journey.
Kaz is the mysterious leader with the gaze of a shark. He keeps more secrets than a diary and trusts no one. Kaz is never without his crow's head cane, gloves and willingness to do anything to get the job done. Inej is a wraith, able to make herself unnoticeable and get almost anywhere. She can scale walls, discover secret and have a blade in a man's back before he is any the wiser. Jesper is a good shot and prone to outbursts. He also has a gambling problem that has put him so far in debt that the only way out is to join Kaz on this likely deadly mission. Nina is the resident Grisha and a heartrender, although she must use her skills at times to heal or transform the others. She and Mattais have a history that is never far from either his mind. Mattias is Fjerdan and knows their target, but the only thing keeping him on this journey is the promise of a pardon at the end. Finally, it's Wylan the insurance and the son of the man offering them 30 million kruge to complete the job. He's also good with demolition and bombs, but not enough to warrant his place on the crew.
The mission is impossible or near to it, but they all have their reasons for needing it to succeed. Even though they're crooks, murderers and thieves you want them to succeed. They're strangely likable. All humans with flaws and backstories to show how they became the people they are and why. Leigh Bardugo's characters are wonderfully complex and well-developed. Each person's history is fluidly woven into the story and does not pull the reader out of the narrative or make them wish for a novella to help further flesh out the story or characters.
By the end, you love this misfit gang of hooligans and can't wait to read the stunning conclusion to this duology. Highly recommended to young adult readers who enjoy fantasy with great world building and character development.
Kaz is the mysterious leader with the gaze of a shark. He keeps more secrets than a diary and trusts no one. Kaz is never without his crow's head cane, gloves and willingness to do anything to get the job done. Inej is a wraith, able to make herself unnoticeable and get almost anywhere. She can scale walls, discover secret and have a blade in a man's back before he is any the wiser. Jesper is a good shot and prone to outbursts. He also has a gambling problem that has put him so far in debt that the only way out is to join Kaz on this likely deadly mission. Nina is the resident Grisha and a heartrender, although she must use her skills at times to heal or transform the others. She and Mattais have a history that is never far from either his mind. Mattias is Fjerdan and knows their target, but the only thing keeping him on this journey is the promise of a pardon at the end. Finally, it's Wylan the insurance and the son of the man offering them 30 million kruge to complete the job. He's also good with demolition and bombs, but not enough to warrant his place on the crew.
The mission is impossible or near to it, but they all have their reasons for needing it to succeed. Even though they're crooks, murderers and thieves you want them to succeed. They're strangely likable. All humans with flaws and backstories to show how they became the people they are and why. Leigh Bardugo's characters are wonderfully complex and well-developed. Each person's history is fluidly woven into the story and does not pull the reader out of the narrative or make them wish for a novella to help further flesh out the story or characters.
By the end, you love this misfit gang of hooligans and can't wait to read the stunning conclusion to this duology. Highly recommended to young adult readers who enjoy fantasy with great world building and character development.
Undisclosed (Nights Series #7)
10.0
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I have a problem. His name is Lincoln “Asshole” Hudson. He’s the bastard who wants to run me...
Contemporary Romance