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Foundations Of Faith
Foundations Of Faith
Michael Chrobak | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Style: Light

Point of view: Third person

Difficulty reading: It was as easy as singing the ABC’s!

Promise: Foundations of Faith promises a compelling religious read that will have you answering questions about your own faith.

Quality: All around good read, wasn’t what I was expecting but would definitely reread again.

Insights: Usually when it comes to Fantasy style of books, I always think powers (spells), mythical creatures, places that don’t exist, etc. etc. Foundations of Faith didn’t really have the typical Fantasy aspect to it. Theresa and Thomas have ‘powers’ but they aren’t magical powers like a witch or wizard would have. But it was still a great read that will end up being reread a couple more times.

Ah-Ha Moment: There wasn’t really a moment where I went ‘Ah yea, that’s the turning point’. One scene did come pretty darn close though. This scene: Thomas returns back from the retreat and finds out his mother is in the hospital and his father is in jail for putting his mother in the hospital. It’s never revealed how Thomas’s mother was hurt, and I would have definitely loved if that was explained better but then again this isn’t a Thriller so it’s also okay.

Favorite quote: “She shared how she had finally found God, not in the back of a church with hands held in prayer, but in the back of a police car with hands held in cuffs.” – I feel like this is a huge reason why most end up finding religion/ God. Something terrible or even life-threatening happens to them and they just start praying, see some signs and boom they now believe.

“As he walked, he felt the darkness behind him, following him. He swore he heard it whisper, “Run!” – Hello darkness, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again. Because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping. And the vision that was planted in my brain still remains, within the sound of silence. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself 🙂

Aesthetics: I reallyyyyy dig the cover! It gives it that mystery horror feel even though there isn’t really any horror in Foundations of Faith. The chapter headings, awesome font. Great read. But that cover is just so aesthetically pleasing. 🙂

“The deeper the feelings of unworthiness dug into his heart, the darker the room became. It spread from the outside in, growing darker and more ominous with each new thought. He feared it would swallow him whole.”
  
Hellion (415 Ink #3)
Hellion (415 Ink #3)
Rhys Ford | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
very interesting character, is Ivo!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gofted my copy of this book.

This is book 3 in the 415 Ink series, but you don't NEED to have read books one, Rebel, and two, Savior, before you read this one. You SHOULD though, because it will give you a better picture of this family group and how they work. Plus, they were both 5 star reads.

This one?? Not so much. And I cannot figure out why! Well I can, and I'll try to explain in a bit.

Oh don't get me wrong, its still a fabulous book, very well written form both Ivo and Ruan's point of view. Its well told, its emotional, its sexy, its a good book!

It just doesn't have that sledgehammer to the chest of such heartbreaking emotion that Gus and Mace's story carry. It DOES have deep emotions, especially when Ivo is talking to Ruan about *that* day and how it led him to do what he did and what happened after, but I kept waiting for Ivo to slip back, for *something* to happen to tip him over the edge. Maybe I'm becoming very mean in my old age, and wanting characters to fall apart so badly cannot be a good thing, but thats how I felt here, and I'm all about the book feelings.

I loved how Ruan questioned Ivo about his clothes, his image, the way he is, NOT to make him change, but to understand Ivo better. Loved that Ivo gave Ruan the time to process everything.

Loved that all the brothers pop up, there is a little bit of overlap to Mace's story. There is also a little bit that gives you Luke and his story. Now, when Ivo was at his tattoo thing, I saw this coming at me, what I did NOT see what how James and Luke knew each other and what happened then. I look forward to reading their story!

And Bear? Oh I have a feeling Ms Ford might have saved the best for last. Being the eldest brother in the family looks like he is the last to fall, and I cannot wait for his story!

So, I'm sorry Ivo wasn't quite the a**hole I thought he was going to be, given how much trouble he caused Ms Ford, but I did enjoy his and Ruan's tale, I just did not love it like I did Mace and Gus'

4 great, good stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Summer of '69 in Books

Aug 23, 2019  
Summer of '69
Summer of '69
Elin Hilderbrand | 2019 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Every year Kate Levin and her family spend the summer on Nantucket with Kate's mother, Exalta. But this summer is different. Kate's eldest, Blair, 24, is now married to a MIT professor named Angus Whalen and they're expecting their first baby in August. As such, Blair won't be on Nantucket this summer. Middle sister, Kirby, is a junior in college and spending the summer on Martha's Vineyard. Her only son, Tiger, recently deployed to Vietnam, which has left Kate feeling completely panicked and lost. Only her youngest, thirteen-year-old, Jessie, makes the trip. But without her siblings, Jessie feels overlooked and ignored. It's the historic summer of '69--and Levin family will have some memorable experiences of their own, too.

I just love Elin Hilderbrand's books and this was a really fun one. It didn't feel that much like "historical fiction," despite the 1969 setting, but it was fascinating to get a glimpse of how the late 1960s affected the family and their decisions--especially the females. The time period affects each woman, even Jessie, in their own way. Mom Kate was a tough one to love, at times, ignoring her poor daughter and moaning about Tiger and her own past. But, man, Hilderbrand just comes up with the best family dynamics. She sets an amazing scene, aided by her beloved Nantucket, and before you know it, you are there with her characters, immersed in their drama and daily lives.

For me, the star of this one was young Jessie. I loved how much of the book revolved around her--the points of view vary, but we hear from her a lot, and I couldn't help but love the kid. Nothing like growing up with a slightly absent mom, domineering grandmother, and a bunch of way older siblings, one of whom is at war. She was a breath of fresh air, and of course, Hilderbrand wrote from a teenage point of view perfectly. She gives all Kate's daughters their own unique voice, and it's amazing how each character stands out easily as distinct from one another.

This is not "simply" a tale of a family over a summer, it's captivating and engaging look at a family shaped by historical and domestic circumstances. I certainly enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it. I usually shy away from historical fiction, but I found it quite interesting--great characters and family dynamics as always from our summer novel queen. 4 stars.
  
    Sesli Sozluk Dictionary

    Sesli Sozluk Dictionary

    Reference and Education

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    Sesli Sözlük has been established in 1999 and has been a leading dictionary in both Turkey and the...

Christmas Mountain
Christmas Mountain
Garrett Leigh | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I blooody loved this book!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Ok So!

I'm not usually one for Christmas books, I'm really not, but something about the blurb pulled at me, and O>M>G I'm so freaking glad it did!

Rami and Fen work together in HMP Manchester. There is much flirting and then Fen makes a move. But life gets in the way and 18months later, Rami is driving up the mountain to see his sister with his 2-year-old nephew in the car. In a snow storm. Ill-prepared. And his car wrecks. And the Good Lord above sees fits to send an angel by the name of Fen to rescue him and Charlie who goes by the name of Fen.

What this is, right, is a beautifully written second chance at love story, it really is. I read it in one sitting and its 200 odd pages long.

Both Fen and Rami are smitten with each other, and they dance around each other for some time before life gets in the way and things happen and then Fen is gone. Rami never did know why. But finding him on his sister's mountain, is a gift sent at just the right time of year. The problem is, both Fen and Rami are carrying a huge amount of emotional and physical baggage.

It takes time for both men to fully get their stories out, and I really did like being made to wait for the full pictures to become clear. I don't like for everything to be thrown at me in one go.

I also loved being made to wait for Fen and Rami to finally, FINALLY have their moment, you know? I mean its full of emotions and steamy bits, but that's all they are for a long time: bits. But once they commit to each other, their relationship and being together, the steam level doesn't rack up too much, it just takes a slide into something more. Something deeper for these two.

I loved the connection to Rami and his sister, that Fen had and they didn't know. I LOVED the sister and her family!

I loved this book, I really did. I could rant and rave and go on and on and on and on andonandonandonandon.....but I won't cos spoilers do not a good review make.

So! For a Christmas book, with the L word bandied about quite early (something else I'm not a fan of!) I'm a big fan of this book!

5 full and shiny stars

same worded review will appear elsewhere​