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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Bleeding Violet in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves
Genre: YA, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4/5
My Summary: Hanna is a freak. Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Hyperactivity, Insanity, and nearly shut away as a maniac-depressive, she runs away from home in search of the mother she never knew. On arriving in her mother’s strange town called Portero, she makes a deal with her mom—if she can fit in with the people in this town within two weeks, she can stay. Her mother scoffs at the idea of Hanna being able to fit into the town—but Hanna soon learns that this has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with the town. Portero is like nothing she’s ever seen or heard of or imagined before. Strange creatures, invisible doors, a police-like force with a strange sense of right and wrong, a boy who she’s not sure if she likes or hates (but knows for sure that he’s hot), and a mayor who thinks she’s a god, Hanna starts her two-week challenge trying to fit in—and ends it trying to save the lives of everyone she loves.
Review:
Bleeding Violet was freakishly amazing, morbidly exciting, and realistically romantic.
I love it when the romance between the characters is real—not two perfect people who never fight who get along perfect. No, the romance between Hanna and Wyatt was not perfect, but it was there and it was special, and it was funny.
This whole book was funny. Though parts of it were strange and morbid, a lot of it was moderately confusing in an understandable way (Does that make any sense? probably not. Remember that Hanna is insane. She hallucinates… and makes some pretty interesting things happen near the end. It is confusing because it’s impossible, but understandable because she’s crazy.). I laughed almost the whole way through. It’s light and heavy, witty and serious, all mixed with the color purple.
The characters were my favorite. All the characters were very distinct and different. Sometimes when reading a story, some of the minor characters kind of blend together and seem similar, not defined enough, because they don’t really matter. But in Bleeding Violet, all the characters are distinct. I’m not sure if telling everyone that I identify with Hanna would be a wise idea because it might scare you… but to a certain extent, I did (and do) relate to her. Not just because of my own insanity (mwa-ha-ha!) but because her character was written in a very clear personal way. The story is told from first person inside Hanna’s head, so I knew exactly what Hanna was thinking all the time. Wyatt wasn’t perfect either. He had his flaws and that made him a real person. The change in Rosalie (the mother) was… both interesting and wonderful to see (Trying to keep this spoiler-free… but those of you who’ve read it already know what I mean by “change”).
The plot was engaging and fast paced, but not rushed. The details enhanced the story, rather than slowing it down just for the sake of telling you what something looked or felt like.
Bleeding Violet has a good mix of reality and paranormal. It’s mixed well enough that you can relate to it and it feels like our present day, age, and atmosphere, but the paranormal aspects are still strong and don’t feel out of place.
The low points of the book were the writing, and the ending. The writing was nothing special, but for the most part it was acceptable. The ending wasn’t a let down, but it could have been better. It was cute and sweet, but it didn’t fix all the problems, didn’t answer all the questions, and didn’t have quite enough closure for me.
Content: There was some sex, but no explicit details. There were some sexual references, moderate language, and some morbid details. Not for the easily offended or the weak of stomach.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ to anyone who doesn’t mind being a little freaked out or surprised by crazy people.
Will I buy this book and read it again? Yes, probably. (I read the e-book copy for review.) It will (hopefully soon) have a permanent spot on my bookshelf.
~Haleyknitz
Genre: YA, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 4/5
My Summary: Hanna is a freak. Diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Hyperactivity, Insanity, and nearly shut away as a maniac-depressive, she runs away from home in search of the mother she never knew. On arriving in her mother’s strange town called Portero, she makes a deal with her mom—if she can fit in with the people in this town within two weeks, she can stay. Her mother scoffs at the idea of Hanna being able to fit into the town—but Hanna soon learns that this has nothing to do with her, and everything to do with the town. Portero is like nothing she’s ever seen or heard of or imagined before. Strange creatures, invisible doors, a police-like force with a strange sense of right and wrong, a boy who she’s not sure if she likes or hates (but knows for sure that he’s hot), and a mayor who thinks she’s a god, Hanna starts her two-week challenge trying to fit in—and ends it trying to save the lives of everyone she loves.
Review:
Bleeding Violet was freakishly amazing, morbidly exciting, and realistically romantic.
I love it when the romance between the characters is real—not two perfect people who never fight who get along perfect. No, the romance between Hanna and Wyatt was not perfect, but it was there and it was special, and it was funny.
This whole book was funny. Though parts of it were strange and morbid, a lot of it was moderately confusing in an understandable way (Does that make any sense? probably not. Remember that Hanna is insane. She hallucinates… and makes some pretty interesting things happen near the end. It is confusing because it’s impossible, but understandable because she’s crazy.). I laughed almost the whole way through. It’s light and heavy, witty and serious, all mixed with the color purple.
The characters were my favorite. All the characters were very distinct and different. Sometimes when reading a story, some of the minor characters kind of blend together and seem similar, not defined enough, because they don’t really matter. But in Bleeding Violet, all the characters are distinct. I’m not sure if telling everyone that I identify with Hanna would be a wise idea because it might scare you… but to a certain extent, I did (and do) relate to her. Not just because of my own insanity (mwa-ha-ha!) but because her character was written in a very clear personal way. The story is told from first person inside Hanna’s head, so I knew exactly what Hanna was thinking all the time. Wyatt wasn’t perfect either. He had his flaws and that made him a real person. The change in Rosalie (the mother) was… both interesting and wonderful to see (Trying to keep this spoiler-free… but those of you who’ve read it already know what I mean by “change”).
The plot was engaging and fast paced, but not rushed. The details enhanced the story, rather than slowing it down just for the sake of telling you what something looked or felt like.
Bleeding Violet has a good mix of reality and paranormal. It’s mixed well enough that you can relate to it and it feels like our present day, age, and atmosphere, but the paranormal aspects are still strong and don’t feel out of place.
The low points of the book were the writing, and the ending. The writing was nothing special, but for the most part it was acceptable. The ending wasn’t a let down, but it could have been better. It was cute and sweet, but it didn’t fix all the problems, didn’t answer all the questions, and didn’t have quite enough closure for me.
Content: There was some sex, but no explicit details. There were some sexual references, moderate language, and some morbid details. Not for the easily offended or the weak of stomach.
Recommendation: Ages 16+ to anyone who doesn’t mind being a little freaked out or surprised by crazy people.
Will I buy this book and read it again? Yes, probably. (I read the e-book copy for review.) It will (hopefully soon) have a permanent spot on my bookshelf.
~Haleyknitz
Darren (1599 KP) rated Alone in the Dark (2005) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: I am going to first look at this only as a story, no opinions on the CGI or casting choices. If you were to look at the story as a solo idea you get a solid action horror. Now I hear people going ‘no its just crap’ so let’s look at the details. First off we have an idea of scientific experiment on children to create sleepers, but something goes wrong so we don’t see why it happened until more discoveries in the future. Then we have a search for hidden treasures of a lost ancient people. Add in a paranormal investigator, a secret government paranormal investigating team and the search for a truth. Now looking at those factors we should have a good story not special but enjoyable. Now with terrible casting decisions, awful CGI and a script that could have been written but a child everything goes south fast. As an idea for a story this is good, but as an execution of a story it’s bad. (5/10)
Actor Review
Christian Slater: Edward Carnby a paranormal investigator who has been trying to uncover the truth about his childhood, this puts him in danger as this time he has got closer than ever before. He must team up with his old organisation to final uncover the truth that has lost him the memories of his childhood. Slater strolls for this role without showing any of the skills that made him a star in the early 90s. (5/10)
slater
Tara Reid: Aline Cedrac assistant curator at the museum who also happens to be Edward’s girlfriend, she gets caught up in the middle of the battle after she uncover the location of the door. Going to take a deep breath before going for this one, just no how did this happen? Try your luck in romantic comedies. (2/10)
reid
Stephen Dorff: Commander Burke leader of a military team trying to keep the monsters away from the public, old partner of Edward but after seeing the truth he teams up with them to uncover the truth. Stephen can act and has proven it many times, just need to give him something to work with. (4/10)
dorff
Frank C Turner: Sam an old connection within the organisation that still communicates with Edward, he fills in the science gaps and you can guess what happens to him by the end. Basic supporting performance. (4/10)
fisher
Matthew Walker: Professor Hudgens scientist trying to open the door to the truth about the ancient people, he will do anything to get his answers including sacrificing anybody who gets in his way. As villains go this is generic one that doesn’t need too much to make them special. (4/10)
profes
Director Review: Uwe Boll – He not only managed to mess up a relatively easy story with awful CGI and lack of directing ideas. (2/10)
Action: Plenty of guns being fired, not sure if they ever hit anything as everything is in the pitch black. (3/10)
Horror: Doesn’t give you any scares, frights, well made with the acting. (1/10)
Settings: The settings used for the gun fights are used well, because they would make real settings for such a discover if someone wanted to keep it quiet. (6/10)
Special Effects: Terrible special effects that I only saw one good one and that was a soldier’s head split in two. (1/10)
Suggestion: I think if you are bored one night and this is on it would be acceptable to watch it as it slips close to the line of so bad you have to see. (Late Night TV)
Best Part: The idea
Worst Part: The CGI, Acting and Execution of the idea.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: Actually has one sequel
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $10 Million
Budget: $20 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 39 Minutes
Tagline: Can mankind defeat the army of darkness unleashed by an ancient evil cult?
Overall: Not only did this film destroy the source material, it ruined any chance the video game had of returning.
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/11/09/alone-in-the-dark-2005/
Actor Review
Christian Slater: Edward Carnby a paranormal investigator who has been trying to uncover the truth about his childhood, this puts him in danger as this time he has got closer than ever before. He must team up with his old organisation to final uncover the truth that has lost him the memories of his childhood. Slater strolls for this role without showing any of the skills that made him a star in the early 90s. (5/10)
slater
Tara Reid: Aline Cedrac assistant curator at the museum who also happens to be Edward’s girlfriend, she gets caught up in the middle of the battle after she uncover the location of the door. Going to take a deep breath before going for this one, just no how did this happen? Try your luck in romantic comedies. (2/10)
reid
Stephen Dorff: Commander Burke leader of a military team trying to keep the monsters away from the public, old partner of Edward but after seeing the truth he teams up with them to uncover the truth. Stephen can act and has proven it many times, just need to give him something to work with. (4/10)
dorff
Frank C Turner: Sam an old connection within the organisation that still communicates with Edward, he fills in the science gaps and you can guess what happens to him by the end. Basic supporting performance. (4/10)
fisher
Matthew Walker: Professor Hudgens scientist trying to open the door to the truth about the ancient people, he will do anything to get his answers including sacrificing anybody who gets in his way. As villains go this is generic one that doesn’t need too much to make them special. (4/10)
profes
Director Review: Uwe Boll – He not only managed to mess up a relatively easy story with awful CGI and lack of directing ideas. (2/10)
Action: Plenty of guns being fired, not sure if they ever hit anything as everything is in the pitch black. (3/10)
Horror: Doesn’t give you any scares, frights, well made with the acting. (1/10)
Settings: The settings used for the gun fights are used well, because they would make real settings for such a discover if someone wanted to keep it quiet. (6/10)
Special Effects: Terrible special effects that I only saw one good one and that was a soldier’s head split in two. (1/10)
Suggestion: I think if you are bored one night and this is on it would be acceptable to watch it as it slips close to the line of so bad you have to see. (Late Night TV)
Best Part: The idea
Worst Part: The CGI, Acting and Execution of the idea.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: Actually has one sequel
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $10 Million
Budget: $20 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 39 Minutes
Tagline: Can mankind defeat the army of darkness unleashed by an ancient evil cult?
Overall: Not only did this film destroy the source material, it ruined any chance the video game had of returning.
https://moviesreview101.com/2014/11/09/alone-in-the-dark-2005/
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Truth Seekers - Season 1 in TV
Nov 8, 2020
Enjoyably British
Truth Seekers is the latest collaboration from Nick Frost and Simon Pegg, and centres around employees of a network services provider who run a YouTube channel as amateur paranormal investigators.
The series follows Gus Roberts (Nick Frost), the top installation engineer for network provider Smyle. He lives with his dad (Malcolm McDowell) and investigates paranormal activities in his spare time, running his own YouTube channel as ‘The Truth Seeker’. His boss Dave (Simon Pegg) pairs Gus with a new employee Elton John (Samson Kayo), and Truth Seekers follows the pair as they increasingly encounter paranormal and mysterious entities as they go about their daily work, including a haunted young woman called Astrid (Emma D’Arcy).
Truth Seekers starts off as a case by episode series, with a new spooky encounter every time (think Supernatural but very British) and then mid-way works into a bigger overall plot involving Julian Barratt’s Dr Peter Toynbee that seems to tie all the earlier elements together. As a supernatural horror show, this works really well. It doesn’t rely on typical jump scares, and instead uses well known horror situations to be as creepy as possible. Admittedly this is a tad cliched – think of all the known supernatural experiences you’d expect to see (psychiatric hospitals, hotels, demons and satanic books to name a few) and you’ll definitely find them here. However this doesn’t matter as they’re done well and in such a smart, creepy and very British way. Even the special effects are impressive for something that looks like it should be fairly low budget.
Whilst this is made out to be a horror comedy, it’s the comedy side that appears to be a little lacking. Don’t get me wrong, this has its’s funny and witty moments and seems to relish all of the pop culture references it throws in at every opportunity, however it doesn’t seem quite as edgy and quick witted as Frost and Pegg’s previous collaborations. Frost delivers his usual deadpan style well and is ably supported by Samson Kayo’s Elton as his rather adorable and unwitting partner. The standout though is unsurprisingly Malcolm McDowell as Gus’ dad Richard. Right from the first episode McDowell shines and is an absolute riot. Every scene he’s in gives rise to so many laughs and in particular there’s one scene featuring him going upstairs on a stair lift so slowly that nearly had me crying with laughter. But despite this the humour is maybe a little lacking from what we’d expect. I also felt like some of the pop culture references were a little forced and unnatural, which is a shame as there were also a lot that worked quite well – nods to Aliens and The Shawshank Redemption were particularly appreciated.
Truth Seekers may be lacking a little in humour, but what is there is adeptly delivered by a rather stellar cast. Pegg takes a backseat as boss Dave with an atrocious hairpiece and there are some small roles for Kelly MacDonald, Susie Wokoma and Julian Barratt, but everyone puts in a great performance no matter the screen time. McDowell undoubtedly steals the show, but the main trio of Frost, Kayo and D’Arcy carry the show well between them.
What surprised me the most about Truth Seekers is how short it was. A mere eight episodes running at 30 minutes each doesn’t seem like enough – by the end of the eighth episode I was shocked to see there wasn’t any more, although the final scenes do at least set this up for a second series that will hopefully come to fruition. I was a little concerned about the main plot involving Toynbee as it did get a little convoluted towards the end, and the final scenes do nothing but add to this and hint at a much bigger story going on. This could end up being rather good, but it could also turn what is by and large a very enjoyable British supernatural series into something rather crazy and confused. Only series two will tell.
The series follows Gus Roberts (Nick Frost), the top installation engineer for network provider Smyle. He lives with his dad (Malcolm McDowell) and investigates paranormal activities in his spare time, running his own YouTube channel as ‘The Truth Seeker’. His boss Dave (Simon Pegg) pairs Gus with a new employee Elton John (Samson Kayo), and Truth Seekers follows the pair as they increasingly encounter paranormal and mysterious entities as they go about their daily work, including a haunted young woman called Astrid (Emma D’Arcy).
Truth Seekers starts off as a case by episode series, with a new spooky encounter every time (think Supernatural but very British) and then mid-way works into a bigger overall plot involving Julian Barratt’s Dr Peter Toynbee that seems to tie all the earlier elements together. As a supernatural horror show, this works really well. It doesn’t rely on typical jump scares, and instead uses well known horror situations to be as creepy as possible. Admittedly this is a tad cliched – think of all the known supernatural experiences you’d expect to see (psychiatric hospitals, hotels, demons and satanic books to name a few) and you’ll definitely find them here. However this doesn’t matter as they’re done well and in such a smart, creepy and very British way. Even the special effects are impressive for something that looks like it should be fairly low budget.
Whilst this is made out to be a horror comedy, it’s the comedy side that appears to be a little lacking. Don’t get me wrong, this has its’s funny and witty moments and seems to relish all of the pop culture references it throws in at every opportunity, however it doesn’t seem quite as edgy and quick witted as Frost and Pegg’s previous collaborations. Frost delivers his usual deadpan style well and is ably supported by Samson Kayo’s Elton as his rather adorable and unwitting partner. The standout though is unsurprisingly Malcolm McDowell as Gus’ dad Richard. Right from the first episode McDowell shines and is an absolute riot. Every scene he’s in gives rise to so many laughs and in particular there’s one scene featuring him going upstairs on a stair lift so slowly that nearly had me crying with laughter. But despite this the humour is maybe a little lacking from what we’d expect. I also felt like some of the pop culture references were a little forced and unnatural, which is a shame as there were also a lot that worked quite well – nods to Aliens and The Shawshank Redemption were particularly appreciated.
Truth Seekers may be lacking a little in humour, but what is there is adeptly delivered by a rather stellar cast. Pegg takes a backseat as boss Dave with an atrocious hairpiece and there are some small roles for Kelly MacDonald, Susie Wokoma and Julian Barratt, but everyone puts in a great performance no matter the screen time. McDowell undoubtedly steals the show, but the main trio of Frost, Kayo and D’Arcy carry the show well between them.
What surprised me the most about Truth Seekers is how short it was. A mere eight episodes running at 30 minutes each doesn’t seem like enough – by the end of the eighth episode I was shocked to see there wasn’t any more, although the final scenes do at least set this up for a second series that will hopefully come to fruition. I was a little concerned about the main plot involving Toynbee as it did get a little convoluted towards the end, and the final scenes do nothing but add to this and hint at a much bigger story going on. This could end up being rather good, but it could also turn what is by and large a very enjoyable British supernatural series into something rather crazy and confused. Only series two will tell.
Siren's Call (Dark Tides #1)
8.0
Rate It
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Between desire and love there are some things that can’t stay buried, even in the deep of the...
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
The author of the <i>Hush, Hush</i> saga, Becca Fitzpatrick, steps away from the paranormal genre with this brand new contemporary thriller, <i>Black Ice</i>. Britt Pfeiffer has persuaded her best friend, Korbie, to go on an adventurous backpacking trip in the Tenton mountains for their senior spring break. It immediately gets off to a bad start when the girls get caught in a freak snowstorm and stranded a long way from their lodge. Luckily they come across a cabin owned by a guy named Shaun who is there with his friend Mason. But it may not be the safe haven they hoped it to be. With her best friend’s life in danger as well as her own, Britt has to remain strong in order to save themselves; either that or hope that her ex-boyfriend will realize they are missing and rescue them.
Initially it was difficult to connect with Britt who narrates the entire story. She, as well as Korbie, is a rather annoying, spoilt daddy’s girl and equally annoying to read about. This did not set the novel up well as it appeared it was going to be about two whining teenagers, both used to getting their own ways, fending for themselves in the mountains. Once the girls were faced with a life or death situation, Britt’s character developed rapidly. She became more independent, clever and likable, which made the story a lot easier to read and enjoy.
<i>Black Ice</i> is a thriller containing a murder mystery, which links all the characters together but in ways that you would not originally expect. It is also a romance novel. Although Mason is perceived as a bad guy, Britt ends up falling for him, and he her, sparking a risky relationship.
Despite the shaky start, Fitzpatrick’s latest novel is full of exciting twists and turns. There is the high risk of death, either from murder or exposure to the elements. Also, with a breathtaking conclusion, it is exhilarating to try and work out who is good, who is bad and who has been murdering girls in the mountains.
Fans of Fitzpatrick’s previous works may be disappointed with the lack of the paranormal and fantasy creatures that she has become known for, however this is still an enjoyable book. Personally I preferred it to <i>Hush, Hush</i> which I admittedly did not care for. I confess that I did not expect to like this book, especially as the main character began as a very irritating person, but it does get so much better.
The author of the <i>Hush, Hush</i> saga, Becca Fitzpatrick, steps away from the paranormal genre with this brand new contemporary thriller, <i>Black Ice</i>. Britt Pfeiffer has persuaded her best friend, Korbie, to go on an adventurous backpacking trip in the Tenton mountains for their senior spring break. It immediately gets off to a bad start when the girls get caught in a freak snowstorm and stranded a long way from their lodge. Luckily they come across a cabin owned by a guy named Shaun who is there with his friend Mason. But it may not be the safe haven they hoped it to be. With her best friend’s life in danger as well as her own, Britt has to remain strong in order to save themselves; either that or hope that her ex-boyfriend will realize they are missing and rescue them.
Initially it was difficult to connect with Britt who narrates the entire story. She, as well as Korbie, is a rather annoying, spoilt daddy’s girl and equally annoying to read about. This did not set the novel up well as it appeared it was going to be about two whining teenagers, both used to getting their own ways, fending for themselves in the mountains. Once the girls were faced with a life or death situation, Britt’s character developed rapidly. She became more independent, clever and likable, which made the story a lot easier to read and enjoy.
<i>Black Ice</i> is a thriller containing a murder mystery, which links all the characters together but in ways that you would not originally expect. It is also a romance novel. Although Mason is perceived as a bad guy, Britt ends up falling for him, and he her, sparking a risky relationship.
Despite the shaky start, Fitzpatrick’s latest novel is full of exciting twists and turns. There is the high risk of death, either from murder or exposure to the elements. Also, with a breathtaking conclusion, it is exhilarating to try and work out who is good, who is bad and who has been murdering girls in the mountains.
Fans of Fitzpatrick’s previous works may be disappointed with the lack of the paranormal and fantasy creatures that she has become known for, however this is still an enjoyable book. Personally I preferred it to <i>Hush, Hush</i> which I admittedly did not care for. I confess that I did not expect to like this book, especially as the main character began as a very irritating person, but it does get so much better.
All the King's Men: The Beginning (All The King's Men #6)
8.0
Rate It
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NOTE: This book is a prequel. Reading the first five books of the series will greatly enhance your...
Paranormal Romance Vampires
Merissa (12069 KP) rated Relentless (Relentless, #1) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
Have you ever picked up a book and thought that you knew exactly where it was heading before you even started it? Well, that's what I thought about this book. I thought it would be a light, easy read where the story follows the 'set' pattern and it would while away a couple of hours. Boy, was I wrong!!!
This story is simply fantastic. It is fresh and incredibly well-written. There aren't many books out there that can blend fantasy with paranormal but Karen Lynch can and does with aplomb. The synopsis states that vampires are involved so fair enough but I certainly wasn't expecting trolls, imps, sylphs, undines and demons - to name but a few! There are enough characters in here so that everyone can have their favourite although I suspect I'm in the majority for thinking that Nikolas is just "Oh Yeah!". The relationships between Sara and her two best friends, Roland and Peter, are not only believable but also in the minority in books. Yes, people, you can be friends with a guy without any benefits apart from a solid friendship. It was so nice to read this part even with the explanation given by Aine as to the why.
Sara has special gifts, some of which can be explained by Nikolas and some that remain a mystery. Sara states that she is not a warrior. Warriors come in different shapes and sizes but Sara definitely is. She has much to learn and I'm really hoping that Nikolas will be there to help her.
Relentless is full of secrets which I loved reading about, it is also full of humour. Sara is a strong female lead and she is not afraid of speaking her mind, especially to Nikolas. One of my favourite parts is when she speaks to Nikolas on the phone and calls Chris "Dimples". It may not be funny here but read the story and you'll see what I mean.
This is book 1 of a trilogy with book 2 (hopefully) due out late this year. I am now stalking, I mean, following 😉 Karen Lynch on Facebook and GoodReads so that I can see it as soon as it's available. Good things come to those that wait and if this book is any indication, book 2 is going to be even better. So many things that I want to see happen. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes YA, Fantasy or Paranormal. Excellent!
* 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!
Mar 9, 2014
This story is simply fantastic. It is fresh and incredibly well-written. There aren't many books out there that can blend fantasy with paranormal but Karen Lynch can and does with aplomb. The synopsis states that vampires are involved so fair enough but I certainly wasn't expecting trolls, imps, sylphs, undines and demons - to name but a few! There are enough characters in here so that everyone can have their favourite although I suspect I'm in the majority for thinking that Nikolas is just "Oh Yeah!". The relationships between Sara and her two best friends, Roland and Peter, are not only believable but also in the minority in books. Yes, people, you can be friends with a guy without any benefits apart from a solid friendship. It was so nice to read this part even with the explanation given by Aine as to the why.
Sara has special gifts, some of which can be explained by Nikolas and some that remain a mystery. Sara states that she is not a warrior. Warriors come in different shapes and sizes but Sara definitely is. She has much to learn and I'm really hoping that Nikolas will be there to help her.
Relentless is full of secrets which I loved reading about, it is also full of humour. Sara is a strong female lead and she is not afraid of speaking her mind, especially to Nikolas. One of my favourite parts is when she speaks to Nikolas on the phone and calls Chris "Dimples". It may not be funny here but read the story and you'll see what I mean.
This is book 1 of a trilogy with book 2 (hopefully) due out late this year. I am now stalking, I mean, following 😉 Karen Lynch on Facebook and GoodReads so that I can see it as soon as it's available. Good things come to those that wait and if this book is any indication, book 2 is going to be even better. So many things that I want to see happen. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes YA, Fantasy or Paranormal. Excellent!
* 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!
Mar 9, 2014
Merissa (12069 KP) rated A Wolf's Love: A Paranormal Romance Short Read (Flame #5.1) in Books
Nov 20, 2017
A Wolf's Love: A Paranormal Romance Short Read (Flame #5.5) by Caris Roane
A Wolf's Love is a short story addition to the Flame series. Cole and Lauren were together, until Lauren did something that Cole couldn't accept, and he called it off. However, when a teenager is kidnapped, Cole is the one that Lauren turns to, even though he refuses to help (at first). What follows is the two of them putting another's needs before their own, and working together to save her.
As with all Caris Roane's books, this is very well-written. It may only be a short story, but a full story is here. Nothing has been skimped on, instead you can settle in for a very good read. Personally, I would recommend that you start at book one, just to get the full enjoyment of the world of the Flame, but it isn't fully necessary. You 'could' read them in any order and as a standalone, but I do feel that you would miss something out of this well-developed world. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I can highly recommend this short story.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
As with all Caris Roane's books, this is very well-written. It may only be a short story, but a full story is here. Nothing has been skimped on, instead you can settle in for a very good read. Personally, I would recommend that you start at book one, just to get the full enjoyment of the world of the Flame, but it isn't fully necessary. You 'could' read them in any order and as a standalone, but I do feel that you would miss something out of this well-developed world. With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow, I can highly recommend this short story.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated From the Dark (Bewitch the Dark #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
From the Dark has some interesting ideas, nothing original but good still the same; it's just too bad the story couldn't come together. I got to the end of page 170 and just could not go on. I hate to be so harsh but I was not going to force this torture onto myself anymore.
The main problem with the book was how hurried it was; the book had too much going on and was light on a decent plot, yet it still ended up boring. For the most part the story consisted of parts that were redundant, cheesy, weird, and/or ludicrous, which in turn made me cringe. The characters were one-dimensional, boring, and unsympathetic; I can't say I hated them and I can't say I liked them, although Ravin got on my nerves. Not to mention, what was up with the counting thing? What is Michael, Sesame Street's the Count? I mean if that was used in a children's book or a comedic PNR than fine, but in a supposedly serious paranormal romance? It's not funny, it's bloody ridiculous.
I'm sorry to say this, but this whole disaster made me think the author just half-heartedly wrote the book by filling in blanks around a few ideas. I sincerely hope Michele Hauf's other books are much better than this.
The main problem with the book was how hurried it was; the book had too much going on and was light on a decent plot, yet it still ended up boring. For the most part the story consisted of parts that were redundant, cheesy, weird, and/or ludicrous, which in turn made me cringe. The characters were one-dimensional, boring, and unsympathetic; I can't say I hated them and I can't say I liked them, although Ravin got on my nerves. Not to mention, what was up with the counting thing? What is Michael, Sesame Street's the Count? I mean if that was used in a children's book or a comedic PNR than fine, but in a supposedly serious paranormal romance? It's not funny, it's bloody ridiculous.
I'm sorry to say this, but this whole disaster made me think the author just half-heartedly wrote the book by filling in blanks around a few ideas. I sincerely hope Michele Hauf's other books are much better than this.
Midge (525 KP) rated The Sisters’ Secrets: Reen in Books
Apr 4, 2019
Well Worth A Read!
This is the second book in a series entitled ‘The Sisters’ Secrets.’ The first one is called ‘The Sisters’ Secrets: Rose’, which I haven’t read, though, whilst not ideal, I don’t think it matters that much if they are read out of sequence. It was still a great book for me and worked fine as a stand-alone read.
The Sisters’ Secrets: Reen has all the required ingredients that make a really fantastic story in its genre: from the mood and undercurrents to the good writing and the experience of love and friendship, not forgetting the feelings of hope and moving on from the past.
There is plenty of romance in this thought-provoking story and lots of lighter moments, but this is not lightweight paranormal dross. It examines issues around family and relationships as well as bereavement and loss.
I recommend this very engaging, if a little short, read to those with a fondness for the Romance and Women’s Fiction genres. There are more secrets to be revealed in the next book of the series ‘The Sisters’ Secrets: Pearl’ and I will be reading that book, too!
Thanks to NetGalley, HQ Digital and the author, Katlyn Duncan for my free ARC of The Sisters’ Secrets: Reen in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheSistersSecretsReen
The Sisters’ Secrets: Reen has all the required ingredients that make a really fantastic story in its genre: from the mood and undercurrents to the good writing and the experience of love and friendship, not forgetting the feelings of hope and moving on from the past.
There is plenty of romance in this thought-provoking story and lots of lighter moments, but this is not lightweight paranormal dross. It examines issues around family and relationships as well as bereavement and loss.
I recommend this very engaging, if a little short, read to those with a fondness for the Romance and Women’s Fiction genres. There are more secrets to be revealed in the next book of the series ‘The Sisters’ Secrets: Pearl’ and I will be reading that book, too!
Thanks to NetGalley, HQ Digital and the author, Katlyn Duncan for my free ARC of The Sisters’ Secrets: Reen in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #TheSistersSecretsReen