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ClareR (6067 KP) rated Charlotte in Books

May 14, 2022  
Charlotte
Charlotte
Helen Moffett | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I inhaled Jane Austen as a teenager, and so I was really intrigued when I heard about Charlotte by Helen Moffett. Ok, so this is a #BeatTheBacklog book - it has been sat on my bookshelf for far too long, but I’m so glad I’ve got round to it at last!

Charlotte is a continuation of Charlotte Lucas’ story after we leave her in Pride and Prejudice. She marries Mr Collins, and whilst we may remember him as something of a buffoon, he is quite different here. He still waxes lyrical about Lady de Bourgh - she does pay the bills after all - but he seems to be a good, loving father, and a decent husband.

There’s some really good insight into a lot of these characters from the original book: Lady de Bourgh, Anne de Bourgh (who becomes friends with Charlotte), Mr Collins, Lizzy and Charlotte herself. All were richly described, and it felt good to be back with them.

What really surprised me was Charlottes inner life: the passion, her heartache, how capable she was as the manager of a house and its servants.

And there was quite a surprising turn of events that I’ll say nothing of, but it was quite exciting and lovely.

I’m glad I’ve read this book at last. If you’re an Austen reader/ fan, I think you’d be interested in this. It’s probably a bit more risqué than Austen would have written at the time, but it’s certainly in the same vein.

Recommended.
  
WO
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
94 of 235
Kindle
Wings of Stone ( The Dragons of Ascavar 1)
By J.D. Monroe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Doctor Gabrielle Rojas knows her Jane Doe patient shouldn’t heal this fast, or have a blood type that doesn’t exist. She also knows that Tarek, the sexy stranger who claims he’s her next of kin, is out of his damned mind.

But she can’t deny her own eyes when she watches him turn into a dragon and fly out the window with her patient. There’s no mistaking his gleaming scales and massive wings, and her day only gets weirder when he calls her to dig a couple of bullets out of his delicious backside.

Meddling in the affairs of dragons lands Gabrielle in a dungeon in the magical land of Ascavar, where dragons rule and magic burns bright.

With war on the horizon for his people, Tarek swears to take Gabrielle home to her safe, normal life. But her healing touch soothes his wounded heart, and he soon realizes that this is one promise he can’t keep.

As passion binds them together, both dragon and doctor must ask…can they ever go back?

I enjoy this a lot more than I expected to for the first quarter of the book I was a bit weary but I ended up really enjoying it. It was one of those reads that catches you by surprise. The story line was good, the characters were good and it had some grit. Definitely surprised me.
  
40x40

Merissa (13770 KP) rated Wishes for Rohi (Jinn and Tonic #1) in Books

Mar 26, 2021 (Updated Aug 2, 2023)  
Wishes for Rohi (Jinn and Tonic #1)
Wishes for Rohi (Jinn and Tonic #1)
K.L. Hiers | 2021 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
WISHES FOR ROHI is the first book in the Jinn and Tonic series, and we start with Ashley. He is single but longs for a romantic affair, with someone to love him. It is his birthday but even his best friend has forgotten, so he spends most of the evening with a stray cat until his friend remembers and takes him out. There he meets the mysterious Zaire who gives him a night of passion unlike anything before. The morning after though - well, you expect it to be awkward sometimes, but maybe not twin brother turning up saying you are his betrothed awkward. Unfortunately, this is what happens to Ashley, and it looks like he was just a toy for Zaire.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was obvious that Zamir and Ashley shouldn't end up together, but it also looked like they would, even though neither of them wanted it. I was completely enthralled by every word and situation. I loved Nesrina and her down-to-earth abilities and empathy. But for me, the real Queen was Moira! She was brilliant and I loved every scene she was in.

Smoothly written, with characters to enjoy, this is a book I have no hesitation in recommending, and I can't wait to see who is next in this series.

* 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 26, 2021
  
Reluctant Rockstar (Reluctant Rockstar #1)
Reluctant Rockstar (Reluctant Rockstar #1)
Frances Fox | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
the biggest warm and fuzzies!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Usually I write a little blurby bit, but I'm not going to here, I'm gonna jump straight in!

Cos, this book right?? It's so freaking good!

It's not ever so smexy, but it has passion and emotion. It's not explicit but it has steam! There isn't much drama, save for the idiot ex-manager and Martin making his decision. It's not very long, some 95 pages, but I'll come back to that bit shortly.

And all that is why I loved this book! Finding yourself after such a long time is what this is all about and Martin, once he makes the decision he does, he and Simon are a couple, after such a short space of time, and Martin leaving to finish what he needs to do gives them time to miss each other, even though they are in constant contact.

Back to the length of this book. I would probably have said, as I've done before, that this book is too short. However, I don't think this particular book would work as a longer piece, I really don't. It's the perfect page length for this story, for Simon and Martin to fall in love.

It's full of emotion and love, and gave me the biggest warm and fuzzies feeling I've had in a long time!

First I can see of this author, I want more if they are all this cute!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
S(
Soulceress ( Mythean Arcana 2)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
110 of 235
Kindle
Soulceress ( Mythean Arcana 2)
By Linsey Hall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

He hates what she is
Three hundred years ago, Warren sold his soul in exchange for the safety of his people. He lives immortal and inhuman, a life in the shadows, hiding his secrets. Until now, when he finally has the chance to reclaim his soul after three centuries of suffering…

She’s wanted him forever
Esha is a soulceress, an immortal who drains the magical powers of others. Shunned by everyone she meets, she’s a rogue mercenary who hunts evil for a living. The only man she cannot harm is Warren, and she’s wanted since she first met him. The only problem? He hates what she is as much as everyone else.

A passion they want to resist--but can’t
Esha is the only person who can help Warren reclaim his soul, but the simple quest soon becomes a deadly battle fraught with secrets that could tear them apart. Warren will have to rely on the woman he wishes he didn’t want—one whom he can’t resist. But Esha isn’t going to settle for so little this time around. She’s going to make him work for it.

I really loved hearing Warrens and Eshas stories it just all came together so well a few bits I hadn’t clues onto as well so it always nice when a book surprises you. Would you give up your soul for that one love? If it was this romantic sign me up! Recommend!
  
American Sniper (2015)
American Sniper (2015)
2015 | Action, Drama, War
Every once in a while a movie just sneaks up on me. A movie that comes out of nowhere to be one of the best that I have seen in a long while. This is how American Sniper hit me. I had seen previews, and thought that it might end up being a decent flick, but I did not expect it to grab a hold of me and teach me something about myself as well.

American Sniper sees Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in his second movie with “American” in the title (see 2013’s American Hustle). Most of us know the story of Chris Kyle, but for those that don’t here’s a quick rundown. Chris Kyle is the most lethal sniper in American history with 160 confirmed kills as a Navy SEAL, and another 95 probable kills. He served four tours, and wrote a book about his life. This film is based on that book. It tells the story of how he was influenced by his father, joined the military, and then went on to serve four tours while trying to balance his life at home with his wife and children. Acting as the true Sheepdog to all in his life, American Sniper looks at the struggle Kyle went through, and tells the story with passion and respect.

Cooper did a fantastic job portraying Texas-native Kyle. He was almost unrecognizable onscreen, as he put in 8 months of prep to get ready for this role, including a 4-hour a day training regime, and another two with a vocal coach. It was even said that some of Kyle’s brothers-in-arms who helped train Cooper and serve as consultants on the movie could feel his presence through Cooper at the end of training and all throughout filming. Sienna Miller was a great compliment to Cooper’s performance as Taya Kyle, Chris’ wife and the mother of his children. And not surprisingly, Clint Eastwood knocked it out of the park in this go at the Director’s chair. This is his best movie in years, though one would hope so with Chris Kyle’s father threatening to unleash hell if the memory of his son was disrespected with the film.

Mr. Kyle’s passing was a tragic event for those that knew him, and even those that did not know him. I think he may rest well knowing that this film, adapted from his own auto-biography, was handled beautifully with such passion and respect. If I have one issue with the film, it was the rapidity at which things progressed. So many different events packed into 15 minute segments with time just seemed to be rushing like a river, and glossing over parts of the story that could really have used some more build up or exploring. But such is the case when adapting a movie from a book. Though I am sure that movie-goers would not have minded lengthy the movie a bit, even with a run-time of 132 minutes.

If you see one movie this month, let it be American Sniper. If you have not heard of Chris Kyle, or his story, go see American Sniper. Hopefully, the Legend will live on through the lives he touched, and saved.