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ClareR (5784 KP) rated Hag: : Forgotten Folktales Retold in Books
Mar 13, 2022
I’m a huge fan of fairytales, so I was all over this collection of updated versions of local tales. I hadn’t heard of most of them, and I’d be hard-pressed to choose a favourite (but I do like the mermaids and selkies!).
What I especially liked about this collection, is that at the back of the book are all the original stories. So I could read the original before the updated version. It was so interesting to see how the authors updated them.
There are some phenomenal authors here. I’ve already read other books by Daisy Johnson, Naomi Booth and Kirsty Logan, have some of the others on my TBR, and now I can add some others to that list. This is one of the best things about reading anthologies: new to me authors!
So yes, I’d recommend this!
What I especially liked about this collection, is that at the back of the book are all the original stories. So I could read the original before the updated version. It was so interesting to see how the authors updated them.
There are some phenomenal authors here. I’ve already read other books by Daisy Johnson, Naomi Booth and Kirsty Logan, have some of the others on my TBR, and now I can add some others to that list. This is one of the best things about reading anthologies: new to me authors!
So yes, I’d recommend this!
Merissa (12351 KP) rated A Daddy for Christmas: Ever in Books
Nov 14, 2023
EVER is the first book in the multi-author A Daddy for Christmas series I have read, and it's sweet and low angst. If that's what you're looking for, you've found it.
Ever is by himself, not knowing who he really is. His last boyfriend made fun of him for liking teddies, so he now tries to hide that part of him. Birch is a daddy who has suffered a painful family loss and isn't interested in being with anyone. Up until he hears Ever's voice, that is.
These two are just so cute - both of them listening and communicating for the most part. I have to admit, my favourite Daddy is the Caretaker Daddy and this was written brilliantly.
A gentle seasonal story that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to read more in this series. Definitely recommended by me.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 14, 2023
Ever is by himself, not knowing who he really is. His last boyfriend made fun of him for liking teddies, so he now tries to hide that part of him. Birch is a daddy who has suffered a painful family loss and isn't interested in being with anyone. Up until he hears Ever's voice, that is.
These two are just so cute - both of them listening and communicating for the most part. I have to admit, my favourite Daddy is the Caretaker Daddy and this was written brilliantly.
A gentle seasonal story that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to read more in this series. Definitely recommended by me.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 14, 2023
stacey (81 KP) rated 13 Reasons Why - Season 1 in TV
May 16, 2017
harsh scenes (6 more)
pretty predictable
annoying
some overall stupid things
LISTEN TO YOUR DAMN TAPE CLAY
was pretty slow
overly dramatic
Welcome to your tape
Now normally i do not watch a show if i know there is a book about it. i HAVE to read the book first but i choose to watch the show for the hell of it.
So this show is seriously overly dramatic with the hole highschool stuff. Yea they got some right but man some of it i literally had to skip through because i was just so annoyed at it.
One part i liked was the
" welcome to your tape" -- that will never get old for me
yea people may not like that i find that funny but hey everyone has there own opinion.
when the really bad stuff happened.. i couldn't watch it, it broke my heart. Coming from someone who has experienced stuff similar it brought up bad mojo.
I understand this is to warn people about suicide but how the hell is making tapes and having the people who did not help you get out of it learn from this?
stop looking for people to save you and save yourself
So this show is seriously overly dramatic with the hole highschool stuff. Yea they got some right but man some of it i literally had to skip through because i was just so annoyed at it.
One part i liked was the
" welcome to your tape" -- that will never get old for me
yea people may not like that i find that funny but hey everyone has there own opinion.
when the really bad stuff happened.. i couldn't watch it, it broke my heart. Coming from someone who has experienced stuff similar it brought up bad mojo.
I understand this is to warn people about suicide but how the hell is making tapes and having the people who did not help you get out of it learn from this?
stop looking for people to save you and save yourself
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Buddies, Bullies, and Baseball in Books
Jan 26, 2021
The protagonist of this book is Jack, and the story is told from his perspective. Jack is a fifth-grade student, who has great friends and loves baseball. I liked Jack, he is a cute and very intelligent young boy. Jack shares his tricks in avoiding the bullies, and his general daily routine. This book is very simplistic and the whole plot can be quite relatable to any schoolboy out there. It discusses home works, friendships, and baseball. I didn’t see many adventures or twits and turns in this book, it is written in simple and easy to understand language, suitable for children. The chapters are pretty short, and the ending rounded up this story pretty nicely.
To conclude, it is an important book, and I do recommend it for children to read. As an adult, I found this book not very entertaining and quite boring. I think children would enjoy it more because they would see themselves in Jack and could relate on some level. I do see the marketing and pricing issues with this book and I highlighted that to the publisher. For now, it is free on Kindle Unlimited, so please offer it to your kids, it is quite educational and might help someone.
To conclude, it is an important book, and I do recommend it for children to read. As an adult, I found this book not very entertaining and quite boring. I think children would enjoy it more because they would see themselves in Jack and could relate on some level. I do see the marketing and pricing issues with this book and I highlighted that to the publisher. For now, it is free on Kindle Unlimited, so please offer it to your kids, it is quite educational and might help someone.
Merissa (12351 KP) rated Need You Now (Love's Paradise Series #1) in Books
Nov 10, 2017
Need You Now (Love's Paradise Series #1) by Dei Araujo
Need You Now is a romantic suspense story that involves the kidnapping of a child. The story moves along smoothly enough, and I really enjoyed the moments with Keyon. I have to say that the male characters in this book had a better depth and believability (yes, I know that's not a real word!) than the females one did. Amaranth had her moments, but she would insist on ignoring the advice/warnings of the professional, and rush headlong into danger. And Cassia was a one-dimensional character who didn't do much to the story and quickly disappeared from working with Nick to being with Roberto.
The story was a good one, and like I said, Keyon stole every scene he was in. The pacing was smooth, and there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. With an easy-going writing style, this is a book to read if you don't want anything too deep, but will keep you turning the pages. I did enjoy it, and would read more by this author.
* 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!
The story was a good one, and like I said, Keyon stole every scene he was in. The pacing was smooth, and there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. With an easy-going writing style, this is a book to read if you don't want anything too deep, but will keep you turning the pages. I did enjoy it, and would read more by this author.
* 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!
Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated Ghostal Living (Hamptons Home & Garden Mysteries #3) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
Ms. Bridge is a new to me author and I can tell you that I loved her unique, quirky style. I'm now a fan for life! I love a good cozy mystery full of twists, turns, and who dun its and Ms. Bridge's third installment to the Hampton Home and Garden Mysteries did not disappoint! It had the perfect blend of all that and more.
I love that this book is centered around a bed and breakfast called Bibliophile Bed&Breakfast! It seems perfect for us book lovers! A rare manuscript,a killer on the loose and lots of decorating to do, Meg finds her hands full in this book filled with witty characters and happenings that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat while you help Meg uncover the clues and solve the mystery. Following Meg on her race to find the who's and why's behind it all was so fun! I read this book in one sitting, turning the pages long into the night.
I definitely sing this book's praises. The theme, the characters, the mystery behind it all, make the perfect cozy read and will capture you from the start. It's worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up. And while this is the 3rd installment in this series, it could easily be read as a stand alone. So, what are you waiting for? Grab that cup of coffee, this amazing book, and settle in for the roller coaster ride of your life! Ms. Bridge will capture you wholly with her characters, charm and who dun it mysteries! And, as a bonus, Ms. Bridge throws in recipes and decorating tips! <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/review-ghostal-living-by-kathleen-bridge/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
I love that this book is centered around a bed and breakfast called Bibliophile Bed&Breakfast! It seems perfect for us book lovers! A rare manuscript,a killer on the loose and lots of decorating to do, Meg finds her hands full in this book filled with witty characters and happenings that is sure to leave you on the edge of your seat while you help Meg uncover the clues and solve the mystery. Following Meg on her race to find the who's and why's behind it all was so fun! I read this book in one sitting, turning the pages long into the night.
I definitely sing this book's praises. The theme, the characters, the mystery behind it all, make the perfect cozy read and will capture you from the start. It's worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up. And while this is the 3rd installment in this series, it could easily be read as a stand alone. So, what are you waiting for? Grab that cup of coffee, this amazing book, and settle in for the roller coaster ride of your life! Ms. Bridge will capture you wholly with her characters, charm and who dun it mysteries! And, as a bonus, Ms. Bridge throws in recipes and decorating tips! <a href="http://cafinatedreads.com/review-ghostal-living-by-kathleen-bridge/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Cafinated Reads</a>
Merissa (12351 KP) rated Drawing Bloodlines (The Princeton Allegiant #1) in Books
Apr 4, 2019
Drawing Bloodlines (The Princeton Allegiant #1) by Deborah Garland
Drawing Bloodlines is the first book in The Princeton Allegiant, and we meet with Alexander, a young vampire of only five hundred years old or so. He is the doctor who draws the blood from our main female, Elizabeth, which is okay until she catches him drinking it.
The attraction between Alexander and Elizabeth is off the charts from the start, but I actually wished it wasn't for part of the book! Now, don't get me wrong, steam isn't a bad thing at all, but for me, it actually took away from some of the parts of the story. It all became about how often these two made the naughty, rather than anything else like, for example, maybe Alex could have told Elizabeth more of his history... say the part with Christiana in it?! I actually preferred this book once Alex was told he had to mate with Christiana, and Loren appeared on the scene. I felt there was more of a connection then, but maybe that's just me.
On the whole, this was a very good read, with plenty to get your teeth into (bad pun intended). I would love to read more about this world of Allegiants, and see how it works in greater detail. And, of course, find out more about the missing vampires. Oh, and hope Elijah gets his story!
There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Excellent start to the 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!
The attraction between Alexander and Elizabeth is off the charts from the start, but I actually wished it wasn't for part of the book! Now, don't get me wrong, steam isn't a bad thing at all, but for me, it actually took away from some of the parts of the story. It all became about how often these two made the naughty, rather than anything else like, for example, maybe Alex could have told Elizabeth more of his history... say the part with Christiana in it?! I actually preferred this book once Alex was told he had to mate with Christiana, and Loren appeared on the scene. I felt there was more of a connection then, but maybe that's just me.
On the whole, this was a very good read, with plenty to get your teeth into (bad pun intended). I would love to read more about this world of Allegiants, and see how it works in greater detail. And, of course, find out more about the missing vampires. Oh, and hope Elijah gets his story!
There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Excellent start to the 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!
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated In a Dark, Dark Wood in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Also find my review here: http://bit.ly/28MAUwP
DNF at around 80%
I was so ready to love this book! I'd been wanting it <b>forever!</b> So when I finally got my hands on it I got straight to it and starting reading, but oh dear god, how wrong I was to be excited about this.
Now I'm not saying this is a badly written book, or the characters are boring etc etc, I actually find the writing style of Ware really nice to read <i>but</i> I thought the plot was so incredibly predictable it was honestly hard to keep my eyes from rolling every 5 pages. I know I'm not the only one who thought this because I spoiled the ending for myself by reading some of the answered questions relating to the book just so I wouldn't have to put myself through the last 20%.
The ending is the biggest load of crap ever (sorry to be so harsh). It's ridiculous! Plus I totally guessed it as soon as we found out about Clare & James.
Personally, my recommendation to you is don't waste your time or money on this. If you're looking for a thriller go read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1509092035">Behind Closed Doors</a> instead. It's so much more tense and thrilling than this novel that I can assure you, you've probably read 5 times already because it's plot is so over done.
You might be wondering why I gave this 2 stars when all I seem to be doing is hating on it, but Ware is a good writer and her characters are well developed and interesting.... she just needs to work on her plot development.
DNF at around 80%
I was so ready to love this book! I'd been wanting it <b>forever!</b> So when I finally got my hands on it I got straight to it and starting reading, but oh dear god, how wrong I was to be excited about this.
Now I'm not saying this is a badly written book, or the characters are boring etc etc, I actually find the writing style of Ware really nice to read <i>but</i> I thought the plot was so incredibly predictable it was honestly hard to keep my eyes from rolling every 5 pages. I know I'm not the only one who thought this because I spoiled the ending for myself by reading some of the answered questions relating to the book just so I wouldn't have to put myself through the last 20%.
The ending is the biggest load of crap ever (sorry to be so harsh). It's ridiculous! Plus I totally guessed it as soon as we found out about Clare & James.
Personally, my recommendation to you is don't waste your time or money on this. If you're looking for a thriller go read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1509092035">Behind Closed Doors</a> instead. It's so much more tense and thrilling than this novel that I can assure you, you've probably read 5 times already because it's plot is so over done.
You might be wondering why I gave this 2 stars when all I seem to be doing is hating on it, but Ware is a good writer and her characters are well developed and interesting.... she just needs to work on her plot development.
Debbiereadsbook (1310 KP) rated The Crown Of Draga (Draga Court #2) in Books
Feb 28, 2018
burning hotter!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book two in the Draga Court series, and you really SHOULD read Princess of Draga before reading this one. It will give you a better picture of who is who, and what they are all up to. Not everything is recapped.
I found this a much better read! Maybe because I was able to read it in one sitting, I dunno. But it certainly held my attention far better.
We again get almost everyone, but I really wanted to hear from Raena, Adelina's eldest sister, who places the restrictions on Lina about Nash. I wanted to know what was going through her mind when she did that!
On the blurb bit of this book it says "This is a slow-burn, reverse harem series" Now, it IS a whole lot sexier than the first book, I'll give you that, but the reverse harem bit?? Still not clear how that is gonna pan out! Not that Adelina doesn't have any suitors, cos she does, I just don't know who will end up in her bed next!
Across the galaxy, on the outer rim, the Neprijat have made their first move. The galaxy is at war with these monsters. We meet them too, along with their (almost) human handlers, and are introduced to their *quite literal* mind bending powers.
I can't see where this is going, or how many books it will take to get there, but I KNOW I want to follow the series. I just hope I don't have to wait for a long time!
Creeping up to...
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book two in the Draga Court series, and you really SHOULD read Princess of Draga before reading this one. It will give you a better picture of who is who, and what they are all up to. Not everything is recapped.
I found this a much better read! Maybe because I was able to read it in one sitting, I dunno. But it certainly held my attention far better.
We again get almost everyone, but I really wanted to hear from Raena, Adelina's eldest sister, who places the restrictions on Lina about Nash. I wanted to know what was going through her mind when she did that!
On the blurb bit of this book it says "This is a slow-burn, reverse harem series" Now, it IS a whole lot sexier than the first book, I'll give you that, but the reverse harem bit?? Still not clear how that is gonna pan out! Not that Adelina doesn't have any suitors, cos she does, I just don't know who will end up in her bed next!
Across the galaxy, on the outer rim, the Neprijat have made their first move. The galaxy is at war with these monsters. We meet them too, along with their (almost) human handlers, and are introduced to their *quite literal* mind bending powers.
I can't see where this is going, or how many books it will take to get there, but I KNOW I want to follow the series. I just hope I don't have to wait for a long time!
Creeping up to...
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated Queen of Hearts in Books
Jul 9, 2019
It's dark, twisty, and sure to keep you entertained.
I have wanted to read Queen of Hearts ever since I knew of its existence. When I saw that Colleen Oakes was going to be at Denver Pop Culture Con, I knew now was the time to finally pick up my dusty book and give it a read. I was already reading a physical book, so I opted to listen to the book instead and spent an audible credit on Queen of Hearts. The narrator was genuinely excellent and brought the book to life.
Something that I loved about this book was that we got to read an origin story for the Queen of Hearts. I liked that I sympathized with her and genuinely cared about her as well. It was a strange experience to care for the villain of Alice in Wonderland. The characters were well done though at times I found Dinah a little too whiney. I would have loved for her to pick up on some of the clues she received as well.
Something else that didn't sit right with me was how dark the book was. I knew that this was going to be dark, but I didn't expect it to be so dark that it would make me shudder at moments. Queen of Hearts is not for the faint of heart, and at times it verged into more of the horror genre.
Even though it was a little too horror-y to me, I enjoyed the book. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. This will be the perfect book for teens and adults who want to get a feel for the horror genre without jumping into the pool. It's dark, twisty, and sure to keep you entertained.
Something that I loved about this book was that we got to read an origin story for the Queen of Hearts. I liked that I sympathized with her and genuinely cared about her as well. It was a strange experience to care for the villain of Alice in Wonderland. The characters were well done though at times I found Dinah a little too whiney. I would have loved for her to pick up on some of the clues she received as well.
Something else that didn't sit right with me was how dark the book was. I knew that this was going to be dark, but I didn't expect it to be so dark that it would make me shudder at moments. Queen of Hearts is not for the faint of heart, and at times it verged into more of the horror genre.
Even though it was a little too horror-y to me, I enjoyed the book. The twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. This will be the perfect book for teens and adults who want to get a feel for the horror genre without jumping into the pool. It's dark, twisty, and sure to keep you entertained.