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Merissa (13585 KP) rated One Step Sideways (Enhanced World Security #1) in Books
Mar 18, 2025
ONE STEP SIDEWAYS is the first book in the Enhanced World Security series, which itself is a spinoff of the Enhanced World H.E.R.O. series. I haven't read any of those, but I now want to! I don't feel as though my enjoyment was negatively impacted by not having read them, as enough details were given here that I understood what was going on.
Kane has had a terrible life. No two ways about it. My heart broke for him on so many occasions and when he first met Danny, I went full-on Mama Bear. Danny was a soldier who also had something terrible happen to him and his friends, which has left him with severe PTSD. He has a gorgeous service dog but immediately thought the worst of Kane in every possible situation when he thought Kane had hurt a dog in his past. He really was a judgemental pr!ck.
But then the story picked up, I became invested, and Danny and Kane worked things out and became the most important thing to each other, and I was okay with that.
This does have an overreaching arc so don't expect everything to be tied up in this edition, but it made for a fantastic read. Well-paced, with plenty of action, twists and turns, plus hooks dangling which left me wanting the next book immediately, it was already a 5-star read for me. But then Danny went above and beyond and had my eyes leaking for the last part of the book. That 5-star was never in doubt!!! An amazing story and HIGHLY 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!
Mar 18, 2025
Kane has had a terrible life. No two ways about it. My heart broke for him on so many occasions and when he first met Danny, I went full-on Mama Bear. Danny was a soldier who also had something terrible happen to him and his friends, which has left him with severe PTSD. He has a gorgeous service dog but immediately thought the worst of Kane in every possible situation when he thought Kane had hurt a dog in his past. He really was a judgemental pr!ck.
But then the story picked up, I became invested, and Danny and Kane worked things out and became the most important thing to each other, and I was okay with that.
This does have an overreaching arc so don't expect everything to be tied up in this edition, but it made for a fantastic read. Well-paced, with plenty of action, twists and turns, plus hooks dangling which left me wanting the next book immediately, it was already a 5-star read for me. But then Danny went above and beyond and had my eyes leaking for the last part of the book. That 5-star was never in doubt!!! An amazing story and HIGHLY 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!
Mar 18, 2025
ClareR (6037 KP) rated The Silent Wife in Books
Jul 8, 2020
I have read three books now by Karin Slaughter and enjoyed every single one. After I read the first, I promised myself that I would catch up with the Grant County and Will Trent books, but here we are. I will do it, but when, I have no idea. Just so that it’s clear: if like me, you haven’t read the rest of the series, it won’t ruin your reading enjoyment. These books are so well written, that I didn’t feel as though I didn’t know what was going on.
This story based around Will Trent (a GBI agent) and medical examiner Dr Sara Linton, is as dark and unsettling as the other books I’ve read. When the GBI is called in to investigate the death of an inmate during a penitentiary riot, another inmate, Daryl Nesbitt, offers them information about a series of terrible attacks, sexual assaults and murders of women in Grant County. Murders and attacks which almost exactly mirror the murders that he was convicted of and that he claims that he didn’t commit. He claims that Sara’s dead husband, Chief of Police Jeffrey Tolliver, and his fellow officer, Lena Adams, framed him.
There is enough in what he says for them to start looking in to past cases and to follow up on a more recent death.
No matter how gore-filled these books are, it’s never done in bad taste. The characters have respect for the dead women (I don’t think I’m giving too much away when I say it’s ‘women’, as in ‘more than one’), and they, to some extent, treat suspects with restraint. I really liked the extended flashbacks to Jeffrey Tolliver. They’ve certainly made me want to read more of the Grant County books.
I’m really glad that The Pigeonhole have serialised the last couple of Karin Slaughter books, and selfishly, I really hope they continue to do so! If you’re already a fan of Karin Slaughter books, you’ll understand. If you haven’t read any yet, what are you waiting for?
This story based around Will Trent (a GBI agent) and medical examiner Dr Sara Linton, is as dark and unsettling as the other books I’ve read. When the GBI is called in to investigate the death of an inmate during a penitentiary riot, another inmate, Daryl Nesbitt, offers them information about a series of terrible attacks, sexual assaults and murders of women in Grant County. Murders and attacks which almost exactly mirror the murders that he was convicted of and that he claims that he didn’t commit. He claims that Sara’s dead husband, Chief of Police Jeffrey Tolliver, and his fellow officer, Lena Adams, framed him.
There is enough in what he says for them to start looking in to past cases and to follow up on a more recent death.
No matter how gore-filled these books are, it’s never done in bad taste. The characters have respect for the dead women (I don’t think I’m giving too much away when I say it’s ‘women’, as in ‘more than one’), and they, to some extent, treat suspects with restraint. I really liked the extended flashbacks to Jeffrey Tolliver. They’ve certainly made me want to read more of the Grant County books.
I’m really glad that The Pigeonhole have serialised the last couple of Karin Slaughter books, and selfishly, I really hope they continue to do so! If you’re already a fan of Karin Slaughter books, you’ll understand. If you haven’t read any yet, what are you waiting for?
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Girl Before in Books
Feb 21, 2021
The Girl Before has left me uncertain. I'm going to try and explain that, but having pondered it for some time I'm still not exactly sure how I feel about it.
The books is split into short chapters from one of two points of view, Emma, the previous tenant and Jane, the new tenant. This works well although took me slightly longer to get used to, not because of the characters or the story line, but because of the writing itself.
Something I noticed fairly quickly was that there are whole sections of this book where speech is basically ignored. It'll appear as you would expect it to in the writing but there are no speech marks to highlight it. At the time of reading it was horrendously annoying, having just flicked through a few pages while writing this I have noticed that all the speech marks are used in Jane's chapters and not in Emma's. I can only assume that it's meant to reflect the two different characters and their personalities, but frustrating is the only way to describe it. I constantly noticed it as I read but made no link to any reason for it until this very minute. If it is a device, I can't say it was very successful, honestly it felt more like a massive error had been made in editing.
That aside, the author has created some very engaging characters. You pick up enough about them as you progress through the book to pick up things of the upcoming story and that always entices you to read on. The book also has a lot of unsettling male characters in it. The women in comparison seem relatively normal. This could be another way to get you on board with the two leads of the book and make you protective of them. But again, that's not something I noticed until after I'd finished the book.
What is there to say about that ending? Unexpected? Overkill?
I enjoy a twist and turn as much as the next person but this book throws them at you. Kudos to the author again for crafting the story well, I did not guess all the twists that it ended up taking. Some were necessary but others seemed to just be there to have a conclusion to every piece of the story. An effort which didn't entirely feel pleasing.
It was an entertaining read, and at just over 400 pages it's easy to whizz through in a day. There's a preview at the end for Believe Me. Reading it just now I'm drawing parallels between how chapters are designed to match their character, I don't think it's for me as a style but the story itself is mildly intriguing. Hopefully it showcases some more well developed characters.
The books is split into short chapters from one of two points of view, Emma, the previous tenant and Jane, the new tenant. This works well although took me slightly longer to get used to, not because of the characters or the story line, but because of the writing itself.
Something I noticed fairly quickly was that there are whole sections of this book where speech is basically ignored. It'll appear as you would expect it to in the writing but there are no speech marks to highlight it. At the time of reading it was horrendously annoying, having just flicked through a few pages while writing this I have noticed that all the speech marks are used in Jane's chapters and not in Emma's. I can only assume that it's meant to reflect the two different characters and their personalities, but frustrating is the only way to describe it. I constantly noticed it as I read but made no link to any reason for it until this very minute. If it is a device, I can't say it was very successful, honestly it felt more like a massive error had been made in editing.
That aside, the author has created some very engaging characters. You pick up enough about them as you progress through the book to pick up things of the upcoming story and that always entices you to read on. The book also has a lot of unsettling male characters in it. The women in comparison seem relatively normal. This could be another way to get you on board with the two leads of the book and make you protective of them. But again, that's not something I noticed until after I'd finished the book.
What is there to say about that ending? Unexpected? Overkill?
I enjoy a twist and turn as much as the next person but this book throws them at you. Kudos to the author again for crafting the story well, I did not guess all the twists that it ended up taking. Some were necessary but others seemed to just be there to have a conclusion to every piece of the story. An effort which didn't entirely feel pleasing.
It was an entertaining read, and at just over 400 pages it's easy to whizz through in a day. There's a preview at the end for Believe Me. Reading it just now I'm drawing parallels between how chapters are designed to match their character, I don't think it's for me as a style but the story itself is mildly intriguing. Hopefully it showcases some more well developed characters.
Dear Millie: Diary of a Seven Year Old with Cancer
Book
"Dear Millie, I am writing you this letter in the hope that life has afforded you the opportunity to...
Merissa (13585 KP) rated The Finding (Law of the Lycans, #5) in Books
Mar 26, 2018
The Finding (Law of the Lycans #5) by Nicky Charles
The Finding wraps up the story of Cassandra, Marla, and Leon Aldrich. In this book, Bryan manages to find Cassandra and heads off to Vegas to bring her back. He has been obsessed with finding her for years, and now it's his chance. Although Cassandra is having 'fun' in Vegas, she still has no wish to become a wolf, or part of a pack - not after watching her uncle be murdered by one. Through a series of events, Cassandra doesn't really have a choice, and Bryan does all he can for her. We also get to spend some time with Ryne and Mel, and Kane and Elise, which leads nicely onto Damien's book.
I will say that the parts with Marla and her wolf were excellent writing. Marla went from being the big bad, to one you feel sorry for. Franklin is another superb character, and I love the idea of him, Mrs Teasdale, and Meredith wandering around doing their thing! Read it, you'll find out what I mean.
Another excellently written story by Nicky Charles, finishing this round of stories (for now). I'm very glad I've got around to reading them now, although I'm sorry it's taken me five years to do so. If you want a thick paranormal read to sink your teeth into, then I can highly recommend this book and the series.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I will say that the parts with Marla and her wolf were excellent writing. Marla went from being the big bad, to one you feel sorry for. Franklin is another superb character, and I love the idea of him, Mrs Teasdale, and Meredith wandering around doing their thing! Read it, you'll find out what I mean.
Another excellently written story by Nicky Charles, finishing this round of stories (for now). I'm very glad I've got around to reading them now, although I'm sorry it's taken me five years to do so. If you want a thick paranormal read to sink your teeth into, then I can highly recommend this book and the series.
* Verified Purchase ~ April 2013 *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Booksy: Learn to Read Platform for K-2
Education and Book
App
Featured in the New York Times article "Learning to read with tablets"! Booksy is a...
Debbiereadsbook (1611 KP) rated Cowboy In The Crosshairs (Dreamspun Desires #53) in Books
Mar 6, 2018
a bit jumpy but an enjoyable 4 star read
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I liked this, I really did. Its just the characters tend to jump about with their thinking and it got a little difficult trying to keep up in places!
BUT!!!
A great easy read, as usual from Tortuga!
Wacey comes home after an accident and TJ is Sheriff in town now. They split some ten years before, for one reason or other, to be honest I wasn't entirely sure WHY they split! But it's clear they still have an attraction that won't go away. When it becomes obvious that the "accident" might not have been, TJ goes into deep protection mode, and Wacey welcomes it. The culprit is caught, but will Wacey leave TJ again??
Like I said, a really easy read! Told from both Wacey and TJ's point of view, we get how each man feels seeing the other for the first time, their reactions then and after. It's not overly explicit, because it's a DreamSpun Desires, from DreamSpinner, but there is enough that is right for this book. While I do tend to prefer my male/male romances on the more explicit side, I really did enjoy this one with that little bit less.
The story flows well (apart from the jumping around the minds of the guys did!) and I saw no spelling or editing errors. I did not get who was trying to get Wacey until it was revealed in the book!
A perfect way to spend a snowed in Friday afternoon!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I liked this, I really did. Its just the characters tend to jump about with their thinking and it got a little difficult trying to keep up in places!
BUT!!!
A great easy read, as usual from Tortuga!
Wacey comes home after an accident and TJ is Sheriff in town now. They split some ten years before, for one reason or other, to be honest I wasn't entirely sure WHY they split! But it's clear they still have an attraction that won't go away. When it becomes obvious that the "accident" might not have been, TJ goes into deep protection mode, and Wacey welcomes it. The culprit is caught, but will Wacey leave TJ again??
Like I said, a really easy read! Told from both Wacey and TJ's point of view, we get how each man feels seeing the other for the first time, their reactions then and after. It's not overly explicit, because it's a DreamSpun Desires, from DreamSpinner, but there is enough that is right for this book. While I do tend to prefer my male/male romances on the more explicit side, I really did enjoy this one with that little bit less.
The story flows well (apart from the jumping around the minds of the guys did!) and I saw no spelling or editing errors. I did not get who was trying to get Wacey until it was revealed in the book!
A perfect way to spend a snowed in Friday afternoon!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Dana (24 KP) rated The Graveyard Book in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This was my second book to read by Neil Gaiman and I wish I would have started with this one! It was so well written and the world was so well thought out that I felt I was in there with Bod on his adventures!
I think what I loved most about this is the fact that while each chapter can connect to one another, they are written in a way that can have them separate in a way. It's almost like they are a series of the children's picture books all put together. And that is amazing. If I was a parent reading this to my child, I wouldn't feel bad reading only one chapter a night to them because I feel that is one of the ways it is intended to be read. Who know, I could be completely wrong on that train of thought.
Bod and Silas are so great. I love their family dynamic without it being too over the top.
Each time Bod gets himself into a spot of trouble, I expect him to get out of it, but there is that lingering feeling of fear for him, especially with what happened to his family when he was a baby. There's nothing like starting off a book with a recently orphaned child, now is there? (Ahem, Harry Potter)
The story did feel a bit slow at some points for me, but I do understand that books cannot be ON at all times.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to read another of Gaiman's books soon.
I think what I loved most about this is the fact that while each chapter can connect to one another, they are written in a way that can have them separate in a way. It's almost like they are a series of the children's picture books all put together. And that is amazing. If I was a parent reading this to my child, I wouldn't feel bad reading only one chapter a night to them because I feel that is one of the ways it is intended to be read. Who know, I could be completely wrong on that train of thought.
Bod and Silas are so great. I love their family dynamic without it being too over the top.
Each time Bod gets himself into a spot of trouble, I expect him to get out of it, but there is that lingering feeling of fear for him, especially with what happened to his family when he was a baby. There's nothing like starting off a book with a recently orphaned child, now is there? (Ahem, Harry Potter)
The story did feel a bit slow at some points for me, but I do understand that books cannot be ON at all times.
Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this book and cannot wait to read another of Gaiman's books soon.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Last Black Unicorn in Books
Feb 24, 2018
I've been wanting to read this book ever since I saw Haddish's interview on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. This woman is HILARIOUS. Somehow I didn't realize she was in the movie Girls Night until I read about it in her book - I really do need to see that movie. That aside, this book was pretty great. It's written in her speaking style, so it's not technically correct grammar, but it SOUNDS right, which is more important in a memoir, in my opinion. It's supposed to show the author's personality, and this does.
I don't know that I'd put this on quite the same level as Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, or Jenny Lawson's Furiously Happy, but it's not far behind them. Haddish talks about her childhood in the foster system and then raised by her grandmother, her string of no-good boyfriends, and her abusive marriage. She's had a rough life, but somehow she's come out of it with a gift for comedy and a grounded personality.
Her swamp tour with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith is one of the most hilarious stories in the book, and one of the few that is purely funny. Most of them are underscored with a serious issue that make me feel a little bad for laughing at them, but Haddish laughs at them, so how can you not? It's an interesting conflict that leaves me with slightly mixed feelings about the book.
It's a pretty quick, easy, fun read, and if you like Tiffany Haddish, it definitely shows what she's gone through to get where she is now.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
I don't know that I'd put this on quite the same level as Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, or Jenny Lawson's Furiously Happy, but it's not far behind them. Haddish talks about her childhood in the foster system and then raised by her grandmother, her string of no-good boyfriends, and her abusive marriage. She's had a rough life, but somehow she's come out of it with a gift for comedy and a grounded personality.
Her swamp tour with Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith is one of the most hilarious stories in the book, and one of the few that is purely funny. Most of them are underscored with a serious issue that make me feel a little bad for laughing at them, but Haddish laughs at them, so how can you not? It's an interesting conflict that leaves me with slightly mixed feelings about the book.
It's a pretty quick, easy, fun read, and if you like Tiffany Haddish, it definitely shows what she's gone through to get where she is now.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Gritty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining
Kimberley Chambers isn't known as the "Queen of Gangland Crime Fiction" for nothing and here we have yet another masterpiece of story-telling ... the saga that is "Queenie".
This book tells the story of Queenie from her life as a young girl during World War II right up to the early 60's and what a life she leads! She is one heck of a character; one minute you absolutely adore her, the next she disappoints you, then she'll surprise you and then shock ... I felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish and I still don't know how I feel about her even now!
Queenie is not the only character however, this book is absolutely brimmed to the rim with fantastic personalities from the bit players to the main stars; some you'll love and some ... not so much. The setting in the east end of London felt perfect but it could equally have worked in any inner-city borough. For those of us who weren't around during the time span of this book, I felt it captured them well and it felt authentic and believable to me.
"Queenie" is a gritty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining read and one I would definitely recommend even if you haven't read any of the other books in the "Butler" series; this can easily be read as a standalone as it is the prequel to the first book in the series "The Trap."
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.
This book tells the story of Queenie from her life as a young girl during World War II right up to the early 60's and what a life she leads! She is one heck of a character; one minute you absolutely adore her, the next she disappoints you, then she'll surprise you and then shock ... I felt like I was on a rollercoaster of emotions from start to finish and I still don't know how I feel about her even now!
Queenie is not the only character however, this book is absolutely brimmed to the rim with fantastic personalities from the bit players to the main stars; some you'll love and some ... not so much. The setting in the east end of London felt perfect but it could equally have worked in any inner-city borough. For those of us who weren't around during the time span of this book, I felt it captured them well and it felt authentic and believable to me.
"Queenie" is a gritty, engrossing and thoroughly entertaining read and one I would definitely recommend even if you haven't read any of the other books in the "Butler" series; this can easily be read as a standalone as it is the prequel to the first book in the series "The Trap."
Thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction via NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest and unbiased review.