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Double Oblivion of the Ourang-Outang
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In 2009, the writer-narrator finds a Box. Within it lie the pages of her very first manuscript,...
My Sweet Revenge
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The bestselling author of Getting Rid of Matthew and Strictly Between Us tells a bitter-sweet tale...
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Inconceivable (Little Black Box #1) in Books
Apr 18, 2023
This is Cinderella with a twist. Instead of poor Cinders being all nice, we have one full of attitude and a 'woe is me' attitude. Now, don't get me wrong, Allie has had a rough time of it recently. She has lost her mother and her soon-to-be stepfather. Then along comes the wicked stepmother and the haughty stepsister, so she feels like she's entitled to have her very own pity party. She finally opens up the little black box which is the only thing she inherited and goes off to find out what the address holds. What she finds is a tattooed and pierced fairy god... father who is determined to help her find happiness, even if he has to do it with her kicking and screaming.
I'll be honest, I couldn't understand Allie's opinions about Angelo but understood the reasoning, and the lesson she had to learn, behind them. She has a lot of lessons to learn, not only about who she is, but how she views people, what will really make her happy, how she behaves towards others etc.
This is a simple story, elegantly told, and it was very easy to slip between the pages and get carried away with the story. I'm a sucker for a HEA, but who was it between? Read it and find out for yourself. Definitely recommended and looking forward to the second in the series.
* 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!
Oct 4, 2015
I'll be honest, I couldn't understand Allie's opinions about Angelo but understood the reasoning, and the lesson she had to learn, behind them. She has a lot of lessons to learn, not only about who she is, but how she views people, what will really make her happy, how she behaves towards others etc.
This is a simple story, elegantly told, and it was very easy to slip between the pages and get carried away with the story. I'm a sucker for a HEA, but who was it between? Read it and find out for yourself. Definitely recommended and looking forward to the second in the series.
* 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!
Oct 4, 2015
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Codename Villanelle (Killing Eve #1) in Books
Jan 16, 2022
Having read this book previously, I knew that I was going to enjoy it whilst refreshing my memory to continue the series, but I forgot just how much I enjoyed it the first time around.
I love the Killing Eve TV show that is based on the books and that’s what drew me to the books in the first place, but I find that these are so much better (as is usually the way when things are adapted for TV series or films). The book goes into so much more depth about who Villanelle is and who she was before she became the lethal assassin that we now know her as.
Villanelle has quite a few flashbacks of her previous life which gives us the insight into how she came to be and how she came to choose her new name. I find it fascinating reading through her flashbacks as it shows you exactly what shaped her growing up and that becoming an assassin actually saved her from a worse fate.
We also meet Eve and follow her through a number of cases before she settles on a female assassin that is killing people who don’t seem to be connected. Towards the end of the book we meet her full team, who I think will play a prominent part in the sequel book.
I’m so glad that I decided to refresh my memory by reading this book again before starting on the second in the series. Luke Jenning’s writing flows beautifully that I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one sitting.
I love the Killing Eve TV show that is based on the books and that’s what drew me to the books in the first place, but I find that these are so much better (as is usually the way when things are adapted for TV series or films). The book goes into so much more depth about who Villanelle is and who she was before she became the lethal assassin that we now know her as.
Villanelle has quite a few flashbacks of her previous life which gives us the insight into how she came to be and how she came to choose her new name. I find it fascinating reading through her flashbacks as it shows you exactly what shaped her growing up and that becoming an assassin actually saved her from a worse fate.
We also meet Eve and follow her through a number of cases before she settles on a female assassin that is killing people who don’t seem to be connected. Towards the end of the book we meet her full team, who I think will play a prominent part in the sequel book.
I’m so glad that I decided to refresh my memory by reading this book again before starting on the second in the series. Luke Jenning’s writing flows beautifully that I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one sitting.
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Fractured Hearts in Books
May 23, 2023
Charlie has her heart broken at a young age and decided that it would never happen again. She threw herself into her studies and becomes a new resident vet. Whilst out one night with her friend, she sees a sexy cowboy who she would like to know more about. He seems to feel the same way and they dance together, feeling the sparks fly. However, when it appears that his friend is the one who broke her heart years previously, Charlie makes a run for it, unwilling to see the disgust in his eyes when he realises who she is.
Now, to be honest, that's the one part that confused me. I could understand her not wanting to see him, to be wary of his reaction, but I just don't know why he would have had disgust in his eyes. Anyway, that's a distraction from the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed!
The scenes between these three as they learn to have a relationship with each other, and how it changes, are very well-written. There is a lot to read and it is written in a way that draws you in, letting you see events from every perspective. The bedroom scenes are smokin' and will leave you wanting more.
With an intricate love story, action and suspense, this is a brilliant story that I would definitely recommend. Brilliant.
* 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!
Feb 25, 2016
Now, to be honest, that's the one part that confused me. I could understand her not wanting to see him, to be wary of his reaction, but I just don't know why he would have had disgust in his eyes. Anyway, that's a distraction from the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed!
The scenes between these three as they learn to have a relationship with each other, and how it changes, are very well-written. There is a lot to read and it is written in a way that draws you in, letting you see events from every perspective. The bedroom scenes are smokin' and will leave you wanting more.
With an intricate love story, action and suspense, this is a brilliant story that I would definitely recommend. Brilliant.
* 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!
Feb 25, 2016
Merissa (13169 KP) rated Uprising (Rebellion #3) in Books
Apr 7, 2022 (Updated Jun 26, 2023)
UPRISING is the third book in the Rebellion series, and I think this is the last. The story is wrapped up nicely, giving me exactly the ending I was looking for.
This book focuses on Michael and Isaac, the two enigmatic Alphas from packs seemingly on opposite sides of the war, but looks can be deceiving as we find out. Isaac and Michael were as close as two wolves could be without being bonded. When they decided what they were going to do, it placed them miles apart - both figuratively and literally. Now events have brought them back together, but can they pick up where they left off?
Uprising starts where Defiance finished and the whole host of characters return, including those you love to hate. Some will shock you though, and some you will end up feeling sympathy for. Don't you just love it when an author does that to you?
Just as full of action as the previous two, you get the bigger picture in this as groups start working together. If there was one character I wish I'd heard more from, it would be Baker, but it wasn't his book!
A brilliant end to a fantastic series and absolutely recommended by me, so long as you read it as a series and don't miss out on any of the good bits.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 7, 2022
This book focuses on Michael and Isaac, the two enigmatic Alphas from packs seemingly on opposite sides of the war, but looks can be deceiving as we find out. Isaac and Michael were as close as two wolves could be without being bonded. When they decided what they were going to do, it placed them miles apart - both figuratively and literally. Now events have brought them back together, but can they pick up where they left off?
Uprising starts where Defiance finished and the whole host of characters return, including those you love to hate. Some will shock you though, and some you will end up feeling sympathy for. Don't you just love it when an author does that to you?
Just as full of action as the previous two, you get the bigger picture in this as groups start working together. If there was one character I wish I'd heard more from, it would be Baker, but it wasn't his book!
A brilliant end to a fantastic series and absolutely recommended by me, so long as you read it as a series and don't miss out on any of the good bits.
** 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, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 7, 2022
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Circe in Books
Aug 21, 2018
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<b><i>WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist.<i/></b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/maxresdefault.jpg?w=636"/>;
I was waiting for two whole months to get this book from the library. And I finally had a chance to read Circe from Madeline Miller. A book that everyone was talking about. The only thing you were gonna see on Instagram. Well, here I am – sitting with the cool kids now, I’ve read this book.
The reason I wanted to read this book wasn’t because I wanted to be part of the cool kids. Actually, it was because Greek Mythology has a special place in my heart. See, I was born in Macedonia, a country full of history, and so very close to Greece, where histories and cultures and traditions match and mix.
When I was in school, our teachers focused hard on history. Especially Roman and Greek Mythology. So yes, I grew up with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and yes, I know all the gods out there, what they do, who they married, who their children are.
I have read about Circe, but I have never given her any meaning, as she is not mentioned a lot in Homer’s works, as you might already know. And then suddenly, there is a book about her life. I had to read it!!!
<b><i>AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!</i></b>
This might be my favorite book of 2018!
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_20180625_200755_238.jpg?w=636"/>;
I enjoyed Madeline’s writing style. It was so explanatory and calm, and soothing, like swimming in nice calm waters. You would just gulp her words as you read, and before you know it, you have read 200 pages.
Circe, oh Circe! Her character was so well described – such a strong powerful woman. We start with her childhood, to her growing up, and we follow the process of how she learned things the hard way, how she is naive, and then suddenly isn’t, how she discovers the power she holds within, despite everyone else mocking her and saying otherwise. We see how she decides to say no, how she is not afraid to be a rebel, and how she suffers, and loves, and protects, and cares, and survives, and lives!
You will read a story about the love a mother has toward her child, the love a woman has toward her man, the love a son has towards her mother, the love for freedom, the love for glory…
If you love Greek Mythology, you will get the chance to say hi to some of your favourite gods, nymphs, titans, monsters – Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Prometheus, Odysseus and many more which I will fail to reveal.
I hardly believe that this is a great book for introducing Greek Mythology to new young readers. I also hardly believe that this book will change the thoughts of many people, the way they see things, the way they live, the way they think.
It was one of my favorite things about him: how he always fought for his chance.
There are a lot of side characters that give their own meaning to the story as well, and there is also Odysseus, and at times it feels as this is his story, but in the end you realized that this story belongs to Circe only.
<b><i>Do not listen to your enemy, Odysseus had once told me. Look at them. It will tell you everything.
I looked. Armed and armored, she was (Athena), from head to foot, helmet, spear, aegis, greaves. A terrifying vision: the goddess of war, ready for battle. But why had she assembled such a panoply against me, who knew nothing of combat? Unless there was something else she feared, something that made her feel somehow stripped and weak.
Instinct carried me forward, the thousand hours I had spent in my father’s halls, and with Odysseus polymetis, man of so many wiles.</i></b>
To all of you out there – please take your time to read this book! It will leave you breathless, inspired, motivated and it will change your life forever. It changed my life – that’s for certain!
<b><i>WHEN I WAS BORN, the name for what I was did not exist.<i/></b>
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/maxresdefault.jpg?w=636"/>;
I was waiting for two whole months to get this book from the library. And I finally had a chance to read Circe from Madeline Miller. A book that everyone was talking about. The only thing you were gonna see on Instagram. Well, here I am – sitting with the cool kids now, I’ve read this book.
The reason I wanted to read this book wasn’t because I wanted to be part of the cool kids. Actually, it was because Greek Mythology has a special place in my heart. See, I was born in Macedonia, a country full of history, and so very close to Greece, where histories and cultures and traditions match and mix.
When I was in school, our teachers focused hard on history. Especially Roman and Greek Mythology. So yes, I grew up with Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey and yes, I know all the gods out there, what they do, who they married, who their children are.
I have read about Circe, but I have never given her any meaning, as she is not mentioned a lot in Homer’s works, as you might already know. And then suddenly, there is a book about her life. I had to read it!!!
<b><i>AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!</i></b>
This might be my favorite book of 2018!
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/img_20180625_200755_238.jpg?w=636"/>;
I enjoyed Madeline’s writing style. It was so explanatory and calm, and soothing, like swimming in nice calm waters. You would just gulp her words as you read, and before you know it, you have read 200 pages.
Circe, oh Circe! Her character was so well described – such a strong powerful woman. We start with her childhood, to her growing up, and we follow the process of how she learned things the hard way, how she is naive, and then suddenly isn’t, how she discovers the power she holds within, despite everyone else mocking her and saying otherwise. We see how she decides to say no, how she is not afraid to be a rebel, and how she suffers, and loves, and protects, and cares, and survives, and lives!
You will read a story about the love a mother has toward her child, the love a woman has toward her man, the love a son has towards her mother, the love for freedom, the love for glory…
If you love Greek Mythology, you will get the chance to say hi to some of your favourite gods, nymphs, titans, monsters – Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Prometheus, Odysseus and many more which I will fail to reveal.
I hardly believe that this is a great book for introducing Greek Mythology to new young readers. I also hardly believe that this book will change the thoughts of many people, the way they see things, the way they live, the way they think.
It was one of my favorite things about him: how he always fought for his chance.
There are a lot of side characters that give their own meaning to the story as well, and there is also Odysseus, and at times it feels as this is his story, but in the end you realized that this story belongs to Circe only.
<b><i>Do not listen to your enemy, Odysseus had once told me. Look at them. It will tell you everything.
I looked. Armed and armored, she was (Athena), from head to foot, helmet, spear, aegis, greaves. A terrifying vision: the goddess of war, ready for battle. But why had she assembled such a panoply against me, who knew nothing of combat? Unless there was something else she feared, something that made her feel somehow stripped and weak.
Instinct carried me forward, the thousand hours I had spent in my father’s halls, and with Odysseus polymetis, man of so many wiles.</i></b>
To all of you out there – please take your time to read this book! It will leave you breathless, inspired, motivated and it will change your life forever. It changed my life – that’s for certain!
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated The Returners in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I have a vague recollection of reading this some time in the past which is kind of ironic considering the topic of the book itself. While I felt a repeated deja vu throughout this book, I can't seem to remember when I actually would have read it before. I also couldn't remember much of the main plot, which is pretty weird.
Anyway, the review.
It's a good book. honestly, the opening paragraph of this review sums the book up quite well - it's good, but not overly memorable. When you read it, you often think, "this is good" or "cool" or whatever, but a few months later you'll forget all about it. At least, that's how I felt.
Gemma Malley is an author I used to love when I was in my preteens, and I'm not sure if that's why her books feel very adolescent to me, or if it's because they actually are. Basically, I feel too old for them now. The protagonists are usually "cool" mid-teens, who the reader is supposed to look up to in some way. But I'm older than most characters and actually find their attitudes a bit pathetic and petty.
The story was good but I felt like there were a few loopholes, honestly. The idea of the "Returners" is interesting but not developed enough - who actually 'controls' them? Where did they come from? What is their real purpose? I felt like their purpose was a bit wishy-washy. Douglas's refusal to change his attitude because it "isn't their role" or whatever just sounded a bit... lame. Like a cop-out, I guess. I really would've liked to know more about the Returners and why they actually exist.
It's only short and this may contribute to it feeling quite young, but it is well written and really enjoyable to read. Will is almost an anti-hero, and as the reader I both loved and hated him. His thoughts and attitudes were quite sporadic and it was sometimes hard to keep up, but that may have been the intention. I did like how we learned things at the same time as Will - we followed him through his own story. It was also really interesting how Will decided to handle the life he'd been forced into.
4 stars.
Anyway, the review.
It's a good book. honestly, the opening paragraph of this review sums the book up quite well - it's good, but not overly memorable. When you read it, you often think, "this is good" or "cool" or whatever, but a few months later you'll forget all about it. At least, that's how I felt.
Gemma Malley is an author I used to love when I was in my preteens, and I'm not sure if that's why her books feel very adolescent to me, or if it's because they actually are. Basically, I feel too old for them now. The protagonists are usually "cool" mid-teens, who the reader is supposed to look up to in some way. But I'm older than most characters and actually find their attitudes a bit pathetic and petty.
The story was good but I felt like there were a few loopholes, honestly. The idea of the "Returners" is interesting but not developed enough - who actually 'controls' them? Where did they come from? What is their real purpose? I felt like their purpose was a bit wishy-washy. Douglas's refusal to change his attitude because it "isn't their role" or whatever just sounded a bit... lame. Like a cop-out, I guess. I really would've liked to know more about the Returners and why they actually exist.
It's only short and this may contribute to it feeling quite young, but it is well written and really enjoyable to read. Will is almost an anti-hero, and as the reader I both loved and hated him. His thoughts and attitudes were quite sporadic and it was sometimes hard to keep up, but that may have been the intention. I did like how we learned things at the same time as Will - we followed him through his own story. It was also really interesting how Will decided to handle the life he'd been forced into.
4 stars.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Wolf's Red in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I was excited for this novel because I love adult retellings of fairytales. Unfortunately, it wasnt what I wanted. The description makes it sound steampunk with some fantasy, but it was difficult to place anything because there wasnt much description. All I got out of it was there was a forest. There is really no description of the settings beyond that.
The beginning was the worst part. The writing was mess. Everything seemed all over the place and the writing wasnt consistent at all. The author would write something, realize we dont have the background to understand what she was talking about, and then described past events to bring us up to speed. However, she wouldnt write the whole scenario, she would just give us bits and pieces. The author did this multiple times so the writing came off as choppy and confusing. Once the reading makes it past that, the writing becomes more clear since we now have the whole picture (we just have to piece it together ourselves.) I felt that I was missing a lot, that there should be an prequel that explains everything. Instead, we just have to read and hope we are giving the information to understand the plot.
The story does get better if you can make it past the beginning. It had a lot of potential to be great and is an interesting idea. I just wish the writing had been better. Plus I had a hard time getting past the fact that he essentially sexually abuses her in the beginning.
The beginning was the worst part. The writing was mess. Everything seemed all over the place and the writing wasnt consistent at all. The author would write something, realize we dont have the background to understand what she was talking about, and then described past events to bring us up to speed. However, she wouldnt write the whole scenario, she would just give us bits and pieces. The author did this multiple times so the writing came off as choppy and confusing. Once the reading makes it past that, the writing becomes more clear since we now have the whole picture (we just have to piece it together ourselves.) I felt that I was missing a lot, that there should be an prequel that explains everything. Instead, we just have to read and hope we are giving the information to understand the plot.
The story does get better if you can make it past the beginning. It had a lot of potential to be great and is an interesting idea. I just wish the writing had been better. Plus I had a hard time getting past the fact that he essentially sexually abuses her in the beginning.
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