Search
Search results
David McK (3562 KP) rated Johnny and the Dead (Johnny Maxwell #2) in Books
May 27, 2023
The late, great, Sir Terry Pratchett is probably better known for his Discworld novels.
Which, primarily albeit not exclusively, are aimed towards a more adult audience.
However, during the 1990's, he also wrote a trilogy of novels that were aimed at the younger audience, starting with Only You Can Save Mankind and ending with Johnny and the Bomb, with this one tucked away nicely in the middle. These novels have become known as the Johnny Maxwell trilogy, following the same core characters as Johnny Maxwell (obviously) and his friends Yo-less, Wobbler and Big Mac.
In this one, Johnny learns that the local cemetery is about to be demolished, which comes as news to the residents of said cemetery (who only Johnny is able to see - I kept waiting for the 'I see dead people' gag, before realising this was released before the movie 'The Sixth Sense'), and leading to a local outcry over the same.
It hits different now, 30 years on from when I first read it (due to life events).
Which, primarily albeit not exclusively, are aimed towards a more adult audience.
However, during the 1990's, he also wrote a trilogy of novels that were aimed at the younger audience, starting with Only You Can Save Mankind and ending with Johnny and the Bomb, with this one tucked away nicely in the middle. These novels have become known as the Johnny Maxwell trilogy, following the same core characters as Johnny Maxwell (obviously) and his friends Yo-less, Wobbler and Big Mac.
In this one, Johnny learns that the local cemetery is about to be demolished, which comes as news to the residents of said cemetery (who only Johnny is able to see - I kept waiting for the 'I see dead people' gag, before realising this was released before the movie 'The Sixth Sense'), and leading to a local outcry over the same.
It hits different now, 30 years on from when I first read it (due to life events).
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated 3 Minutes to Midnight ( Midnight Trilogy 1) in Books
Feb 23, 2024
34 of 220
Kindle
3 Minutes to Midnight ( Midnight Trilogy 1)
By L.M. Hatchell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A small Dublin pub …
… holds the key to humanity’s survival.
Who will learn its secret?
Half vampire, half fae, Phoenix is an abomination in the eyes of the supernatural community. Screw them! She’s more than happy to play human in the cosy Irish pub she calls home.
At least until an annoying werewolf comes knocking.
Because Phoenix may be done with the supernatural world, but it’s not quite done with her.
Her birth has triggered a prophecy, and now the clock is ticking. Humanity will be the first to suffer for her existence.
Everything, and everyone, she loves is in danger, and as the body count rises Phoenix must learn to embrace the darkest parts of herself.
Or lose it all.
I wasn’t sure about this at first but I ended up really enjoying it. Definitely a lighter fun read that flowed really well. The story and characters were good, full of all the supernatural creatures we’ve come to love.
Kindle
3 Minutes to Midnight ( Midnight Trilogy 1)
By L.M. Hatchell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A small Dublin pub …
… holds the key to humanity’s survival.
Who will learn its secret?
Half vampire, half fae, Phoenix is an abomination in the eyes of the supernatural community. Screw them! She’s more than happy to play human in the cosy Irish pub she calls home.
At least until an annoying werewolf comes knocking.
Because Phoenix may be done with the supernatural world, but it’s not quite done with her.
Her birth has triggered a prophecy, and now the clock is ticking. Humanity will be the first to suffer for her existence.
Everything, and everyone, she loves is in danger, and as the body count rises Phoenix must learn to embrace the darkest parts of herself.
Or lose it all.
I wasn’t sure about this at first but I ended up really enjoying it. Definitely a lighter fun read that flowed really well. The story and characters were good, full of all the supernatural creatures we’ve come to love.
Ripped (Mars Fitness #1)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Sometimes heartache is a blessing in disguise. I thought my life was perfect, and then I walked...
Contemporary MM Romance Series
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated A Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2714338975">A Court of Thorns and Roses</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/new-blog-banner-6.png"/>;
Here I am people! I can hang out with the cool kids now that I’ve read the book. It felt like I was hiding in a cave until now, refusing to read Sarah J. Maas, thinking the hype is too forced. But to be honest, this book surprised me a lot. <b>I enjoyed it with all my heart, and even though I wouldn’t cry and scream over it, I am very pleased that I read it, and I just can’t wait to read the rest of the series.</b>
A Court of Thorns And Roses is a story about a young lady, Feyre, who is a huntress and goes out in the woods to hunt food. The more she hunts, the better her family can eat. And when one day she kills a wolf, she learns the hard way that killing a magical creature has its price…
She is imprisoned in an enchanted court and she is free to walk around, but not allowed to escape. The creature that captures her is a beast with fighting skills, with a mask on his face and piercing eyes that make her heart beat fast.
As Feyre starts to grow warmer about Tamlin, danger lies nearby and secrets are all over the place, and Tamlin and his kind might not be who she thought they were.
Fighting to break a curse that might make her lose her true love forever, Feyre must fight with all her forces, but she is just a weak human in this faerie world. Will she be able to make it?
I have to start with mentioning that the beginning was extremely slow and I was almost on the point of asking all of these people why they love this book so much. But once the plot started revealing itself, and a few twists happened straight away, I was glued to my sofa, reading page after page.
It gives us a slight resemblance of the Beauty and the Beast, even though the plot is quite different. There is a powerful beast who locks the girl, and they fall in love, but there is so much more twists, adventures and danger that I can’t compare them beyond that.
I loved Feyre, for the fierce woman she is. I loved the fight she had in herself, despite being a tiny human in a world of powerful magical creatures. I loved the fact that she would stand up for what she believes in, no matter the consequences, though sometimes, quite recklessly done.
I loved Tamlin, and his warmth despite his cold appearance. The way he cared for Feyre was so heartwarming and cute. The love they feel for each other, and those scenes that made me cry – I will cherish that!
I am not sure how I felt about the ending – it was a bit forced, and too soppy, but it opened a space for another book, which I will be reading soon.
<b><i>A wonderful magical tale, a fierce woman, a fiercer love, and even fiercer danger, this one won’t let you sleep at night, and it will haunt you to find answers. A true masterpiece!</i></b>
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2714338975">A Court of Thorns and Roses</a> - ★★★★★
<img src="https://gipostcards.files.wordpress.com/2019/02/new-blog-banner-6.png"/>;
Here I am people! I can hang out with the cool kids now that I’ve read the book. It felt like I was hiding in a cave until now, refusing to read Sarah J. Maas, thinking the hype is too forced. But to be honest, this book surprised me a lot. <b>I enjoyed it with all my heart, and even though I wouldn’t cry and scream over it, I am very pleased that I read it, and I just can’t wait to read the rest of the series.</b>
A Court of Thorns And Roses is a story about a young lady, Feyre, who is a huntress and goes out in the woods to hunt food. The more she hunts, the better her family can eat. And when one day she kills a wolf, she learns the hard way that killing a magical creature has its price…
She is imprisoned in an enchanted court and she is free to walk around, but not allowed to escape. The creature that captures her is a beast with fighting skills, with a mask on his face and piercing eyes that make her heart beat fast.
As Feyre starts to grow warmer about Tamlin, danger lies nearby and secrets are all over the place, and Tamlin and his kind might not be who she thought they were.
Fighting to break a curse that might make her lose her true love forever, Feyre must fight with all her forces, but she is just a weak human in this faerie world. Will she be able to make it?
I have to start with mentioning that the beginning was extremely slow and I was almost on the point of asking all of these people why they love this book so much. But once the plot started revealing itself, and a few twists happened straight away, I was glued to my sofa, reading page after page.
It gives us a slight resemblance of the Beauty and the Beast, even though the plot is quite different. There is a powerful beast who locks the girl, and they fall in love, but there is so much more twists, adventures and danger that I can’t compare them beyond that.
I loved Feyre, for the fierce woman she is. I loved the fight she had in herself, despite being a tiny human in a world of powerful magical creatures. I loved the fact that she would stand up for what she believes in, no matter the consequences, though sometimes, quite recklessly done.
I loved Tamlin, and his warmth despite his cold appearance. The way he cared for Feyre was so heartwarming and cute. The love they feel for each other, and those scenes that made me cry – I will cherish that!
I am not sure how I felt about the ending – it was a bit forced, and too soppy, but it opened a space for another book, which I will be reading soon.
<b><i>A wonderful magical tale, a fierce woman, a fiercer love, and even fiercer danger, this one won’t let you sleep at night, and it will haunt you to find answers. A true masterpiece!</i></b>
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Advance App Locker
Utilities
App
Do you have privacy issues regarding your apps and want to limit access for others. Don't worry...
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated To Die For (Blair Mallory, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Hmm, I'm having a hard time describing how I feel about this book. I liked it enough, Blair was a decent character, but there was something (or things) missing. I'm not one of those who hate first person narratives (I really have no preference - both first and third person narratives are fine with me, as long as they work for the book), but for some reason it felt weird in this book and didn't quite work for me. Also, I don't know how I feel about Wyatt. His reason for leaving Blair two years ago was lame and I can't believe she let him off the hook so easily; not to mention he was rather one-dimensional. The mystery was hardly that and it seemed as if the author forgot all about someone trying to kill Blair until the end, deadline was near, and just added some cockamamie, loony-tune ending that was a total let down and came from left field. Not to mention, the whole someone-wants-to-kill-Blair thing was pushed aside for all the petty arguing and sex. Now I liked Blair giving Wyatt a hard time and all, but some of the stuff she said or did was overkill and the editor needed to trim a good fifty or so pages of it out of the book. It didn't help that going into the book, I thought it was a more serious romantic suspense, which is what I really wanted to read at the time.
Some of my petty annoyances with the book came fairly early on: I don't get why Blair (and/or the author) thought Jason Carson or Jenni Mallory rhymed. Now if his name was Jason Cayson, I'd understand, or Jenni Menni, but just because Jason and Carson both end with 'son,' it doesn't rhyme because it's the same thing. I don't know if I'm saying that right but oh well. My other thing was that Blair couldn't wear some underwear because the bra got ruined. Uh, okay. Now I like my undies to match but that wouldn't mean I'd never wear the underwear again because the bra that matched got ruined. That's just snobby and stupid. Yeah, I know, ridiculous things to find annoying in the book, but we all have something. LoL
After I finished the book and went to Amazon I saw that there's a sequel. I'm not sure if I'm up for another trip into Blair's mind or not, but if I come across it real cheap or someone gives it to me, I might read it. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, I did, but I liked Blair up to a point, but when it got to around page 250, she was just a bit too much for a 378 page book. Maybe if we weren't in her head the whole time, or the book was shorter, I would have liked the book better.
Here's part of an Amazon review I liked:
'Wyatt had stayed away from his soulmate for two years and only came running with an engagement ring when he thought she had been murdered. How long would he have stayed away if nothing had happened to Blair? Also, Blair was supposedly only a 'dumb blonde' when it suited her. But I question the intelligence of anyone who thinks someone who cuts her brake line is just stupid and someone who shoots her with intent to kill is just a nitwit. I wonder if these things bothered anyone else. Still, these problems did not take too much away from my enjoyment of the book.'
Some of my petty annoyances with the book came fairly early on: I don't get why Blair (and/or the author) thought Jason Carson or Jenni Mallory rhymed. Now if his name was Jason Cayson, I'd understand, or Jenni Menni, but just because Jason and Carson both end with 'son,' it doesn't rhyme because it's the same thing. I don't know if I'm saying that right but oh well. My other thing was that Blair couldn't wear some underwear because the bra got ruined. Uh, okay. Now I like my undies to match but that wouldn't mean I'd never wear the underwear again because the bra that matched got ruined. That's just snobby and stupid. Yeah, I know, ridiculous things to find annoying in the book, but we all have something. LoL
After I finished the book and went to Amazon I saw that there's a sequel. I'm not sure if I'm up for another trip into Blair's mind or not, but if I come across it real cheap or someone gives it to me, I might read it. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book, I did, but I liked Blair up to a point, but when it got to around page 250, she was just a bit too much for a 378 page book. Maybe if we weren't in her head the whole time, or the book was shorter, I would have liked the book better.
Here's part of an Amazon review I liked:
'Wyatt had stayed away from his soulmate for two years and only came running with an engagement ring when he thought she had been murdered. How long would he have stayed away if nothing had happened to Blair? Also, Blair was supposedly only a 'dumb blonde' when it suited her. But I question the intelligence of anyone who thinks someone who cuts her brake line is just stupid and someone who shoots her with intent to kill is just a nitwit. I wonder if these things bothered anyone else. Still, these problems did not take too much away from my enjoyment of the book.'
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Princess in Practice (Rosewood Chronicles #2) in Books
Oct 2, 2020
From Connie Glynn comes the second book of the Rosewood Chronicles - Princess in Practice, and it is the adventure of a lifetime that we all have been waiting for. If you thought Undercover Princess was amazing - you will definitely love its sequel.
''Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.''
The story continues where it left off, with Ellie, Lottie and Jamie settling after the adventurous ending and getting ready for their second year in Rosewood. With the new school year starting, their enemies are on the rise again, plotting their new actions, and Lottie and Jamie are more than ready to protect their princess.
But as always, things are not as easy as they seem, and they never suspect that danger will be so close to them, now more than ever.
I loved that Lottie has her moment with her old best friend, when she visits the hometown, and tells him all about the princess world. It was soothing to know that she still cares about him, and always will, despite their lives being very different now.
Throughout the book, we don't see any romantic scenes, but we do have a lot of subtle talks about them. I really loved the romance between Anastacia and Saskia. Maybe not the romance itself actually, because to be honest, as much as I love the author, she doesn't have a skill set for writing romance. What I did love, was the dedication of the couple to stay together and what Saskia would do and sacrifice, just for the person she loves.
I was very upset with the author trying so hard to make Lottie and Ellie a couple. Yes, we know lesbian relationships are against the rules in the kingdom and Ellie's father would be furious to find out. But Lottie had such a nice slow-burn romance going with Jamie, getting to know him and all. They even reminded me of Dimitri and Rose from Vampire Academy. They have a thing, and the author ruined it with trying to convince me Lottie likes girls. Well, I am not convinced. I already have my favourite girl couple, and it's not Lottie and Ellie.
Princess in Practice was a better-written book than Undercover Princess in my opinion.
If I had to choose though, I would still prefer the first book, because of the whole set up. The friendship stories were better and even the villains were better in the previous book.
The villains we had in this book were plain, without a character, and I simply did not care about any of them. Even that last chapter, with the mysterious leader that stands behind everything, all I could feel was - MEH!
When it comes to the friendship, and the wider team that helps these three main characters, we didn't really get to know them much more than we did from the previous book. My favourite was and will stay Raphael, who always makes me laugh.
''What? Why don't I get to be a plus-one?'' Raphael maned, putting.
''Because, Raphael,'' Anastacia mocked, ''you're not a trained bodyguards, nor are you a princess.''
To conclude, I loved reading Princess in Practice. It had a nice overall story and it was very easy to read. I will definitely be waiting for the third book to come out and will be desperate to read it! A great book during the summer period for sure. If you love princesses - that is :)
''Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.''
The story continues where it left off, with Ellie, Lottie and Jamie settling after the adventurous ending and getting ready for their second year in Rosewood. With the new school year starting, their enemies are on the rise again, plotting their new actions, and Lottie and Jamie are more than ready to protect their princess.
But as always, things are not as easy as they seem, and they never suspect that danger will be so close to them, now more than ever.
I loved that Lottie has her moment with her old best friend, when she visits the hometown, and tells him all about the princess world. It was soothing to know that she still cares about him, and always will, despite their lives being very different now.
Throughout the book, we don't see any romantic scenes, but we do have a lot of subtle talks about them. I really loved the romance between Anastacia and Saskia. Maybe not the romance itself actually, because to be honest, as much as I love the author, she doesn't have a skill set for writing romance. What I did love, was the dedication of the couple to stay together and what Saskia would do and sacrifice, just for the person she loves.
I was very upset with the author trying so hard to make Lottie and Ellie a couple. Yes, we know lesbian relationships are against the rules in the kingdom and Ellie's father would be furious to find out. But Lottie had such a nice slow-burn romance going with Jamie, getting to know him and all. They even reminded me of Dimitri and Rose from Vampire Academy. They have a thing, and the author ruined it with trying to convince me Lottie likes girls. Well, I am not convinced. I already have my favourite girl couple, and it's not Lottie and Ellie.
Princess in Practice was a better-written book than Undercover Princess in my opinion.
If I had to choose though, I would still prefer the first book, because of the whole set up. The friendship stories were better and even the villains were better in the previous book.
The villains we had in this book were plain, without a character, and I simply did not care about any of them. Even that last chapter, with the mysterious leader that stands behind everything, all I could feel was - MEH!
When it comes to the friendship, and the wider team that helps these three main characters, we didn't really get to know them much more than we did from the previous book. My favourite was and will stay Raphael, who always makes me laugh.
''What? Why don't I get to be a plus-one?'' Raphael maned, putting.
''Because, Raphael,'' Anastacia mocked, ''you're not a trained bodyguards, nor are you a princess.''
To conclude, I loved reading Princess in Practice. It had a nice overall story and it was very easy to read. I will definitely be waiting for the third book to come out and will be desperate to read it! A great book during the summer period for sure. If you love princesses - that is :)
Merissa (12914 KP) rated Mathos (The Hawks #3) in Books
Jul 9, 2021 (Updated Jul 17, 2023)
MATHOS is the third book in The Hawks series, and you really do need to read the other books first.
Mathos is a Tarasque like Tristan, although his scales are burgundy and gold. He is the flirt of the group and is determined not to fall in love like Tristan and Val have, although he does envy the relationships they have. In his experience, ladies are pampered and do nothing apart from heave expectations onto weary shoulders. But then along comes Lucilla.
She is Ballanor's sister and now queen, but she doesn't want to be. After being holed up in a house without any friends to talk to, all Lucy wants to do is travel and see the world. She doesn't trust easily and has been raised to believe Apollyon are better than everyone else.
These two get off to a rocky start with both of them making incorrect assumptions, but circumstances -- and Dornar -- soon make them realise there is so much more to be had than just arguing with each other.
I loved how protective Mathos was of her once he settled down. And Lucy was of him too. Lucy is welcomed into The Hawks group and finds strong friends in Nim, Alanna, and Keeley. There is still chaos and political machinations going on, but with The Hawks by her side, Lucy can handle it. Will Mathos be by her side though, or will his head still be shoved up his ass?
I loved how it was Reece who sorted out Mathos. And now I'm torn. I honestly can't wait for Tor and Keeley's book, but I also NEED to know that Reece gets his HEA. Oh, man. He has taken it so hard and is so unhappy. My heart breaks for him. I guess I will just have to read Tor and Keeley first, and then get my grubby little mitts on Reece.
This series is going from strength to strength, and I love every single one of the characters here. A brilliant addition and one I highly recommend.
** 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!
Jul 9, 2021
Mathos is a Tarasque like Tristan, although his scales are burgundy and gold. He is the flirt of the group and is determined not to fall in love like Tristan and Val have, although he does envy the relationships they have. In his experience, ladies are pampered and do nothing apart from heave expectations onto weary shoulders. But then along comes Lucilla.
She is Ballanor's sister and now queen, but she doesn't want to be. After being holed up in a house without any friends to talk to, all Lucy wants to do is travel and see the world. She doesn't trust easily and has been raised to believe Apollyon are better than everyone else.
These two get off to a rocky start with both of them making incorrect assumptions, but circumstances -- and Dornar -- soon make them realise there is so much more to be had than just arguing with each other.
I loved how protective Mathos was of her once he settled down. And Lucy was of him too. Lucy is welcomed into The Hawks group and finds strong friends in Nim, Alanna, and Keeley. There is still chaos and political machinations going on, but with The Hawks by her side, Lucy can handle it. Will Mathos be by her side though, or will his head still be shoved up his ass?
I loved how it was Reece who sorted out Mathos. And now I'm torn. I honestly can't wait for Tor and Keeley's book, but I also NEED to know that Reece gets his HEA. Oh, man. He has taken it so hard and is so unhappy. My heart breaks for him. I guess I will just have to read Tor and Keeley first, and then get my grubby little mitts on Reece.
This series is going from strength to strength, and I love every single one of the characters here. A brilliant addition and one I highly recommend.
** 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!
Jul 9, 2021
Merissa (12914 KP) rated Fagin's Boy (Oliver & Jack #1) by Jackie North in Books
Apr 21, 2022 (Updated Jun 24, 2023)
FAGIN'S BOY is the first book in the Oliver and Jack series, and as you may have gathered, it follows on from Oliver Twist. Oliver is now seventeen and the story starts with him attending the funeral of the man who took him in and looked after him, Mr Brownlow. Not knowing what will happen to him next, Oliver takes on an apprenticeship at a haberdashery, hoping it will give him experience for when he opens his own, long-dreamed-about, bookstore.
Jack has just returned to London after being hextricated to Australia. I had to suspend belief a little here as I've never heard of that happening before. He is still the cheeky chappie you may recognise but is altogether more fragile and hard. A paradox, for sure. He reminded me of a piece of flint.
Anyway, the story follows Oliver and Jack for a few months as circumstances change for Oliver. I thought the descriptions of the living conditions, plus how the children are treated in the workhouse, to be definitely in keeping with the original book by Dickens, as well as what was hinted at in the musical film.
Whilst Jack revelled in his circumstances, he was also desperate for stories about those he remembers. This leads him to a friendship with Noah, who Oliver doesn't like or trust. Oliver, on the other hand, wants more than he has right now. He wants his bookshop. He doesn't want to steal. He would like Jack to be with him but is prepared to make a break if Jack doesn't want to come.
There is a HFN ending to this first book and I am sure there will be plenty more adventures for our twosome. Although I have read and enjoyed other historical books by Ms North, I can't honestly say I enjoyed this one as much and I'm not sure why. All of the ingredients were there but, for me, they just didn't mix as well as I had expected. I am glad I have read this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Oliver Twist and the hard, grimy Victorian times.
** 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 14, 2022
Jack has just returned to London after being hextricated to Australia. I had to suspend belief a little here as I've never heard of that happening before. He is still the cheeky chappie you may recognise but is altogether more fragile and hard. A paradox, for sure. He reminded me of a piece of flint.
Anyway, the story follows Oliver and Jack for a few months as circumstances change for Oliver. I thought the descriptions of the living conditions, plus how the children are treated in the workhouse, to be definitely in keeping with the original book by Dickens, as well as what was hinted at in the musical film.
Whilst Jack revelled in his circumstances, he was also desperate for stories about those he remembers. This leads him to a friendship with Noah, who Oliver doesn't like or trust. Oliver, on the other hand, wants more than he has right now. He wants his bookshop. He doesn't want to steal. He would like Jack to be with him but is prepared to make a break if Jack doesn't want to come.
There is a HFN ending to this first book and I am sure there will be plenty more adventures for our twosome. Although I have read and enjoyed other historical books by Ms North, I can't honestly say I enjoyed this one as much and I'm not sure why. All of the ingredients were there but, for me, they just didn't mix as well as I had expected. I am glad I have read this book and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Oliver Twist and the hard, grimy Victorian times.
** 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 14, 2022
Carma (21 KP) rated Cold Hearted Bastard (Bastard Series, #1) in Books
Jun 17, 2019
Jackson is an in demand former chef who returned home because it was something he had to do. Many restaurant owners and high powered food industry personnel have come to Louisiana to try and lure him to the big city restaurants. He is a self proclaimed man whore who lets each conquest know exactly where he stands beforehand, to give them a chance to decline the encounter. He cant be involved right now, he has more important things in his life to focus on. But when a tall redhead walks into his bar he feels the connection instantly. He knows she will be the one to break him.
Gwen is used to getting what she wants, when she wants it. And right now she wants Jackson to be the head chef at a new restaurant she wants to open. When she sees him in person though she realizes all the photos shes seen havent done him justice. Their eyes lock across the bar and she feels it through her entire body. This isnt going to end well.
Jackson and Gwen realize a few things; they have amazing chemistry, they want more than one night, and neither is going to change their minds about her proposition. Gwen knows that Jackson wont leave his hometown but she doesnt know why. They decide to make the most of their 2 weeks and thats it for their relationship. Gwen falls fast though going against her better judgment and decides to leave early. Jacksons family steps in as theyve never seen Jackson so affected by a woman. When Gwen goes to his family home, she learns exactly why he can never leave.
Jackson fought the good fight but wasnt able to outrun his feelings for Gwen. She helps him see that there is more to life than just being a man whore. Will he be willing to compromise his life to have happiness though?
This was the first novel Ive read by the author and I read it all in one sitting front to back. I was drawn in by the great storyline and all the hot, hot, hot, full on chemistry scenes. Solid 4 ½ stars for a cold hearted bastard no more. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own.
Gwen is used to getting what she wants, when she wants it. And right now she wants Jackson to be the head chef at a new restaurant she wants to open. When she sees him in person though she realizes all the photos shes seen havent done him justice. Their eyes lock across the bar and she feels it through her entire body. This isnt going to end well.
Jackson and Gwen realize a few things; they have amazing chemistry, they want more than one night, and neither is going to change their minds about her proposition. Gwen knows that Jackson wont leave his hometown but she doesnt know why. They decide to make the most of their 2 weeks and thats it for their relationship. Gwen falls fast though going against her better judgment and decides to leave early. Jacksons family steps in as theyve never seen Jackson so affected by a woman. When Gwen goes to his family home, she learns exactly why he can never leave.
Jackson fought the good fight but wasnt able to outrun his feelings for Gwen. She helps him see that there is more to life than just being a man whore. Will he be willing to compromise his life to have happiness though?
This was the first novel Ive read by the author and I read it all in one sitting front to back. I was drawn in by the great storyline and all the hot, hot, hot, full on chemistry scenes. Solid 4 ½ stars for a cold hearted bastard no more. I received an advance copy without expectation for review, any and all opinions expressed are my own.