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Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Escaping Mortality (Escape Trilogy #3) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
a very fitting end!!
I was gifted my copy of this book, direct from the author, that I write a review was not required. But since I read and reviewed the other two parts, it's only fitting I review this one, too, don't you think??
This is the third and final book in the Escape trilogy and you rally MUST read the other two books first. You need to know how Edmund and Andrew found themselves in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, looking for an Elder!
Only Andrew has a say in these books, and THIS one, more than the other two, I NEEDED Edmund I really did! Some things happen here, that made me want to hear what he had to say, so bloody bad and he doesn't. I KNEW that he probably would not have a say, but a girl can hope, right?
Edmund and Andrew and their friends are on a boat to England and to find the Elder. Once the Elder has located and Edmund turned, they continue on to visit Edmund's sick mother. The "friend" looking after her is vile and dealing with her and the gifts the Elder has bestowed upon him, pushes Edmund to his limits. Then WHY the Elder gave Edmund these gifts becomes clear and Edmund has a choice: Andrew or the Elder.
I found this one a little less sexy than the others, but a whole lot more bloody! The way Edmund deals with the friend was scary, but needed I think. The Elder? Well he choose his path, once it became clear that there is, and there will only ever be, ONE person for Edmund.
I did not see what the "friend" was up to, looking after Edmund's mother, nor did I see what the Elder had planned fro Edmund, so it was nice to be surprised by those things.
I LOVED the epilogue! Seriously well played with that one!
I have enjoyed these three short bursts of Andrew and Edmund, but I really think had Edmund been given a voice too, these would have been all 5 star reads.
Thank you, for letting me read your books, Ms Dobie Bauer!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is the third and final book in the Escape trilogy and you rally MUST read the other two books first. You need to know how Edmund and Andrew found themselves in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, looking for an Elder!
Only Andrew has a say in these books, and THIS one, more than the other two, I NEEDED Edmund I really did! Some things happen here, that made me want to hear what he had to say, so bloody bad and he doesn't. I KNEW that he probably would not have a say, but a girl can hope, right?
Edmund and Andrew and their friends are on a boat to England and to find the Elder. Once the Elder has located and Edmund turned, they continue on to visit Edmund's sick mother. The "friend" looking after her is vile and dealing with her and the gifts the Elder has bestowed upon him, pushes Edmund to his limits. Then WHY the Elder gave Edmund these gifts becomes clear and Edmund has a choice: Andrew or the Elder.
I found this one a little less sexy than the others, but a whole lot more bloody! The way Edmund deals with the friend was scary, but needed I think. The Elder? Well he choose his path, once it became clear that there is, and there will only ever be, ONE person for Edmund.
I did not see what the "friend" was up to, looking after Edmund's mother, nor did I see what the Elder had planned fro Edmund, so it was nice to be surprised by those things.
I LOVED the epilogue! Seriously well played with that one!
I have enjoyed these three short bursts of Andrew and Edmund, but I really think had Edmund been given a voice too, these would have been all 5 star reads.
Thank you, for letting me read your books, Ms Dobie Bauer!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A Monster Of All Time: The True Story of Danny Rolling, The Gainesville Ripper by JT Hunter
It's not very often I venture out of my fantasy/paranormal bubble. I usually read to escape from reality, not learn about the horrific nature of what's out there. However, my guilty pleasure is True Crime, if only for the fact it reminds me just how good it is to escape!
This is one of those books. The one where I can't put it down, gripped by morbid fascination to find out what happened to the killer, even as I mourn his victims. I'm from the UK, and so have no real grasp about the death sentence, being as the last person died in 1964, but these books do make me wonder. I find myself wondering if he would EVER have changed. I seriously doubt it considering the run up to the murders. Why should the tax payer have to cough up for his keep and health, when he so brutally extinguished the lives of eight people? I don't know. I don't have the answers. What I do have is more information about this 'man', what he did, the aftermath, and other people that were involved.
This book is non-fiction, but at times, it almost reads like fiction. The writing style was easy to follow, and not being as dry as some I have read. It is very graphic in parts, but no pictures. I loved how he isn't referred to by name during the time he was actually committing the crimes, and how the ending was about the victims - they are the ones whose names we should remember, not his.
I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. That would just be wrong. However, I can say that it is excellently written, without glamorising the murders, or the murderer. If you like true crime, then I can definitely recommend this one.
* 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!
This is one of those books. The one where I can't put it down, gripped by morbid fascination to find out what happened to the killer, even as I mourn his victims. I'm from the UK, and so have no real grasp about the death sentence, being as the last person died in 1964, but these books do make me wonder. I find myself wondering if he would EVER have changed. I seriously doubt it considering the run up to the murders. Why should the tax payer have to cough up for his keep and health, when he so brutally extinguished the lives of eight people? I don't know. I don't have the answers. What I do have is more information about this 'man', what he did, the aftermath, and other people that were involved.
This book is non-fiction, but at times, it almost reads like fiction. The writing style was easy to follow, and not being as dry as some I have read. It is very graphic in parts, but no pictures. I loved how he isn't referred to by name during the time he was actually committing the crimes, and how the ending was about the victims - they are the ones whose names we should remember, not his.
I can't say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. That would just be wrong. However, I can say that it is excellently written, without glamorising the murders, or the murderer. If you like true crime, then I can definitely recommend this one.
* 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!
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Girl King (The Girl King, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
<h2><strong>I wanted to like this book.</strong></h2>
In fact, I wanted to love <em>The Girl King</em>. Sisters! Rivals! Betrayal! Family! War! Mimi Yu's debut smells of an action-packed adventure with sibling rivalry, magic and court politics that would be hard to put down. Bonus points for #OwnVoices.
<h2><strong>But much disappointment has occurred.</strong></h2>
Bookwyrms, much disappointment has indeed occurred. I spent loads of time deciding if I should continue trekking my way through <em>The Girl King</em> or calling it quits. Eventually, at 50% through, I decided to call it a day because we don't have time for books that aren't enjoyable.
<h2><strong>We're not going to talk much about the problems involved.</strong></h2>
"Slipskin" feels awfully weird for a shifter/werewolf influence, bookwyrms. Sure, it's "slipping" out of one's "skin" and into another "slipping" into another "skin." But is it just me, or do I think of something gross and slimy at the thought? 🤔
And let's not get started with "pink." I legit thought of newly born babies.
<a href="https://vickywhoreads.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/arc-the-girl-king-by-mimi-yu/">Vicky from Vicky Who Reads</a> has this covered in more detail in her review. (I guarantee you her post is 100x more professional.)
<h2><strong>I didn't connect with anything in <em>The Girl King</em>.</strong></h2>
Sure, I went to at least halfway through the book, but it was a whole lot of back and forth reading between this book and another one. I didn't care about the storyline or the world, even though I could relate to some of the cultural influences included. Despite enjoying Lu's fierceness, I ultimately didn't care about Lu or any of the other characters involved. I found myself interested in continuing the book at some points, but at the same time, I didn't really care.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-girl-king-by-mimi-yu/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<h2><strong>I wanted to like this book.</strong></h2>
In fact, I wanted to love <em>The Girl King</em>. Sisters! Rivals! Betrayal! Family! War! Mimi Yu's debut smells of an action-packed adventure with sibling rivalry, magic and court politics that would be hard to put down. Bonus points for #OwnVoices.
<h2><strong>But much disappointment has occurred.</strong></h2>
Bookwyrms, much disappointment has indeed occurred. I spent loads of time deciding if I should continue trekking my way through <em>The Girl King</em> or calling it quits. Eventually, at 50% through, I decided to call it a day because we don't have time for books that aren't enjoyable.
<h2><strong>We're not going to talk much about the problems involved.</strong></h2>
"Slipskin" feels awfully weird for a shifter/werewolf influence, bookwyrms. Sure, it's "slipping" out of one's "skin" and into another "slipping" into another "skin." But is it just me, or do I think of something gross and slimy at the thought? 🤔
And let's not get started with "pink." I legit thought of newly born babies.
<a href="https://vickywhoreads.wordpress.com/2018/12/22/arc-the-girl-king-by-mimi-yu/">Vicky from Vicky Who Reads</a> has this covered in more detail in her review. (I guarantee you her post is 100x more professional.)
<h2><strong>I didn't connect with anything in <em>The Girl King</em>.</strong></h2>
Sure, I went to at least halfway through the book, but it was a whole lot of back and forth reading between this book and another one. I didn't care about the storyline or the world, even though I could relate to some of the cultural influences included. Despite enjoying Lu's fierceness, I ultimately didn't care about Lu or any of the other characters involved. I found myself interested in continuing the book at some points, but at the same time, I didn't really care.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-girl-king-by-mimi-yu/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated Horror Stories: A Memoir by Liz Phair in Books
Feb 27, 2020
I wanted so badly to like this book, I really did. I've loved Liz Phair's music since the 90s, and I was pretty excited when I heard she'd written a memoir. But this.....this is not great.
It's a memoir, I KNOW it's a memoir, but there's no cohesive narrative and it kind of drives me nuts. It reads more like a collection of essays detailing specific pieces of her life, and it jumps all over the place. More disappointing, however, is that she comes across as kind of an asshole. I could forgive that, because hey, listen, we were all kind of assholes in our youth, no? But she seems so completely self-centered, self-involved, and spoiled that it rendered some of this very hard to get through, especially as I'd been fangirling about this book for a long time. I wanted to read about a bad ass indie rock queen, not a jerk who cheats on her husband for no discernible reason, thinks that throwing money at a cultural misunderstanding (that she caused) will make it go away, and whines about how the cute stock boy she's flirting with at Trader Joe's is actually engaged.
That being said, one of the final stories in the book very much got to me: she's at a lecture with her aging parents, and she's noticing how many of the attendees have trouble getting around due to their age and mobility issues. One of the older gentlemen attempts to get up to go outside, and he ends up falling in front of everyone, repeating over and over (with tears in his eyes) how embarrassed he is. She sees this, and once the gentlemen is seated next to her, she goes out of her way to bolster him (tells him he "fell like an athlete," then asks if he ever was an athlete), and holds a conversation with him throughout the remainder of the lecture to get his mind off of the entire incident. This act struck me as so kind that it almost redeems her for everything else in the book. And that is how Liz Phair was nearly able to bring me to tears at the tail end of a fairly lackluster memoir.
It's a memoir, I KNOW it's a memoir, but there's no cohesive narrative and it kind of drives me nuts. It reads more like a collection of essays detailing specific pieces of her life, and it jumps all over the place. More disappointing, however, is that she comes across as kind of an asshole. I could forgive that, because hey, listen, we were all kind of assholes in our youth, no? But she seems so completely self-centered, self-involved, and spoiled that it rendered some of this very hard to get through, especially as I'd been fangirling about this book for a long time. I wanted to read about a bad ass indie rock queen, not a jerk who cheats on her husband for no discernible reason, thinks that throwing money at a cultural misunderstanding (that she caused) will make it go away, and whines about how the cute stock boy she's flirting with at Trader Joe's is actually engaged.
That being said, one of the final stories in the book very much got to me: she's at a lecture with her aging parents, and she's noticing how many of the attendees have trouble getting around due to their age and mobility issues. One of the older gentlemen attempts to get up to go outside, and he ends up falling in front of everyone, repeating over and over (with tears in his eyes) how embarrassed he is. She sees this, and once the gentlemen is seated next to her, she goes out of her way to bolster him (tells him he "fell like an athlete," then asks if he ever was an athlete), and holds a conversation with him throughout the remainder of the lecture to get his mind off of the entire incident. This act struck me as so kind that it almost redeems her for everything else in the book. And that is how Liz Phair was nearly able to bring me to tears at the tail end of a fairly lackluster memoir.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated Tails from the Deep in Books
Mar 14, 2020
Zoe is the middle of three sisters, the daughters of Mother, the leader of the merfolk settlement Sirenia somewhere under the sea. Unlike her other sisters, Zoe loves to explore. One of her favorite places is a shipwreck beyond the edges of her merfolk village. She sneaks out there quite frequently, so when things seem off one day, she is quick to notice. When she returns the next day, she finds a human diver trapped on the bottom next to a dead body. She frees the diver, but her actions lead to questions that might impact her settlement. Can she figure out who to trust and what is really going on?
Mermaid mysteries are definitely something different, but I couldn’t resist when Diane announced she was going to write these. After all, I love the water, so the idea of living under the sea, at least for a few pages, was too irresistible. I’m glad I did because I enjoyed this story. This reads very much like a cozy murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns. The end was a little abrupt, but that’s a minor issue. As we read, we also get a feel for mermaid culture, which was a delight. Many of the slight twists on our world and expectations made me smile. It was definitely well thought out. We also get to know Zoe very well over the course of the story since is many ways these stories are coming of age stories in addition to mysteries. Since it is a 100 page novella, there isn’t tons of character development for the rest of the characters, but they still come across as real. The other two stories focus on Zoe’s sisters, and I can’t wait to see how they are developed and how that fits with Zoe’s take on her sisters. If you are looking for a slight fantasy edge to your cozy, I definitely recommend this novella for something different.
NOTE: This story, along with the stories of Zoe’s sisters, are included in the Mermaid Mysteries anthology. Buy them individually or as a set, but there is no need to buy both.
Mermaid mysteries are definitely something different, but I couldn’t resist when Diane announced she was going to write these. After all, I love the water, so the idea of living under the sea, at least for a few pages, was too irresistible. I’m glad I did because I enjoyed this story. This reads very much like a cozy murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns. The end was a little abrupt, but that’s a minor issue. As we read, we also get a feel for mermaid culture, which was a delight. Many of the slight twists on our world and expectations made me smile. It was definitely well thought out. We also get to know Zoe very well over the course of the story since is many ways these stories are coming of age stories in addition to mysteries. Since it is a 100 page novella, there isn’t tons of character development for the rest of the characters, but they still come across as real. The other two stories focus on Zoe’s sisters, and I can’t wait to see how they are developed and how that fits with Zoe’s take on her sisters. If you are looking for a slight fantasy edge to your cozy, I definitely recommend this novella for something different.
NOTE: This story, along with the stories of Zoe’s sisters, are included in the Mermaid Mysteries anthology. Buy them individually or as a set, but there is no need to buy both.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated The Selkie's Coat (Waves of Fate #1) in Books
Apr 12, 2020
3 good solid stars
Indpendent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book.
For the most part, I did enjoy this book.
Its about a selkie, and I had to look up what a selkie was, because I really didn't know and so this is the first selkie book I've read.
Gregory is an alpha selkie, and Daniel a human omega. That Gregory can recognise his fated mate by sound is different, and there are lots of subtle differences to shifter lore in the book, and I really enjoyed that.
But Daniel is like a flipping ping pong ball, back and forth, almost through the whole book, and I got a bit dizzy keeping up with him! I mean, one minute he wants to mate with Gregory, then he reads something, and he doesn't. Then his friend says something, and he does. Then Gregory says something and Daniel is against it again. I really wanted to slap Daniel and make him make a decision.
I liked Gregory's mum getting involved but she does go a bit too far at points. Love Henri, Daniel's best friend. Loved Winston, who is Gregory's best friend too. Loved how he was all, "oh, okay then, thats us done, then, right?" when Gregory tells him he met his fated mate.
Both Daniel and Gregory have a voice, in the first person. I loved that Gregory's voice is what I call "proper" and Daniel makes reference to it being a Victorian voice. Gregory likes to use whole words, and proper words, rather than to shorten them to the modern version.
I LOVED that neither Gregory or Daniel was shortened though!
From what I can see, this is the first I've read of this author (unless something pops up in a box set somewhere) Will I read more? I will certainly give them a go. Will I continue with this series? I hope to be able to. I loved that I saw the next book going one way, but then was thrown for a loop later on.
So, a good book, with a difference, but one that doesn't quite hit *that* spot, you know?
3 good solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
For the most part, I did enjoy this book.
Its about a selkie, and I had to look up what a selkie was, because I really didn't know and so this is the first selkie book I've read.
Gregory is an alpha selkie, and Daniel a human omega. That Gregory can recognise his fated mate by sound is different, and there are lots of subtle differences to shifter lore in the book, and I really enjoyed that.
But Daniel is like a flipping ping pong ball, back and forth, almost through the whole book, and I got a bit dizzy keeping up with him! I mean, one minute he wants to mate with Gregory, then he reads something, and he doesn't. Then his friend says something, and he does. Then Gregory says something and Daniel is against it again. I really wanted to slap Daniel and make him make a decision.
I liked Gregory's mum getting involved but she does go a bit too far at points. Love Henri, Daniel's best friend. Loved Winston, who is Gregory's best friend too. Loved how he was all, "oh, okay then, thats us done, then, right?" when Gregory tells him he met his fated mate.
Both Daniel and Gregory have a voice, in the first person. I loved that Gregory's voice is what I call "proper" and Daniel makes reference to it being a Victorian voice. Gregory likes to use whole words, and proper words, rather than to shorten them to the modern version.
I LOVED that neither Gregory or Daniel was shortened though!
From what I can see, this is the first I've read of this author (unless something pops up in a box set somewhere) Will I read more? I will certainly give them a go. Will I continue with this series? I hope to be able to. I loved that I saw the next book going one way, but then was thrown for a loop later on.
So, a good book, with a difference, but one that doesn't quite hit *that* spot, you know?
3 good solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
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