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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Cuckoo's Calling in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I read (listened to) The Cuckoo’s Calling before I knew who the real author was. Here I was so excited about finding a new author for my author watch page, and it turns out it’s J.K. Rowling! I mean, I guess I can’t complain, as long as she keeps writing books like this one.
I really liked The Cuckoo’s Calling. There were so many little details and hints that brought the whole thing together in the end (typical of Rowling, and I see that now) and it made for a wonderful detective novel. It wasn’t very “gripping,” though. It was “put-down-able.” At any given time I could stop and move on to something else. It kept me interested while I was reading, but when I needed to stop, it didn’t drag me back to my chair for another chapter. I feel like that gripping aspect is needed in a detective novel, and that’s the only thing that was missing. That being said, I still really loved the book. I loved Strike, the main character, and the supporting character he hires as his P.A. (unwillingly at first, but then he realizes how totally awesome she is). I really hope “Galbraith” continues with another book with these characters!
Content/Recommendation: Little language, no sex. Ages 15-adult
I really liked The Cuckoo’s Calling. There were so many little details and hints that brought the whole thing together in the end (typical of Rowling, and I see that now) and it made for a wonderful detective novel. It wasn’t very “gripping,” though. It was “put-down-able.” At any given time I could stop and move on to something else. It kept me interested while I was reading, but when I needed to stop, it didn’t drag me back to my chair for another chapter. I feel like that gripping aspect is needed in a detective novel, and that’s the only thing that was missing. That being said, I still really loved the book. I loved Strike, the main character, and the supporting character he hires as his P.A. (unwillingly at first, but then he realizes how totally awesome she is). I really hope “Galbraith” continues with another book with these characters!
Content/Recommendation: Little language, no sex. Ages 15-adult
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
How To Flirt with a Naked Werewolf was a cute fun quick read. I was sucked into the story right away by the fun witty voice of the interior monologue, relaxed writing style, and likeable characters (oh ok and drool-worthy male protagonist). I don't often find such a fun writing style or voice from romance novels, but Molly Harper has surprised me. She used creative descriptions, character, and personality in her writing.
(minor spoiler alert, this paragraph only!) The plot itself was a little "twilight-esque" with the whole "we can't be together so I'm going to leave and be emo" thing, the "I'm too dangerous for you" thing, and the constant nausea and realizing she's pregnant thing. But I liked Mo a lot better than Bella (who, can I just say, deserved an emo masochist) so I'm not too bothered by it. Plus, these 370 pages had just as much plot—and maybe more—than the entire twilight saga combined. Then again that's not hard to do.
I really enjoyed this book and would pick up the next ones in the series if I had money and a job. Alas, I have $0.70 in my checking account and no income. I'll have to pick it up over the summer when I get my job back…
Content: some sex, mild language. Ages 18+
(minor spoiler alert, this paragraph only!) The plot itself was a little "twilight-esque" with the whole "we can't be together so I'm going to leave and be emo" thing, the "I'm too dangerous for you" thing, and the constant nausea and realizing she's pregnant thing. But I liked Mo a lot better than Bella (who, can I just say, deserved an emo masochist) so I'm not too bothered by it. Plus, these 370 pages had just as much plot—and maybe more—than the entire twilight saga combined. Then again that's not hard to do.
I really enjoyed this book and would pick up the next ones in the series if I had money and a job. Alas, I have $0.70 in my checking account and no income. I'll have to pick it up over the summer when I get my job back…
Content: some sex, mild language. Ages 18+
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Dead House in Books
Apr 27, 2018
This is one of the best, most intense, creepiest books I’ve ever read. I would read it again in a heartbeat. I would buy it for myself and for my friends. I would buy copies for a local library and make sure they always had one on the shelf.
This book is filled with mystery, magic, and incomprehensable events that never fully resolve themselves but still leave you feeling resolved at the end. It plays with concepts I don’t see often in YA, and doesn’t shy away from hard questions. There is some questionable content, so I wouldn’t recommend it to all ages. But I am totally adding Dawn Kurtagich to my Author Watch list and hope you will too!
I don’t want to say too much about the story itself because I don’t want to spoil it. I requested the book, forgot about it, and then picked it at random having absolutely no idea what it was about. Suffice to say I was completely enthralled and enjoyed every moment of it. I can’t stress this enough: GO GET A COPY OF THIS BOOK IMEDIATELY. Audio, print, e-book, whatever. You will not be sorry.
Content/recommendation: some language, some sex, some violence. Most of the violence is mental torture the main character endures. Some witch-craft. Ages 16+.
This book is filled with mystery, magic, and incomprehensable events that never fully resolve themselves but still leave you feeling resolved at the end. It plays with concepts I don’t see often in YA, and doesn’t shy away from hard questions. There is some questionable content, so I wouldn’t recommend it to all ages. But I am totally adding Dawn Kurtagich to my Author Watch list and hope you will too!
I don’t want to say too much about the story itself because I don’t want to spoil it. I requested the book, forgot about it, and then picked it at random having absolutely no idea what it was about. Suffice to say I was completely enthralled and enjoyed every moment of it. I can’t stress this enough: GO GET A COPY OF THIS BOOK IMEDIATELY. Audio, print, e-book, whatever. You will not be sorry.
Content/recommendation: some language, some sex, some violence. Most of the violence is mental torture the main character endures. Some witch-craft. Ages 16+.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated The Good, the Bad and the Smug in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I love Tom Holt’s sense of humor and writing style. He is sarcastic, quirky, fun to read, entertaining, light-hearted, and hilarious. I fell in love with his world and his style when I read (listened to) Doughnut way back in 2013. Apparently TGTB&TS is book 4 in the series and I missed all the ones in between. But not once did I feel lost or confused. Actually I didn’t even know it was part of the series until I recognized the sound of “The Very Very Large Hadron Collider.”
That being said, I’d recommend reading book 1 before you read this, otherwise you will be so confused it would distract you from how funny the book is.
Tom Holt has managed to take something so absolutely ridiculous and impossible and make it totally real. The characters are well built and real (even if they are goblins and elves and stock brokers pretending to be rumplestiltskin). The plot had my heart racing (trying to figure out why The Dark Lord is crying over patterned curtains is a serious matter) and the conclusion, though open to interpretation and somewhat confusing, was still fulfilling. I’m very happy with this book and look forward to going back (and forwards) to enjoy the others in the series!
Content/Recommendation: some language, some mention of eating body parts. no sex. Ages 18+
That being said, I’d recommend reading book 1 before you read this, otherwise you will be so confused it would distract you from how funny the book is.
Tom Holt has managed to take something so absolutely ridiculous and impossible and make it totally real. The characters are well built and real (even if they are goblins and elves and stock brokers pretending to be rumplestiltskin). The plot had my heart racing (trying to figure out why The Dark Lord is crying over patterned curtains is a serious matter) and the conclusion, though open to interpretation and somewhat confusing, was still fulfilling. I’m very happy with this book and look forward to going back (and forwards) to enjoy the others in the series!
Content/Recommendation: some language, some mention of eating body parts. no sex. Ages 18+
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Wifey in Books
May 10, 2018
OMG Judy Blume!! Seeing as most of what I have read by Ms. Blume is about adolescence, this book was quite shocking.
Sandy Pressman has been married to Norman Pressman for 11 years. They have two children. Norman runs a chain of dry cleaners and Sandy stays home with the kids. They have the "perfect" life.
It's the summer and the kids are away at camp. Sandy is just starting to feel better after being sick for months. She needs something to keep her busy. Norman suggests that she take golf and tennis lessons at The Club, but Sandy has never been very coordinated. As the summer continues, and strange things begin to happen, Sandy realizes this is not the life she dreamed of. She needs more than the same weekly menu and Saturday night sex. And I think she finds it, but it may be more than she bargained for.
If you have never read one of Judy Blume's novels for adults, you will be surprised by some of the language used. Blume allows Sandy's thoughts and desires be heard and Sandy has a dirty mind. I would suggest all fans to read the introduction by Blume. It helped me to get a better understanding of this author that I have loved for so long.
Sandy Pressman has been married to Norman Pressman for 11 years. They have two children. Norman runs a chain of dry cleaners and Sandy stays home with the kids. They have the "perfect" life.
It's the summer and the kids are away at camp. Sandy is just starting to feel better after being sick for months. She needs something to keep her busy. Norman suggests that she take golf and tennis lessons at The Club, but Sandy has never been very coordinated. As the summer continues, and strange things begin to happen, Sandy realizes this is not the life she dreamed of. She needs more than the same weekly menu and Saturday night sex. And I think she finds it, but it may be more than she bargained for.
If you have never read one of Judy Blume's novels for adults, you will be surprised by some of the language used. Blume allows Sandy's thoughts and desires be heard and Sandy has a dirty mind. I would suggest all fans to read the introduction by Blume. It helped me to get a better understanding of this author that I have loved for so long.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Abuse Of Discretion in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Abuse of Discretion is about a boy that saves a picture of and is the one that got accused of something he did not do. What will the justice system do about it? Is the adult system better than the juvenile criminal justice system?
The author takes you inside the juvenile criminal justice system with this story and plot. It about a boy and sex-texting. Will Graylin be put in jail for something he did not do or will be saved interact and that he got a photo of a classmate saved on his phone? He was just doing what young kids do at their age of fourteen. Will the truth be set him free or not.
Why do juvenile criminal justice system judges like to lock up teens and not let them go? It could have to do with something about the law written by the state. We get an inside of the system and to find out what happens we see Pamela and Angelica take on the case of depending Graylin.
Dres Thomas has his own problems to deal with. Will he outwit the Shepard or will he be killed himself? You will need to find out by reading. Pamela Samuels Young write the plot well. She throws in twist and turns and mystery throughout the book.
The author takes you inside the juvenile criminal justice system with this story and plot. It about a boy and sex-texting. Will Graylin be put in jail for something he did not do or will be saved interact and that he got a photo of a classmate saved on his phone? He was just doing what young kids do at their age of fourteen. Will the truth be set him free or not.
Why do juvenile criminal justice system judges like to lock up teens and not let them go? It could have to do with something about the law written by the state. We get an inside of the system and to find out what happens we see Pamela and Angelica take on the case of depending Graylin.
Dres Thomas has his own problems to deal with. Will he outwit the Shepard or will he be killed himself? You will need to find out by reading. Pamela Samuels Young write the plot well. She throws in twist and turns and mystery throughout the book.
Lenard (726 KP) rated Booksmart (2019) in Movies
May 8, 2019 (Updated May 8, 2019)
My favorite movie of the year so far
Booksmart is the kind of movie I always enjoy immensely. In a way, I was reminded of Sex Drive even though the two films have nothing in common. I just yelled "Rumspringa" as I left, I felt so free. Beanie Feldman who plays her character like brother Jonah Hill's younger sister and Kathlyn Dever play two high achieving high school seniors who spent all their time studying instead of having fun. They are bullied and made fun of due to their academic commitment. In a pivotal bathroom scene, Beanie overhears a conversation where she is the butt of the joke. Exiting falsely confident, she is shocked to learn that the three dopes all are on prestigious paths (Google, Stanford, Yale). She decides that she and her BFF have to crash a trending party. In a series of vignettes of misadventures, the two girls discover there is more to life than getting good grades. Extracurricular activities look good on the CV too.
My main complaint is the actors play the supposed seniors a little too confidently for adolescents. In this "Say Anything"esque world, there are no mean girls/alpha males. Everyone has a secret moral to their character. Except maybe Ryan who steals the boy crush, but she has a nice chin.
My main complaint is the actors play the supposed seniors a little too confidently for adolescents. In this "Say Anything"esque world, there are no mean girls/alpha males. Everyone has a secret moral to their character. Except maybe Ryan who steals the boy crush, but she has a nice chin.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated A Carnal Agreement (Regency Intrigue, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I ordered this book off of Amazon when it recommended it with another purchase. I thought sure why not, and ended up with a permanent addition to my collections. If there is one thing I love more than erotic, is historical erotica, especially a well written on.
Before I gush over how much I fell in love with this novel, I will state the only thing that annoyed me about this novel which is Cassandras want of independence. First of all, I guess I can understand her in a sense, but for the time she lives in, she seems to be asking too much. Not to mention, at a certain point, she became annoying about it. We get it, you want your independence. Now please stop kicking the dead horse.
Beyond that, this was a really good a read. Very few erotic novels have such great plotlines to go along with their delicious erotic scenes. I loved that this novel had both. I also liked that the sex wasnt what the two fall in love. Like any normal human being, Mark worries for Cassandra when he realizes someone has tried to harm her. As they spend more and more time together, their feelings grow. You can actually watch the progression of them falling in love.
A must read for historical erotica readers everywhere.
Before I gush over how much I fell in love with this novel, I will state the only thing that annoyed me about this novel which is Cassandras want of independence. First of all, I guess I can understand her in a sense, but for the time she lives in, she seems to be asking too much. Not to mention, at a certain point, she became annoying about it. We get it, you want your independence. Now please stop kicking the dead horse.
Beyond that, this was a really good a read. Very few erotic novels have such great plotlines to go along with their delicious erotic scenes. I loved that this novel had both. I also liked that the sex wasnt what the two fall in love. Like any normal human being, Mark worries for Cassandra when he realizes someone has tried to harm her. As they spend more and more time together, their feelings grow. You can actually watch the progression of them falling in love.
A must read for historical erotica readers everywhere.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Eeny Meeny (Helen Grace, #1) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
***NOTE: I was provided a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
Detective Helen Grace is lead investigator in what at first seems to be a single unusual murder case, but turns out to be only the first strike by an deranged serial killer. Two victims at a time are kidnapped and locked up with no food or water. They are left with a gun and a message. When one of them is dead, the other will be set free.
Eeny Meeny is a very fast-paced police procedural / thriller story. The characters are not very likable, even the good guys, and that usually would have made me dislike the book. I found it to be very well-written and suspenseful though, and couldn't put it down. The chapters are very short, sometimes as little as two pages, and move between points of view. In another story this might have felt jarring or confusing, but in this case it only added to the tension. I was a little too disturbed by some of the details regarding what the captives went through, as well as with some of the characters personal lives, or I would have rated this higher.
If you enjoy edgy, suspenseful thrillers and don't mind some gruesome details, give this one a read.
Warnings: some descriptions of sex, torture and violence, abuse
Detective Helen Grace is lead investigator in what at first seems to be a single unusual murder case, but turns out to be only the first strike by an deranged serial killer. Two victims at a time are kidnapped and locked up with no food or water. They are left with a gun and a message. When one of them is dead, the other will be set free.
Eeny Meeny is a very fast-paced police procedural / thriller story. The characters are not very likable, even the good guys, and that usually would have made me dislike the book. I found it to be very well-written and suspenseful though, and couldn't put it down. The chapters are very short, sometimes as little as two pages, and move between points of view. In another story this might have felt jarring or confusing, but in this case it only added to the tension. I was a little too disturbed by some of the details regarding what the captives went through, as well as with some of the characters personal lives, or I would have rated this higher.
If you enjoy edgy, suspenseful thrillers and don't mind some gruesome details, give this one a read.
Warnings: some descriptions of sex, torture and violence, abuse
Lou Grande (148 KP) rated Robbie Riverton: Mail Order Bride in Books
Jun 9, 2018
Dumb title, awful art, but good book
Please don't judge this book by its atrocious cover. As a kid, I read all of my older sister's romance novels--Jude Devereaux, Judith McNaught, et cetera--but as a sentimental gay dude, there was a lot that didn't hit home for me. This is my first gay historical romance, and I really liked it. It has about the same amount of depth you would expect from a heterosexual romance novels (which is to say, not much), but it was no less an enjoyable read. I'm glad that Easton didn't rely on angst to further the story, but actually gave us a story that stands in its own two legs.
I admit that I was nervous going into the more erotic scenes. It's kind of a thorny issue, with Easton being a woman and describing an entirely male act. But they were surprisingly realistic (for a romance novel). That said, they didn't exactly light my fire, but they weren't "boobs feel like bags of sand" either. Nice, middle of the road. It's clear the focus is on the relationship, not sex, though she acknowledges the strong sexual intensity that (sometimes) manifests between men.
Just, please, Easton, if you read these at all, do something about the cover art. The title is a little hokey too. It made me underestimate your talent.
I admit that I was nervous going into the more erotic scenes. It's kind of a thorny issue, with Easton being a woman and describing an entirely male act. But they were surprisingly realistic (for a romance novel). That said, they didn't exactly light my fire, but they weren't "boobs feel like bags of sand" either. Nice, middle of the road. It's clear the focus is on the relationship, not sex, though she acknowledges the strong sexual intensity that (sometimes) manifests between men.
Just, please, Easton, if you read these at all, do something about the cover art. The title is a little hokey too. It made me underestimate your talent.