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Becoming His Perfect Daddy (Unlikely Daddies #1)
Becoming His Perfect Daddy (Unlikely Daddies #1)
Lincoln Mercer | 2024 | LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
bloody LOVED this book!
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Let me just put this out there, Ok?? I'm a straight cis woman, on the wrong side of 50. I read a lot of MM books, and have read some with trans main characters. I have not ever read a T4T (my apologies if this is incorrect, but I'm trying!) book, never. So I went into this with an open mind and an open heart and an open book brain.

But let me tell you about this book!

There is a bit at the beginning of this book, that the author wrote. I don't usually bother with those, unles my book feelings tell me to read it, so I did and it gave me a much better insight into Sam and Cameron, but also into this author, as some of this book is their story. (again, apologies is this is incorrect, but I couldn't find your preferred pronouns, so went with the best option!)

And what that bit does, my good peeps, is set it all out for you, in a way a lay person like myself can understand the terms, words and difficulties being a trans person comes with.

While this book is set over a long period of time, over a year, I was surprised at the speed at which things moved for Sam, once he made the decision to become himself. I know in the UK these take a long, LONG time, so that surprised me.

Sam and Cameron are perfect for each other! Cameron has already transitioned, and Sam has the dawning realisation that he is not in the right body after reading one of Cameron's books. That CAMERON makes him see who he really should be, a man and a Daddy. These two are absolutely perfect for each other, they really are! Loved how the D/b relationship developed.

I will be honest, I wasn't sure the smexy times would work, I don't know WHY I thought that, but you know me and my book brain, but bloody hell! They work, trust me! Super spicy smexy times!! Loved that!

You get deep into the psyche of being trans with these two. The emotions are deep and heavy in places. Made me cry in some places, it really did, the weight of feelings that these men have about themselves. It's really painful reading in parts, and I think you need to be aware if you have any triggers regarding body dysmophia.

I LOVED this book, in case I didn't say it yet!

I see two pairings among the side characters, one set have their book next and I will be reading that book, and any more that come along! I also found that this is only the author's second book, with a short before this one. And bloody hell, they smashed it out the park!

I cannot give it anything other than. . .

5 full and super shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Strange Weather
Strange Weather
Joe Hill | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
4
6.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strange Weather is the first bit of fiction I’ve managed to snare by Joe Hill. I heard some pretty great things about his work, but it’s possible I took those praises a little too much to heart. Rating this book doesn’t come easily. To quote what I told a friend on Twitter, reading Strange Weather felt like an attempt at chewing the gristle on steak. That is, wrong and uncomfortable, but not in a good way. I’ve decided to divvy my review up based on each storry.

SNAPSHOT

“Snapshot,” though a bit lacking in style, is one of two stories in this small collection that I found myself capable of tolerating. I figure it’s because this short tale embodies a sort of Twilight Zone and Night Gallery feel. It read the quickest out of the four stories and I found myself nearly in tears at its conclusion, so the best I can say about it is that I either felt something, or my emotions went bonkers again.

LOADED

The second shorty story in Hill’s collection, “Loaded,” is a bunch of driveling bullshit, for lack of a better word. I’m all about our Second Amendment Rights; I even have a cup that says “Don’t ban guns, ban idiots,” but this story encompasses the stereotypical idea that every gun owner or enthusiast is a batshit crazy blowhard that’s just looking for a reason to go off. I have friends and family that appreciate this machinery, that agree people should under go background and mental wellness checks prior to purchase of a fire arm, but this? This story just adds fuel to a fire that seeks kindling via blame on inanimate objects, rather than the person behind them. The main guy of “Loaded” shows us exactly how restricting gun ownership will fail so hey, better hurry and make it entirely illegal right? Oh, and let’s not get started with the over-saturation of Social Justice Warriorness in this piece. I’m all for equality, but this? This just reeks of extremism in a way that I almost abandoned the book as a whole.

ALOFT

“Aloft” is by far the best in this collection of short stories. An embodiment of the collections title, the main character encounters something unusual while fulfilling a dead friend’s promise and from there, things really take a turn for the bizarre. While I feel Hill gives us a bit too much exposition in this tale, there are many things about it that I feel should be appreciated. For instance, the next time anyone asks me what it’s like to have ulcerative colitis, I’ll probably ask them if they’ve read “Aloft”‘ by Joe Hill, because let’s face it: the torment Aubrey goes through gastrically (is that even a word?) in this story is a pretty damned accurate depiction of the suffering people with Crohn’s and Colitis endure.

RAIN

The final story in Hill’s collection seemed like it could have had a loft of potential. “Rain” further supports the title of the collection when a torrent of crystal nails fall from the sky to impale poor, unexpecting citizens. So what’s the problem then? “Rain” is so fundamentally flawed that it’s just… no. First, Hill is more obsessed with making fun of Trump in this story than the events that occur. This isn’t a bad thing – I absolutely loathe Trump, especially considering his policies may very well shorten my lifespan significantly. “Rain” is more a mockery than the story it could be. At least the twist at the end was fairly amusing, but by that point all I could do is roll my eyes in frustration.

CONCLUSION

Joe Hill’s Strange Weather is probably a poor choice for first time introduction to his work. In fact, it’s almost a deterrent considering it’s the first book by him that I read and I was ecstatic about receiving a review copy. It is with a bit of a heavy heart for the sake of disappointment that I am forced to conclude my review with a largely poor rating. Part of my compliance with FTC guidelines as a reviewer requires that I disclose when I read a free book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. In this case, I’d like to thank Edelweiss and HarperCollins/William Morrow for this opportunity.
  
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Hourglass (Hourglass, #1)
10
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Let me just say right now that I'm glad I didn't judge this book by its cover, because I never would have requested it. The cover doesn't particularly appeal to me; for that matter, the title didn't make me curious either. Even after I read the back cover I wasn't convinced. I like to be intrigued and the cover/summary fooled me. But I saw a good review for it somewhere, so I snatched it up. I'm very happy I did.

Time travel has been done poorly so many times, but Hourglass was fantastic. It was original and creative, and it met every requirement for a perfect book: it had tension, awesome characters, a well thought out and multi-layered plot, and good writing.

There was tension in every sentence of ever paragraph of every chapter. It was nearly impossible to put down. I completely lost track of time while I read it. (haha, lost track of…get it?…. it's a time travel book…never mind.) I was forced to put it down to do things like work and chores and food, but except for things like that, it kept me reading, and there were no empty scenes.

The characters were amazing. Can I just say that I want to marry Michael right now? omigoodness. He's going on my list. Any author who can write a character like that is going on my favorites list right now. Emerson is strong-willed, kick-ass, and has to remind herself that she's short because her personality is the opposite. She was the perfect heroine because she was real and fragile and head over heels in love with someone she wasn't supposed to love. Michael was the brave proud chivalrous attractive protagonist who has a major hero complex, and of course is trying not to be in love with Em (and failing miserably). Both of them together had humorous conversations and explosive chemistry. (like, things short circuit when they touch, and light bulbs break when they kiss.)

The plot kept me guessing all the way to the end, and the last quarter of the book threw so many twists and turns at me that I found myself thinking, "Ok wait, what? are you serious?" But it wasn't overdone, there was no overkill, and it worked perfectly in the end. (I'll keep it spoiler free, but I'll just say don't worry, it does work out. Don't get mad and throw the book against the wall like I did.)

And of course, the writing. I find that many young adult novels have mediocre writing. McEntire is a good writer in the sense that she can keep the tension real and controlling, she has good descriptions and great pacing, and there are no dead words.

Hourglass was fast-paced, exciting, unique, and completely enthralling. I anxiously await more from McEntire hope for more of Michael and Emerson's story in the future.

Content/recommendation: some mild language, no sex. Ages 16+
  
Review also found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>.


I loved this book! I loved the intrigue and mystery...and it had a gnome!!!! I love gnomes!!!

Hobin Luckyfeller is a fishis (want to know what that is, then look it up in the book, lol). He comes across fourteen letters sent from a husband to his wife that talk about a major project that has to do with runes and how to trap the Dark Lord. Hobin must try to read in between the lines to figure out what everything means.

The title definitely suits the book! I won't say too much because of spoilers, but once you read the book, you'll definitely know why. It's a perfect title!!

The cover is very ominous looking! I like the way it looks like it's made of leather. I think the cover suits the book because of the three runes on it which, the whole book mentions the runes throughout. I don't really get the yellow face on the cover though. That takes away from it a bit, but I kind of like the yellow face for some odd reason.

The pacing of this book was perfect! As I said, it's only a short story, and sometimes it's difficult to get the pacing right in short stories, however Mr. Buckley gets the pacing spot on! I found myself wanting to know more before I had even finished the chapter I was on!

The dialogue was easy to understand especially since there's a glossary type thing in the back of the book which helps with the pronunciation of words and what they mean as well as who people and places are in the book. I found this to be most useful because with some of the words, I had a difficult time pronouncing them!

I loved the character of Hobin Luckyfeller. I'm not just saying that because he's a gnome! I loved his thirst for knowledge and how he wanted to figure everything out. He wouldn't stop for anything. As for Eamon, the author of the letters, I felt so bad for him. I felt his pain at not being able to see his wife and children.

My favourite part of the book was after the end. No, not because the book was over, but because there was information on the authors. Yes, I said authors! It lists Hobin Luckyfeller as one of the authors along with Jaime Buckley. I found this to be quite humouress!

Jaime Buckley definitely has a way with words. I thought this story was very well written. It's definitely piqued my interest in the Wanted: Hero series that Jaime Buckley has written.

I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 15+ especially those who love fantasy, mystery, dwarves, goblins, etc.
  
Tell Me How it Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions
Tell Me How it Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions
Valeria Luiselli | 2017 | Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A human portrait of child migrants
With the world being shaped by migration, this essay comes at a timely fashion. Exploring the nuances of this reality, Valeria Luiselli, a skilful and gifted Mexican writer knows the migratory experience first-hand having travelled across the globe. This compassionate, short book finds her in a head-on confrontation with daily reality.

Based on her experiences working as an interpreter for dozens of Central American child migrants, she speaks to those who risked their lives crossing Mexico to escape their fraught existence back home. To stay in the US, each must be vetted by the Citizenship and Immigration Services, a vast, impersonal bureaucracy. It's her job to help these kids, but in order to do so, they must answer 40 questions that will determine their fate.

The truth about the crossing may be much more brutal in reality, with 80% of women and girls who cross from Mexico to the US being raped, hence some of the children appear evasive when answering questions. But this book is fueled, in no small part, by Luiselli's bottles up shame and rage. She's aghast at the gap between American ideals and the way they actually treat undocumented children, yet her writing is measured and fair-minded.

Luiselli takes us inside the grand dream of migration, offering the valuable reminder that exceedingly few immigrants abandon their past and brave death to come to America for dark or nasty reasons. Fantastic read.
  
I Hate Fairyland, Vol 2: Fluff My Life
I Hate Fairyland, Vol 2: Fluff My Life
Skottie Young | 2017 | Comics & Graphic Novels, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Picking up directly where the first volume leaves off, this volume of I Hate Fairyland, with Gert now Queen of Fairyland, and that goes about as well as you'd expect. She is eventually ousted from the throne and continues her search for a way home, dragging the unfortunate Larry along the way.

While Scottie Young's writing is still funny and his art is as madcap as ever (and Jean-Francois Beaulieu's eye-popping colors are eye-popping!), this volume was far more episodic than the previous story arc, with each issue more or less playing out the same scenario each time: Gert finds a "new" way home each issue, which of course turns out not to be a way home and then she fights her way out of the situation in the usual bloodbath, end of issue. The final issue of the collection does offer an interesting post-apocalyptic view of Fairyland, but it's actually not made clear whether the series is continuing after this volume (which there will be after a short break until the monthly series picks back up again in March), so the casual reader may be confused about whether this is actually the close of the series.

I'll be picking up the next collection of the series for sure, regardless of the slight disappointment that came with this issue, because I Hate Fairyland is still one of the most original comics that I've read in a long time.
  
Myths and Mortals
Myths and Mortals
Charlie N. Holmberg | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
7
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
*** Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***


The follow-up to Smoke and Summons continues straight on. Sandis is no longer connected to her demon of choice, but is safe and free from the (presumed dead) Kazen. Rone is still separated from his mother and running out of time to cross the border and escape the troubled country.
The story focuses more on the characters' feelings than before (where the first book was largely aimless wandering and fighting), with Sandis torn between staying with the only family she has (her estranged uncle) and knowing that he is using her for her powers, as her former master had done. Rone is desperate to escape the country but cannot bear to be parted from Sandis, and there is unspoken tension between them.
The book sees more of the underworld of the city explored as the main characters team up with some undesirables to try and overcome their main enemy.
There are some typical twists and turns along the way, most of which are fairly predictable. The action sequences are good, but I found myself speed-reading the final quarter just to get finished.
A decent story and even though short feels like it could have been edited a bit more. I think I will read the concluding part when it is released, as the ending of this book teased what could be some excited conflicts.
  
Eyes on You
Eyes on You
Kate White | 2014
8
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Robin has just started a new job and is about to release her first book. RIght now, is seems as if life couldn't get any better for her. When a series of strange events begins to happen, Robin has to figure out exactly who is trying to sabotage her career. There are a few people it could be and right now Robin isn't sure who she can trust.

This book held my attention from start to finish. It was hard to put down. The book had a little bit of everything in it. A little thriller, a little romance, some conspiracy and murder. All throughout the book, you think you know who is going to be the one doing all of the dirty work. There seems to be so many suspects. Is it the handsome co-host? The ambitious intern who is desperately trying her best? The veteran at the station who will stop at nothing to stay on top and relevant? The associate producer whose story ideas always seem to fall a little short.

I could not put this book down. I had to know what was going to happen. I stayed on the edge of my seat. There was even one part where I shouted, "Holy Shit!" out loud. Luckily, I wasn't any place public when that happened.

This was a great book. One of the best that I have read this year. I look forward to reading more from this author.
  
Curious Minds
Curious Minds
Janet Evanovich, Phoef Sutton | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Riley Moon works for Blane-Grunwald, a financial company who only handles the most wealthy's accounts. Emerson Knight is one of those clients, and he is an eccentric as they come. When Riley is told to go to his house to discuss his accounts with him, she doesn't know what she is in for. Greeted with all kinds of creatures roaming the property, Emerson isn't thrilled to see Riley instead of Gunter his usual analyst. When Riley explains that Gunter is missing and she is here to take his place, Emerson enlists Riley's help to find Gunter and find out what is really going on at Blane-Grunwald.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book was really interesting, and like true Janet Evanovich fashion, it wasn't short on humor either.

Emerson and Riley discover that the gold being held by Blane-Grunwald is fake. When they make this discovery, they embark on a mission to find out where the gold is and how to get it back. Faced with obstacles all along the way and the Grunwald family with their high positions in the United States Government trying to stop the mission, Emerson and Riley won't stop until they get to the bottom of the issue. They both surprise each other with their determination and strength and together, nothing can bring them down.
  
The Keeper Of Lost Things
The Keeper Of Lost Things
Ruth Hogan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.8 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
Nice Writing, some believable characters (0 more)
Muddled plot, convenient ending (0 more)
Contains spoilers, click to show
I thought that this book was generally good. The writing of this was, at times, beautiful and I think that the majority of the characters were likable and well formed. I think that Portia, Bomber's sister was rather cartoony and over exaggerated and I didn't really like her involvement in the story, it was a little bit too silly for me.

 I think the story line with Bomber was much more interesting and heart wrenching than the modern one. The idea of lost things, kind of fizzled out into something that was conventional, rather than having a more mysterious edge to it.

 I thought that the way the story lines in the present and the past were tied together, was rather flimsy and too convenient. I liked all of the characters in the present, but this story line was a little cheesy and a bit cliche ( it seems like every single woman that has a break up or a bad marriage gets a dog!)

Personally, I think it would have been better to get rid of the modern plot line all together and just have a book about Bomber and a separate book of the different short stories about the lost things, as I enjoyed reading them and felt they were the stronger points of the book.

Despite its problems, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a easy and quick read.