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One Night (Night Series #1)
One Night (Night Series #1)
A.M. Salinger | 2018 | Erotica, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
7.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
its hot hot HOT!!!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Book title is One Night and the whole book takes place in just that: one night!

After an attack 8 years ago, Gabe hasn't been able to be intimate with anyone. Moving across the world gives him a chance to push himself and at least try. He never expected that Cam would become anything other than one night.

OOOOOEEEEE!!!! New shelf, folks, just for this book! Cos let me tell ya, these boys get up to inferno level heat in that one night!

Cam and Gabe have a powerful and instant reaction, even with a whole club between them, and it carries, right through these some hundred pages, with both of them, independently of each other, deciding that one night will never be enough, but Gabe runs still. His trauma is dark, and could well have ended his life but for a nosey neighbour. Cam's reaction to that trauma is, again, powerful: his need to protect Gabe, to keep HIS man safe skyrockets and Cam realises that he will never get enough of Gabe.

Short it is, but there is enough history of the two men to gab you and pull you in. There is SO MUCH action, let me tell ya, these boys burn high, and hot and LONG!!!

I wrote in a recent review that what I loved about THAT book, was that it was so very CLEAN. But what I LOVED about this book?? It is so very NOT clean!! I actually don't think I've read such a great story, with so much action, in a long time!

Temperature outside? -2 degrees Centigrade (29 F) but inside?? About 500C ( 932F)!!!

Seriously cannot wait for Cam and Gabe's next book. It's not finished, their story, but they get their HFN here.

5 scorching stars!

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
NE
Night's Edge
8
8.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Dancers in the Dark" by Charlaine Harris is set in the same universe as the Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse stories, but with none of the incredibly annoying characters. How refreshing! It does go back to the same stuff Harris explored in her Shakespeare series and one of her standalone books (<i>Sweet and Deadly</i>? I can't remember if it was that one of the other, as they don't stand out in my memory too much anyway). The story wasn't terribly, though, and I was engaged. I kept thinking while reading, "Didn't I read another short story or novella in this universe about dancers?" Anybody else remember? I hate it when my memory goes wonky like that.

"Her Best Enemy" was too hackneyed, bringing in too many old standbyes. There's a tough girl reporter who is really a sweet woman who just needs a good man after a bad one took everything she had, a sexy man who is tougher than he looks and better able to protect her than even he knew, etc. I don't remember reading anything really strong by Maggie Shayne yet, but she's definitely on the romance side of the paranormal romance street, so that may explain my lack of enthusiasm.

Barbara Hambly's contribution, "Someone Else's Shadow," has us back in the world of dance. I wouldn't be surprised to see this one and the first story in a dance-themed anthology (they probably are, already, and I just don't realize it yet). It was the strongest story of the three (with reason, as Hambly is certainly the most experienced and IMNSHO best writer of the three). Sound plotting, good reasoning, likable characters who are well-rounded and believable, neither perfect saints nor disgusting sinners.

I kept thinking of Hope while reading the last story because the main character dances and teaches belly dance, and there's a lovely quote from the first time she dances in front of her love interest, <i>"It's all dancing. Skill infused with joy. Weaving jewelry out of dreams."</i>
  
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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Stir of Shadows in Books

Jun 17, 2018  
Stir of Shadows
Stir of Shadows
Jaime Lee Mann | 2018 | Children, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Here it is, book six in the never-ending Legend of Rhyme series by Jaime Lee Mann. Stir of Shadows takes readers back to the magical land of Coraira, reuniting everyone with the twins Asher and Ariana, the mermaid Teagan and all of their friends. Once again, the magical land is in trouble and all the characters are impacted in some way.

As with every book in this series, there are new characters introduced into the story – perhaps too many. And, of course, each individual has their own story to be told. The narrative is constantly switching between locations, often leaving the reader hanging with unresolved issues. Thankfully, the author separates these sections with short poems that sum up the general gist of the book as it progresses.

The Legend of Rhyme series feels overdone and the storyline in Stir of Shadows seemed to be snatching at straws, trying to piece something together. There are so many characters to keep track of, some who disappear for a while only to be reintroduced as if they had never been away.

There was no sense of danger or action in this instalment. Problems arose, only to be solved moments later. Unlike previous books where readers were overwhelmed with foreboding, the scenes were over and done within no time at all. The book, however, to give it its due, is fast-paced; I read it in less than two hours.

Perhaps it is not the storyline or authorship that is the problem, it could be my age. I am 26, whereas, Legend of Rhyme is targeted at people half that. There is little for an adult reader to latch onto and enjoy before it is snatched away by an easy solution.

Nonetheless, Jaime Lee Mann is great at ending her books on a cliffhanger. Stir of Shadows may not be anything to rave over, but I certainly want to know what happens next!
  
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Literally.Laura (1763 KP) rated Amazon Kindle in Apps

Jul 4, 2018 (Updated Jul 4, 2018)  
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle
Book
10
9.1 (292 Ratings)
App Rating
Extensive content (0 more)
Daily Use
I use this app almost daily. It is much more convenient for me to use an app on my phone than to carry around (and keep charged) a second device. I honestly can't think of anything I dislike about this app.
There are different background color options, different fonts (including a special font for dyslexia) and font size can be adjusted. You can adjust lighting within the app as well.
Each book includes a short preview and a promotional blurb. There are options to bookmark sections, highlight passages, and make notations. This can be very helpful for reviewing as well as for research. You can also search for specific change words or phrases within the book. This has been very helpful for me. The sync notes and progress among all apps/devices registered to the same account, so if you read a bit on your computer (say, at work) and then come home and use the app on your phone or pick up a Kindle device you do not have to search for where you left off. There is also a dictionary option. If you ever come across a word you don't recognize or understand, you can tap on the word and the dictionary entry will appear.
When you finish a title, there is a "before you go" section where you can update your progress on Goodreads, rate the title, learn a little about the author, and see similar books you may like.
There is a feature called "word runner" that is supposed to decrease eye strain and increase reading speed. Instead of moving your eyes along the page, word runner shows you one word at a time in the middle of the screen. The speed can be adjusted for this setting. I personally don't find that this helps me at all. In fact, I feel like reading flows better when I do NOT use this setting. However, it may be helpful for some people especially people who have difficulty concentrating.
  
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ClareR (5879 KP) rated Munmum in Books

Sep 1, 2018 (Updated Sep 1, 2018)  
Munmum
Munmum
Jesse Andrews | 2018 | Dystopia, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
6
5.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I had such high hopes for this...
I really wanted to like this book. The idea of it is a really good one: you are the size of your bank balance. So, if you are very poor, you’re tiny (about the size of a rat) and if you’re ridiculously rich, you’re taller than a sky scraper: and there are all the sizes in between. The bank is in charge of either making you bigger or smaller.
Warner and Prayer are ‘Littles’ and live a hard life, trying to avoid being stood on, eaten by cats or generally being injured in any way (hospitals can’t treat them). Prayer decides that she wants to ‘Upscale’ by finding herself a Middle scale Law student to marry, and so their adventures begin.
Now, Littles are rarely educated, or are minimally so, and this is where MY difficulties with this story began (right at the beginning, truth be told). The language. It’s written phonetically most of the time: words join with others, into longer, difficult to understand words, there are some words that are made up for the purposes of the story (munmun being one such). Sentences seem to be either overlong or very short. I had to concentrate really hard on this (for the record, I’ve read A Clockwork Orange and Ridley Walker, and coped just fine!). I know this is a YA book, and the main character is a child (14/15 years old), and perhaps the author was trying to convey this in the way the language came across. To me, he seemed a bit hyperactive, unable to concentrate, frenzied, a bit dim-witted in some things and really clever with others. Perhaps this was to emulate his lack of education and his youth? I don’t know. Honestly, it was something of a relief to finish it.
However, I DID like the ending - it was fitting. It’s just the journey to get there was pretty arduous!
  
Death March (Euphoria Online Book 1)
Death March (Euphoria Online Book 1)
Phil Tucker | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Thrilling, compelling LitRPG
I am a massive fan of Phil Tucker's Chronicles of the Black Gate series and was intrigued at this venture, largely funded by kickstarter.
While the term "LitRPG" isn't necessarily something that would attract me (I've read and mostly enjoyed Ready Player One but the idea of people escaping the real world to enter an online one doesn't seem to justify a whole sub-genre to my mind).
The book sees Chris struggling to make ends meet teaching disinterested kids while he fights his brother's death sentence. A former compulsive gamer, given the chance to enter the world of Euphoria, normally too expensive for him to consider, he throws himself into the game with gusto. By playing on the hardest level (Death March), he is risking his own life as he cannot re-spawn in the game and death will mean actual death for him. The prize on offer for this risk, if he can survive 6 months game-time (the equivalent of a weekend in the real world), is a cash sum plus the chance to request anything at all of the AI running the government - including a pardon for his brother.
Chris finds himself in a ruined medieval setting in the game, struggling to earn points to level up and make his character stronger. This levelling up and earning/spending XP is a main part of the book. While not a RPG fan myself, I loved this aspect as it meant he learned new skills and abilities throughout the book with good reason (so no sudden new strengths here!) and he had to choose what kind of character he wanted to become.
The action sequences are sublimely written and narrated and the whole book is so immersive. Sadly, it is also really short so was over in no time, but with 2 more books already available I will get cracking on those.
Heartily recommend to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, gaming/RPG or anyone looking for some real escapism.
  
RF
Running From Twenty Four
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>

“Sometimes life isn’t all unicorns puking rainbows when you’re young, free and single in London town.” What Sam thinks is going to be a night of consoling her best friend Jason after the death of his father turns into a drunken night ending in tragedy. Whilst sitting in a pub until the early hours of the morning, Sam and her friends become acquainted with barmaid Toni who invites them to a house party. Too drunk to turn the offer down they all end up at a flat owned by the eccentric Ulysses, drinking cocktails full of who knows what, surrounded by dozens of dressed up people.

Tragic circumstances cause the five 20-somethings to pull together after making poor decisions in an attempt to deal with a certain result of the party. Lack of common sense makes their night worse before it can get better, but thankfully it all turns out all right in the end.

As well as the drunken storyline, the reader learns more about the character Sam, from her dull job to her learning to live with her sexuality. Although the beginning of the story portrays Sam as a girl without much care in the world, it turns out she is suffering with frequent anxiety attacks and depression.

<i>Running From Twenty Four</i> is about people in their twenties trying to find their way in life whilst also dealing with grief and heartbreak. It also comes with a message about appreciating what you have now and not worrying so much about everything else.

<i>Running From Twenty Four</i> by Shem Douglas is a short story that can be read within a couple of hours, however some readers may be uncomfortable with some of the themes, particularly suicidal ideation. Despite some of the morbid topics the story is entertaining and humorous, ideal for readers in their twenties who feel they have not quite found their path in life.
  
The Flower Girls
The Flower Girls
Alice Clark-Platts | 2019 | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A chilling psychological thriller
A child goes missing on New Years Eve from a hotel, and when the police are called in, it is discovered that one of the guests is one of the notorious Flower Girls. The Flower Girls were involved in the murder and mutilation of a toddler in 1997, when they themselves were only 10 and 6 years old. The 10 year old, Laurel, remains in prison nearly 20 years later. Rosie was found not to have participated in the murder and couldn't remember anything that happened at that time, such was her trauma. She and her remaining family were given new identities and relocated. Her rediscovery provokes a media frenzy. The missing child (Georgie) is found alive and hypothermic, but Rosie's new identity as Hazel is now known to everyone.
We see what happened 20 years ago in short flashbacks, which can have some disturbing moments (not gory, not of the original murder - at least not at the start), and we meet the aunt of Kirstie Swann (the toddler who was murdered), who has campaigned tirelessly to keep Laurel behind bars. We are also kept in the loop of the police investigation of Georgie's disappearance. There are a lot of characters to contend with in this book, but I think it was done well, and I didn't have any problem remembering who they were. I really enjoyed this, despite the rather macabre subject matter. The pace was just right, there was a good amount of skin-crawling moments, and an unresolved ending which really suited the rest of the story - and an unresolved ending? Well, that has to be one of my favourite things!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for the chance to read this book, and to Alice Clark-Platts for reading along and commenting on the story with the readers! If you haven't tried The Pigeonhole, it's well worth a go. I've found some really good books on this platform.
  
Guns of the Dawn
Guns of the Dawn
Adrian Tchaikovsky | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A couple of years a go I was involved in a Twitter conversation about strong female characters in fantasy. The conclusion what that they were there but not very common. This book addresses this by adding another in the shape of Emily Marshwic.

Born into a priviliged family, she is nothing but practical, sparring with the local governor whom she blames for the suicide of her father. Then war breaks out with a neighbouring country and as the fighting drags on, taking the men of the Marshwic household, Emily ends up joining the army to do her bit. The war is brutal and through her experiences Emily finds out unexpected things about not only herself but those around her.

This story is entirely driven by character, not only of Emily but of all of those she meets and this is where Tchaikovsky shines, conjuring up a host of main and supporting cast, all of whom are three dimensional and painted in shades of light and shadow, even those whose lives are destined to be cut short. Emily herself is the central pillar of the book and is more than capable of that task.

The descriptions of the war - both of the frantic, muddled fighting and the times in between - is spot on, showing the futility of it all but also why the sides feel they must fight on. The plot is far from predictable and takes sudden turns onto new territory just as the reader becomes comfortable with the current situation.

The world is well drawn. This is definitely fantasy in style and there are magic users in the shape of the flame wielding Warlocks, but the main fighting is with muskets and flintlock pistols and it is clear that the war is driving technology on.

The only problem with this book? It is stand alone. I would definitely read more stories about Emily and will now be searching out Tchaikovsky's epic Shadows of the Apt series for future reading.

Advisory: Voilent scenes of battle and some sexual violence and references
  
Coconut Layer Cake Murder
Coconut Layer Cake Murder
Joanne Fluke | 2020 | Mystery
5
6.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Clearing Lonnie
Hannah Swensen, owner of The Cookie Jar, has been ordered to rest – it came straight from Doc himself. But a trip to California to help a friend pack up is cut short when Hannah’s younger sister, Michelle, calls in a panic. There’s been another murder in Lake Eden, and Michelle’s boyfriend, Lonnie, is the prime suspect. After a night out with friends, Lonnie took a drunk woman home only to pass out on her couch. The next morning, he wakes up to find her dead in her bedroom with no memory of anything after he passed out. Since Lonnie is a detective with the police department, most of them can’t investigate since they are friends with the suspect. Naturally, Hannah immediately flies home, but can she figure out who is the killer?

If you haven’t read the last few books, be aware this one spoils some pretty major things by necessity since they had a major impact on Hannah’s life. Those up to date on the series will be happy to learn we get an answer to the cliffhanger from the last book early on. This book is a return to the status quo of a few entries ago. After a slow start, the pacing gets better once Hannah returns home. There is still plenty of talk about cooking, however, but we get clues and red herrings until we reach the climax. The characters are all here, and I enjoyed seeing them, but there is little in the way of actual character development. That includes the love triangle, which is back in play here. We get another nineteen recipes, and I think I gained weight reading about them. They certainly sound delicious. Fans who have stuck with this series will enjoy this outing. If you are new, don’t jump in here but go back to the beginning to see why we love these characters.