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The Maiden Thief
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
I thoroughly enjoyed this story once I'd gotten closer to the end. To begin with, I found this a little clunky to read, things didn't seem to flow so well but once Jakob appeared in the story things started to become a little clearer and things got a little more mysterious.

It's a pretty easy story to predict but its gorgeously creepy and, in the end, very well presented.

I'm loving short stories at the moment, they often bring me a lot more joy than the full-length books I read.
  
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ashezbookz (32 KP) rated Psycho in Books

Jul 5, 2018  
Psycho
Psycho
Robert Bloch | 1959 | Fiction & Poetry
For such a short book this was pleasant to listen to - I saw the movie ages ago and I honestly remembered nothing of the end of this book - I didn't realize it was a series either - kind of makes me want to read the rest. The psychology around this character and the whole book was epic and Norman is kind of a villain you love in a way - or at least for me - it also kind of makes me want to watch the movie again. A must read I'd say if you've seen movie.
  
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Heather Morris | 2018 | Biography, History & Politics, Religion
10
8.7 (74 Ratings)
Book Rating
Easy to read (2 more)
Short chapters
Characters
Couldn't put it down!!
This book had mixed reviews from the book club I'm a member of, I wasn't really expecting to enjoy it but thought I'd give it a go.
I was pleasantly surprised, I barely put it down and finished it in two days.
It follows the Character of Lale, how he tries to keep his family safe, how he survives the camps and how he is separated from the girl he loves. I found the characters likeable and it was an easy read.
  
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Este Haim recommended Ask the Dust in Books (curated)

 
Ask the Dust
Ask the Dust
Charles Bukowski, John Fante | 2012 | Essays
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I just re-read Ask the Dust by John Fante. It’s semiautobiographical about a guy who’s trying to be a writer in Los Angeles, and it takes place during the Great Depression. It was one of my favorite books in college. It was crazy to re-read it in my 30s, as well as to live vicariously through some of the places that I haven’t seen in almost two months. I’m also trying to keep things light so I’ve been reading Fifty Great Short Stories by Milton Crane."

Source
  
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Este Haim recommended Fifty Great Short Stories in Books (curated)

 
Fifty Great Short Stories
Fifty Great Short Stories
Milton Crane | 2012 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"I just re-read Ask the Dust by John Fante. It’s semiautobiographical about a guy who’s trying to be a writer in Los Angeles, and it takes place during the Great Depression. It was one of my favorite books in college. It was crazy to re-read it in my 30s, as well as to live vicariously through some of the places that I haven’t seen in almost two months. I’m also trying to keep things light so I’ve been reading Fifty Great Short Stories by Milton Crane."

Source
  
The Rules of the Road
The Rules of the Road
C.B. Jones | 2021 | Horror
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Tension (0 more)
This is a great horror book that had a slow tension and you don't want to read on the lonely road. The cheery voice of Buck Hensley interrupts the late night drive of our narrator, and leads us down a rabbit hole of short stories containing urban legends about other people's encounters and their rules.
It's a creepy read. There are three different fonts that are used Italics, bold, and regular so it's a little confusing at the beginning until you get used to it. Definitely something new.
  
SWAT for Dummies (Deputy Gemma Stone #2)
SWAT for Dummies (Deputy Gemma Stone #2)
Gail Koger | 2023 | Humor & Comedy, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
some very funny moments
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the Deputy Gemma Stone series. I have not read book one, but I picked this one up quick enough. So I'd say it can be read as a stand alone.

And for the most part, I did enjoy this short read, some 130 pages, I really did.

I just found the fact that Gemma got into so many scrapes and bumps, accidents and getting shot at, it all became a bit too much. FOR ME! I need to stress that, for me, I found it a bit too much in the short space of time it took me to read this book.

There is some kooky going on inthe Sheriff's department, and Gemma, along with her new boyfriend, need to figure it out, especially as it might have some relation to Dante's parent's deaths. And they do, eventually.

Some very funny moments, that really were laugh out loud bits and I think these are what made me give it 4 stars and not 3. It's full of drama, but not real angst. Low on the steam scale too. But I didn't mind that here.

I'm not usually one for comedy in my romance books, but I did enjoy this one. Whether I read more, will remain to be seen, though.

An enjoyable, 4 star read

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
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Sarah (7798 KP) rated The Alchemist in Books

Jul 3, 2018  
The Alchemist
The Alchemist
Paulo Coelho | 1993 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.2 (35 Ratings)
Book Rating
Overrated
I had high hopes for this book based on general hype and reviews, and sadly it didn’t quite live up to it.

It isn’t a bad book, not at all, it’s just very short and simple. It’s trying to be something very profound and inspirational, but for me it wasn’t. It has a nice message around following your dreams, but it comes across as a little cheesy and unbelievable. There was an odd quote in here that I actually really liked, but nothing much else to make me feel inspired. The characters too didn’t seem particularly well developed or interesting. The one bonus is that it is very short, so you can get through it fairly quickly without it starting to drag.

It’s an alright read, but not one I’d ever recommend as a “must read”.
  
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Anne (15117 KP) rated Little Weirds in Books

Nov 4, 2019  
Little Weirds
Little Weirds
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was an interesting read/listen a bit different. It was a quick and short read with some humor, reflection and memoir type stories. It reminded me a bit of a one-woman play of sorts.
The first 1/3-1/2 of the book was sort of random except I connected more to some bits but after the first half, I found more to connect with and then with the last few chapters, I found it enlightening and connected quite a bit to that part.
It's a bit like a collection of mini-memoir essays that talk about being a woman, a child, growing up, figuring things out and having an enlightening moment of rising above hard times, etc.
If you're looking for a short listen with some quirkiness memoir type stories and such then you might enjoy this.
  
Come from Behind: An Age Gap Gay Romance (Suite Dreams)
Come from Behind: An Age Gap Gay Romance (Suite Dreams)
Ariella Zoelle | 2023 | LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
far too sweet for me.
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.

I find these kind of reviews the hardest to write, so it will be short and sweet, much like the book!

And I think that's what didn't quite work for me. The book is cute and sweet, so very sweet, far too sickly sweet for me!

It's a NICE book, just one that didn't push my buttons in any way (eeek!)

It's only a short book, slotting between books one and two, I think and I haven't read those. Whether those characters pop up here, I've no idea but I didn't feel I missed anything, but equally, I don't feel the need to read them, you know?

So, because I did finish it, I gave it . . .

3 stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere