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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2314 KP) rated Changing Habits in Books
Jan 26, 2019
Transitional Short Story
It's a week before Giulia Falcone's wedding to Frank Driscoll, her former boss and soon to be partner in Driscoll Investigations, and she has a few last-minute things to take care of. You know, typical details for the week before the wedding like getting the wedding favors together, finding a wedding dress, and figure out who is switching the valuable items in various churches in the area for cheap fakes. Nothing major, right? When the latest theft hits close to home, Giulia is determined to find the guilty party. Can she handle everything?
This short story was written to bridge the transition as Giulia switched publishers. It packs quite a bit into the story, but handles it all in an entertaining way. The story doesn't have quite the twists and turns of a novel, but it entertained me for the hour it took me to read it. Likewise, the characters don't show us any hidden depths, but we still get to enjoy time spent with them. Since I love this cast of characters, I was glad for that chance. Plus there are a few laughs along the way. Long time fans will enjoy this story, and those who jump in here will be left wanting to spend even more time with Giulia.
This short story was written to bridge the transition as Giulia switched publishers. It packs quite a bit into the story, but handles it all in an entertaining way. The story doesn't have quite the twists and turns of a novel, but it entertained me for the hour it took me to read it. Likewise, the characters don't show us any hidden depths, but we still get to enjoy time spent with them. Since I love this cast of characters, I was glad for that chance. Plus there are a few laughs along the way. Long time fans will enjoy this story, and those who jump in here will be left wanting to spend even more time with Giulia.
Tales of the Lost
Book
Tales of the Lost is a book of short stories for adults, ranging from realms of fantasy to...
ClareR (5841 KP) rated One of Them in Books
May 12, 2021
This is a memoir in short, punchy chapters, of Musa Okwonga’s experience of Eton College. Musa’s mother, a widowed doctor, supports Musa’s wish to go to one of the leading public schools in the country, and pays 50% of the fees that his scholarship doesn’t cover. It’s still a lot of money - and what does he get for that?
Well. I would say that I’m firmly in the anti- public/ private school camp, but I can’t find any fault in Musa’s education. He seems to have really enjoyed his time at Eton. He received a well-rounded education, and it comes across, largely speaking, as a caring institution. He does have some trouble with other boys: racist comments for example. He doesn’t seem to register these instances, and only finds out through another ex-student once he has left.
I liked how Musa looks at the reasons behind Brexit, about our continuing culture of the ‘Haves’ and “Have Nots’, and how if those who went to institutions such as Eton were less self-serving, just how much good they could contribute to this country. Instead, their attitudes seem to have contributed to the rise of the far right.
It’s a really interesting, if short, book, and well worth a read.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, Unbound and to Musa for reading along.
Well. I would say that I’m firmly in the anti- public/ private school camp, but I can’t find any fault in Musa’s education. He seems to have really enjoyed his time at Eton. He received a well-rounded education, and it comes across, largely speaking, as a caring institution. He does have some trouble with other boys: racist comments for example. He doesn’t seem to register these instances, and only finds out through another ex-student once he has left.
I liked how Musa looks at the reasons behind Brexit, about our continuing culture of the ‘Haves’ and “Have Nots’, and how if those who went to institutions such as Eton were less self-serving, just how much good they could contribute to this country. Instead, their attitudes seem to have contributed to the rise of the far right.
It’s a really interesting, if short, book, and well worth a read.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, Unbound and to Musa for reading along.
Debbiereadsbook (1401 KP) rated A Night in Prague (Diamonds in the Rough #1) in Books
Apr 23, 2021
not one for me, sorry
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This will be short, I really I am sorry!
I finished this, and I can honestly say that is why it gets 3 stars.
It’s not a BAD tale, not at all. It’s clear there is a lot we were not told, about Theo and Katy, and I wanted it, I wanted it all. It’s obvious that Theo is quite high up the food chain; he was very secretive about what he does. And all we know about Katy is she works in a hotel. I felt kinda short changed, from both of them.
What IS here, though, is fairly well written, and it’s been well edited. Then smexy level started to build, then went pfft. THEN went from zero to scorching in an instant! It just doesn’t work me, I’m afraid, and I do love the smexier books.
Prague sounds like a lovely place! We get a lot of Prague.
Only Theo has a say, but at the back of this book is the blurb for the next, and it appears that only KATY has a say in that one. Will I read it? Probably not.
I’m sorry, not one for me.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This will be short, I really I am sorry!
I finished this, and I can honestly say that is why it gets 3 stars.
It’s not a BAD tale, not at all. It’s clear there is a lot we were not told, about Theo and Katy, and I wanted it, I wanted it all. It’s obvious that Theo is quite high up the food chain; he was very secretive about what he does. And all we know about Katy is she works in a hotel. I felt kinda short changed, from both of them.
What IS here, though, is fairly well written, and it’s been well edited. Then smexy level started to build, then went pfft. THEN went from zero to scorching in an instant! It just doesn’t work me, I’m afraid, and I do love the smexier books.
Prague sounds like a lovely place! We get a lot of Prague.
Only Theo has a say, but at the back of this book is the blurb for the next, and it appears that only KATY has a say in that one. Will I read it? Probably not.
I’m sorry, not one for me.
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Complete Stories: Kurt Vonnegut
Book
Here for the first time is the complete short fiction of one of the twentieth century's foremost...
Fiction anthology
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Jul 7, 2022
The Pantomime Prince
8.0
Rate It
Book
When Teddy agrees to pretend to be his famous sister and take her role in a Christmas panto, he...
Historical Romance MM Victorian Short Story Seasonal
Merissa (12632 KP) rated Out of Focus in Books
Apr 29, 2022 (Updated Jun 23, 2023)
OUT OF FOCUS is a short story about two men working behind the scenes in a Welsh theatre. They are opposites in the fact that one is charming and one seems almost dour. There are reasons for it, of course, but they don't come to light immediately.
I loved how we met other characters too, getting a hint into their lives, not just the main characters. Alex and Luke take centre stage though in this low-angst slow-burn-but-not-quite romance. The attraction has been there for a couple of years without either of them acting on it, but once Alex is injured, all bets are off.
As with all of this author's works, I found the small details absolutely brilliant, and really help to make the story one that intrigues and compels you to keep turning the pages.
Although I'm not a huge fan of short stories, this one went down a treat, with all the information I could need, including a perfect epilogue to keep me happy. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Apr 22, 2022
I loved how we met other characters too, getting a hint into their lives, not just the main characters. Alex and Luke take centre stage though in this low-angst slow-burn-but-not-quite romance. The attraction has been there for a couple of years without either of them acting on it, but once Alex is injured, all bets are off.
As with all of this author's works, I found the small details absolutely brilliant, and really help to make the story one that intrigues and compels you to keep turning the pages.
Although I'm not a huge fan of short stories, this one went down a treat, with all the information I could need, including a perfect epilogue to keep me happy. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* 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!
Apr 22, 2022
Lilyn G - Sci-Fi & Scary (91 KP) rated Gregory and the Grimbockle in Books
Feb 11, 2018
Such a fun, imaginative read!
Gregory and the Grimbockle was one of the funniest and cute books that I’ve read with my child in a long time. It was so imaginative and fantastical. We loved the adorable illustrations, but were very glad that the Grimbockle was never illustrated going into or out of his temporary home. The sheer grossness of how that happened was so at odds with the cuteness of everything else, but it worked really well together strangely.
Melanie Schubert has enormous talent that Abigail Kraft complemented perfectly. This story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in, who is teased and sometimes bullied, and is from a home that is neither loving nor abusive will resonate with a lot of younger readers, I believe. His situation isn’t one of extremes and as a result he’s more easy to relate to. The adventures that he goes on with the Grimbockle are pure fiction, but the truth he learns along the way about the large impact that small gestures can have means is not. As a parent, that truth – that our actions have much more an impact that we might think – is one that I enjoyed having a chance to talk about with my child through the lens of Gregory and the Grimbockle.
The only thing we didn’t like about Gregory and the Grimbockle was the way it ended. It just felt like it ended too abruptly. The transition from childhood to “okay, he’s growing up now” happened so quickly that we had to re-read to make sure we hadn’t accidentally missed a few pages. While I can see why the author did it the way she did, by the time closed the book, we were both already mourning the exiting of the Bockles from our world.
Gregory and the Grimbockle is a book that any parent should delight in picking up to read with their children. It’s an easy read, a short one, and it helps reinforce an important lesson. You’ll be missing out if you don’t give it a try.
This review appeared first at Sci-Fi & Scary.
Melanie Schubert has enormous talent that Abigail Kraft complemented perfectly. This story of a boy who doesn’t quite fit in, who is teased and sometimes bullied, and is from a home that is neither loving nor abusive will resonate with a lot of younger readers, I believe. His situation isn’t one of extremes and as a result he’s more easy to relate to. The adventures that he goes on with the Grimbockle are pure fiction, but the truth he learns along the way about the large impact that small gestures can have means is not. As a parent, that truth – that our actions have much more an impact that we might think – is one that I enjoyed having a chance to talk about with my child through the lens of Gregory and the Grimbockle.
The only thing we didn’t like about Gregory and the Grimbockle was the way it ended. It just felt like it ended too abruptly. The transition from childhood to “okay, he’s growing up now” happened so quickly that we had to re-read to make sure we hadn’t accidentally missed a few pages. While I can see why the author did it the way she did, by the time closed the book, we were both already mourning the exiting of the Bockles from our world.
Gregory and the Grimbockle is a book that any parent should delight in picking up to read with their children. It’s an easy read, a short one, and it helps reinforce an important lesson. You’ll be missing out if you don’t give it a try.
This review appeared first at Sci-Fi & Scary.