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At War with a Broken Heart
10.0
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One autistic coffee shop owner, one morose mug maker, and a mostly cheerful police detective. ...
Contemporary MMM Romance Ménage
Taming The Dragon (Sparks of Desire #5)
8.0
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His past broke him. Kadin’s siblings believe he only cares about pure dragon bloodlines and...
Paranormal Romance Dragons
King of the North (Fire Born #4)
6.0
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An ambitious king Spring, AD 777. Sigurd Hring, new King of the Svear, is summoning all the greatest...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Veiled ( Releasing the Magic 4) in Books
Sep 21, 2023
134 of 235
Kindle
Veiled ( Releasing the Magic 4)
By Maya Riley
⭐️⭐️⭐️
What do you do when your past takes you back?
The years I’d spent growing up were the darkest of my life, even with counting the rotter outbreak. Then I gained my freedom, met some guys who refused to leave, and even got some of my siblings back. Then my past came for me.
Now I spend my days watching, biding my time, waiting for my chance to escape while also trying to keep my sanity. During this time, I’m forced to endure their experiments. Some will test me, and some could possibly break me. What I learn, though, could change everything I thought I’d ever known to be true. I will fight my way out for my freedom.
I did it before, I can do it again.
Nobody will knock me down for good.
Not even the monster in the pearl necklace.
I really like this series it’s a different twist on a zombie apocalypse mixing it with a bit of magic. It’s a light fun read with a bit of a reverse harem going on. This was a little rushed in parts but still enjoyable for a quick read.
Kindle
Veiled ( Releasing the Magic 4)
By Maya Riley
⭐️⭐️⭐️
What do you do when your past takes you back?
The years I’d spent growing up were the darkest of my life, even with counting the rotter outbreak. Then I gained my freedom, met some guys who refused to leave, and even got some of my siblings back. Then my past came for me.
Now I spend my days watching, biding my time, waiting for my chance to escape while also trying to keep my sanity. During this time, I’m forced to endure their experiments. Some will test me, and some could possibly break me. What I learn, though, could change everything I thought I’d ever known to be true. I will fight my way out for my freedom.
I did it before, I can do it again.
Nobody will knock me down for good.
Not even the monster in the pearl necklace.
I really like this series it’s a different twist on a zombie apocalypse mixing it with a bit of magic. It’s a light fun read with a bit of a reverse harem going on. This was a little rushed in parts but still enjoyable for a quick read.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Almost Just Friends (Wildstone #4) in Books
Jan 21, 2020
Usually I don't read romance novels since they really aren't my thing. However, there was something about the synopsis of Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis that caught my attention. Perhaps it was the fact that there were family secrets involved! Luckily, I really really enjoyed Almost Just Friends.
Piper is a young woman who has always been in control, so much so that she even has a bullet journal to help her through life. She's raised her siblings since she was 13, and when they return home, Piper eventually learns what secrets her brother and sister are keeping from her. During this, she is falling head over heels for her next door neighbor's son, Cam, who is home from the military. These feelings for Cam might just be her undoing!
I will say that I loved the plot for Almost Just Friends. Everything about it felt very realistic and like something that happens almost every day in small town America. I enjoyed the love story between Cam and Piper and how it took its time developing instead of just being instalove. I also enjoyed the narrative between Piper and her siblings. I could picture every single scene in my mind quite clearly thanks to Jill Shalvis' fantastic story telling! Almost Just Friends answered all my questions by the end of the book, and there were no cliffhangers which I was thankful for.
I enjoyed every single character in Almost Just Friends. They all brought their own personality to the table, and they were each very interesting to read about. All of the characters in this novel felt like they could be someone I could relate to as well as making fantastic friends. Piper starts off being too self reliant. It was nice to see her start letting others help her. She was forced to grow up at a young age after the death of her parents, so I could understand why she was scared of losing control and putting faith in other people. I loved how patient Cam was with Piper. He was so loving and helpful. It was also nice to see him blending in so well with Piper's siblings and wanting to help out. Cam was such a charming man with such a larger than life personality. Gavin, Piper's brother, had been fighting his own demons. I kept wondering if he'd go back to his own ways or not. I loved his relationship with CJ and how he wasn't going to let CJ walk away from him so easily. Gavin always was great at relieving tense and awkward situations which one thing I really loved about him! Winnie, Piper's sister, was the youngest out of Piper, Gavin, and herself. Winnie decided it was time for her to start being more adult like instead of child like. Her news was the biggest, in my opinion, and while I could understand why she wanted to keep it from Piper, I wish she would have told Piper from the get go. However, Winnie had me smiling whenever I read about her. I admired her tenacity to want to be Miss Fix It. Emmit, Cam's dad, was ever the comedian! I loved how happy go lucky he was and his sunny disposition on life was. It was as if nothing ever bothered him, and I admired that about him. Every single character in Almost Just Friends made it such a fantastic read!
Trigger warnings for Almost Just Friends include profanity, some sexual situations (although nothing too graphic), death, and mentions of prescription drug abuse.
All in all, Almost Just Friends is such a heartwarming read with a fantastic set of characters and a solid plot. This was my first book I read by Jill Shalvis, but it certainly won't be my last! I would definitely recommend Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis to those aged 17+ who are after an uplifting novel that deals with family with a sweet romance thrown in.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow with a paperback of Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Piper is a young woman who has always been in control, so much so that she even has a bullet journal to help her through life. She's raised her siblings since she was 13, and when they return home, Piper eventually learns what secrets her brother and sister are keeping from her. During this, she is falling head over heels for her next door neighbor's son, Cam, who is home from the military. These feelings for Cam might just be her undoing!
I will say that I loved the plot for Almost Just Friends. Everything about it felt very realistic and like something that happens almost every day in small town America. I enjoyed the love story between Cam and Piper and how it took its time developing instead of just being instalove. I also enjoyed the narrative between Piper and her siblings. I could picture every single scene in my mind quite clearly thanks to Jill Shalvis' fantastic story telling! Almost Just Friends answered all my questions by the end of the book, and there were no cliffhangers which I was thankful for.
I enjoyed every single character in Almost Just Friends. They all brought their own personality to the table, and they were each very interesting to read about. All of the characters in this novel felt like they could be someone I could relate to as well as making fantastic friends. Piper starts off being too self reliant. It was nice to see her start letting others help her. She was forced to grow up at a young age after the death of her parents, so I could understand why she was scared of losing control and putting faith in other people. I loved how patient Cam was with Piper. He was so loving and helpful. It was also nice to see him blending in so well with Piper's siblings and wanting to help out. Cam was such a charming man with such a larger than life personality. Gavin, Piper's brother, had been fighting his own demons. I kept wondering if he'd go back to his own ways or not. I loved his relationship with CJ and how he wasn't going to let CJ walk away from him so easily. Gavin always was great at relieving tense and awkward situations which one thing I really loved about him! Winnie, Piper's sister, was the youngest out of Piper, Gavin, and herself. Winnie decided it was time for her to start being more adult like instead of child like. Her news was the biggest, in my opinion, and while I could understand why she wanted to keep it from Piper, I wish she would have told Piper from the get go. However, Winnie had me smiling whenever I read about her. I admired her tenacity to want to be Miss Fix It. Emmit, Cam's dad, was ever the comedian! I loved how happy go lucky he was and his sunny disposition on life was. It was as if nothing ever bothered him, and I admired that about him. Every single character in Almost Just Friends made it such a fantastic read!
Trigger warnings for Almost Just Friends include profanity, some sexual situations (although nothing too graphic), death, and mentions of prescription drug abuse.
All in all, Almost Just Friends is such a heartwarming read with a fantastic set of characters and a solid plot. This was my first book I read by Jill Shalvis, but it certainly won't be my last! I would definitely recommend Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis to those aged 17+ who are after an uplifting novel that deals with family with a sweet romance thrown in.
--
(A special thank you to William Morrow with a paperback of Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Witch (2015) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Based on New England folklore, Robert Eggers brings us his debut film The With.
William (Ralph Ineson) and Katherine (Kate Dickie) are the parents of five children living in 1630 New England. This God-fearing family has become dissatisfied with how their town chose to live by the word of God. William hopes to promote change in the town, instead he causes his family to be banished left only to find a patch of land bordered by dark dense woods to call home. Luckily they have Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) the eldest daughter who is in charge of looking after her younger siblings. A pre teen Caleb, unruly twins Mercy and Jonas and baby Samuel along with all of the household chores. Newborn Samuel has fate working against him when he suddenly disappears during an afternoon round of peekaboo.
The family is left heartbroken. With no sign of Samuel’s return William declares that this must have been the act of a wolf. Thomasin’s siblings soon become suspicious that this was not the work of a wolf, that she has to have succumbed to the malevolent forces of witchcraft. Mercy has also claimed that she and her twin brother have been conversing with their goat Black Phillip one would assume only jokingly from children. There might just be something darker going on. As the days progress and their crops continue to fail, tensions between the family grow. Things start to go bump in the night making the situation more oppressive each day.
This film is described as a horror genre film, after screening it though I felt it lean more towards a psychological thriller. When asked what films inspired The Witch Robert Eggers mentioned Stephen King’s The Shinning which to me really shines through the film. Most importantly the film is based on actual historical accounts of witchcraft in a time where men feared a woman’s power and sexuality. In my opinion the horror in it is the unknown, because even though you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I suppose it can be viewed as both horror and psychological.
Paying close attention to detail Eggers’ immerses the audience into 1630 New England. It’s hard to believe that it was filmed in Canada and not New England because of how accurate every little detail is from the hand stitched costumes to the intricacies of the dialogue. Perhaps this can be credited to his former career as a production designer and costume designer. The music alone adds the perfect amount of horror to make those hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This film is an excellent portrait of amazing filmmaking and horrific historical folklore.
William (Ralph Ineson) and Katherine (Kate Dickie) are the parents of five children living in 1630 New England. This God-fearing family has become dissatisfied with how their town chose to live by the word of God. William hopes to promote change in the town, instead he causes his family to be banished left only to find a patch of land bordered by dark dense woods to call home. Luckily they have Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) the eldest daughter who is in charge of looking after her younger siblings. A pre teen Caleb, unruly twins Mercy and Jonas and baby Samuel along with all of the household chores. Newborn Samuel has fate working against him when he suddenly disappears during an afternoon round of peekaboo.
The family is left heartbroken. With no sign of Samuel’s return William declares that this must have been the act of a wolf. Thomasin’s siblings soon become suspicious that this was not the work of a wolf, that she has to have succumbed to the malevolent forces of witchcraft. Mercy has also claimed that she and her twin brother have been conversing with their goat Black Phillip one would assume only jokingly from children. There might just be something darker going on. As the days progress and their crops continue to fail, tensions between the family grow. Things start to go bump in the night making the situation more oppressive each day.
This film is described as a horror genre film, after screening it though I felt it lean more towards a psychological thriller. When asked what films inspired The Witch Robert Eggers mentioned Stephen King’s The Shinning which to me really shines through the film. Most importantly the film is based on actual historical accounts of witchcraft in a time where men feared a woman’s power and sexuality. In my opinion the horror in it is the unknown, because even though you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I suppose it can be viewed as both horror and psychological.
Paying close attention to detail Eggers’ immerses the audience into 1630 New England. It’s hard to believe that it was filmed in Canada and not New England because of how accurate every little detail is from the hand stitched costumes to the intricacies of the dialogue. Perhaps this can be credited to his former career as a production designer and costume designer. The music alone adds the perfect amount of horror to make those hairs on the back of your neck stand up. This film is an excellent portrait of amazing filmmaking and horrific historical folklore.
Toonia Colorbook - Educational Coloring Game for Kids & Toddlers
Education and Games
App
** Over 2 million happy kids color with Toonia Colorbook. Boost your kid’s creativity with new...
ClareR (5726 KP) rated Those Who Are Loved in Books
May 30, 2019
An emotional look at modern Greek history.
This book is about the lives of the Koralis family, and particularly Themis, from 1930 to 2016. We follow them through some of the most disruptive times in Greek history - I hadn’t actually realised how deeply traumatic recent Greek history was.
Themis is a partisan fighter during WW2, trying to get the Germans out of Greece, and then fighting the right-wing government who had supported the invading Germans. She ends up a prisoner and endures terrible living conditions and violence at the hands of her prison guards. She returns home, marries and has a family, but her past is always with her. Greece doesn’t allow her to forget, as it continues to be led by a military government under martial law.
I loved following Themis and her siblings lives in the earlier chapters of the book, the history I’d never known about before (that Victoria Hislop describes so well), and her children and their lives in the latter half of the book.
Themis is a quietly formidable woman, who always stands by her beliefs and her family, and there are some really very emotional parts to this book.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this wonderful book - I’ll definitely be buying some copies as birthday presents this year, that’s for sure.
Themis is a partisan fighter during WW2, trying to get the Germans out of Greece, and then fighting the right-wing government who had supported the invading Germans. She ends up a prisoner and endures terrible living conditions and violence at the hands of her prison guards. She returns home, marries and has a family, but her past is always with her. Greece doesn’t allow her to forget, as it continues to be led by a military government under martial law.
I loved following Themis and her siblings lives in the earlier chapters of the book, the history I’d never known about before (that Victoria Hislop describes so well), and her children and their lives in the latter half of the book.
Themis is a quietly formidable woman, who always stands by her beliefs and her family, and there are some really very emotional parts to this book.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this wonderful book - I’ll definitely be buying some copies as birthday presents this year, that’s for sure.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Hearts Made Whole (Beacons of Hope, #2) in Books
Feb 15, 2018 (Updated Apr 9, 2019)
We meet Caroline Taylor and her family. What a story this. We see Ryan Chamber who has gotten the cross from his sister, Emma in the first book called "Love Unexpected".
We learn about how Caroline Taylor deals with her loss of her father. We see how she deals with raising her siblings. Caroline finds out from the lighthouse inspector that he hired a man for the job of the lighthouse keeper.
Then we meet up with Ryan Chambers at the Roadside Inn. He asks for directions to the Windmill Point Lighthouse. The story get better has you turn the page. Things start getting worse for them. What is going on in this community and at the Windmill Point Light?
There seems to be action at every turn. Mr. Simmons and Mr. Finich seems to want Caroline out of the lighthouse but why. We meet Arnie Simmons and seem eager to want Caroline Taylor. Will Arnie stop at nothing to get Caroline Taylor? Surprises await them all. Can Ryan and Caroline learn to trust in faith, hope and forgiveness?
The author writes another fastening story. I can not wait to continue on with the next book. Want to learn about Emma and her brother Ryan prior to Ryan getting the cross or how he had the cross?
We learn about how Caroline Taylor deals with her loss of her father. We see how she deals with raising her siblings. Caroline finds out from the lighthouse inspector that he hired a man for the job of the lighthouse keeper.
Then we meet up with Ryan Chambers at the Roadside Inn. He asks for directions to the Windmill Point Lighthouse. The story get better has you turn the page. Things start getting worse for them. What is going on in this community and at the Windmill Point Light?
There seems to be action at every turn. Mr. Simmons and Mr. Finich seems to want Caroline out of the lighthouse but why. We meet Arnie Simmons and seem eager to want Caroline Taylor. Will Arnie stop at nothing to get Caroline Taylor? Surprises await them all. Can Ryan and Caroline learn to trust in faith, hope and forgiveness?
The author writes another fastening story. I can not wait to continue on with the next book. Want to learn about Emma and her brother Ryan prior to Ryan getting the cross or how he had the cross?
Awix (3310 KP) rated Halloween (2018) in Movies
Nov 2, 2018 (Updated Nov 2, 2018)
Tenth Halloween sequel is the eleventh film in the Halloween series and the third to actually be called Halloween; I'm sure there must have been a less confusing way of organising this but clearly no-one could be bothered to find it. Anyway: this film disregards all the previous sequels, allowing them to bring Jamie Lee Curtis back from the dead (again) and ignore all that stuff about occult curses and long-lost siblings in attempt to take the film back to the core notion of an unstoppable force of pure evil with a big knife and a William Shatner mask.
And it works rather well, although the decision to essentially turn Laurie Strode into Sarah Connor from Terminator 2 inevitably shifts the tone of the film somewhat. Many pleasingly tense sequences, and some clever and respectful call-backs to the original film. The ongoing characters are effectively presented although most of the new ones don't make much of an impression. In the end this feels much more like a reverent act of homage than the kind of horror film we usually get in 2018; whether this is a good thing or not is probably a matter of personal taste. I imagine this will keep most people quite happy until the next sequel or reboot comes along.
And it works rather well, although the decision to essentially turn Laurie Strode into Sarah Connor from Terminator 2 inevitably shifts the tone of the film somewhat. Many pleasingly tense sequences, and some clever and respectful call-backs to the original film. The ongoing characters are effectively presented although most of the new ones don't make much of an impression. In the end this feels much more like a reverent act of homage than the kind of horror film we usually get in 2018; whether this is a good thing or not is probably a matter of personal taste. I imagine this will keep most people quite happy until the next sequel or reboot comes along.