Search

Search only in certain items:

The Wren, The Wren
The Wren, The Wren
Anne Enright | 2023 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a beautiful story of 3 generations of women, all affected by the same man: poet Phil McDaragh. They have very different relationships with him. Carmel is his daughter and when he leaves the family, it’s up to Carmel and her sister to care for their mother with terminal cancer. Carmel loves her father, but is conflicted with their abandonment And how what he writes in his poems is at odds with the way he treated them.

Carmel’s daughter Nell, a Trinity College graduate, discovers just how difficult life is without her mothers help when she strikes out on her own. She meets a man who is abusive towards her.

This is a story that highlights multi-generational family trauma, and probably why both Carmel and Nell have such poor relationships with men. Running alongside this, is the love these women have for one another.

I get that not everyone will like this novel, but I’ve read two of Enright’s novels now and really enjoyed both of them. I read this as a part of the Women’s Prize shortlist, and whilst I realise they can’t all win, The Wren, The Wren really did deserve to be on that list.
Recommended.
  
40x40

ClareR (6256 KP) rated Spitting Gold in Books

Jun 4, 2026  
Spitting Gold
Spitting Gold
Carmella Lowkis | 2024 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Paranormal
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I’ll be honest: I didn’t know what this was going to be about. It was a case of judging the book by its cover. I didn’t even read the synopsis before I got stuck in. I was very happy indeed when the first page took me in to a woman’s prison in Paris, France in 1866 - just for a little while, until we start to learn why exactly Sylvie is in this predicament.

Atmospheric writing places the reader in Paris after the French Revolution, where Baroness Sylvie is living a perfect life with her affluent lawyer husband.

Her estranged sister, Charlotte Mothe, visits with an offer that’s hard to refuse. Their father is very ill, Charlotte needs to pay the bills, and Sylvie must come out of retirement and conduct a seance to help her out. But Sylvie is risking her marriage.

Spitting Gold is a debut, and I thought it was gripping and entertaining - it kept me reading! The characters were fleshed out, believable and colourful (to say the least!). There were moments where it made me feel very uncomfortable - was it the ghosts?

There’s a bit of something for everyone here: historical fiction, mystery, the paranormal, sapphic romance and family dynamics.

Recommended!
  
40x40

Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated Extraction Play (Leather and Lattes #2) in Books

Nov 15, 2024 (Updated Nov 15, 2024)  
Extraction Play (Leather and Lattes #2)
Extraction Play (Leather and Lattes #2)
Katherine McIntyre | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
loved the attraction burned hot and bright! (0 more)
I was gifted my copy of this book.

Eva is Micah's sister, we met her and Pixie in book one, Immersion Play. It's not necessary to read that book, but it will give you a better picture of this group of people, and of what Micah went through. It has some relevance here.

I really enjoyed this, but I couldn't quite love it.

Why?? I dunno, but I love McIntyre's work, you know I do, I've followed her from the very beginning. My only reasoning would be, it's not you, its me.

I have some stuff going on in my personal life that is affecting my reading enjoyment.

I liked that both Eva and Pixie got a say. I liked the super smexy scenes which are at times, MORE than just Pixie and Eva.

I loved that the chemistry between these two was powerful and stays strong, even if Picie might lose her best friend and Eva might lose her brother.

I love that we catch up with all the guys from Whipped and some things are laid out for book 3.

I'm sorry I couldn't love it!

4 stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
A Daughter's Choice (The Heart of the Amish #10)
A Daughter's Choice (The Heart of the Amish #10)
Kelly Irvin | 2025 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
We meet Henrietta. And her family is somewhat mentioned at the beginning of this book. We also met her dad. A new veterinary assistant has come to check on the Millers' horse, Jack. Could there be a romance in the making as Nickloas and his sister come to town to help their grandfather?

We also meet Rosy, and she is seeing someone special, who is a friend. Will they get married or not? But this book seems centered on Hen, short of Henrietta. But Will Nickolas and Henrietta happen to fall in love? Bylers need some help and some friends in the area. Will Leorna find love for what she does, and will Nickolas find love with the fiery girl?

Leorna wants to make some friends in the new area, and Hen may be one of them. Is there a reason for Hen's father to be so disappointed or harsh with his oldest daughter?

We see Nickolas cross paths with Hen quite a bit. But will they seem to understand each other?
Adam thinks he knows what's best for his daughter, Heneretta. But does know her. Or does he think he knows Hen and make her happy?
Hen seems to be missing her mom, and she seems to be clashing with her father.
  
Sweetest Blood
Sweetest Blood
Regitse Liljadorff | 2026 | LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
4 very good stars
Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Felix signs up to be a donor for a year to enable him to save his sister, Astrea. Severin is his latest vampire. But Felix is changing the taste of his blood, to make it sweeter for the vampires. Severin, however, tastes something completely unexpected: his mate. But keeping his mate safe is becoming harder, as the coven who has Astrea is doing things totally against the rules.

I liked this, I liked it a lot. I've not read anything by this author before an I enjoyed the way the tale was spun.

Both Felix and Severin have a say, in the first person, so I liked that.

It's got some steam, and some danger. Some drama and some emotions. Not a lot of anything, but enough to make the book interesting.

I also liked that, besides Felix and Severin, we get two other romances! I'm not sayng who for spoilers, but I liked that we watch them fall along with these two.

I liked the two epilogues as well!

All in all, a good read, that made a wet Wednesday more enjoyable!

4 very good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere