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Merissa (13419 KP) rated The Deception (The Secret Tales #2) in Books
Jun 21, 2024
THE DECEPTION is the second book in The Secret Tales and follows Charlotte and Patrick. Charlotte is Rose's sister and an artist, providing for the family by providing art in her father's style and forging his signature on them. Patrick is a fan of her father's work and a Captain in the Navy. When they are discovered in a compromising situation, Patrick saves Charlotte's reputation by saying they are engaged; the plan being that Charlotte will break the engagement while he is at sea. For one reason and another, this doesn't happen.
This was a great addition to the series, and I loved how Rhys and Rose continued to play their part in the story. There is a lot that happens in this story, with blackmail, kidnapping, and a slavery ring. This definitely impacted the connection between our two characters for me, as the time they spend together didn't seem long enough before they were reacting to one threat or another. One thing I liked, as with Rose, is that Charlotte isn't just a damsel in distress. Yes, she's in a very dodgy situation, but she uses her mind and doesn't just wait to be rescued.
I am thoroughly enjoying these books by Sanna Brand. There is a snippet from Claire's book that had me wanting that immediately! Thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommended.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2024
This was a great addition to the series, and I loved how Rhys and Rose continued to play their part in the story. There is a lot that happens in this story, with blackmail, kidnapping, and a slavery ring. This definitely impacted the connection between our two characters for me, as the time they spend together didn't seem long enough before they were reacting to one threat or another. One thing I liked, as with Rose, is that Charlotte isn't just a damsel in distress. Yes, she's in a very dodgy situation, but she uses her mind and doesn't just wait to be rescued.
I am thoroughly enjoying these books by Sanna Brand. There is a snippet from Claire's book that had me wanting that immediately! Thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommended.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 14, 2024
The Virgins of Venice
Book
In sixteenth-century Venice, one young noblewoman dares to resist the choices made for her Venice...
Historical Fiction Women's Saga Renaissance
Merissa (13419 KP) rated The Maestro's Mates (The Vampire Impresario #3) in Books
Sep 16, 2025
THE MAESTRO'S MATES is the third book in The Vampire Impresario series, but is classed as a standalone novel in an interconnected series. That said, I would recommend you read the previous books. I haven't, and it may have affected my enjoyment of their story.
Sebastian is a chaos witch, Justin is a vampire, and Pavel is a gargoyle. Each of them is facing a crisis - whether that is a sister who wants to take over their mother's coven, self-confidence, or the fact that they may be turning to stone permanently very soon. No matter, they're all having a moment!
This was a fast-paced story with a variety of subjects/tropes, but it just felt to me as though none of them were actually discussed properly, or dealt with either. The only one that was focused on was the infernal push and pull of whether or not they would be mates. I was at 85% and it still wasn't resolved, yet other parts that I would have loved more information on were just swept aside. For me, there was too much going on with not enough explanation or depth.
On the whole, this was a good read, but nothing that really rang my bell. I'm sure it will be loved by many, but it has just left me wondering if my review would have been different if I'd have read the others.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 16, 2025
Sebastian is a chaos witch, Justin is a vampire, and Pavel is a gargoyle. Each of them is facing a crisis - whether that is a sister who wants to take over their mother's coven, self-confidence, or the fact that they may be turning to stone permanently very soon. No matter, they're all having a moment!
This was a fast-paced story with a variety of subjects/tropes, but it just felt to me as though none of them were actually discussed properly, or dealt with either. The only one that was focused on was the infernal push and pull of whether or not they would be mates. I was at 85% and it still wasn't resolved, yet other parts that I would have loved more information on were just swept aside. For me, there was too much going on with not enough explanation or depth.
On the whole, this was a good read, but nothing that really rang my bell. I'm sure it will be loved by many, but it has just left me wondering if my review would have been different if I'd have read the others.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 16, 2025
The Lucky Ones (Unpredictable #2)
8.0
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Book
Keston: I’m never lucky As a foster kid I bounced from home to home. My tattoo parlor is my...
Contemporary MM Romance
Hadley (567 KP) rated Voices in the Snow in Books
Feb 16, 2021
Horror (2 more)
Well-written detail
Atmosphere
Awkward characters (1 more)
Some inconsistencies
Winter is beginning to really show up for 2021 by blanketing the States in snow, which made this novel seem fitting to read this month, along with the isolated climate of quarantine which the two main characters go through in Darcy Coates' Voices in the Snow. This story is the first book in a four book series that is full of horror and mystery, and I couldn't seem to put it down - - - after the first 100 pages, the story steers off in a direction I didn't see coming.
Voices in the Snow is set in today's world, but at the beginning of a dystopian future in the UK, which mostly takes place at a large, desolate manor that sits just outside a forest called Banksy Forest. From the second chapter until the end, readers make their home here with the two main characters Clare and Dorran, but very shortly into the story, we realize that they aren't the only 'people' in the house.
The main question of the novel is whether or not Dorran can be trusted - - - Clare wakes up in his family's manor after a car accident, and she can't exactly remember how the accident happened, but she also can't remember why she was driving out in a blizzard in the first place, but she does recall that she was on the phone with her sister, Beth, and we learn that her sister worries about Clare like she's her mother. Clare becomes focused on trying to somehow contact Beth to let her know she's still alive.
We find out later that Dorran comes from a prestigious family that makes their money from being in the wood distribution business. His family, the Morthornes, aren't a typical family. Not only does Dorran's relatives live at the manor during the warmer months, but so do the servants, all 60 of them. Dorran makes it obvious that he doesn't enjoy this type of lifestyle:
" ' All right. I guess not. Especially in this house. How large is it [the house] ?'
'Inconveniently large.' He shrugged. 'It does not only house our family, but the servants as well.'
Clare's eyebrows rose. 'Servants?'
'Staff,' he corrected quickly. Clare thought she saw a flicker of embarrassment, but it was hidden almost immediately. 'My apologies. That is another part of tradition that is well outdated. My mother wishes for the staff to be referred to as servants.' "
Soon the two are discussing whether or not they could survive for months at the manor due to the blizzard not seeming to let up, with this discussion, readers find out there is an inside garden located in the depths of the manor, unfortunately, food wasn't planted since the family and servants leave the home for the winter, but there are plenty of seeds to start cultivating. One day while Clare is trying to get the seeds planted, she decides to go get Dorran, who left to go check on the many furnaces that heat the manor, but Clare easily gets lost in the house she has barely walked around in, and ends up in a wine cellar: here, Clare hears scraping noises that lead her to a creature huddled in the dark.
" The figure turned toward her. Eyes glinted - - - horrible, inhuman eyes peering out from behind long, greasy hair. Then the figure darted away, escaping from her circle of light, disappearing into a narrow doorway in the stone wall.
A sharp, broken scream cut through the cold air. Clare didn't realize it had come from her until she felt the ache in her throat. She stumbled backward, and her shoulders hit one of the shelves. Muffled clinking noises surrounded her as the bottles rocked.
She couldn't stop shaking. The thudding footsteps echoed around her, beating fast, like her own heart. The scraping noise joined it, louder this time. It surrounded her and overwhelmed her. "
Although Clare tells Dorran what she saw, he doesn't believe her. He believes that the stress from the car accident has caused her to hallucinate. Clare slowly begins to tell herself that he's probably right, but then the human-like creatures begin to show up more and more, always disappearing right before Dorran can see them. Shortly after an incident with another one of the creatures, Clare runs into Banksy Forest, set on getting the radio she remembered having in her car, to contact her sister Beth.
There are so many twists and turns in this story that it makes it wonderfully unpredictable. If I said anymore about it, it would give away too many of the surprises waiting inside. Voices in the Snow may not have been the best title for this book, but it is a really well-written horror story. The only annoyance I had with the novel is the awkwardness between the two main characters, which didn't seem natural. Most of what happens between Clare and Dorran are seen a mile away before it happens. During some scenes, I found myself rolling my eyes at the dialogue between Clare and Dorran, but the horror in the story makes up for the predictability of the characters.
I highly recommend this book to horror lovers; the scenes of scares and creatures were well-detailed. I was not disappointed at all. There were only a few inconsistencies throughout, but I think they would be easily over looked for the story is really enjoyable. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Voices in the Snow is set in today's world, but at the beginning of a dystopian future in the UK, which mostly takes place at a large, desolate manor that sits just outside a forest called Banksy Forest. From the second chapter until the end, readers make their home here with the two main characters Clare and Dorran, but very shortly into the story, we realize that they aren't the only 'people' in the house.
The main question of the novel is whether or not Dorran can be trusted - - - Clare wakes up in his family's manor after a car accident, and she can't exactly remember how the accident happened, but she also can't remember why she was driving out in a blizzard in the first place, but she does recall that she was on the phone with her sister, Beth, and we learn that her sister worries about Clare like she's her mother. Clare becomes focused on trying to somehow contact Beth to let her know she's still alive.
We find out later that Dorran comes from a prestigious family that makes their money from being in the wood distribution business. His family, the Morthornes, aren't a typical family. Not only does Dorran's relatives live at the manor during the warmer months, but so do the servants, all 60 of them. Dorran makes it obvious that he doesn't enjoy this type of lifestyle:
" ' All right. I guess not. Especially in this house. How large is it [the house] ?'
'Inconveniently large.' He shrugged. 'It does not only house our family, but the servants as well.'
Clare's eyebrows rose. 'Servants?'
'Staff,' he corrected quickly. Clare thought she saw a flicker of embarrassment, but it was hidden almost immediately. 'My apologies. That is another part of tradition that is well outdated. My mother wishes for the staff to be referred to as servants.' "
Soon the two are discussing whether or not they could survive for months at the manor due to the blizzard not seeming to let up, with this discussion, readers find out there is an inside garden located in the depths of the manor, unfortunately, food wasn't planted since the family and servants leave the home for the winter, but there are plenty of seeds to start cultivating. One day while Clare is trying to get the seeds planted, she decides to go get Dorran, who left to go check on the many furnaces that heat the manor, but Clare easily gets lost in the house she has barely walked around in, and ends up in a wine cellar: here, Clare hears scraping noises that lead her to a creature huddled in the dark.
" The figure turned toward her. Eyes glinted - - - horrible, inhuman eyes peering out from behind long, greasy hair. Then the figure darted away, escaping from her circle of light, disappearing into a narrow doorway in the stone wall.
A sharp, broken scream cut through the cold air. Clare didn't realize it had come from her until she felt the ache in her throat. She stumbled backward, and her shoulders hit one of the shelves. Muffled clinking noises surrounded her as the bottles rocked.
She couldn't stop shaking. The thudding footsteps echoed around her, beating fast, like her own heart. The scraping noise joined it, louder this time. It surrounded her and overwhelmed her. "
Although Clare tells Dorran what she saw, he doesn't believe her. He believes that the stress from the car accident has caused her to hallucinate. Clare slowly begins to tell herself that he's probably right, but then the human-like creatures begin to show up more and more, always disappearing right before Dorran can see them. Shortly after an incident with another one of the creatures, Clare runs into Banksy Forest, set on getting the radio she remembered having in her car, to contact her sister Beth.
There are so many twists and turns in this story that it makes it wonderfully unpredictable. If I said anymore about it, it would give away too many of the surprises waiting inside. Voices in the Snow may not have been the best title for this book, but it is a really well-written horror story. The only annoyance I had with the novel is the awkwardness between the two main characters, which didn't seem natural. Most of what happens between Clare and Dorran are seen a mile away before it happens. During some scenes, I found myself rolling my eyes at the dialogue between Clare and Dorran, but the horror in the story makes up for the predictability of the characters.
I highly recommend this book to horror lovers; the scenes of scares and creatures were well-detailed. I was not disappointed at all. There were only a few inconsistencies throughout, but I think they would be easily over looked for the story is really enjoyable. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Merissa (13419 KP) rated Hide and Seek in Books
Nov 2, 2017
Hide and Seek (Vigilance #1) by Desiree Holt
Hide and Seek is the first book by Desiree Holt that I have read, but it won't be the last. We start off with Graham, who has somehow been in bed with a drugs cartel, but didn't realise it. He decides that he needs to escape from it, meticulously planning everything. However, best laid plans and all that... it doesn't quite go according to how he thought it would.
His daughter ends up being smack-dab in the middle of everything, with the drug cartel goonies coming at her from all sides. The only help she has is the town sheriff and her sister who runs a security agency. Luckily for her, that is all the help she needs.
The attraction between Logan and Devon is instantaneous, with some inopportune and poorly timed reactions thrown in for good measure. Devon is a strong character, and doesn't do anything ridiculous because 'she knows best'. Logan has his own secrets, but finds the attraction for Devon to be stronger than his hesitations.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pace was smooth and the transition from one scene to the next flowed. I think the only thing for me would be the timing of certain things, but then there is no 'ruling' of when the time is right.
I hope this is the first in a series, and if so, I look forward to reading further along. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
His daughter ends up being smack-dab in the middle of everything, with the drug cartel goonies coming at her from all sides. The only help she has is the town sheriff and her sister who runs a security agency. Luckily for her, that is all the help she needs.
The attraction between Logan and Devon is instantaneous, with some inopportune and poorly timed reactions thrown in for good measure. Devon is a strong character, and doesn't do anything ridiculous because 'she knows best'. Logan has his own secrets, but finds the attraction for Devon to be stronger than his hesitations.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pace was smooth and the transition from one scene to the next flowed. I think the only thing for me would be the timing of certain things, but then there is no 'ruling' of when the time is right.
I hope this is the first in a series, and if so, I look forward to reading further along. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
tonidavis (353 KP) rated Charmed - Season 1 in TV
Jan 5, 2018
Déjà Vu All Over Again (4 more)
Phoebe
Grimlocks
Is there a Woogey in the house
Barbas
Prue Andy realationship
As a huge Buffy fan when charmed originally came out i was a little skeptical that it would be anywhere near as good some seasons lived up to the hype others didn't quiet do it for me. The sisters relationship was good and i always liked Phoebe.
Season one held some of my favorite episode of all the charmed episode. De Ja Vu all over again saw the dramatic climax to Prue and Andy relationship. It rare that i tend to hope a couple get together as much as i was routing for Prue and Andy but this final episode knew how to attack ever emotion. It also introduced one of the best villains of the series Tempest how great it would be to constantly be able to turn back time to rectify the mistake you make that day,
From fear to Eternity brought us Barabas a clever demon who occurrences in the series always made me want to watch more. His villainy is brilliant and portrayal is one of the best that the show produced.
The grimlocks where other creatures that came in this show and for some reason i really like them as a demon.
Out of all the charmed sister no matter the series Phoebe has always been my favorite this series is no exception Is There a woogey in the house is the first time we see her get possessed and turn dark. I always enjoy dark phoebe and the primal fear of the dark creature hiding under the house always makes a great premise for a show like charmed so it made an excellent epsiode.
Season one held some of my favorite episode of all the charmed episode. De Ja Vu all over again saw the dramatic climax to Prue and Andy relationship. It rare that i tend to hope a couple get together as much as i was routing for Prue and Andy but this final episode knew how to attack ever emotion. It also introduced one of the best villains of the series Tempest how great it would be to constantly be able to turn back time to rectify the mistake you make that day,
From fear to Eternity brought us Barabas a clever demon who occurrences in the series always made me want to watch more. His villainy is brilliant and portrayal is one of the best that the show produced.
The grimlocks where other creatures that came in this show and for some reason i really like them as a demon.
Out of all the charmed sister no matter the series Phoebe has always been my favorite this series is no exception Is There a woogey in the house is the first time we see her get possessed and turn dark. I always enjoy dark phoebe and the primal fear of the dark creature hiding under the house always makes a great premise for a show like charmed so it made an excellent epsiode.
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Sundays at Tiffany's in Books
Apr 27, 2018
James Patterson never ceases to amaze me. I read this book in a matter of hours.
when Jane's imaginary friend, Michael, leaves and promises that she'll forget him, Jane is heartbroken. She goes through her life, seemingly in mediocrety, until one day after a terrible break-up with her crappy-boyfriend (dude, you so had it coming.), she visits her favorite childhood restaurant and is bombarded by memories of Michael.
then she looks across the room and sees him.
and then it takes off. Jane changes her life, no longer afraid to be who she really is. Michael calls into question who he is, and struggles through his own identity crisis--is he human, or angel, or something else? and why didn't Jane's "imaginary" experience go the way it was supposed to?
but then Michael realizes his mission in New York--and his whole world comes crashing down. how is he supposed to do this, and how is he supposed to live with it?
the whole time reading this book, i kept thinking questions. for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I won't tell you what they were. one of them was "will he forget, like he did with all his other past experiences?" I couldn't see a way out of the climax... but the ending was all too sweet. i squealed (don't believe me? my sister was in the room at the time. ask her. it's true).
all in all, this book is a treasure to me. it's staying on my bookshelf where it belongs, i won't ever sell it or give it away (yeah, you can borrow it if you really want to. be careful of the pages.). maybe i loved it more than anyone else ever has, because of a strange connection I share with Jane Margaux. my imaginary friend's name was Michael, too.
when Jane's imaginary friend, Michael, leaves and promises that she'll forget him, Jane is heartbroken. She goes through her life, seemingly in mediocrety, until one day after a terrible break-up with her crappy-boyfriend (dude, you so had it coming.), she visits her favorite childhood restaurant and is bombarded by memories of Michael.
then she looks across the room and sees him.
and then it takes off. Jane changes her life, no longer afraid to be who she really is. Michael calls into question who he is, and struggles through his own identity crisis--is he human, or angel, or something else? and why didn't Jane's "imaginary" experience go the way it was supposed to?
but then Michael realizes his mission in New York--and his whole world comes crashing down. how is he supposed to do this, and how is he supposed to live with it?
the whole time reading this book, i kept thinking questions. for the sake of keeping this review spoiler-free, I won't tell you what they were. one of them was "will he forget, like he did with all his other past experiences?" I couldn't see a way out of the climax... but the ending was all too sweet. i squealed (don't believe me? my sister was in the room at the time. ask her. it's true).
all in all, this book is a treasure to me. it's staying on my bookshelf where it belongs, i won't ever sell it or give it away (yeah, you can borrow it if you really want to. be careful of the pages.). maybe i loved it more than anyone else ever has, because of a strange connection I share with Jane Margaux. my imaginary friend's name was Michael, too.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Truth or Die in Books
May 10, 2018
Trevor Mann is a professor at Columbia Law School in New York. Soon after his girlfriend leaves him to meet an important source for an article she is doing for the New York Times, he gets a call from her sister letting him know she is dead. Trevor is determined to find out who the source was she was going to see and why it got her killed. But will he be able to find out the truth or will he die as well?
Another gripping tale from James Patterson. Yes, I know he turns out books like an assembly line, but I can't seem to tear myself away from them. Most of his books really grip my attention and I have to find out what is happening next.
In Truth or Die, Trevor Mann is working with a genius from the CIA named Owen. Owen was helping to develop a serum that he thought would be used to help cure Alzheimer's, but the government was using it as a truth serum instead. The only problem is that everyone they used the serum on ended up dead. Claire, Trevor's girlfriend was about to bust this story wide open when she was killed. And now whoever killed Claire is after Trevor and Owen once they are able to find each other and figure out what is going on. From the President to the CIA, NSA and all of those other initials in Washington, the story unfolds and the more it unfolds, the more Trevor fears for his life. Using his legal skills and Owen's sharp mind, they are able to uncover a lot of secrets, secrets that even Trevor is surprised about.
All that being said, Truth or Die is a very interesting book, that I will recommend to others.
Another gripping tale from James Patterson. Yes, I know he turns out books like an assembly line, but I can't seem to tear myself away from them. Most of his books really grip my attention and I have to find out what is happening next.
In Truth or Die, Trevor Mann is working with a genius from the CIA named Owen. Owen was helping to develop a serum that he thought would be used to help cure Alzheimer's, but the government was using it as a truth serum instead. The only problem is that everyone they used the serum on ended up dead. Claire, Trevor's girlfriend was about to bust this story wide open when she was killed. And now whoever killed Claire is after Trevor and Owen once they are able to find each other and figure out what is going on. From the President to the CIA, NSA and all of those other initials in Washington, the story unfolds and the more it unfolds, the more Trevor fears for his life. Using his legal skills and Owen's sharp mind, they are able to uncover a lot of secrets, secrets that even Trevor is surprised about.
All that being said, Truth or Die is a very interesting book, that I will recommend to others.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Invisible in Books
May 10, 2018
Emmy Dockery is on a mission to find out who killed her twin sister Marta. As a research analyst for the FBI she has been researching fires all over the country that are made to look like accidents. She brings her work to her superiors, but they don't believe her. When she takes what she has found to her ex-fiance Books, who is also a former FBI agent, he agrees to take her information to the top, with the caveat that she will do as he says, when he says.
As I continue my impossible quest of reading all of James Patterson's books, this one was really good.
From the outside accidental fires are being started all over the country. But Emmy Dockery sees something different. She sees something even trained arson investigators aren't seeing. All of these fires over 50 of them, have all been started in a bedroom and the body of the person has been found at the point of origin of the fire. That is very strange, first because fires rarely start in the bedroom and second because you hardly ever find a body at the point of origin of a fire. Usually the person is trying to get away as quick as possible. As soon as Emmy is given the green light to go ahead with the investigation, she is on an all out war to find the person who is doing these heinous crimes. But this killer is really good and finding him is not going to be an easy task. Traveling all over the country, with fire investigators on full alert, will Emmy and her team be able to find the killer before he finishes another killing spree?
As I continue my impossible quest of reading all of James Patterson's books, this one was really good.
From the outside accidental fires are being started all over the country. But Emmy Dockery sees something different. She sees something even trained arson investigators aren't seeing. All of these fires over 50 of them, have all been started in a bedroom and the body of the person has been found at the point of origin of the fire. That is very strange, first because fires rarely start in the bedroom and second because you hardly ever find a body at the point of origin of a fire. Usually the person is trying to get away as quick as possible. As soon as Emmy is given the green light to go ahead with the investigation, she is on an all out war to find the person who is doing these heinous crimes. But this killer is really good and finding him is not going to be an easy task. Traveling all over the country, with fire investigators on full alert, will Emmy and her team be able to find the killer before he finishes another killing spree?