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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Under Currents in Books
Apr 1, 2021
A tense yet romantic read
This is the twenty-first book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
To an outsider, the Bigelows look like a perfect family: loving parents, two kids, beautiful home. But elder son Zane knows better, as he suffers verbal and physical abuse at the hands of his father, a surgeon. The family keeps their secrets close until one evening when everything comes out in the open and all changes. Years later, Zane returns to his hometown, determined to put the past behind him. He meets a landscape artist, Darby McCray, who has her own dark past. Together, the two must figure out if they are able to leave their secrets and horrible memories behind and forge a life together.
I'm honestly not sure if I've read a Nora Roberts book before, but picked this off my shelves for my A to Z challenge. It was one of those slightly over-the-top yet engaging books that sucks you in quickly with its story. It begins when Zane and his sister, Britt, are kids and moves on from there. It's a bit long--as it moved from section to section I was surprised there was more to keep going. A lot of that is due to descriptions of the North Carolina town, pontificating about landscaping, etc.
But it's still a book that held my interest. There's a crackling tension in the early piece, when Zane is merciless at the hands of his horrible, abusive father. As he ages, the tension recedes somewhat, but the book is still full of violent episodes. In fact, I would wonder if the town was cursed, based on how much brutality occurs in such a short period of time, but perhaps that's just me. Still, you can't help but be swept up in the various dramas, as well as Zane and Darby's relationship. The supporting cast is excellent as well, especially Zane's aunt, Emily; the local police chief; and some of Zane's friends.
Overall, a heartbreaking yet powerful read. It ended a bit abruptly for my taste, but I liked the characters and intensity of the story. (Please note: trigger warnings for sexual assault, spousal abuse/familial abuse, gay slurs.)
To an outsider, the Bigelows look like a perfect family: loving parents, two kids, beautiful home. But elder son Zane knows better, as he suffers verbal and physical abuse at the hands of his father, a surgeon. The family keeps their secrets close until one evening when everything comes out in the open and all changes. Years later, Zane returns to his hometown, determined to put the past behind him. He meets a landscape artist, Darby McCray, who has her own dark past. Together, the two must figure out if they are able to leave their secrets and horrible memories behind and forge a life together.
I'm honestly not sure if I've read a Nora Roberts book before, but picked this off my shelves for my A to Z challenge. It was one of those slightly over-the-top yet engaging books that sucks you in quickly with its story. It begins when Zane and his sister, Britt, are kids and moves on from there. It's a bit long--as it moved from section to section I was surprised there was more to keep going. A lot of that is due to descriptions of the North Carolina town, pontificating about landscaping, etc.
But it's still a book that held my interest. There's a crackling tension in the early piece, when Zane is merciless at the hands of his horrible, abusive father. As he ages, the tension recedes somewhat, but the book is still full of violent episodes. In fact, I would wonder if the town was cursed, based on how much brutality occurs in such a short period of time, but perhaps that's just me. Still, you can't help but be swept up in the various dramas, as well as Zane and Darby's relationship. The supporting cast is excellent as well, especially Zane's aunt, Emily; the local police chief; and some of Zane's friends.
Overall, a heartbreaking yet powerful read. It ended a bit abruptly for my taste, but I liked the characters and intensity of the story. (Please note: trigger warnings for sexual assault, spousal abuse/familial abuse, gay slurs.)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated What Could Be Saved in Books
Jun 3, 2021
A lyrical and fascinating look at the pull of family
This is the twenty-third book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Much of Laura Preston's life has been defined by the disappearance of her brother, Philip, when they were children. The family lived in Bangkok in the 1970s for her father's work. While there, Philip went to judo class--and never returned. His loss tore their family apart. When a stranger contacts Laura, claiming to have information about Philip, she defies her older sister's wishes and flies to Thailand to see if this is indeed true. Laura knows that this is what their mom, Genevieve, now suffering from dementia, would want.
This was a fascinating, atmospheric book that pulled me in immediately. It's beautifully, lyrically written. The story is told in the present day, with Laura's perspective as a somewhat struggling painter in Washington, DC and then flashing back to Bangkok in the 1970s, with Genevieve's story and even Philip's. It's utterly compelling, weaving both a mystery yet also a character-driven tale.
Schwarz offers such unique and well-done characters. Not just the Preston family, but also their servants in Bangkok, including Noi, who accompanies the family back to America. There's Robert Preston, the family patriarch, who has a mysterious career, and his boss, who pulls Genevieve into his orbit. There's Genevieve, who tries to mimic the life her children might have in the United States--and then basically abandons the role of mother once Philip disappears. Bea, who tries to be a strong big sister for Laura. And Laura, who struggles as the youngest and sometimes forgotten child in the wake of her brother's disappearance.
Each Preston--and those in their orbit--is well-written and flawed. They seem real and true. Schwarz's writing is thoughtful and excellent and everyone comes to life as you read. Her descriptions of Bangkok and Thailand are excellent as well.
I was totally immersed in this tale, wondering what had happened to Philip; in many ways, this is a heartbreaking tale. It's a beautiful look at family and what it means. Schwarz's story makes you think and allows you insight into the Preston family's world. It's illuminating and lovely. Certainly worth the read. 4.5 stars.
Much of Laura Preston's life has been defined by the disappearance of her brother, Philip, when they were children. The family lived in Bangkok in the 1970s for her father's work. While there, Philip went to judo class--and never returned. His loss tore their family apart. When a stranger contacts Laura, claiming to have information about Philip, she defies her older sister's wishes and flies to Thailand to see if this is indeed true. Laura knows that this is what their mom, Genevieve, now suffering from dementia, would want.
This was a fascinating, atmospheric book that pulled me in immediately. It's beautifully, lyrically written. The story is told in the present day, with Laura's perspective as a somewhat struggling painter in Washington, DC and then flashing back to Bangkok in the 1970s, with Genevieve's story and even Philip's. It's utterly compelling, weaving both a mystery yet also a character-driven tale.
Schwarz offers such unique and well-done characters. Not just the Preston family, but also their servants in Bangkok, including Noi, who accompanies the family back to America. There's Robert Preston, the family patriarch, who has a mysterious career, and his boss, who pulls Genevieve into his orbit. There's Genevieve, who tries to mimic the life her children might have in the United States--and then basically abandons the role of mother once Philip disappears. Bea, who tries to be a strong big sister for Laura. And Laura, who struggles as the youngest and sometimes forgotten child in the wake of her brother's disappearance.
Each Preston--and those in their orbit--is well-written and flawed. They seem real and true. Schwarz's writing is thoughtful and excellent and everyone comes to life as you read. Her descriptions of Bangkok and Thailand are excellent as well.
I was totally immersed in this tale, wondering what had happened to Philip; in many ways, this is a heartbreaking tale. It's a beautiful look at family and what it means. Schwarz's story makes you think and allows you insight into the Preston family's world. It's illuminating and lovely. Certainly worth the read. 4.5 stars.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated A Pearl for My Mistress in Books
Sep 24, 2020
I would like to begin this review by saying that I really loved the cover of this book, it looks pleasant and very sophisticated, another thing which intrigued me, was the lesbian relationship in 1930th England.
The characters in this novel are very interesting, sophisticated and at the same time very believable and down to earth. The whole book was mainly told from Lady Lucy’s, Hester’s (the maid) and Sophie’s (Hester’s sister) perspectives. I really liked that author chose multiple perspectives, it allowed me to have a better insight into characters personalities and made the whole story more indulging. My favourite persona in this book was Hester. I liked her simplicity, pureness and adventurous heart.
The narrative of the book is filled with historical knowledge and politics. It was very clearly visible that author has a passion for history and she has done a great research for this novel. For me it wasn't a very easy read, there are a lot of things happening in this novel and a lot of politics involved, because of that I had to keep my concentration going to understand what was going on. However, I really enjoyed all the details which author shared about aristocratic life, their struggles and wish of Independence. I also loved the insight into maids world in that period, as most of the books I read was mostly set in the 19th century, and it was nice to compare how it changed during the time.
The writing style of this book is very rich and elegant, it reflected that particular era very nicely, and I felt the spirit of 1930th through the pages. The chapter length was quite long to my liking, even though it was divided into smaller parts. (Well, what can I say, I love short chapters…) The ending of the book concluded the book really nicely but still left me guessing where life will take Hester. So to conclude, it is a very interesting book about aristocrats and their lifestyle between the wars in England, filled with secrets, manipulations, and fear or support of new regiment. I would strongly recommend this book to all historical fiction readers and people who like politics. Enjoy :)
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
The characters in this novel are very interesting, sophisticated and at the same time very believable and down to earth. The whole book was mainly told from Lady Lucy’s, Hester’s (the maid) and Sophie’s (Hester’s sister) perspectives. I really liked that author chose multiple perspectives, it allowed me to have a better insight into characters personalities and made the whole story more indulging. My favourite persona in this book was Hester. I liked her simplicity, pureness and adventurous heart.
The narrative of the book is filled with historical knowledge and politics. It was very clearly visible that author has a passion for history and she has done a great research for this novel. For me it wasn't a very easy read, there are a lot of things happening in this novel and a lot of politics involved, because of that I had to keep my concentration going to understand what was going on. However, I really enjoyed all the details which author shared about aristocratic life, their struggles and wish of Independence. I also loved the insight into maids world in that period, as most of the books I read was mostly set in the 19th century, and it was nice to compare how it changed during the time.
The writing style of this book is very rich and elegant, it reflected that particular era very nicely, and I felt the spirit of 1930th through the pages. The chapter length was quite long to my liking, even though it was divided into smaller parts. (Well, what can I say, I love short chapters…) The ending of the book concluded the book really nicely but still left me guessing where life will take Hester. So to conclude, it is a very interesting book about aristocrats and their lifestyle between the wars in England, filled with secrets, manipulations, and fear or support of new regiment. I would strongly recommend this book to all historical fiction readers and people who like politics. Enjoy :)
Was given this book by publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated My Sister, the Serial Killer in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This novel is not very long, but every short chapter carries a lot of important information. The protagonist in this novel is Korede, a nurse in a hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Korede likes everything neat, tidy and according to the rules. Her younger sister Ayoola, on the other hand, is an absolute brat, who has no cares in her life. She is addicted to male attention, good life, and I could not stand her. Ayoola is a horrible person, and I don’t see a justification for any of her actions. :/ I really liked Korede in this book, I think she is kind and strong at the same time, but even her decisions left me confused sometimes.
The narrative is told from a single (Korede’s) perspective, even though it was enough to grasp the storyline, I would’ve loved to read Ayoola’s thoughts as well. The plot is very compressed in this novel, I liked the way Korede talks not only about the present events, but brings the reader back to the past, to show what events shaped her to be the way she is today. This book analyses such topics as beauty and it’s influence, strong sisterly bond, abusive father, etc. This novel takes you on a journey, there is not many twists or turns, but it is a very enjoyable read.
Kudos to the author for her original writing style, I see it as minimalistic, It has the information I needed to fully understand the story, and spared me the details of unimportant things. I really liked the setting of this novel, I have never been to Lagos, so the atmosphere and the language used was very exotic for me. I loved the short chapters, and it was a really quick read for me. I liked the ending of this book, I think it is quite challenging and allows the reader to think of what would they have done in Korede’s situation.
To conclude, it is a very original book about an incredibly strong sisterly bond, which can withstand even murders. It is filled with very believable and interesting characters and a very creatively written plot. I truly enjoyed it, and I do strongly recommend to give this book a try if you looking for something different and fresh. I hope you will like it as much as I did. 🙂
The narrative is told from a single (Korede’s) perspective, even though it was enough to grasp the storyline, I would’ve loved to read Ayoola’s thoughts as well. The plot is very compressed in this novel, I liked the way Korede talks not only about the present events, but brings the reader back to the past, to show what events shaped her to be the way she is today. This book analyses such topics as beauty and it’s influence, strong sisterly bond, abusive father, etc. This novel takes you on a journey, there is not many twists or turns, but it is a very enjoyable read.
Kudos to the author for her original writing style, I see it as minimalistic, It has the information I needed to fully understand the story, and spared me the details of unimportant things. I really liked the setting of this novel, I have never been to Lagos, so the atmosphere and the language used was very exotic for me. I loved the short chapters, and it was a really quick read for me. I liked the ending of this book, I think it is quite challenging and allows the reader to think of what would they have done in Korede’s situation.
To conclude, it is a very original book about an incredibly strong sisterly bond, which can withstand even murders. It is filled with very believable and interesting characters and a very creatively written plot. I truly enjoyed it, and I do strongly recommend to give this book a try if you looking for something different and fresh. I hope you will like it as much as I did. 🙂
BookInspector (124 KP) rated My Sister Is Missing in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book is told from multiple perspectives, but Jess was the one trying to investigate and find her sister. I really liked this approach to the book, it allowed to see different events happening and how they interconnect between the characters in this story. There were a lot of characters in this novel, but they lacked some spirit in them. I could not understand Jess’s relationship with her boyfriend, and some of her thoughts sound quite feeble. I liked this ghostly vibe which the author used in this novel, it felt quite creepy sometimes. 🙂
The narrative of this book was quite interesting. I liked the way the author was throwing in false information, she actually tricked me a couple of times. 🙂 I did enjoy Jess’s investigation process, but I was quite disappointed with her findings. I was expecting something sinister and mind blowing but I didn’t get that. 😦 The topics discussed in this novel were postnatal psychosis, difficult mother-child relationships, child abuse, mental health, etc. The narrative does have several threads going on, with different issues discussed, but the second part of the book looks less than a thriller and more like a book about treatment and life in general, and I do like my thrillers to grip me till the last page of the book. I can see that the author utilised her knowledge of hospitals and Sheffield in this novel, and it is always interesting to see how authors are connected to their books. 🙂
The writing style of this book was pleasant to read and the language used easy to understand. I liked the different settings and places used in this novel, it gave more edge to the book. The chapters had a decent length and didn’t drag to me. The ending of this book rounded the story nicely but started way too early in my opinion.
So, to conclude, this book has to offer an interesting story and how sometimes our mind can play tricks on us at the worst possible time. I enjoyed this book and the mental health issues it supports. If you are looking for a light thriller, this book is for you. I hope you will give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it.
The narrative of this book was quite interesting. I liked the way the author was throwing in false information, she actually tricked me a couple of times. 🙂 I did enjoy Jess’s investigation process, but I was quite disappointed with her findings. I was expecting something sinister and mind blowing but I didn’t get that. 😦 The topics discussed in this novel were postnatal psychosis, difficult mother-child relationships, child abuse, mental health, etc. The narrative does have several threads going on, with different issues discussed, but the second part of the book looks less than a thriller and more like a book about treatment and life in general, and I do like my thrillers to grip me till the last page of the book. I can see that the author utilised her knowledge of hospitals and Sheffield in this novel, and it is always interesting to see how authors are connected to their books. 🙂
The writing style of this book was pleasant to read and the language used easy to understand. I liked the different settings and places used in this novel, it gave more edge to the book. The chapters had a decent length and didn’t drag to me. The ending of this book rounded the story nicely but started way too early in my opinion.
So, to conclude, this book has to offer an interesting story and how sometimes our mind can play tricks on us at the worst possible time. I enjoyed this book and the mental health issues it supports. If you are looking for a light thriller, this book is for you. I hope you will give this book a go, and I hope you will enjoy it.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated All I Ever Wanted in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The description of this book is quite accurate, but I would like to outline the different understanding of the book. My description of the book would be something like that: Caitlin, going through divorce from her controlling perfectionist husband. Their divorce really influenced their little daughter Nancy, who stopped talking after their separation. Eva is Caitlin’s sister in law, who, even after 2 years, still suffers from her husband’s death. The only company Eva has is her two pugs, Bumble and Bee. After visits to Eva’s house, Bumble becomes Nancy’s best friend, and helps her find her voice again.
It is a really nice story about two women in opposite situations. I really liked that, all the characters in this publication are really diverse personalities and they are really believable, like ordinary people. If you have children, you will absolutely understand how Caitlin is feeling. There is so much mother’s love in this book. You can really feel it when you go through the book. The problem is, as a person who is not very interested in kids, I found it too much for my liking. I really liked Eva’s character in this novel. She was interesting, and complete opposite of confused and clumsy Caitlin. However, there was so much moping about the same thing over and over again. I found it quite boring to read, because it just plods along, is very detailed and has only few turns in the story. I am great full though, that author gave voice to more than one character, which gave better feeling of the characters.
I liked that author discussed few really interesting themes in this book. She talked about how divorce influences grownups and well as children, the freedom feeling when your other half is not there to supervise you, as well as how it feels when you are in your forties, alone and know that it’s almost impossible to have a child of your own. It was very cute, how her love for dogs’ author shared in the book with the readers, by putting two cute pugs with very detailed descriptions of their personalities and emotions. The ending of the book rounded up everything nicely, but was really predictable. So to conclude, if you have children and would like some comfort reading about family, love and cute kids, then this book is definitely for you.
It is a really nice story about two women in opposite situations. I really liked that, all the characters in this publication are really diverse personalities and they are really believable, like ordinary people. If you have children, you will absolutely understand how Caitlin is feeling. There is so much mother’s love in this book. You can really feel it when you go through the book. The problem is, as a person who is not very interested in kids, I found it too much for my liking. I really liked Eva’s character in this novel. She was interesting, and complete opposite of confused and clumsy Caitlin. However, there was so much moping about the same thing over and over again. I found it quite boring to read, because it just plods along, is very detailed and has only few turns in the story. I am great full though, that author gave voice to more than one character, which gave better feeling of the characters.
I liked that author discussed few really interesting themes in this book. She talked about how divorce influences grownups and well as children, the freedom feeling when your other half is not there to supervise you, as well as how it feels when you are in your forties, alone and know that it’s almost impossible to have a child of your own. It was very cute, how her love for dogs’ author shared in the book with the readers, by putting two cute pugs with very detailed descriptions of their personalities and emotions. The ending of the book rounded up everything nicely, but was really predictable. So to conclude, if you have children and would like some comfort reading about family, love and cute kids, then this book is definitely for you.
ClareR (5864 KP) rated The Inheritance Games in Books
Sep 8, 2020
I have read and enjoyed countless YA books, and The Inheritance Games was no exception. It’s touted as a rags-to-riches, Cinderella type story, and there is most certainly a fairytale feel to this. I like fairytales. They’re a gateway drug in to fantasy as a child, I think. Or at least they were for me.
Avery Grambs wants more from her life than living hand to mouth, as she seems to be doing with her sister. Her mother has died, she has no contact with her father. She decides that the best way to change her life is to get a good education at a very good college, with the help of a scholarship. Indeed, she does seem to be very clever.
And then a young man comes to her school, and tells her that she has inherited some of the fortune of Tobias Hawthorne - a man she has never met and knows nothing about. In order to keep her inheritance and deprive the rest of the Hawthornes from getting their hands on the money, Avery has to live for a year in the Hawthorne mansion. Sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s a sprawling, maze-like place, with secret corridors and countless rooms. And the Hawthorne grandsons, on the whole, don’t seem to be hugely keen on her living with them, and neither does their mother.
No-one, including Avery, can understand why she should inherit the Hawthorne fortune. Tobias Hawthorne has one last Rick up his sleeve - a treasure hunt of sorts, that he set before his death for his grandsons and Avery. Just the thing to bring them together - or is it?
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Yes, it’s a bit far-fetched, but who hasn’t wanted to become the equivalent of a billionaire? To never need to worry about money? To have the house version of the Tardis?! This last bit, actually, would totally do it for me - as long as I could cleaners!
I think this will be the first in a trilogy, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be reading the next one. YA isn’t just for the kids, you know!
Many thanks to the Pigeonhole for making sure I read another one of my NetGalley books, and the publisher for an ebook copy.
Avery Grambs wants more from her life than living hand to mouth, as she seems to be doing with her sister. Her mother has died, she has no contact with her father. She decides that the best way to change her life is to get a good education at a very good college, with the help of a scholarship. Indeed, she does seem to be very clever.
And then a young man comes to her school, and tells her that she has inherited some of the fortune of Tobias Hawthorne - a man she has never met and knows nothing about. In order to keep her inheritance and deprive the rest of the Hawthornes from getting their hands on the money, Avery has to live for a year in the Hawthorne mansion. Sounds easy, but it’s not. It’s a sprawling, maze-like place, with secret corridors and countless rooms. And the Hawthorne grandsons, on the whole, don’t seem to be hugely keen on her living with them, and neither does their mother.
No-one, including Avery, can understand why she should inherit the Hawthorne fortune. Tobias Hawthorne has one last Rick up his sleeve - a treasure hunt of sorts, that he set before his death for his grandsons and Avery. Just the thing to bring them together - or is it?
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Yes, it’s a bit far-fetched, but who hasn’t wanted to become the equivalent of a billionaire? To never need to worry about money? To have the house version of the Tardis?! This last bit, actually, would totally do it for me - as long as I could cleaners!
I think this will be the first in a trilogy, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I’ll be reading the next one. YA isn’t just for the kids, you know!
Many thanks to the Pigeonhole for making sure I read another one of my NetGalley books, and the publisher for an ebook copy.
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, #5) in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I can't believe I've nearly finished this series!
First of all, I would like to complain about the cover. If I hadn't heard so many great things about this series then I probably would have avoided it, simply because it looks like a typical teen paranormal romance atrocity. The story is actually way more action-based with a sort of hint of romance, but I just don't think the cover portrays that very accurately.
Moving on to the actual book, it follows on from the last novel where Sebastian is sort of reintroduced. He is a massive character in this, after disappearing - along with Jace. It turns out there's some sort of bond between them thanks to Lilith, and the only things that can separate them are the weapons of either angels or demons. Which, unsurprisingly, results in some rather reckless acts on the part of Jace's friends and family, including the summoning of an angel and a demon. Nice.
Alec and Magnus have some pretty serious difficulties in this book, which actually really upset me because they're currently my favourite couple. There's also romantic plots following Maia and Jordan and even Izzy and Simon, but nothing major.
In the end, the Institute receives a disturbing gift, Clary stabs Jace, and Magnus kicks Alec out of his apartment. Maureen is seen again, claiming to have killed the woman Alec was out to murder, and Luke's sister is taken and turned dark by Sebastian. I think that's everything?
As for the writing, I love it! The books are all quite long, but they don't feel it when you read them. I don't understand how the feel so timeless and exciting all the way through!
Of course, this is a YA paranormal novel with typical romance lines and so on, but it is as unique as a book in this category can be. It has a nice mix of surprise, suspense and plain old action, and the diversity of the characters is fantastic. I'm really looking forward to the next novel in the series, yet I don't want it to be over!
Simply because it is a somewhat generic book (there are just so many angel/demon YA novels these days) I can't put my rating any higher than 4 stars. But the writing is fab and the plot always interesting, so there really isn't any true fault.
First of all, I would like to complain about the cover. If I hadn't heard so many great things about this series then I probably would have avoided it, simply because it looks like a typical teen paranormal romance atrocity. The story is actually way more action-based with a sort of hint of romance, but I just don't think the cover portrays that very accurately.
Moving on to the actual book, it follows on from the last novel where Sebastian is sort of reintroduced. He is a massive character in this, after disappearing - along with Jace. It turns out there's some sort of bond between them thanks to Lilith, and the only things that can separate them are the weapons of either angels or demons. Which, unsurprisingly, results in some rather reckless acts on the part of Jace's friends and family, including the summoning of an angel and a demon. Nice.
Alec and Magnus have some pretty serious difficulties in this book, which actually really upset me because they're currently my favourite couple. There's also romantic plots following Maia and Jordan and even Izzy and Simon, but nothing major.
In the end, the Institute receives a disturbing gift, Clary stabs Jace, and Magnus kicks Alec out of his apartment. Maureen is seen again, claiming to have killed the woman Alec was out to murder, and Luke's sister is taken and turned dark by Sebastian. I think that's everything?
As for the writing, I love it! The books are all quite long, but they don't feel it when you read them. I don't understand how the feel so timeless and exciting all the way through!
Of course, this is a YA paranormal novel with typical romance lines and so on, but it is as unique as a book in this category can be. It has a nice mix of surprise, suspense and plain old action, and the diversity of the characters is fantastic. I'm really looking forward to the next novel in the series, yet I don't want it to be over!
Simply because it is a somewhat generic book (there are just so many angel/demon YA novels these days) I can't put my rating any higher than 4 stars. But the writing is fab and the plot always interesting, so there really isn't any true fault.
Debbiereadsbook (1416 KP) rated Single (Single Dads #1) in Books
Jun 28, 2019
so bloody sweet, but GOOD!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book, this just shy of 200 pages?? So bloody sweet, I broke a tooth!
I mean it's so bloody good, so cute, warm and fuzzies too!
Ash is left, quite literally, holding the baby, and the idiot banging on his door at 3am is gonna get it if he wakes Mia up! Sean comes to rescue his friend, who just moved in next door to Ash, and is smitten, immediately, and totally with Ash, but equally, with Mia. Once Sean knows Ash is single, he wages an all out war to make him see that just because he has a baby, he doesn't have to be a monk.
Like I said, so bloody good!
Both Ash and Sean have a say, in the first person. Both voices are clearly headed, and happen as the chapter changes. Both men's voices are well defined and they tell their story well. I loved the marked differences between them too.
Ash is trying, bless him, to be the best dad he can, and is a little overwhelmed by that new dad feeling, especially now he bought Mia home, and he is alone. He thinks he won't have a life til she leaves home, and holds steadfast to that, till Sean makes him see that he doesn't need to give up on life. Ash's sister will help, his mother is a bit on the dodgy side. Their relationship is rocky at the best of times, but she tries to make amends here, she really does.
Eric and Leo are Sean best friends and house mates. Sean is an Emergency Room doctor; Eric, a fireman and Leo is a cop. They three guys are great together, and once Sean admits Ash is HIS, they look out for Ash and Mia.
There are some characters who hint at their stories, Eric and Leo included, and I can't wait to meet Brady properly: he has some tale to tell, I'm sure!
This is the first full length book I've read of Scott's that was just written by her. I've read the Owattonna U Hockey series she wrote with VL Locey. I want to read more. I really enjoyed this!
4 sickly sweet but oh so GOOD stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This book, this just shy of 200 pages?? So bloody sweet, I broke a tooth!
I mean it's so bloody good, so cute, warm and fuzzies too!
Ash is left, quite literally, holding the baby, and the idiot banging on his door at 3am is gonna get it if he wakes Mia up! Sean comes to rescue his friend, who just moved in next door to Ash, and is smitten, immediately, and totally with Ash, but equally, with Mia. Once Sean knows Ash is single, he wages an all out war to make him see that just because he has a baby, he doesn't have to be a monk.
Like I said, so bloody good!
Both Ash and Sean have a say, in the first person. Both voices are clearly headed, and happen as the chapter changes. Both men's voices are well defined and they tell their story well. I loved the marked differences between them too.
Ash is trying, bless him, to be the best dad he can, and is a little overwhelmed by that new dad feeling, especially now he bought Mia home, and he is alone. He thinks he won't have a life til she leaves home, and holds steadfast to that, till Sean makes him see that he doesn't need to give up on life. Ash's sister will help, his mother is a bit on the dodgy side. Their relationship is rocky at the best of times, but she tries to make amends here, she really does.
Eric and Leo are Sean best friends and house mates. Sean is an Emergency Room doctor; Eric, a fireman and Leo is a cop. They three guys are great together, and once Sean admits Ash is HIS, they look out for Ash and Mia.
There are some characters who hint at their stories, Eric and Leo included, and I can't wait to meet Brady properly: he has some tale to tell, I'm sure!
This is the first full length book I've read of Scott's that was just written by her. I've read the Owattonna U Hockey series she wrote with VL Locey. I want to read more. I really enjoyed this!
4 sickly sweet but oh so GOOD stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**