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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Blood Born ( Guardians book 4) in Books
Jul 13, 2023
93 of 235
Kindle
Blood Born ( Guardian book 4)
By Rayanne Haines
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The week before Olivia Dawson died, everything changed. Her little publishing house that could started pumping out best-sellers. A mysterious uncle passed away, leaving her a penthouse loft looking over Central Park. And her experimental cancer treatments finally seemed to be working. Who could’ve known that after her death life would literally suck.
She could do without craving her sexy new sire’s blood and the fact that her death had been rather brutal, thank you very much. Now, the shadows that go bump in the night were calling her the Vessel, bowing at her feet, expecting her to fulfill a prophecy. And wasn’t that a lot to live up to. Still, Olivia had a bad feeling that if she didn’t take them up on the offer, she’d soon find herself deader than dead.
Rhys Callas has ambitions. He’d been raised to rule. Had plans to free his people from living in the shadows. He wasn’t called the King of New York because he played nice. Now with the help of the guardians and the vessel he’d soon be the leader of the North American vampires. All he had to do was find an assassin, keep the other vampire factions at bay, keep the guardian Domhall Taleisin out of his hair, and keep Miss Olivia Dawson undead long enough to woo her. Best laid plans, right?
Soon enough Rhys and Olivia find out fighting for her undead life could mean the difference between a real future or oblivion for the entire vampire race.
Ok that was my favourite, this series has progressed so well this had all the emotions and yes I’m an emotional reader and my reviews reflect that! This was a sweet ending to a story of 2 sisters I absolutely loved Liv and B the one thing this series has had is well written female leads. I am hoping we may see more from it if not it was a fab ending.
Kindle
Blood Born ( Guardian book 4)
By Rayanne Haines
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The week before Olivia Dawson died, everything changed. Her little publishing house that could started pumping out best-sellers. A mysterious uncle passed away, leaving her a penthouse loft looking over Central Park. And her experimental cancer treatments finally seemed to be working. Who could’ve known that after her death life would literally suck.
She could do without craving her sexy new sire’s blood and the fact that her death had been rather brutal, thank you very much. Now, the shadows that go bump in the night were calling her the Vessel, bowing at her feet, expecting her to fulfill a prophecy. And wasn’t that a lot to live up to. Still, Olivia had a bad feeling that if she didn’t take them up on the offer, she’d soon find herself deader than dead.
Rhys Callas has ambitions. He’d been raised to rule. Had plans to free his people from living in the shadows. He wasn’t called the King of New York because he played nice. Now with the help of the guardians and the vessel he’d soon be the leader of the North American vampires. All he had to do was find an assassin, keep the other vampire factions at bay, keep the guardian Domhall Taleisin out of his hair, and keep Miss Olivia Dawson undead long enough to woo her. Best laid plans, right?
Soon enough Rhys and Olivia find out fighting for her undead life could mean the difference between a real future or oblivion for the entire vampire race.
Ok that was my favourite, this series has progressed so well this had all the emotions and yes I’m an emotional reader and my reviews reflect that! This was a sweet ending to a story of 2 sisters I absolutely loved Liv and B the one thing this series has had is well written female leads. I am hoping we may see more from it if not it was a fab ending.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch (Villains #3) in Books
Sep 7, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
A review by The Disney Bookworm:
The third instalment in Serena Valentino’s villain’s tales is the story of Ursula. I was really looking forward to this: after scaring the beejeeeesus out of me as a kid, Ursula has become my favourite villain as an adult. She definitely projects the body confidence I lack that’s for sure!
Regular readers will know I was left a little disappointed by The Beast Within and so it was with some trepidation that I ventured onto the next novel in the series. However, I was too tempted by the promise of a backstory to my favourite sassy octopus.
Poor Unfortunate Soul starts off really well, as is the case with all Valentino’s books. We meet Ursula as an orphaned human girl, raised by a loving adoptive father but never accepted by the villagers around her. She is acutely aware that she is different and is constantly drawn to the sea. However, when the villagers realise Ursula’s true form and start a literal witch hunt, her father tries to protect her and it ends tragically.
Vengeful and alone, Ursula returns to the sea and discovers her family isn’t lost to her after all: she has a brother, Triton.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Triton and Ursula are not destined for an emotional reunion and a game of happy families. Instead, Triton wants Ursula to conform to his idea of beauty and live in his kingdom as a mermaid. He also refuses to share his throne with Ursula: something their parents aspired to.
The siblings also disagree over the treatment of humans. Although both despise the race, the sea king disapproves of his sister’s vengeful ways and eventually banishes her from his kingdom. This only adds fuel to Ursula’s rage, causing her to plot to destroy her tyrant brother by using his youngest daughter: Ariel.
We all know how that story goes!
I really enjoyed this backstory to Ursula and the twist that her and Triton were related but separated when they were young. In my opinion it gave me what I wanted from the villains series: empathy for the villain.
However, as was the case in The Beast Within, I was willing for this to be fleshed out more. How were Triton and Ursula separated? What was the kingdom like when the siblings attempted to cohabitate? Ariel’s mother is briefly mentioned as a friend to Ursula – was it her death that permanently severed Triton and Ursula’s relationship? In my opinion, Ursula’s brief relationship with her brother is the lynch pin in her demise but the details are glossed over as an almost appendix in the story. I wanted more of this and less of Tulip!
Ah yes, Tulip is back! Although for the life of me I’m not sure why!
Yes, she was in the last book and we know she made a deal with Ursula.
Yes, she links the books together, particularly with the references to Maleficent’s evil doings in a neighbouring kingdom.
Yes, she has a friendship with Circe and Pflanze: allowing the odd sisters to locate their beloved sister.
Yes, she has a weird nanny who feels like she should be someone but I’m not entirely sure whom.
But dear god she takes up too much of these books. She clearly regained her beauty for a reason and I’m sure her royal suitor has a future role but she just doesn’t interest me as a character. She’s an extra: popping up now and again to make some link in the storyline.
I can’t delve much further into this book without completely ruining the story for you so let me just say that I enjoyed the book more than The Beast Within. Poor Unfortunate Soul gave me the backstory of Ursula and allowed me to witness how her hate and thirst for power consumed her, as well as the consequences of this.
The novel was less heavily involved with the Odd Sisters than The Beast Within. It seemed that the villain was the main focus which was in keeping with Fairest of All and greatly appreciated. However, I was still left wanting more: these are thin books and a quick read; I just feel that the opportunities for developing real, complex villains are being missed.
The third instalment in Serena Valentino’s villain’s tales is the story of Ursula. I was really looking forward to this: after scaring the beejeeeesus out of me as a kid, Ursula has become my favourite villain as an adult. She definitely projects the body confidence I lack that’s for sure!
Regular readers will know I was left a little disappointed by The Beast Within and so it was with some trepidation that I ventured onto the next novel in the series. However, I was too tempted by the promise of a backstory to my favourite sassy octopus.
Poor Unfortunate Soul starts off really well, as is the case with all Valentino’s books. We meet Ursula as an orphaned human girl, raised by a loving adoptive father but never accepted by the villagers around her. She is acutely aware that she is different and is constantly drawn to the sea. However, when the villagers realise Ursula’s true form and start a literal witch hunt, her father tries to protect her and it ends tragically.
Vengeful and alone, Ursula returns to the sea and discovers her family isn’t lost to her after all: she has a brother, Triton.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Triton and Ursula are not destined for an emotional reunion and a game of happy families. Instead, Triton wants Ursula to conform to his idea of beauty and live in his kingdom as a mermaid. He also refuses to share his throne with Ursula: something their parents aspired to.
The siblings also disagree over the treatment of humans. Although both despise the race, the sea king disapproves of his sister’s vengeful ways and eventually banishes her from his kingdom. This only adds fuel to Ursula’s rage, causing her to plot to destroy her tyrant brother by using his youngest daughter: Ariel.
We all know how that story goes!
I really enjoyed this backstory to Ursula and the twist that her and Triton were related but separated when they were young. In my opinion it gave me what I wanted from the villains series: empathy for the villain.
However, as was the case in The Beast Within, I was willing for this to be fleshed out more. How were Triton and Ursula separated? What was the kingdom like when the siblings attempted to cohabitate? Ariel’s mother is briefly mentioned as a friend to Ursula – was it her death that permanently severed Triton and Ursula’s relationship? In my opinion, Ursula’s brief relationship with her brother is the lynch pin in her demise but the details are glossed over as an almost appendix in the story. I wanted more of this and less of Tulip!
Ah yes, Tulip is back! Although for the life of me I’m not sure why!
Yes, she was in the last book and we know she made a deal with Ursula.
Yes, she links the books together, particularly with the references to Maleficent’s evil doings in a neighbouring kingdom.
Yes, she has a friendship with Circe and Pflanze: allowing the odd sisters to locate their beloved sister.
Yes, she has a weird nanny who feels like she should be someone but I’m not entirely sure whom.
But dear god she takes up too much of these books. She clearly regained her beauty for a reason and I’m sure her royal suitor has a future role but she just doesn’t interest me as a character. She’s an extra: popping up now and again to make some link in the storyline.
I can’t delve much further into this book without completely ruining the story for you so let me just say that I enjoyed the book more than The Beast Within. Poor Unfortunate Soul gave me the backstory of Ursula and allowed me to witness how her hate and thirst for power consumed her, as well as the consequences of this.
The novel was less heavily involved with the Odd Sisters than The Beast Within. It seemed that the villain was the main focus which was in keeping with Fairest of All and greatly appreciated. However, I was still left wanting more: these are thin books and a quick read; I just feel that the opportunities for developing real, complex villains are being missed.
Lottie disney bookworm (1056 KP) rated Let It Go: A Frozen Twisted Tale in Books
Aug 20, 2019
“What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?”
I did it again! A new shiny twisted tale came out and I let it jump to the top of my TBR pile! I’m weak!
Let It Go is the latest instalment in the twisted tale’s series and explores how Anna and Elsa’s story would play out if a magical accident caused the two sisters to be cursed.
As always, Jen Calonita writes this very well: drip feeding us information by opening the novel on eighteen-year-old Elsa shadowing her parents’ royal duties and preparing to become a leader when she comes of age.
It is quite refreshing for the reader to meet the King and Queen of Arendelle: they didn’t have much depth in the movie but Jen Calonita presents an intimidating yet loving King with his kind and gentle Queen. They are both, however, marred by a melancholy which even Elsa cannot fathom; the Queen in particular has an air of sadness around her and has a habit of taking mysterious day trips, always alone.
Elsa is an adoring daughter and will clearly be a benevolent Queen as she follows in her father’s footsteps. She is, however, lonely and has always pined for someone of her own age for company: she has always wished for a sister. It isn’t until Elsa overhears an argument between her parents that she begins to question the life around her.
Unlike other books in the twisted tale’s franchise we aren’t introduced to any new characters apart from the King and Queen. There are a few servants who have minor roles but no one who has a real impact upon the story. Instead, Let It Go focuses on all the characters we already love: I really liked how Jen Calonita included everybody, even the irritating Duke of Weselton. True to form though, the characters don’t meet quite as they did in the movie. Hans and Olaf meet Elsa first whereas Anna and Kristoff are acquaintances in Anna’s “cursed” life. In truth I preferred Anna and Kristoff’s relationship in this novel as it seemed more realistic, with Kristoff being irritated by Anna’s stubbornness and incessant chatter.
Like I mentioned, Calonita isn’t forthcoming with information regarding the curse and it is only with the help of a certain troll that we learn the details of how Elsa and Anna were parted as well as the severity of the curse that has been placed upon them: if they come too close to each other Elsa’s powers will freeze Anna.
I did appreciate how Calonita didn’t just settle for a storyline that the girls had to be kept apart to avoid further accidents and the impossible, heat-wrenching decision for their parents is beautifully written. I also liked how the curse came about due to the sheer love between the sisters and specifically, Elsa’s defiance to lose their special bond and friendship.
In fact, I loved how the twist is all about the sister’s love for each other: the red herring of true love’s kiss is not even considered.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the book didn’t continue all the way through to the conclusion as the second half seemed to mirror the film a lot. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved the little references to the film all the way through the book, as I do with all the twisted tales. However, towards the end Let It Go felt like it was just writing out the movie, with a few characters in different locations. For this reason, I did feel the ending was a little lacklustre.
Overall Let It Go is an enjoyable, easy read. Anna’s flashbacks provide an insight into the childhood of the princesses that we don’t get in the film and my favourite, Olaf, plays a more important role than that of dismembered tour guide. For me, the second half of the book was not as gripping and more of a retelling of the film but it is still a good addition to the twisted tale franchise.
I did it again! A new shiny twisted tale came out and I let it jump to the top of my TBR pile! I’m weak!
Let It Go is the latest instalment in the twisted tale’s series and explores how Anna and Elsa’s story would play out if a magical accident caused the two sisters to be cursed.
As always, Jen Calonita writes this very well: drip feeding us information by opening the novel on eighteen-year-old Elsa shadowing her parents’ royal duties and preparing to become a leader when she comes of age.
It is quite refreshing for the reader to meet the King and Queen of Arendelle: they didn’t have much depth in the movie but Jen Calonita presents an intimidating yet loving King with his kind and gentle Queen. They are both, however, marred by a melancholy which even Elsa cannot fathom; the Queen in particular has an air of sadness around her and has a habit of taking mysterious day trips, always alone.
Elsa is an adoring daughter and will clearly be a benevolent Queen as she follows in her father’s footsteps. She is, however, lonely and has always pined for someone of her own age for company: she has always wished for a sister. It isn’t until Elsa overhears an argument between her parents that she begins to question the life around her.
Unlike other books in the twisted tale’s franchise we aren’t introduced to any new characters apart from the King and Queen. There are a few servants who have minor roles but no one who has a real impact upon the story. Instead, Let It Go focuses on all the characters we already love: I really liked how Jen Calonita included everybody, even the irritating Duke of Weselton. True to form though, the characters don’t meet quite as they did in the movie. Hans and Olaf meet Elsa first whereas Anna and Kristoff are acquaintances in Anna’s “cursed” life. In truth I preferred Anna and Kristoff’s relationship in this novel as it seemed more realistic, with Kristoff being irritated by Anna’s stubbornness and incessant chatter.
Like I mentioned, Calonita isn’t forthcoming with information regarding the curse and it is only with the help of a certain troll that we learn the details of how Elsa and Anna were parted as well as the severity of the curse that has been placed upon them: if they come too close to each other Elsa’s powers will freeze Anna.
I did appreciate how Calonita didn’t just settle for a storyline that the girls had to be kept apart to avoid further accidents and the impossible, heat-wrenching decision for their parents is beautifully written. I also liked how the curse came about due to the sheer love between the sisters and specifically, Elsa’s defiance to lose their special bond and friendship.
In fact, I loved how the twist is all about the sister’s love for each other: the red herring of true love’s kiss is not even considered.
Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the book didn’t continue all the way through to the conclusion as the second half seemed to mirror the film a lot. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely loved the little references to the film all the way through the book, as I do with all the twisted tales. However, towards the end Let It Go felt like it was just writing out the movie, with a few characters in different locations. For this reason, I did feel the ending was a little lacklustre.
Overall Let It Go is an enjoyable, easy read. Anna’s flashbacks provide an insight into the childhood of the princesses that we don’t get in the film and my favourite, Olaf, plays a more important role than that of dismembered tour guide. For me, the second half of the book was not as gripping and more of a retelling of the film but it is still a good addition to the twisted tale franchise.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Train to Busan (2016) in Movies
Jul 27, 2017
Zombies on a train!
Taking the very simple concept of ‘zombies on a train’, this isn’t just one of the best zombie movies I’ve ever seen, it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen in recent years – period!
This South Korean movie doesn’t waste much time in setting the scene – a banker agrees to take his daughter by train to visit her mother in Busan. But as the train pulls out of the station, a zombie epidemic breaks out. And the last person to rush through the closing train doors appears to be a little bit unwell…
The epidemic quickly spreads throughout the train and those who are left must act quickly to seal off the carriages and try to work out how to make it to their loved ones who they’ve become separated from in other carriages. Like 28 days later, or World War Z, our zombies move quickly and aren’t afraid to climb all over each other in their ravenous pursuit of the living, piling themselves up against glass walls and doors in order to break through, then continuing to chase with broken, contorted limbs. In an interesting twist though, these zombies work on their sense of sight a lot more than smell or hearing, something which works to the advantage of the living as the train rockets through dark tunnels for minutes at a time.
As the living quickly start dwindling in numbers, we’re left with a pretty good and varied selection of characters. Among them – our hero and his young daughter, a man and his pregnant wife, a bunch of high school kids, a couple of elderly sisters and a selfish businessman who’s out for himself. After a brief stop at a supposedly safe station turns out to be overrun by hordes of zombies, the survivors barely make it back onto the train and continue on their way to Busan, rumoured to be a safe haven.
Aside from the highly enjoyable zombie action, there’s plenty of human emotion and sadness, along with some great performances from all involved. This is a highly innovative and serious enjoyable thrill ride and I cannot recommend it enough.
This South Korean movie doesn’t waste much time in setting the scene – a banker agrees to take his daughter by train to visit her mother in Busan. But as the train pulls out of the station, a zombie epidemic breaks out. And the last person to rush through the closing train doors appears to be a little bit unwell…
The epidemic quickly spreads throughout the train and those who are left must act quickly to seal off the carriages and try to work out how to make it to their loved ones who they’ve become separated from in other carriages. Like 28 days later, or World War Z, our zombies move quickly and aren’t afraid to climb all over each other in their ravenous pursuit of the living, piling themselves up against glass walls and doors in order to break through, then continuing to chase with broken, contorted limbs. In an interesting twist though, these zombies work on their sense of sight a lot more than smell or hearing, something which works to the advantage of the living as the train rockets through dark tunnels for minutes at a time.
As the living quickly start dwindling in numbers, we’re left with a pretty good and varied selection of characters. Among them – our hero and his young daughter, a man and his pregnant wife, a bunch of high school kids, a couple of elderly sisters and a selfish businessman who’s out for himself. After a brief stop at a supposedly safe station turns out to be overrun by hordes of zombies, the survivors barely make it back onto the train and continue on their way to Busan, rumoured to be a safe haven.
Aside from the highly enjoyable zombie action, there’s plenty of human emotion and sadness, along with some great performances from all involved. This is a highly innovative and serious enjoyable thrill ride and I cannot recommend it enough.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated I Feel Like Going On: Life, Game, and Glory in Books
May 10, 2018
<u>I Feel Like Going On</u> tells the story of Ray Lewis's life through his point of view. From his early childhood to the man he is today. I learned quite a bit about Ray Lewis that I didn't know and found very interesting. A religious and family man with seven children, he is a very different person than the man who used to be on the football field.
Growing up in Maryland, I only root for two teams, the Washington Redskins and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. When I was a kid, the Baltimore team had been long, so the Redskins were who I went for. I respect, Ray Lewis as an amazing defensive player in the NFL. Occasionally, I would cheer for Baltimore especially when they were in the Super Bowl. It was interesting to find out that the Redskins were Ray's favorite as well. He has a very religious side to him that you don't get to see on the field. He is also very family oriented, always there for his kids as well as his mother and brothers and sisters. There are a lot of things I learned from this book about Ray Lewis and about life in general. The best part of the book came at the end when Ray talks about what his mother taught him.
"Be an example. Be a force for good. And know that every one with a great name has been through something. A great deal of something. It's not about doing what everybody else is doing. It's just about being true to yourself whatever the majority of people are doing, go ahead and do the opposite--if you know what you're doing to be right and good and true. Live your legacy. Do your thing. Walk in a certain light."
This book is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling through life and may be unsure how they are going to make it through the storm. Ray Lewis made it through a single mom household, losing friends and coaches, and being accused of the most terrible things. He made it through alive andd on top.
Growing up in Maryland, I only root for two teams, the Washington Redskins and whoever is playing the Dallas Cowboys. When I was a kid, the Baltimore team had been long, so the Redskins were who I went for. I respect, Ray Lewis as an amazing defensive player in the NFL. Occasionally, I would cheer for Baltimore especially when they were in the Super Bowl. It was interesting to find out that the Redskins were Ray's favorite as well. He has a very religious side to him that you don't get to see on the field. He is also very family oriented, always there for his kids as well as his mother and brothers and sisters. There are a lot of things I learned from this book about Ray Lewis and about life in general. The best part of the book came at the end when Ray talks about what his mother taught him.
"Be an example. Be a force for good. And know that every one with a great name has been through something. A great deal of something. It's not about doing what everybody else is doing. It's just about being true to yourself whatever the majority of people are doing, go ahead and do the opposite--if you know what you're doing to be right and good and true. Live your legacy. Do your thing. Walk in a certain light."
This book is an inspiration to anyone who is struggling through life and may be unsure how they are going to make it through the storm. Ray Lewis made it through a single mom household, losing friends and coaches, and being accused of the most terrible things. He made it through alive andd on top.
Katie Burrows (1 KP) rated A Court of Frost and Starlight: Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
May 21, 2018
More time with beloved characters (2 more)
Got to find out more about side character backstories
The development of Feyre's sisters and their post-Cauldron struggles felt realistic and honest
No real point or feeling to the plot (4 more)
3/4 of the way through the book, still not sure what the point is
The sudden decision to write from multiple perspectives in this book (as opposed to just Feyre's) felt cheap
It's a Christmas story that was released May 1st, which was a strange publishing choice
After all the excitement in the precious book, the pace of this one was too slow
Not as exciting as previous installments
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved the third book in the series, but it just wasn't as good. It felt as though the author was maybe forced to publish the next installment of the series even though she didn't have a fully fleshed-out story yet.
While I enjoyed learning the characters' backstories, I was not a fan of how the author switched character perspectives each chapter. It was tedious to keep up with at times, and felt like a forced way to introduce the backstories. In the last installment, the backstories we heard were drawn out by plot and circumstance, which helped drive the story as we learned relevant info at relevant times. In this book it felt as though the revealing of character info was gratuitous, almost an excuse to avoid developing an actual plot.
Speaking of plot, the story was slow (in part because of continually switching between so many character perspectives during the same stretches of time), and because for most of the book nothing important or exciting happens.
The cover art was gorgeous. The dust jacket is absolutely beautiful. But, this is largely a Christmas or winter solstice story, and might have been more aptly published in late fall or closer to the holiday season, rather than the beginning of May.
I would still love to see more books in this series, but only if future installments see a return to the action and intrigue of the first 3 stories.
While I enjoyed learning the characters' backstories, I was not a fan of how the author switched character perspectives each chapter. It was tedious to keep up with at times, and felt like a forced way to introduce the backstories. In the last installment, the backstories we heard were drawn out by plot and circumstance, which helped drive the story as we learned relevant info at relevant times. In this book it felt as though the revealing of character info was gratuitous, almost an excuse to avoid developing an actual plot.
Speaking of plot, the story was slow (in part because of continually switching between so many character perspectives during the same stretches of time), and because for most of the book nothing important or exciting happens.
The cover art was gorgeous. The dust jacket is absolutely beautiful. But, this is largely a Christmas or winter solstice story, and might have been more aptly published in late fall or closer to the holiday season, rather than the beginning of May.
I would still love to see more books in this series, but only if future installments see a return to the action and intrigue of the first 3 stories.
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Mr March (Calendar Men #3) in Books
Mar 6, 2018
fabulous sexy read.
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book .
It's only a matter a time, you know, before a book in a series tips you one way or the other. It tips you up to that five star read, or down to three and you really don't want to read any more.
This one?? 5 star read people!
I said in my review for February, that I liked that the shifter element was just sort of there, it wasn't a major part of the story. But here, the shifter part is a MASSIVE part of the story! Go figure, huh!
Jason is Mr March, and they have just finished up shooting on Arturo's land. There is a bit of an overlap between February and March's books. Waking up in someone else's bed, Jason can't remember how he got there, but he CAN remember the vet who looked after his lion form. Casey is a vet at the refuge that Jason's cat is bought to, but there is something bigger going on, and it will take some digging to get to just what.
I loved Jason's sisters, and their teasing of Jason. Loved Jessica too. Jason and Casey have a huge network of support and they need it, especially when they find out what is really going on!
It's not an overly complicated book, nor is it graphic or explicit, but I really LOVED that it wasn't! It's a really great read, and I read this in one sitting, at 1130 at night. Good job I did not have work this morning!
The shoot is now slowly shifting from single nekkid guys for each month, to a couple for each month. Still not sure it will get published, but it's great fun watching it, either way.
I would like to know more about how Perry's dad is, since he was the original photographer. He;s dealing with some heavy stuff and it would be nice to catch up with him, even if it's just a bit more than we get here.
Fabulous, sexy, read
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
It's only a matter a time, you know, before a book in a series tips you one way or the other. It tips you up to that five star read, or down to three and you really don't want to read any more.
This one?? 5 star read people!
I said in my review for February, that I liked that the shifter element was just sort of there, it wasn't a major part of the story. But here, the shifter part is a MASSIVE part of the story! Go figure, huh!
Jason is Mr March, and they have just finished up shooting on Arturo's land. There is a bit of an overlap between February and March's books. Waking up in someone else's bed, Jason can't remember how he got there, but he CAN remember the vet who looked after his lion form. Casey is a vet at the refuge that Jason's cat is bought to, but there is something bigger going on, and it will take some digging to get to just what.
I loved Jason's sisters, and their teasing of Jason. Loved Jessica too. Jason and Casey have a huge network of support and they need it, especially when they find out what is really going on!
It's not an overly complicated book, nor is it graphic or explicit, but I really LOVED that it wasn't! It's a really great read, and I read this in one sitting, at 1130 at night. Good job I did not have work this morning!
The shoot is now slowly shifting from single nekkid guys for each month, to a couple for each month. Still not sure it will get published, but it's great fun watching it, either way.
I would like to know more about how Perry's dad is, since he was the original photographer. He;s dealing with some heavy stuff and it would be nice to catch up with him, even if it's just a bit more than we get here.
Fabulous, sexy, read
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd (Flavia de Luce, #8) in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Book 8 in Alan Bradley's wondrous series picks up with Flavia returning home from Canada--no longer in boarding school--and back home among her sisters, family servants, and faithful bike, Gladys. Unfortunately, upon returning home, she is met with the news that her father is gravely ill with pneumonia. Only Flavia's pesky cousin, Undine is around to greet her. Out and about in town, Flavia runs an errand and--in true Flavia fashion-- stumbles across the body of a dead man. He appears to be the local woodcarver, and Flavia finds him hanging upside down in his home. From there, Flavia's downtrodden spirits lift immediately, as there is nothing like a dead body to return her to her true self. She sets out to solve the case before her pal, Inspector Hewitt, can, but this case will offer plenty of twists and turns, even for our young sleuth.
This novel is immediately Flavia, from the start, like picking up with an old friend. The beginning finds Flavia feeling a little lonely and sorry for herself until finding a corpse, of course. With Flavia back from Canada, it's a return to Bradley's tried and true Flavia de Luce formula, but it's certainly not trite, or tired. While the plot is a bit twisty and keeps you guessing, as always, it's Flavia who is the true star. In this book, we see our heroine growing up a bit: not just in age, but in maturity. Thankfully, though, she's still our Flavia, with her feisty spirit and deep love of chemistry. Truly, she's just a dear character and Bradley is amazing in how he captures her voice so perfectly.
These novels never fail to disappoint -- this one, as well. I will continue to highly recommend this series. This can certainly be read as a standalone, but you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don't start at the beginning of Flavia's journey.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it's available for U.S. publication everywhere as of 9/20/16.
This novel is immediately Flavia, from the start, like picking up with an old friend. The beginning finds Flavia feeling a little lonely and sorry for herself until finding a corpse, of course. With Flavia back from Canada, it's a return to Bradley's tried and true Flavia de Luce formula, but it's certainly not trite, or tired. While the plot is a bit twisty and keeps you guessing, as always, it's Flavia who is the true star. In this book, we see our heroine growing up a bit: not just in age, but in maturity. Thankfully, though, she's still our Flavia, with her feisty spirit and deep love of chemistry. Truly, she's just a dear character and Bradley is amazing in how he captures her voice so perfectly.
These novels never fail to disappoint -- this one, as well. I will continue to highly recommend this series. This can certainly be read as a standalone, but you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don't start at the beginning of Flavia's journey.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!); it's available for U.S. publication everywhere as of 9/20/16.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Cruel Beautiful World in Books
Feb 13, 2018
As young girls, Lucy and Caroline come into the care of the older Iris. The girls' parents had died, and they wind up living with Iris, who becomes a sort of adopted mother to the two sisters. Both Lucy and Charlotte are extremely close until high school, when they find themselves drifting apart. Studious Charlotte is focused on getting into college, where she hopes to study to become a vet. Lucy, however, can never quite seem to live up to her sister's academic shadow. That is until she meets a vibrant teacher, William, at her high school. Lucy falls fast for her older English teacher and suddenly finds herself running away to a remote area of Pennsylvania to start over with her new love. Iris and Charlotte, however, are devastated, and cannot give up their search for Lucy. Even worse, Lucy's life of promise and happiness with William may be falling short.
This book is not what I expected, but it was a wonderful (although sometimes haunting) tale. Leavitt creates nuanced, well-developed characters who jump off the page. The book has a poignant sadness that stays with you, even after you've turned the last page. Somehow, I inadvertently read this one directly after [b:The Girls|26893819|The Girls|Emma Cline|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1464528839s/26893819.jpg|42856015], with each tale being set in a similar timeframe, with mentions and allusions to the Manson murders, free love, etc. I actually preferred this novel and its intricate plot and characters, to whom I found myself growing quite attached. The story unfolds from the point of view of Lucy, Charlotte, and Iris, which allows us to get to know each of them. Each is different and beautiful in their own way.
Overall, I loved most of this book. It slowed for me about 3/4 through, but recovered by the end. Some of the characters' actions are frustrating, but it does not take away from its almost poetic nature. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and LibraryThing (thank you!).
This book is not what I expected, but it was a wonderful (although sometimes haunting) tale. Leavitt creates nuanced, well-developed characters who jump off the page. The book has a poignant sadness that stays with you, even after you've turned the last page. Somehow, I inadvertently read this one directly after [b:The Girls|26893819|The Girls|Emma Cline|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1464528839s/26893819.jpg|42856015], with each tale being set in a similar timeframe, with mentions and allusions to the Manson murders, free love, etc. I actually preferred this novel and its intricate plot and characters, to whom I found myself growing quite attached. The story unfolds from the point of view of Lucy, Charlotte, and Iris, which allows us to get to know each of them. Each is different and beautiful in their own way.
Overall, I loved most of this book. It slowed for me about 3/4 through, but recovered by the end. Some of the characters' actions are frustrating, but it does not take away from its almost poetic nature. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and LibraryThing (thank you!).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Pretty Girls: A Novel in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Claire Scott leads a seemingly perfect life - she's beautiful and adored by her wealthy husband, Paul. However, Claire's life is shadowed by the disappearance of her eldest sister, Julia, over twenty years ago. Julia went missing while in college and was never seen again. In the aftermath, Claire lost not only Julia, but her other sister, Lydia, as the sisters have been estranged for years. As a result, Claire has clung to Paul and the comfort and security he provides . However, a new tragic event changes everything for Claire - and will eventually lead her to look at everything in her life differently, including Julia's disappearance and her relationship with Lydia.
I really enjoyed this novel - it's engaging and suspenseful: filled with twists and turns. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don't. It's a quick read, but not a particularly light one - be prepared for a dark read. The book is raw, violent, and even heartbreaking at points. Most of the story unfolds from Julia and Claire's point of view, but we also hear a little bit from their father between chapters. As the novel progresses, we learn not only about the present day mystery (which is captivating) but what happened to their sister, Julia, so long ago.
The book's strength is that it presents not only a compelling and interesting mystery tale, but a chilling portrait of its characters, as well. You get a good look into the lives of Lydia and Claire and their own psychological motivations. It goes beyond a thriller into a story of parenthood and sisterhood. Frankly, as a parent, there are parts of this book that break my heart and made me want to never let my children out of my sight! But, truly, that was what made it so good - it deftly portrayed the evil that can befall them in the world.
Some of the plot points are a bit fantastical and it suffers from the trope where Claire and Paul Scott just have unlimited financial resources, but overall, I found this one fascinating. Definitely a worthy read.
I really enjoyed this novel - it's engaging and suspenseful: filled with twists and turns. Sometimes you see them coming and other times you don't. It's a quick read, but not a particularly light one - be prepared for a dark read. The book is raw, violent, and even heartbreaking at points. Most of the story unfolds from Julia and Claire's point of view, but we also hear a little bit from their father between chapters. As the novel progresses, we learn not only about the present day mystery (which is captivating) but what happened to their sister, Julia, so long ago.
The book's strength is that it presents not only a compelling and interesting mystery tale, but a chilling portrait of its characters, as well. You get a good look into the lives of Lydia and Claire and their own psychological motivations. It goes beyond a thriller into a story of parenthood and sisterhood. Frankly, as a parent, there are parts of this book that break my heart and made me want to never let my children out of my sight! But, truly, that was what made it so good - it deftly portrayed the evil that can befall them in the world.
Some of the plot points are a bit fantastical and it suffers from the trope where Claire and Paul Scott just have unlimited financial resources, but overall, I found this one fascinating. Definitely a worthy read.