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Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Blood Magic (The Blood Journals, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
Books should capture you from the first page, right? They should cause you to want to read more and not be able to put it down. They should also have important interesting things happening in every scene.
This is the problem with Blood Magic. The very first chapter was interesting: beyond interesting. It felt like I'd opened up to the middle. It threw me into the story with no explanation, no development, and no mental preparation. Because I didn't know the character I was reading about, it felt out of place and I just didn't care. The excitement was gone: it could have been dramatic if it was in Chapter 7, but it wasn't, it was in Chapter 1. The pacing felt off.
Same with the romance between the two main characters: It was way too smooth, way to fast, and there was no chemistry. They kissed a lot, but there was no chemistry, because there wasn't enough time for the tension between them to build.
I felt like the story didn't really get started until halfway through the book. I kept wondering "what's the point of all this?" See, stuff was happening, but there was no real plot. A plot is the main point of the story, and events link together to form it. Blood Magic had lots of events, but they didn't start connecting until late, and by that time I was tired of lots of kissing and cutting and looking at each other with go-go eyes.
On the good side, I did like the female protagonist, Silla. Her personality and her character were fun, her responses and reactions were plausible. The blood magic she performs was intriguing, as all magic is to me, and I enjoyed reading about it (however gruesome cutting yourself to use your blood for magic potions is).
However I am terribly disappointed. I expected much more from a Randomhouse book. The concept of Blood Magic had so much potential… but I feel disappointed and annoyed after hitting the halfway point. And the thing about reading is, why read something disappointing when I could read something that will please me? So I'm moving on.
This is the problem with Blood Magic. The very first chapter was interesting: beyond interesting. It felt like I'd opened up to the middle. It threw me into the story with no explanation, no development, and no mental preparation. Because I didn't know the character I was reading about, it felt out of place and I just didn't care. The excitement was gone: it could have been dramatic if it was in Chapter 7, but it wasn't, it was in Chapter 1. The pacing felt off.
Same with the romance between the two main characters: It was way too smooth, way to fast, and there was no chemistry. They kissed a lot, but there was no chemistry, because there wasn't enough time for the tension between them to build.
I felt like the story didn't really get started until halfway through the book. I kept wondering "what's the point of all this?" See, stuff was happening, but there was no real plot. A plot is the main point of the story, and events link together to form it. Blood Magic had lots of events, but they didn't start connecting until late, and by that time I was tired of lots of kissing and cutting and looking at each other with go-go eyes.
On the good side, I did like the female protagonist, Silla. Her personality and her character were fun, her responses and reactions were plausible. The blood magic she performs was intriguing, as all magic is to me, and I enjoyed reading about it (however gruesome cutting yourself to use your blood for magic potions is).
However I am terribly disappointed. I expected much more from a Randomhouse book. The concept of Blood Magic had so much potential… but I feel disappointed and annoyed after hitting the halfway point. And the thing about reading is, why read something disappointing when I could read something that will please me? So I'm moving on.
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Merissa (11950 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!
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Joshua and the Magical Forest (Portallas #1) in Books
Mar 16, 2018
Joshua and the Magical Forest (Portallas #1) by Christopher D. Morgan
Joshua and the Magical Forest is the first book in the Portallas series, and we are introduced to Joshua. He is a young man who wants to become a Woodsman. However, he has been having strange dreams in which a figure he believes to be his missing father, is being tortured and is in constant pain. He decides he needs to find his father before he continues with his plan to become a Woodsman. On his way through the Forest, he finds his best friend Andrew as a travelling companion, plus Galleon, one of the last Imps. Along the way, they meet Sarah, a young girl who talks, and giggles, way too much.
This was an easy read of a book, suitable for younger ages too. I personally would have preferred more information about the characters, and the tribal systems in place. For example, the 'uniforms' of the different castes - who wears what, what colours are involved? Are the colours of the castes the same in all the villages, or does each village have different colours too? If they are separate, how are they incorporated within each village?
This IS the first book in a series, and so it does end on a cliffhanger. The writing is very good, the pacing is smooth, and the transitions from one scene to the next flow nicely. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, barring the questions above. I enjoyed reading this story, and would recommend it to younger fans of Fantasy.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This was an easy read of a book, suitable for younger ages too. I personally would have preferred more information about the characters, and the tribal systems in place. For example, the 'uniforms' of the different castes - who wears what, what colours are involved? Are the colours of the castes the same in all the villages, or does each village have different colours too? If they are separate, how are they incorporated within each village?
This IS the first book in a series, and so it does end on a cliffhanger. The writing is very good, the pacing is smooth, and the transitions from one scene to the next flow nicely. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, barring the questions above. I enjoyed reading this story, and would recommend it to younger fans of Fantasy.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Emergence (Voodoo Butterfly #2) in Books
Oct 17, 2018
Emergence (Voodoo Butterfly #2) by Camille Faye
Emergence is the second book in the Voodoo Butterfly series, and we start pretty much where we left off. Sophia and Taj are still together, although things aren't quite as smooth as they were. However, trouble isn't far away, and Poppy ends up being injured. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and things quickly go downhill for Sophie. Add to that, Taj disappears mysteriously, quickly followed by Avi.
I'll be honest here, for a while I was worried this was going to become the ubiquitous love triangle, but Camille Faye managed to avoid that in this book. Now, I'm not saying it may not happen in the future, but for now, in this book, we're safe.
There is plenty of action and adventure in this book, possibly more than Voodoo Butterfly, and it is great to see Sophie growing in confidence and power. We also meet more of the Mambos, and find out more about them, which made for incredible reading.
I am absolutely loving this series, as it is exceptionally written, with no editing or grammatical errors that spoil my reading. The story is intricate and intriguing, definitely leaving me wanting more. With a great cast of supporting characters to round things off, there is simply nothing about this series/book that I don't like.
Fair warning though - there is still a mystery to solve regarding Taj, and it does end on a cliffhanger. I know something is going on with him, but I'll always be Team Jacques!
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 my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
I'll be honest here, for a while I was worried this was going to become the ubiquitous love triangle, but Camille Faye managed to avoid that in this book. Now, I'm not saying it may not happen in the future, but for now, in this book, we're safe.
There is plenty of action and adventure in this book, possibly more than Voodoo Butterfly, and it is great to see Sophie growing in confidence and power. We also meet more of the Mambos, and find out more about them, which made for incredible reading.
I am absolutely loving this series, as it is exceptionally written, with no editing or grammatical errors that spoil my reading. The story is intricate and intriguing, definitely leaving me wanting more. With a great cast of supporting characters to round things off, there is simply nothing about this series/book that I don't like.
Fair warning though - there is still a mystery to solve regarding Taj, and it does end on a cliffhanger. I know something is going on with him, but I'll always be Team Jacques!
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 my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
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Merissa (11950 KP) rated Alien Indiscretions (World of Kalquor #9) in Books
Oct 31, 2023
Alien Indiscretions is the ninth book in the Worlds of Kalquor series. I have read some of these before, but not all of them. I would recommend you read the series though, as previous characters and relationships are mentioned.
Crissy and Tasha are Jessica's cousins and have made their way to Kalquor to start a new life, one where they can be with whomever they wish. Crissy takes an instant dislike to one of the councillors but is more than happy to push them onto her twin. Of course, that doesn't happen, and Crissy and the Kalquorians need to figure a lot of things out while they still have the chance.
This is definitely a case of those who know, see a different person, because at first glance Crissy is uncouth, brash, and downright rude at times. However, those who know her, love her. And there is enough about her to catch the interest of two out of the three Kalquorians.
This story has a lot of backstory to it, with an overall story arc playing a BIG part of this story. For that reason, I would definitely recommend reading some of the others before this one. It was all well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pacing is smooth, and there are plenty of sexy scenes for your titillation.
If you have read any of these books before, then I can absolutely recommend it. If you haven't, then I still recommend it, but would suggest you start the series properly first.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 2, 2018
Crissy and Tasha are Jessica's cousins and have made their way to Kalquor to start a new life, one where they can be with whomever they wish. Crissy takes an instant dislike to one of the councillors but is more than happy to push them onto her twin. Of course, that doesn't happen, and Crissy and the Kalquorians need to figure a lot of things out while they still have the chance.
This is definitely a case of those who know, see a different person, because at first glance Crissy is uncouth, brash, and downright rude at times. However, those who know her, love her. And there is enough about her to catch the interest of two out of the three Kalquorians.
This story has a lot of backstory to it, with an overall story arc playing a BIG part of this story. For that reason, I would definitely recommend reading some of the others before this one. It was all well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. The pacing is smooth, and there are plenty of sexy scenes for your titillation.
If you have read any of these books before, then I can absolutely recommend it. If you haven't, then I still recommend it, but would suggest you start the series properly first.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jul 2, 2018
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Need You Now (Love's Paradise Series #1) in Books
Nov 10, 2017
Need You Now (Love's Paradise Series #1) by Dei Araujo
Need You Now is a romantic suspense story that involves the kidnapping of a child. The story moves along smoothly enough, and I really enjoyed the moments with Keyon. I have to say that the male characters in this book had a better depth and believability (yes, I know that's not a real word!) than the females one did. Amaranth had her moments, but she would insist on ignoring the advice/warnings of the professional, and rush headlong into danger. And Cassia was a one-dimensional character who didn't do much to the story and quickly disappeared from working with Nick to being with Roberto.
The story was a good one, and like I said, Keyon stole every scene he was in. The pacing was smooth, and there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. With an easy-going writing style, this is a book to read if you don't want anything too deep, but will keep you turning the pages. I did enjoy it, and would read more by this author.
* 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!
The story was a good one, and like I said, Keyon stole every scene he was in. The pacing was smooth, and there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. With an easy-going writing style, this is a book to read if you don't want anything too deep, but will keep you turning the pages. I did enjoy it, and would read more by this author.
* 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!
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Bound by Water: Pisces (Zodiac Shifters #6) in Books
Jun 20, 2017
Bound by Water: Pisces (Zodiac Shifters #6) by Monica La Porta
Bound by Water: Pisces is the second book in the Zodiac Shifters series that I have read, and I enter a new world with a new group of shifters that I can't wait to read more of. Ariel is a mortal and knows nothing of the paranormal world that lives in sync around her. Atreides is a merman, the last of his kind that he knows about. When these two meet on a moonlit night, he puts down their attraction to simple moon-lust. However, Ariel's life is about to change in a big way, and the paranormal world comes closer to home than either she or Atreides ever expected.
This is a great story that is smooth yet it moves at a swift pace. With a great supporting cast of characters that I long to know more about, there is enough in this story to satisfy and yet will definitely leave you wanting more. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a great story that is smooth yet it moves at a swift pace. With a great supporting cast of characters that I long to know more about, there is enough in this story to satisfy and yet will definitely leave you wanting more. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Dead of Winter (Aspen Falls #1) in Books
Mar 21, 2018
Dead of Winter (Aspen Falls #1) by Melissa Pearl & Anna Cruise
Dead of Winter is the first book in a new series called Aspen Falls, which is the name of the town Rosie Sweet returns to, even though she swore she never would. Life hasn't turned out how Rosie thought it would, and she seems to have an amazing knack of choosing the wrong men. When this lands her in deep water, she retreats to Aspen Falls, hoping that she will never be found. However, Aspen Falls is suffering a major drugs problem, and the two things just may be connected.
This is an easy-to-read romance suspense, with fade-to-black romance. Written with the combined talents of Melissa Pearl and Anna Cruise, I found their writing styles merged and complemented each other. I don't know who wrote what bit, and that doesn't bother me in the slightest. With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I enjoyed the pacing of this book. It felt very smooth as one scene transitioned to another. 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 my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is an easy-to-read romance suspense, with fade-to-black romance. Written with the combined talents of Melissa Pearl and Anna Cruise, I found their writing styles merged and complemented each other. I don't know who wrote what bit, and that doesn't bother me in the slightest. With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, I enjoyed the pacing of this book. It felt very smooth as one scene transitioned to another. 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 my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!