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Christmas Mountain
Christmas Mountain
Garrett Leigh | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I blooody loved this book!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Ok So!

I'm not usually one for Christmas books, I'm really not, but something about the blurb pulled at me, and O>M>G I'm so freaking glad it did!

Rami and Fen work together in HMP Manchester. There is much flirting and then Fen makes a move. But life gets in the way and 18months later, Rami is driving up the mountain to see his sister with his 2-year-old nephew in the car. In a snow storm. Ill-prepared. And his car wrecks. And the Good Lord above sees fits to send an angel by the name of Fen to rescue him and Charlie who goes by the name of Fen.

What this is, right, is a beautifully written second chance at love story, it really is. I read it in one sitting and its 200 odd pages long.

Both Fen and Rami are smitten with each other, and they dance around each other for some time before life gets in the way and things happen and then Fen is gone. Rami never did know why. But finding him on his sister's mountain, is a gift sent at just the right time of year. The problem is, both Fen and Rami are carrying a huge amount of emotional and physical baggage.

It takes time for both men to fully get their stories out, and I really did like being made to wait for the full pictures to become clear. I don't like for everything to be thrown at me in one go.

I also loved being made to wait for Fen and Rami to finally, FINALLY have their moment, you know? I mean its full of emotions and steamy bits, but that's all they are for a long time: bits. But once they commit to each other, their relationship and being together, the steam level doesn't rack up too much, it just takes a slide into something more. Something deeper for these two.

I loved the connection to Rami and his sister, that Fen had and they didn't know. I LOVED the sister and her family!

I loved this book, I really did. I could rant and rave and go on and on and on and on andonandonandonandon.....but I won't cos spoilers do not a good review make.

So! For a Christmas book, with the L word bandied about quite early (something else I'm not a fan of!) I'm a big fan of this book!

5 full and shiny stars

same worded review will appear elsewhere​
  
Footwork
Footwork
TA Moore | 2023 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Bode's heart is in the right place, he just goes about it all wrong.
I was gifted my copy of this book.

Bode never claimed to be an angel. Serving time for his crimes, he's out on parole and finds himself in an illegal fight ring run by his parole officer. When his mum skips town, and the step father throws Bode's younger brother, Danny, out, Bode goes to the last person who might want to see him, but the one he knows won't say no to him, his ex Sonny.

Bode is an a$$hole. He knows it, Sonny knows it, even Danny knows it. But what I loved about Bode is he doesn't try to be anything else. He is what he is, and you take as he is. But deep down, Bode's heart is in the right place, he just goes about it all wrong.

He knows Sonny won't say no, and won't push him away, and he knows Sonny has a boyfriend (deputy boyfriend, it made me smile, Bode giving him that tag!) but Bode still pushes Sonny. To some extent, Sonny lets himself be pushed though, and Sonny knows that he will eventually give in. I liked that he does what he does BEFORE giving in though.

Danny is a character, and I loved that even at 14, he can see who Bode is. But I liked that he still has some child-like qualities: believing his mum will come home, especially. Not sure I liked mum, to be honest! I mean she does come good, but bloody hell, it's hardly surprising Bode is how he is with her for his mum.

Getting Bode out of the fighting ring comes top priority, and, as much as deputy boyfriend hates Bode, he does help. I liked how that all worked out. Not how I thought it was going to, to be honest so I love being kept on my toes there.

Given who Bode is and what he is doing, it is quite violent, but I think it really is needed to know just what he is going through. Steamy and smexy too!

Both Sonny and Bode have a say, so I'm happy about that cos I wasn't sure if Sonny would at one point!

It's been a while since I read a Moore book. I do like the way she spins her tales.

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Sealed with a Curse
Sealed with a Curse
Morgan Sheppard | 2022 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
beautifully written retell
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

If you follow my reviews, you'll know I love the books that are steamier and smexier and sometimes more violent. This book is neither, and I loved that fact that it wasn't!

I can't write a blurby bit, so not gonna bother, but I might rave a bit!

Selene is an old soul, I think, that she can, even when faced with the escalation of the bullying from the princes, NOT want them punished in the way they are. She wanted them to LEARN from it, yes, but not to the extent it was.

I loved that the Gods these people prayed to heard them, and stepped in. Loved that they had a voice too, even it was briefly! The bickering between the Sisters was wonderful to read.

Like it said, it's not steamy, there is the bullying in the beginning though, of Selene by the eldest brothers. It does get physical. Be mindful of that if you have triggers.

There is, though, MUCH love here. Selene loves her swans (as did I!) and the people around the castle. And in time, she does come to love Conway. Who, I thought, was a bit hedgey about why he came to the castle, and i thought there was more to him that there was, but it turns out I was reading between none-existent lines there!

It's full of description, in depth descriptions of people, places, flowers, even ribbons! I loved reading those. I could picture them, you know?

I loved all the supporting characters around the castle. I want to know what's got up a certain someone's behind, though, that was never made clear!

What I loved most though, was the interpretation of this tale. I never heard of this tale before, and at the end of this book, there is a bit about various versions and how they differ. I read that, and I loved that little bit of extra info.

There is also a bit that says we might hear from the brothers again, and I really want that! It would be nice to get into their heads, especially the eldest two, NOW rather than before. To see where they are at, and what they thought of their former selves.

All in all, a wonderful read, that kept me up way past my bedtime. I loved it, I really did. Bar Disjointed Lives, this is my favourite read by this author.

5 full and shiny, moon-touched stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Stronger Than Passion (Chesapeake Days #2) by Katherine McIntyre
Stronger Than Passion (Chesapeake Days #2) by Katherine McIntyre
Katherine McIntyre | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Nico messes up so bad!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in the Chesapeake Days series, but it can totally be read as a stand alone to book 1. Linc and Nate do pop up, but you don't need their story for this one to make sense. BUT! It was a bloody good read, and Nico is Linc's best friend.

After a less then stella first meeting, Nico and Hudson are at loggerheads. But being forced to collaborate on an event that will benefit both their businesses AND the town, they actually get to know each other and those snipes and barbs become less sharp and more flirty. Nico doesn't want a boyfriend, but that's all Hudson wants.

This is a proper enemies to lovers book and I loved it!

In book 1, this two, whenever they meet, have nasty comments to make to each other, but what I loved about this is, as they got to know each other, the meaning behind the barbs changed, and they become flirty, and it isn't too long before they realise they could be good for each other.

But they both carry some baggage: Nico's fear of relationships and falling in love (but that makes sense, once you get his whole story) and Hudson dealing with his male parental unit (you'll see why I do not want to call him a father) and things spiral for both of them.

Hudson messes up more than Nico, which surprised me, though. But when Nick DOES mess up, tis a doozy!

It's smexy and steamy, emotional and funny, and everything in between!

Both Nico and Hudson have a say, so we get it all. We get just how much Nico loves it when Hudson teases him. We get just when Hudson starts to see when Nico is much more than the business man he portrays. And while we have to wait far too bloody long, we do get an I love you!! Far too long I had to wait and I wasn't sure whether I would! So well played for keeping me on my toes, Ms McIntyre, well played.

So Jer, Nico's friend, still needs a story, but now I see Taran, Nico's brother, needs one cos something happened here that set all sorts of alarms off for me!

But I'm really not too fussed who's next, cos I'll read it, regardless!

5 full and shiny stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
The Devil
The Devil
Juls S.K. Vernet, Daniela Barisone | 2022 | Erotica, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Passed a very enjoyable, if slightly longer than usual for this page length book, couple of hours.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

A rare male Omega, Skylar becomes The Devil, an outlaw. Horace, an Alpha, is the Pinkerton tasked to capture him, and bring him in, dead or alive.

So, first things first.

This book is translated from Italian. English is my first (and only!) language and in places, it comes across as very proper. There is no slang, or abbreviations. Its all very correct, mind, just very PROPER. It does make for a slow read, for me, cos my mind was making it more . . .what's the word . . . . .common? I suppose that's the best fit. I kept translating the very proper English, into everyday.

It was, however, a very good read! I liked it, quite a lot.

Horace is Alpha, and a Pinkerton, and needs to bring in Skylar. But something about Sky's picture and then his scent throws Horace. He can't give the man up. Sky doesn't want an Alpha for his heat, he'll ride it out like always. But this heat is particularly bad, and Horace arrives at the right time. It's primal, their first mating.

I liked that things with Sky's gang aren't fully explained at first. It all comes out, just not in one go. It does take a little bit of time for things to fully be explained though, and I did manage to put some of the clues together correctly (for a change!)

I liked the world building, that Alphas and Omegas (both male and female) were dying out, given how the female Omegas were now treated. Betas are the dominant type. I liked that the war ran sorta along side the American civil war, that sort of time line.

It's well written and, proper speak aside, well delivered. It's short and steamy and both Horace and Sky get a say.

Passed a very enjoyable, if slightly longer than usual for this page length book, couple of hours.

I should mention, but it in no way affected my reading, is the formatting is slightly different to a standard form. It just looks different, is all. I know that some people have issues with stuff like that, and so I thought knowing ahead of time would make it easier. It certainly helped that I​ was given a heads up.

First I've read of these two authors, I will certainly read more.

4 good, but very proper, stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Tales of Bryant
Tales of Bryant
V.L. Locey | 2019 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
so bllody sweet, but so SO good!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Jumping straight in here, cos let me tell ya! This book landed on my kindle at silly o’clock on a Monday morning. I did not have to be at work for a couple of hours, so I jumped into read a few pages before I must move. And boom! Book finished before 930!

I loved this book! Bar one thing, but I will come back to that.

This is actually billed as four shorts, across the four seasons around Bryant Park in New York. It is, though, the story of a relationship that starts in Byrant Park, between Isamu and Brian, which spans the year.

And it is so bloody sweet! I mean, any sweeter, and it would be pure sugar!

Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s steamy, and sexy. It’s emotional and dreamy. It made me choke up in places and laugh in others. But my underlying feeling (ya’ll know I’m ALL about the book feelings!) was that this book was SWEET.

And I LOVED it!

Isamu is young, a student of film, delivering sweet treats to the park. Brian is an executive (not really clear of what, but hey, who cares!) He’s been oogling Isamu for months, and the feeling is entirely mutual. Isamu makes sure to be the one to deliver Brian’s treats to the park, just to get his own sweet fix. When Brian eventually plucks up courage to ask Isamu on a date, he jumps at the chance. The rest, they say, is history. Until that is, Brian says something that makes Isamu run.

My only niggle, the thing that stopped it getting the full 5 stars? Only Isamu has a say. And I really NEEDED Brian to have a voice! Isamu makes Brian think, challenge his own rules, makes him WANT to have that relationship he swore off so long ago, and I needed to hear him say WHY Isamu does these things. And he doesn’t. I’m all for saying if a single point of view book carries the full 5 stars, but here, I really needed Brian and I don’t get him.

Isamu though, is lovely! A sweet young man, trying to find his muse for his final assessment, his camera going everywhere with him. And I do mean EVERYWHERE! Loved that Brian was not at all phased by the camera in his face a huge amount of the time!

This author is fast becoming a favourite of mine, and I look forward to reading more!

4 very sweet, but very good stars

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
Take The Shot (Philadelphia Bulldogs #1)
Take The Shot (Philadelphia Bulldogs #1)
Danica Flynn | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
really good read x
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Sometimes, you just need a book that you just fall into, losing all around you, and reading about 2 people falling in love. And this is such a book.

Dinah lost her husband 2 years ago. Moving on seemed like a good idea, and a bad one, all at the same time. Her neighbour provides some eye candy, but he is so much younger than she is and she doesn't think he would want anything other than friendship. Noah lives in the next door apartment. Noah has lusted over Dinah for ages, but she was married, then widowed. He wasn't gonna make a move til she was ready. If she never did, he would be heartbroken, but he would rather have Dinah as a friend, than not at all.

This is a delightful read! I'm not the greatest fan of first person books, I make no secret of that, but I really rather loved this one!

Noah, bless him, 22 years old, lusts after Dinah, has done since he met her. But he kept it to himself, she was married. And after he died, he found himself helping her in more ways than he ever expected. But he waited, he WAS waiting for Dinah. Waiting for her to let him know she was ready to move on. He would wait, however long it took. Til his housemates gave him an ultimatum: Ask her out, or one of them would. They could see what Noah could not, that Dinah was lusting after Noah as much as Noah lusted after her. They just had to act on it.

And it is wonderful when they do! Yes, the attraction is powerful and hot, but there is much emotion here, not just steamy sex. There is much between these two, BEFORE they get to the bedroom, which would be spoilers to explain. And I really found those bits far better than the sexy bits, but thats not to say the sexy bits aren't good :-p

There is a supporting cast who have their own problems, and I hope they all get their story in this series.

The hockey bits, I will admit, I tended to flip over, but then something happened in one and I had to go back, so, yeah, I actually read the hockey bits after that!

There are a couple of lines that are repeated, more times than was really necessary. BUT! I've seen that this is the author's first book, so I'm not really complaining, I'm just saying!

A thoroughly enjoyable read, so for a first time author? Well done, Ms Flynn, very well done.

4 good solid stars

**same worded revivew will appear elsewhere**
  
40x40

Kristin (2 KP) rated Amazon Kindle in Apps

Mar 4, 2019  
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Kindle
Book
9
9.1 (292 Ratings)
App Rating
Ability to bookmark your page (4 more)
Customizable viewing
Book suggestions based on what's in your library
Easily navigate through your library by scrolling through titles, or search for what you're looking for.
Mobility of such a vast library
Awesome App For All of Your Digital Book Needs
Full disclosure: I LOVE BOOKS! Not the digital kind, but tangible books that I can hold in my hand. I cherish that "old book" smell as much as I do turning back the cover on a hardcover for the first time; with the knowledge that another's fingers have yet to turn its pages and become immersed in the story as I'm about to. I will always adore books.

Having said that? I can still fully appreciate the Kindle app for the convenience of reading on the go. Books are, of course, totally portable as well; However, let's say you're on vacation, or at the beach or park, and want to enjoy a book, or pick up where you left off with one that's at home for that matter. With the convenience of the kindle app you can open the app on your phone/tablet/laptop and download the book, or start a new one.

Suitcases have limited capacity, but the vastness of the internet allows you to access nearly any title with just a few clicks/taps. The customization options in Kindle make it even easier to read while on the go because you can adjust brightness, page color (black, white, sepia), text size, font, margins, etc. You don't have to worry about remembering your page number or having a bookmark handy either because the app allows you to bookmark your page. You can read any book anywhere- a novel, research for that history paper you've been procrastinating on, or the steamy new romance you've been waiting on - without having to worry about carrying them around. I don't know about you guys, but sometimes while on a lunch break I wished that I had brought a book with me (particularly if service is slow at a restaurant) so I'd open the Kindle app and find a book to read. My last positive point here is actually both good and bad... You don't have to worry about book lights or keeping the lamp on and annoying your partner if you're reading a book on your phone/tablet, but the flip side to that is there's less strain on your eyes when reading a hard copy book rather than digital.

There are only two downsides to the app and they're more due to my personal preference rather than anything with the app itself... with the prevalence of digital and audio books I've watched many beloved bookstores begin disappearing, or they have downsized to focus on selling digital. The second issue is that unlike with a physical book in hand you can't really tune everything else out (incoming calls and notifications) and lose yourself in whatever you're reading.
  
Pan (Neverland, #1)
Pan (Neverland, #1)
Gina L. Maxwell | 2019 | Erotica, Romance
10
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Fresh take on a beloved faery tale
I bought this book as part of #IndieApril. Unfortunately, my Advanced Reader Copy schedule was too tight, so I wasn’t able to read any of the books I bought until May. As you all know, my the last IndieApril book didn’t impress me, so I figured I would read something by an author that I’ve been dying to read.

Not going to lie, I’ve always wanted to read Gina L. Maxwell simply because she is fantastic to follow on Twitter. She engages with readers and is just so much fun to follow (seriously, you need to follow her @Gina_L_Maxwell). Even though I love her tweets, I was nervous to read one of her books. It’s like that moment when you meet a celebrity, you never know if they’re going to be what you expect or be a disappointment. Well, I can now say that Gina’s writing is perfect. I’m judging myself for taking this long to read one of her books.

Pan is one of my favorite books this year. It’s fun, bright, and the banter was phenomenal. I couldn’t help but swoon after Peter, want to be best friends with Wendy, and at times smack Tinkerbell. It was just perfect. I loved that this was a fresh take on Peter Pan that features no magic. Seriously, the only magic in this book is what Peter can do in the bedroom. Peter is a mechanic, that is sure to make you look at your mechanic differently. Every character that you loved in the original fairytale is in this book. Gina really brought together the aspects of the classic novel and intertwined them into a new unique take. There are so many callbacks to the classic that many Peter Pan fans will squee in enjoyment.

As you all know by now, I’m a sucker for good characters, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Each character is well written. They are not flawless, which makes the story more believable. I loved the chemistry between all of the characters. You can see the love between the Lost Boys, Tinkerbell, and Peter, which was really lovely to see.

The relationship between Wendy & Peter was beautiful to watch. I genuinely enjoyed watching them fall in love in both the past and the present. Seeing how each of them grew up was fascinating and incredibly well written. I also liked learning more about the relationship between Peter and Hook. They’re so similar yet different. I cannot wait to learn more about Hook in the next book! I hope that the comradery and differences are explored.

All in all, this was such a fun read. Gina L. Maxwell was able to put a fresh take on a beloved fairytale. It was steamy, and so much fun! I highly recommend this to any romance reader. Even if you’re not a fan of Peter Pan, this fresh take will make you fall in love.
  
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989)
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989)
1989 | Drama
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Intriguing Movie
A woman begins a torrid romance of infidelity and tries to keep it from her nefarious husband.

Acting: 10
There is a reason Helen Mirren is one of my favorite actresses. She can be vulnerable and powerful all in the same breath. She makes you sympathize with her character and champion for her to win. She plays Georgina, the wife of a thug. She hates her life and is longing for more. The way she expresses that longing is done in subtle fashion, yet you can feel exactly what she is feeling. There are a number of strong performances in the film, but none quite as strong as hers.

Beginning: 1
I couldn’t tell up from down when the movie started. I didn’t know what to think, who to hate, or who to root for. That all eventually became clear, but the beginning was very muddled and had me losing hope that the movie could be good. Good thing there’s more to this film than the first ten minutes.

Characters: 7
The title, of course, gives away the characters that dominate the story. Each character carries their own weight and adds a different value to the story. Outside of Georgina, I enjoyed watching Alan Howard act out his role of Michael the Lover. He has an air of ignorance with a touch of nobility. He’s a good guy that enjoys being alone, not realizing that he is looking for someone special in his life. That is, until he meets Georgina who turns his life upside down. The interactions between the two provide for a number of great scenes. And, no, I’m not just referring to the sex, although there are some steamy scenes.

Cinematography/Visuals: 10

Conflict: 8

Genre: 8
Definitely not the best drama I’ve seen, but hands-down, one of the most unique. I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like this movie. It’s different for a lot of reasons, but mainly in the way the film is shot which helps push the overall tone. It shines with a special kind of flare that sticks in your memory.

Memorability: 8

Pace: 5

Plot: 10
Unique story with an interesting twist. I appreciate when movies try and do something different, and that’s where (insert long title here) succeeds. It’s a gut-wrenching love story told with conviction and passion.

Resolution: 10
Can’t talk about this movie without talking about that ending. Wow, what an ending! Didn’t see it coming in the least. It was both unbelievable and gratifying at the same time. If you haven’t heard of or seen this movie, I won’t ruin it for you. I’ll just say prepare to be pleasantly shocked.

Overall: 77
A stronger beginning and a quicker pace could have made this movie excellent, but it’s still solid enough for a one-time watch. I can guarantee you The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.