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Merissa (14182 KP) rated Poisoned Heart (Twisted Mafia Vows #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2026
POISONED HEART is the first book in the Twisted Mafia Vows series, but we did meet with Corvus previously in Damen and Killian's story, Christmas Mafia Prince.
I loved Corvus in that, so couldn't wait for this one. This one didn't quite hit the mark, but it wasn't far off. It depends on what you're looking for. If you want a story that's high on the Mafia side, then I'm guessing this won't work for you. However, if you're like me and were here for the banter and growing pains, then you're all good.
Corvus is full of black cat energy, or maybe that should be black raven energy, has been put in the closet for most of his life, and is still trying to live up to impossible standards set by his dead father. Dalton, on the other hand, is the golden retriever who just wants to cuddle. Okay, so maybe he's very good at 'other' things, but a cuddle never goes amiss. These two fall quickly and are incredibly protective of each other, even when it doesn't seem so. Plus, Dalton isn't above telling Corvus to pull his head back in when he's not being so nice.
I loved catching up with Damen and Killian, and the others, although I think Aspen is a marmite character. You will either love him or hate him. He annoys me, but I'm prepared to wait for his story before I judge!
So, to sum it up, a great romance that is light on the mafia, and up there for miscommunication and banter. A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend. Bring on the next!
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2026
I loved Corvus in that, so couldn't wait for this one. This one didn't quite hit the mark, but it wasn't far off. It depends on what you're looking for. If you want a story that's high on the Mafia side, then I'm guessing this won't work for you. However, if you're like me and were here for the banter and growing pains, then you're all good.
Corvus is full of black cat energy, or maybe that should be black raven energy, has been put in the closet for most of his life, and is still trying to live up to impossible standards set by his dead father. Dalton, on the other hand, is the golden retriever who just wants to cuddle. Okay, so maybe he's very good at 'other' things, but a cuddle never goes amiss. These two fall quickly and are incredibly protective of each other, even when it doesn't seem so. Plus, Dalton isn't above telling Corvus to pull his head back in when he's not being so nice.
I loved catching up with Damen and Killian, and the others, although I think Aspen is a marmite character. You will either love him or hate him. He annoys me, but I'm prepared to wait for his story before I judge!
So, to sum it up, a great romance that is light on the mafia, and up there for miscommunication and banter. A great read that I thoroughly enjoyed and definitely recommend. Bring on the next!
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2026
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Book Club (2018) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
A book club without a spine.
Let’s be clear before we start; I am NOT in the demographic that this film is aimed at. And judging from the general reactions of the cinema audience I shared this with – 90%+ of who were women aged over 50 – my views are NOT going to necessarily reflect the general view, since there seemed to be quite a few satisfied customers in the audience. But my personal view would be, if you’re going to make a light-hearted comedy aimed at the lucrative silver pound, then at least make it a good one. For this – for me – felt like 50 shades of lame.
The action – if we can stretch the use of English that far – revolves around the four middle-class white ladies (this film challenges neither class nor racial divides) who meet periodically with copious quantities of wine and goat-cheese stuffed tomatoes to discuss a book. Hotel owner Vivian (Jane Fonda, “Klute”, “On Golden Pond”) is making lots of love but is reluctant to commit to it herself; Diane (Diane Keaton, “”Annie Hall”, “Something’s Gotta Give”) is recently widowed and struggling against being pigeon-holed as an ‘old duffer’ by her two daughters; Sharon (Candice Bergen, “Soldier Blue”, “Miss Congeniality”) has devoted her life to her career as a high court judge at the expense of a physical relationship (“What happens to a vagina that hasn’t been used in 18 years?!”); and Carol (Mary Steenburgen (“Back to the Future Part III”) is in a sexless marriage with her recently retired husband Bruce (Craig T Nelson, “Get Hard“, “Poltergeist”).
Vivian introduces the book club to “50 Shades of Grey” and the book influences everyone’s lives in different ways.
What ensues is 100 minutes of double entendres (“You have a lethargic pussy” says a veterinarian… you get the level) as the four separate stories (bump and) grind towards their separate conclusions. There are one or too laugh-out-loud moments but the majority of the screenplay is merely smile-worthy: “Mostly harmless” as Douglas Adams would have said.
What IS good, which is the reason my rating won’t have a “1” in it, is that it does give a reason to see some of our more senior actors and actresses strut their stuff again on the main stage.
In terms of the lead performances, while Steenburgen is good, it is Candice Bergen who impresses most as a fine comic actress. More please! Fonda and Don Johnson (“Miami Vice”) were supposed to be a hot couple, but their acting to me appeared false and their chemistry non-existent: did they have a fight outside the trailer every morning? And Diane Keaton was… well… Diane Keaton: the ditzy old hippy shtick wore a bit thin for me by the end.
We also have appearances from the great Andy Garcia (“The Godfather Part III”, “Oceans 11”), Wallace Shawn (just SOOooo good as the sleazy mob lawyer in “The Good Wife/Fight”) and (best of all) Richard Dreyfuss (“Jaws”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”). Dreyfuss has merely a cameo, but I was just longing for more of his character.
Alicia Silverstone (“Clueless”, “Batman & Robin”) even turns up, but her character (together with her sister played by Katie Aselton) is so annoying and vacuous that it’s not easy to warm to her.
A standout – but not in a good way – is the special effects, with some of the dodgiest green screen work I’ve seen in many a year. Think “North by Northwest” quality….. but that’s nearly 60 years old!
So, it’s not a film I would run to see again, but I’m not going to pan it completely, since if you are of the demographic that enjoys such films, you may really enjoy this one. It reminds me somewhat of “It’s Complicated” – and that’s one of my wife’s personal favourites! It also addresses some key topics that will be of relevance to a senior audience, not normally addressed by movies: male impotence resulting from self-doubt; the need to keep a young and ever-inquiring mind; and the good times to be had by getting out and back in the game again after bereavement (yes, you know who you are and you know I’m addressing YOU here!).
The action – if we can stretch the use of English that far – revolves around the four middle-class white ladies (this film challenges neither class nor racial divides) who meet periodically with copious quantities of wine and goat-cheese stuffed tomatoes to discuss a book. Hotel owner Vivian (Jane Fonda, “Klute”, “On Golden Pond”) is making lots of love but is reluctant to commit to it herself; Diane (Diane Keaton, “”Annie Hall”, “Something’s Gotta Give”) is recently widowed and struggling against being pigeon-holed as an ‘old duffer’ by her two daughters; Sharon (Candice Bergen, “Soldier Blue”, “Miss Congeniality”) has devoted her life to her career as a high court judge at the expense of a physical relationship (“What happens to a vagina that hasn’t been used in 18 years?!”); and Carol (Mary Steenburgen (“Back to the Future Part III”) is in a sexless marriage with her recently retired husband Bruce (Craig T Nelson, “Get Hard“, “Poltergeist”).
Vivian introduces the book club to “50 Shades of Grey” and the book influences everyone’s lives in different ways.
What ensues is 100 minutes of double entendres (“You have a lethargic pussy” says a veterinarian… you get the level) as the four separate stories (bump and) grind towards their separate conclusions. There are one or too laugh-out-loud moments but the majority of the screenplay is merely smile-worthy: “Mostly harmless” as Douglas Adams would have said.
What IS good, which is the reason my rating won’t have a “1” in it, is that it does give a reason to see some of our more senior actors and actresses strut their stuff again on the main stage.
In terms of the lead performances, while Steenburgen is good, it is Candice Bergen who impresses most as a fine comic actress. More please! Fonda and Don Johnson (“Miami Vice”) were supposed to be a hot couple, but their acting to me appeared false and their chemistry non-existent: did they have a fight outside the trailer every morning? And Diane Keaton was… well… Diane Keaton: the ditzy old hippy shtick wore a bit thin for me by the end.
We also have appearances from the great Andy Garcia (“The Godfather Part III”, “Oceans 11”), Wallace Shawn (just SOOooo good as the sleazy mob lawyer in “The Good Wife/Fight”) and (best of all) Richard Dreyfuss (“Jaws”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”). Dreyfuss has merely a cameo, but I was just longing for more of his character.
Alicia Silverstone (“Clueless”, “Batman & Robin”) even turns up, but her character (together with her sister played by Katie Aselton) is so annoying and vacuous that it’s not easy to warm to her.
A standout – but not in a good way – is the special effects, with some of the dodgiest green screen work I’ve seen in many a year. Think “North by Northwest” quality….. but that’s nearly 60 years old!
So, it’s not a film I would run to see again, but I’m not going to pan it completely, since if you are of the demographic that enjoys such films, you may really enjoy this one. It reminds me somewhat of “It’s Complicated” – and that’s one of my wife’s personal favourites! It also addresses some key topics that will be of relevance to a senior audience, not normally addressed by movies: male impotence resulting from self-doubt; the need to keep a young and ever-inquiring mind; and the good times to be had by getting out and back in the game again after bereavement (yes, you know who you are and you know I’m addressing YOU here!).
The Lucky Ones (Unpredictable #2)
8.0
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Keston: I’m never lucky As a foster kid I bounced from home to home. My tattoo parlor is my...
Contemporary MM Romance
Underground Airlines
Book
"The most timely of alternate history novels. Ben Winters has created a spellbinding world that...
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Stitches in Time (The Deacon's Family, #2) in Books
Feb 24, 2021
I absolutely loved this book! Suzanne Woods Fisher is a new to me author and I was excited to read her new book. The characters were all unique and personable, I laughed and was sad with them. I felt like the characters were friends whom I knew by the end of the book. Not many authors I’ve read can do that for me. There were several different sets of characters that I got to meet in this book; after finishing I found out that several of the characters are in other books that Suzanne Woods Fisher has written, but I would definitely say you could read this one as a standalone.
Other interesting things about this book were the topics; The Amish taking in kids from foster care, struggles between newlyweds, dealing with Gods calling on your life… So many great topics and Suzanne Woods Fisher did a great job in my opinion of weaving them all together in a believable way. I loved her use of something unexpected coming up in life that you are totally unprepared for and God showing you how to use it for His good. I needed that reminder!
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for originality, the great sets of characters, and making me interested enough to get the rest of the series! I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one by Suzanne Woods Fisher.
I volunteered to read this book from Celebrate Lit it return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Other interesting things about this book were the topics; The Amish taking in kids from foster care, struggles between newlyweds, dealing with Gods calling on your life… So many great topics and Suzanne Woods Fisher did a great job in my opinion of weaving them all together in a believable way. I loved her use of something unexpected coming up in life that you are totally unprepared for and God showing you how to use it for His good. I needed that reminder!
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars for originality, the great sets of characters, and making me interested enough to get the rest of the series! I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one by Suzanne Woods Fisher.
I volunteered to read this book from Celebrate Lit it return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
Shuggie Bain
10.0
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It is 1981. Glasgow is dying and good families must grift to survive. Agnes Bain has always expected...
Merissa (14182 KP) rated The Cinders in Books
Mar 18, 2026
THE CINDERS is the latest book by D K Girl, set in the same world as The Diabolus Chronicles. You don't need to have read that series, though, to enjoy this story. It is a retelling of the original Chinese legend, Ye Xian.
Prince Xian is the thirteenth son of the emperor, but that doesn't give him any favours, especially after his mother dies. He is sent away to live with the sister of a Noble Consort, who was at odds with his mother. You can imagine how his life is. Song Lim is a shoemaker of renown, who is captivated by Prince Xian from the first moment. Xian's life will take him away from Song Lim, but will Song Lim follow his prince?
This was a rich and imaginatively woven story that is both sweet and slow-burning. Xian and Lim are ably supported by a host of wonderful characters, including but not limited to Sir William Black and Master Ren. Other characters don't play as big a role, but are important, nonetheless.
The one thing this book does is make me want to re-read The Diabolus Chronicles from beginning to end. I loved that series, and I love this book. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 18, 2026
Prince Xian is the thirteenth son of the emperor, but that doesn't give him any favours, especially after his mother dies. He is sent away to live with the sister of a Noble Consort, who was at odds with his mother. You can imagine how his life is. Song Lim is a shoemaker of renown, who is captivated by Prince Xian from the first moment. Xian's life will take him away from Song Lim, but will Song Lim follow his prince?
This was a rich and imaginatively woven story that is both sweet and slow-burning. Xian and Lim are ably supported by a host of wonderful characters, including but not limited to Sir William Black and Master Ren. Other characters don't play as big a role, but are important, nonetheless.
The one thing this book does is make me want to re-read The Diabolus Chronicles from beginning to end. I loved that series, and I love this book. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mar 18, 2026
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Redeemed ( Jenny Cooper 3) in Books
Apr 2, 2023
39 of 235
Book
The Redeemed (Jenny Cooper 3)
By M.R. Hall ( Matthew Hall)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A man's body is discovered in a church yard, the sign of the cross carved into his abdomen. Later he is found to be Alan Jacobs, a troubled psychiatric nurse. It seems to Jenny Cooper, Severn Vale District Coroner, this is likely to be an open and shut suicide case, but something tells her to probe a little deeper ...Then an enigmatic young priest, Father Lucas Starr, entreats Jenny to hold an inquest into the death of reformed porn actress, Eva Donaldson. Jenny's investigations will lead her to a powerful new religious group The Mission Church of God; and when it later emerges that Jacobs was also a member of the church, Jenny realises that more could link the deaths of these victims than she could have realised. Meanwhile Jenny must finally confront the demons of her past; and as her private life threatens to shatter, faces intense pressure from all angles to cease her investigations. But to Jenny Cooper, whose whole life has been governed by deception, the truth is everything..
I really like this series I really do but this one while it was good and I enjoyed it to a point it was just lacking a little. Seemed very rushed at the end and I’m not quite sure that the ending with Craven was needed. Maybe it’s just me? Overall I like the writing style and detail in his books I just wanted more from this. Still a decent read.
Book
The Redeemed (Jenny Cooper 3)
By M.R. Hall ( Matthew Hall)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
A man's body is discovered in a church yard, the sign of the cross carved into his abdomen. Later he is found to be Alan Jacobs, a troubled psychiatric nurse. It seems to Jenny Cooper, Severn Vale District Coroner, this is likely to be an open and shut suicide case, but something tells her to probe a little deeper ...Then an enigmatic young priest, Father Lucas Starr, entreats Jenny to hold an inquest into the death of reformed porn actress, Eva Donaldson. Jenny's investigations will lead her to a powerful new religious group The Mission Church of God; and when it later emerges that Jacobs was also a member of the church, Jenny realises that more could link the deaths of these victims than she could have realised. Meanwhile Jenny must finally confront the demons of her past; and as her private life threatens to shatter, faces intense pressure from all angles to cease her investigations. But to Jenny Cooper, whose whole life has been governed by deception, the truth is everything..
I really like this series I really do but this one while it was good and I enjoyed it to a point it was just lacking a little. Seemed very rushed at the end and I’m not quite sure that the ending with Craven was needed. Maybe it’s just me? Overall I like the writing style and detail in his books I just wanted more from this. Still a decent read.
Geomancist (7 Forbidden Arts #5)
10.0
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A drug lord is holding the woman he loves against her will. Paradise on an island in the Caribbean...
Dark Paranormal Erotica Romance
Aiming High: The Life of Ski and Travel Pioneer Erna Low
Mark Frary and Roger Lloyd Pack
Book
Erna Low, born in Vienna in 1909, was instrumental in starting what has become a multimillion pound...