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Merissa (13956 KP) rated Geomancist (7 Forbidden Arts #5) in Books
Jun 8, 2023
Sean is our Geomancist, but he can't access his power any longer, following a traumatic event with his twin sister. He is desperate to own the bar he works in, so he can fulfil his dream. Then Asia walks into his life, and tells him that SHE wants the bar - to change it into a spa to fulfil HER dream! The race is on to see which will raise the money first, and be the owner of the bar/spa.
To do this they have to do something that neither of them wanted to - attend a week-long private party on a private island owned by a Columbian drug lord. Things don't go according to plan and the book takes a sinister twist. Parts of this story are incredibly 'uncomfortable' to read, as well as hot and spicy bits of the story.
It unfolds in a way that could only be written by Charmaine Pauls, she keeps you guessing and the story moving in ways that you just don't anticipate. Absolutely thrilling and heart-wrenching, this story is a fantastic addition to the Seven Forbidden Arts series. Highly recommended and I'm already looking forward to the next book!
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 1, 2016
To do this they have to do something that neither of them wanted to - attend a week-long private party on a private island owned by a Columbian drug lord. Things don't go according to plan and the book takes a sinister twist. Parts of this story are incredibly 'uncomfortable' to read, as well as hot and spicy bits of the story.
It unfolds in a way that could only be written by Charmaine Pauls, she keeps you guessing and the story moving in ways that you just don't anticipate. Absolutely thrilling and heart-wrenching, this story is a fantastic addition to the Seven Forbidden Arts series. Highly recommended and I'm already looking forward to the next book!
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 1, 2016
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Dark Sky Island (Jennifer Dorey Mystery #2) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
The protagonists in this novel were Jenny and Michael. Jenny is a journalist who’s curiosity and wish of a great story always leads her to very unpleasant situations. Michael is a DCI, who is leading the murder investigations on Sark, a little island with less than 500 people. I really enjoyed Jenny’s character in this novel, I liked her informal way of gathering the information and her smartness in “connecting the dots”. Michael is smart, but his lack of fitness didn’t allow him to be the DCI I enjoy reading about.
The novel starts quite slow, and it takes a while for both of these characters to gather decent information. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel, it was quite refreshing after the slow beginning. I really liked the way the author described Sark, the streets, the houses, the people, it is visible that she knows a lot about life on an island. I also really liked the horror element and the folk stories used in this book, it was very interesting to read about them, and the unexplained chilling creatures gave this mysterious vibe about the whole island.
The writing style of this book is very pleasant and easy to read, even though the author used quite a few French names in it, which I had no idea how to pronounce. 😀 At times, the novel felt a little like a cosy mystery, but towards the end, this changed drastically. I really liked the surprising and unexpected ending of the book, it rounded this novel extremely well. The chapters were quite long at times, but new findings and plenty of action later on in the book helped, and the pages just flew by.
So, to conclude, even though this is a second book, it can be read as a stand alone easily. The setting and the characters are very well picked for this novel, and the plot thickens as you carry on reading. It is a good book full of small island life, unexpected discoveries, twists, and I really liked it.
The novel starts quite slow, and it takes a while for both of these characters to gather decent information. I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel, it was quite refreshing after the slow beginning. I really liked the way the author described Sark, the streets, the houses, the people, it is visible that she knows a lot about life on an island. I also really liked the horror element and the folk stories used in this book, it was very interesting to read about them, and the unexplained chilling creatures gave this mysterious vibe about the whole island.
The writing style of this book is very pleasant and easy to read, even though the author used quite a few French names in it, which I had no idea how to pronounce. 😀 At times, the novel felt a little like a cosy mystery, but towards the end, this changed drastically. I really liked the surprising and unexpected ending of the book, it rounded this novel extremely well. The chapters were quite long at times, but new findings and plenty of action later on in the book helped, and the pages just flew by.
So, to conclude, even though this is a second book, it can be read as a stand alone easily. The setting and the characters are very well picked for this novel, and the plot thickens as you carry on reading. It is a good book full of small island life, unexpected discoveries, twists, and I really liked it.
Blow Up the Frog
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Over 1 million downloads worldwide! The first ever hyper realistic frog-blowing simulator! The...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2540 KP) rated Death by Coffee (Bookstore Cafe Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Best friends Krissy and Vickie have moved to Pine Hills and opened a bookstore and coffee shop. They’ve even named it Death by Coffee after one of Krissy’s dad’s bestselling mystery novels. But they find themselves in a real life mystery on their first day in business when a customer buys a cup of coffee, takes it to his office across the street, and dies. Krissy will have to act fast to clear their shop of any wrong doing in the crime.
The book sounded like fun, and I really wanted to like it, but the truth it is turned out to be average. The plot was a little uneven at times, but it still advanced to a great and logical climax. The suspects were good, but most of the series regular characters were a bit flat. Krissy did some embarrassing things that made me cringe, and her cat was annoying. Here’s hoping the series gets better as it goes along.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-death-by-coffee-by-alex.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book sounded like fun, and I really wanted to like it, but the truth it is turned out to be average. The plot was a little uneven at times, but it still advanced to a great and logical climax. The suspects were good, but most of the series regular characters were a bit flat. Krissy did some embarrassing things that made me cringe, and her cat was annoying. Here’s hoping the series gets better as it goes along.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/05/book-review-death-by-coffee-by-alex.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2540 KP) rated Meet Your Baker (A Bakeshop Mystery, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
After years at sea, Jules Capshaw has returned to Ashford, Oregon. While she figures out what to do with her life, she is helping her mother with Torte, the family bakeshop. But she’s hardly back in town before she meets Nancy Hudson. Nancy is a new member of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival board, and she is obnoxious, picking fights with everyone she meets. When Jules finds Nancy one more in Torte’s kitchen, there are quite a few suspects. But with the police focuses on Jules’s friends, she starts to investigate herself in order to find out the truth. Can she do it?
I’ve long heard of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and I’d love to go sometime. Until that happens, this is a great alternative. The characters are wonderful and already fully formed, although I do feel like part of Jules’s backstory isn’t strong enough for her actions. But that’s probably just me. The plot is good, although it was a little weak at the end. Still, everything is wrapped up in a logical way.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-review-meet-your-baker-by-ellie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I’ve long heard of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and I’d love to go sometime. Until that happens, this is a great alternative. The characters are wonderful and already fully formed, although I do feel like part of Jules’s backstory isn’t strong enough for her actions. But that’s probably just me. The plot is good, although it was a little weak at the end. Still, everything is wrapped up in a logical way.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/07/book-review-meet-your-baker-by-ellie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Blade Runner 2049 (2017) in Movies
Feb 24, 2018
Pretty visuals are just not enough any more
As usual I am late to the party as to just watching this movie tonight, but I was not impressed overall.
In the days of every high budget movie now has striking visuals the last 15 years, it is not impressive enough to me to just have a movie look good. I am all about nonlinear storytelling, or movies that are vague and not all tied up in a know at the end, but this movie just felt like it was missing something.
I'm sure Harrison Ford got a health paycheck (as he always says on all the talk shows he's on promoting his films these days) to reprise his role from Ridley's Scott's 1982 classic, but he really doesn't have much to work with here. This time Deckard is a hideaway recluse with some loose ends in his life.
This film puts to rest some of the hanging threads in the many versions of the original film and there are a few surprises too.
Overall, I would say interesting film with some cool visuals, but ultimately disappointing.
In the days of every high budget movie now has striking visuals the last 15 years, it is not impressive enough to me to just have a movie look good. I am all about nonlinear storytelling, or movies that are vague and not all tied up in a know at the end, but this movie just felt like it was missing something.
I'm sure Harrison Ford got a health paycheck (as he always says on all the talk shows he's on promoting his films these days) to reprise his role from Ridley's Scott's 1982 classic, but he really doesn't have much to work with here. This time Deckard is a hideaway recluse with some loose ends in his life.
This film puts to rest some of the hanging threads in the many versions of the original film and there are a few surprises too.
Overall, I would say interesting film with some cool visuals, but ultimately disappointing.
Leah (: (569 KP) rated Wolves and Roses (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum book 1) in Books
Sep 15, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It follows the story of Bryar Rose a human girl who should be following a Sleeping Beauty life template, however Bryar has different ideas.
This book is not a re telling of Sleeping Beauty it has lots of different elements that make the story unique. The story has quite a few secrets and mysteries which was good as the reveals were often a surprise. The story was quite fast paced which kept it engaging and the ending was not rushed.
I liked Bryar’s character as I found her a realistic teenage girl. She gets a bit boy crazy but not to the point that she loses her character. She likes to ignore/ put off some of her problems and pretend she is normal when things get a bit too crazy. I enjoyed seeing her friendship with Elle as it did show her more mature side.
This book is part of a series so most of Bryar’s story is resolved there is a novella and another book left of Bryar before we move onto Elle’s story. So I imagine the big storyline which effects other characters will still take a while to finish.
This book is not a re telling of Sleeping Beauty it has lots of different elements that make the story unique. The story has quite a few secrets and mysteries which was good as the reveals were often a surprise. The story was quite fast paced which kept it engaging and the ending was not rushed.
I liked Bryar’s character as I found her a realistic teenage girl. She gets a bit boy crazy but not to the point that she loses her character. She likes to ignore/ put off some of her problems and pretend she is normal when things get a bit too crazy. I enjoyed seeing her friendship with Elle as it did show her more mature side.
This book is part of a series so most of Bryar’s story is resolved there is a novella and another book left of Bryar before we move onto Elle’s story. So I imagine the big storyline which effects other characters will still take a while to finish.
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Cold Granite (Logan McRae #1) in Books
Dec 19, 2019
Gritty Police procedural.
If you are not going to manage with descriptions of horrendous crimes committed against young children though I would step away from this one.
Listening to the audio of this book narrated by Steve Worsley felt a lot like curling up in front of the TV to watch a post-watershed BBC police procedural series set in Scotland. If you like a good dark down to earth police procedural then this may well be up your alley.
Logan McRae is just returning to work following sustaining horrific injuries in the line of duty and is thrown straight back into the thick of it when the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered. Numerous threads, involving various cases and a smattering of personal life then intertwine to give a very solid down to earth police procedural. OK, I could of done with Logan being a bit less obsessed with every bit of leg he saw but for the time and place set probably fairly accurate…
First in a long-running series and as there's not much on the TV at the minute I'm on board for more of these
Listening to the audio of this book narrated by Steve Worsley felt a lot like curling up in front of the TV to watch a post-watershed BBC police procedural series set in Scotland. If you like a good dark down to earth police procedural then this may well be up your alley.
Logan McRae is just returning to work following sustaining horrific injuries in the line of duty and is thrown straight back into the thick of it when the mutilated body of a young boy is discovered. Numerous threads, involving various cases and a smattering of personal life then intertwine to give a very solid down to earth police procedural. OK, I could of done with Logan being a bit less obsessed with every bit of leg he saw but for the time and place set probably fairly accurate…
First in a long-running series and as there's not much on the TV at the minute I'm on board for more of these
JT (287 KP) rated My Lovely Wife in Books
Mar 11, 2020
Early Twist Will Leave You Wanting More
I told myself this year that I would read more. I'm trying to write my own thriller so thought it would be good to get some tips from a few unknown authors to get a bit of inspiration - so far I haven't been disappointed.
My Lovely Wife does something that I haven't come across yet - it drops the twist within the first chapter. It's a bold move but certainly, a clever one as it leaves the reader wondering what the rest of the story is going to entail. In this one a married couple is a pair of serial killers working together, while at the same time trying to live a normal family life, raising their two kids and going to work.
Things go a bit pear-shaped when they try to resurrect someone from the past that the town they are living in know all too well. Throw in a few more late twists and you have a cracking thriller which I guarantee you won't put down. I would love to see a film made of this.
My Lovely Wife does something that I haven't come across yet - it drops the twist within the first chapter. It's a bold move but certainly, a clever one as it leaves the reader wondering what the rest of the story is going to entail. In this one a married couple is a pair of serial killers working together, while at the same time trying to live a normal family life, raising their two kids and going to work.
Things go a bit pear-shaped when they try to resurrect someone from the past that the town they are living in know all too well. Throw in a few more late twists and you have a cracking thriller which I guarantee you won't put down. I would love to see a film made of this.
Math - Multiplication table
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An easy way for kids to learn multiplication table. With "Math - Multiplication table" your child...