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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Twisted in Books
Sep 24, 2020
This book is a first stand-alone novel, written by Steve Cavanagh, following Maria, Paul, and Daryl in finding out who is the true LeBeau, a mysterious author, who writes amazing thrillers, but nobody ever saw him, and no one knows who that man really is. The book is told from multiple perspectives, and I really enjoyed the ability to read all the character’s thoughts. The characters chosen for this book were not very likeable and quite flawed as well, but the author manipulated them perfectly.
The plot of this book was absolutely insane. (In a good way!) It did not allow my mind to settle even for a moment. When I thought I knew what was going on, the author threw in gigantic twists, which changed EVERYTHING! This book was the twistiest book I ever read! The plot changes constantly and I really didn’t know what to believe anymore! 😀 I really liked, that the writer writes about a writer’s life. It is interesting to see, how much of the reality goes into the books. 🙂
Steve Cavanagh proved multiple times that he is amazing at what he does, and his writing style is absolutely absorbing. The chapters have a very decent length and didn’t leave me bored whatsoever. The book is set in a very peaceful environment, but it is not peaceful at all. The ending was an absolute jaw-dropper and I loved it!
To conclude, it is hard to review it without spoilers because this novel is a mirage, incredibly twisted, suspenseful, and you can not believe a single word you read. 😀 I absolutely loved this book, it left me shook and book hungover for at least a few days! Just get it and read it, I am pretty sure you won’t regret it.
The plot of this book was absolutely insane. (In a good way!) It did not allow my mind to settle even for a moment. When I thought I knew what was going on, the author threw in gigantic twists, which changed EVERYTHING! This book was the twistiest book I ever read! The plot changes constantly and I really didn’t know what to believe anymore! 😀 I really liked, that the writer writes about a writer’s life. It is interesting to see, how much of the reality goes into the books. 🙂
Steve Cavanagh proved multiple times that he is amazing at what he does, and his writing style is absolutely absorbing. The chapters have a very decent length and didn’t leave me bored whatsoever. The book is set in a very peaceful environment, but it is not peaceful at all. The ending was an absolute jaw-dropper and I loved it!
To conclude, it is hard to review it without spoilers because this novel is a mirage, incredibly twisted, suspenseful, and you can not believe a single word you read. 😀 I absolutely loved this book, it left me shook and book hungover for at least a few days! Just get it and read it, I am pretty sure you won’t regret it.
Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear
Book
"Part memoir, part history, part documentary, part impassioned manifesto...it might be the most...
Merissa (13765 KP) rated The Captain's Pet (Alien Slave Masters #1) in Books
Apr 13, 2023
First of all, this book comes with a Reader Advisory - TAKE NOTE OF IT! Seriously, this book is not for everyone and contains scenes that may trigger. Don't think that the advisory is put there for the fun of it because it isn't, believe me.
The story itself is completely sci-fi. Earth has become overcrowded and colonists are sent out to various planets that have been discovered. One such planet, Seven, where our main character Wid comes from, has apparently been colonised by the Travians. War ensues between the humans and the Travians, resulting in a mindless act of vandalism that results in Wid and his associates being taken aboard the Travians' ship.
What happens next is why the advisory is there. There is a lot of violence and rape, although it is incredibly well-written. I won't say anything else about that part but this IS dark and it does come with an advisory.
As the story progresses, you see that some of the boys, Wid included, start to actually have a relationship with their captors. This doesn't feel like Stockholm Syndrome to me, mainly because of how it is written with each of the boys' personalities and experiences taken into account. You learn more about the Travian way of life and, indeed, the Travians learn more about the humans and why they won't just leave Seven even after they've been defeated.
I enjoyed this book, and even if parts of it did make me uncomfortable, I'm glad I stuck with it. I would certainly be interested in going further with this series. I can't emphasise enough though - TAKE NOTE OF THE ADVISORY!!
* 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!
Jun 29, 2015
The story itself is completely sci-fi. Earth has become overcrowded and colonists are sent out to various planets that have been discovered. One such planet, Seven, where our main character Wid comes from, has apparently been colonised by the Travians. War ensues between the humans and the Travians, resulting in a mindless act of vandalism that results in Wid and his associates being taken aboard the Travians' ship.
What happens next is why the advisory is there. There is a lot of violence and rape, although it is incredibly well-written. I won't say anything else about that part but this IS dark and it does come with an advisory.
As the story progresses, you see that some of the boys, Wid included, start to actually have a relationship with their captors. This doesn't feel like Stockholm Syndrome to me, mainly because of how it is written with each of the boys' personalities and experiences taken into account. You learn more about the Travian way of life and, indeed, the Travians learn more about the humans and why they won't just leave Seven even after they've been defeated.
I enjoyed this book, and even if parts of it did make me uncomfortable, I'm glad I stuck with it. I would certainly be interested in going further with this series. I can't emphasise enough though - TAKE NOTE OF THE ADVISORY!!
* 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!
Jun 29, 2015
The Ostin Prince (Isle of Ostin #2)
8.0
Rate It
Book
When he was nine years old, Arbor Ostin ran for his life, even though the memories of that fateful...
Paranormal MM Romance
Merissa (13765 KP) rated Spring Melt in Books
Feb 11, 2026 - 8:54 PM
SPRING MELT is a standalone historical crime story that tells you about Ella and the horrific act forced upon her at 9-years-old. Nineteen years later, three men are being held accountable for the murder of her r@pist. Was it really planned, or did fate play a part?
This was an amazing story that drew me in and kept my attention from the very first chapter. Normally, I wouldn't say anything about being happy with a divorce/separation in the first few pages, but this one I celebrated! Not only that, but I was with Ella every step of the way as she found herself and the peace needed to move on with her life.
The glimpse into the 1920s social system, the job of a lumberjack, plus how if you had money, you could even buy a Not Guilty verdict (if it even got that far!) was so incredibly written, I was completely engrossed.
Ella is surrounded by an amazing supporting cast of characters, including but not limited to the wonderful Will. Hooper, although not around too much, was also a firm favourite. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Maddox, as he made me question what was right and wrong, both morally and legally. The epilogue at the end made my eyes leak in the best way.
Told from multiple perspectives, this was outstanding in every way. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, and although I have no personal knowledge of the Adirondacks, I can honestly say I feel as though I've now been there.
** 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!
Feb 11, 2026
This was an amazing story that drew me in and kept my attention from the very first chapter. Normally, I wouldn't say anything about being happy with a divorce/separation in the first few pages, but this one I celebrated! Not only that, but I was with Ella every step of the way as she found herself and the peace needed to move on with her life.
The glimpse into the 1920s social system, the job of a lumberjack, plus how if you had money, you could even buy a Not Guilty verdict (if it even got that far!) was so incredibly written, I was completely engrossed.
Ella is surrounded by an amazing supporting cast of characters, including but not limited to the wonderful Will. Hooper, although not around too much, was also a firm favourite. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes with Maddox, as he made me question what was right and wrong, both morally and legally. The epilogue at the end made my eyes leak in the best way.
Told from multiple perspectives, this was outstanding in every way. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, and although I have no personal knowledge of the Adirondacks, I can honestly say I feel as though I've now been there.
** 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!
Feb 11, 2026
Lee (2222 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Mar 9, 2019
Following the traumatic and devastating events of last years Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel finally arrives on our screens with huge expectation, anticipation and excitement. As Nick Fury was reduced to dust in the final moments of Infinity War, along with half of all living things in the universe, we saw that he'd just managed to send out an SOS message. The recipient of that message was revealed to be Captain Marvel, so far absent from the cinematic universe but labelled outside of it as "Marvel's biggest female hero", and "quite possibly Marvel's mightiest Avenger". With mad Titan Thanos still on the loose, and half of all life to restore, there's clearly a great deal resting on her shoulders. Thankfully we'll get to see how that all plays out in just over a month when Endgame hits our cinemas, but in the meantime we need to get up to speed on the origins of Captain Marvel.
But this isn't your standard origin story. When we first join Captain Marvel, or Vers as she is currently known, she is already part of the Kree Starforce, fighting alongside her mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) as they take on shape-shifting enemies, the Skrulls. She already has a considerable amount of power, although she has no memory of how exactly she came about it, or of any kind of life preceding it. Following an early morning bit of fight training, with Yon-Rogg urging her to try and control her emotions and her power, it's straight into the action as the Starforce team are sent out on an important field mission. Things don't quite go according to plan though, and when they're ambushed by a group of Skrulls, Vers is kidnapped by Skrull commander Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and taken to their ship for interrogation.
The interrogation has a kind of Total Recall effect on Vers - unlocking memories of her life as a child, growing up with friends, military training and more. She manages to mount an escape, fleeing the ship and crash landing on planet C-53 (or as we know it, Earth), along with a bunch of Skrulls. She lands in the middle of a Blockbuster video store, with the Skrulls landing on a nearby beach and assuming the shape of some surfing humans in order to blend in with the locals. It's not long before the dramatic arrival has drawn the attention of a couple of SHIELD agents by the name of Fury and Coulson, both looking a lot younger than we're used to, due to the fact that we're in 1995. The de-aging effect, used sparingly but impressively in previous Marvel movies is simply incredible here, given that it is being relied upon for the entire movie in order to make the young Nick Fury believable. And it totally works too.
Up until this point in the movie, I felt that it was all just a little bit bland. We don't really get much time to get acquainted with our hero, or the alien world she inhabits, and the space-team-field-mission elements have all been done previously, and much better, in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Coincidentally, Ronan and Korath who star in those movies both appear early on in Captain Marvel, providing some nice backstory for them and a link to the rest of the cinematic universe. It's only when Vers arrives on Earth, and teams up with Nick Fury in order to stop the Skrull invasion, that the movie really finds its footing, becoming a great deal more interesting and enjoyable. Things really lighten up too, accompanied by a great 90s soundtrack and giving off a cool 90s buddy cop movie vibe. It's also great to see Nick Fury acting much less serious and having a lot more to do than in previous Marvel movies. As for Vers, we finally begin to learn a lot more about her too as she begins to piece together her forgotten history and learn more about her life on Earth as Carol Danvers.
The movie is made all the more fun by a couple of very good additional characters. Ben Mendelsohn is outstanding as Talos, providing just the right combination of menace and humour. Special mention also for Goose the cat, who joins Danvers and Fury on their journey. Although, if you're familiar with the comics (where he is known as Chewie), you'll know that there's more to him that meets the eye and he literally manages to steal every single scene he's in, providing some of the movies laugh out loud and surprising moments.
The final third of the movie is where things really kick in though with Carol Danvers unlocking her full potential, despite being repeatedly told throughout life that she's too emotional and too weak. Unleashing hell in an epic, breathtaking and extremely satisfying space battle. With just over a month to go until the release of Endgame, Thanos better be scared. He's not going to know what hit him!
But this isn't your standard origin story. When we first join Captain Marvel, or Vers as she is currently known, she is already part of the Kree Starforce, fighting alongside her mentor Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) as they take on shape-shifting enemies, the Skrulls. She already has a considerable amount of power, although she has no memory of how exactly she came about it, or of any kind of life preceding it. Following an early morning bit of fight training, with Yon-Rogg urging her to try and control her emotions and her power, it's straight into the action as the Starforce team are sent out on an important field mission. Things don't quite go according to plan though, and when they're ambushed by a group of Skrulls, Vers is kidnapped by Skrull commander Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and taken to their ship for interrogation.
The interrogation has a kind of Total Recall effect on Vers - unlocking memories of her life as a child, growing up with friends, military training and more. She manages to mount an escape, fleeing the ship and crash landing on planet C-53 (or as we know it, Earth), along with a bunch of Skrulls. She lands in the middle of a Blockbuster video store, with the Skrulls landing on a nearby beach and assuming the shape of some surfing humans in order to blend in with the locals. It's not long before the dramatic arrival has drawn the attention of a couple of SHIELD agents by the name of Fury and Coulson, both looking a lot younger than we're used to, due to the fact that we're in 1995. The de-aging effect, used sparingly but impressively in previous Marvel movies is simply incredible here, given that it is being relied upon for the entire movie in order to make the young Nick Fury believable. And it totally works too.
Up until this point in the movie, I felt that it was all just a little bit bland. We don't really get much time to get acquainted with our hero, or the alien world she inhabits, and the space-team-field-mission elements have all been done previously, and much better, in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Coincidentally, Ronan and Korath who star in those movies both appear early on in Captain Marvel, providing some nice backstory for them and a link to the rest of the cinematic universe. It's only when Vers arrives on Earth, and teams up with Nick Fury in order to stop the Skrull invasion, that the movie really finds its footing, becoming a great deal more interesting and enjoyable. Things really lighten up too, accompanied by a great 90s soundtrack and giving off a cool 90s buddy cop movie vibe. It's also great to see Nick Fury acting much less serious and having a lot more to do than in previous Marvel movies. As for Vers, we finally begin to learn a lot more about her too as she begins to piece together her forgotten history and learn more about her life on Earth as Carol Danvers.
The movie is made all the more fun by a couple of very good additional characters. Ben Mendelsohn is outstanding as Talos, providing just the right combination of menace and humour. Special mention also for Goose the cat, who joins Danvers and Fury on their journey. Although, if you're familiar with the comics (where he is known as Chewie), you'll know that there's more to him that meets the eye and he literally manages to steal every single scene he's in, providing some of the movies laugh out loud and surprising moments.
The final third of the movie is where things really kick in though with Carol Danvers unlocking her full potential, despite being repeatedly told throughout life that she's too emotional and too weak. Unleashing hell in an epic, breathtaking and extremely satisfying space battle. With just over a month to go until the release of Endgame, Thanos better be scared. He's not going to know what hit him!
Merissa (13765 KP) rated Hustle of the Gunman [Galaxia Pirates 4] (Galaxia Pirates #4) in Books
Mar 6, 2018
![Hustle of the Gunman [Galaxia Pirates 4] (Galaxia Pirates #4)](/uploads/profile_image/7ab/ec7f7982-bbbc-45f5-aac5-8d73cdf3e7ab.jpg?m=1522335045)
Hustle of the Gunman (Galaxia Pirates #4) by A.M. Halford
Hustle of the Gunman is the fourth book in the Galaxia Pirates series. In this instalment, we have the exact opposite of insta-love. Instead, Darrel has been in love with Toby for over eight years, but Toby wants nothing to do with him. Toby finally succeeds in pushing him away, only to have a change of heart and realise Darrel is who he wants after all. There are reasons for him pushing Darrel away, but nothing that is explained in too much detail. In fact, it is just skimmed over, which is a shame when it has impacted his life to such an extent. It is during a job that goes wrong that Toby realises exactly how much Darrel means to him, and is determined to show him, just so long as Darrel survives.
There were parts of this book that I loved - the longing from afar between both Toby and Darrel, and Toby's mastery of knives, for example. Unfortunately for me, it was never explained why he mastered them. What drew his interest to knives and swords, in this space age of laser guns etc? And although his upbringing was rough, why did it impact his life for so long?
This was well written, don't get me wrong. The pacing was smooth, and it was action-packed. There are moments of steam, as well as tenderness. The characters are familiar but I'm still learning new things about them with each book. I would recommend this book as I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. However, it just didn't 'push my buttons' like some of the other stories have.
* 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!
There were parts of this book that I loved - the longing from afar between both Toby and Darrel, and Toby's mastery of knives, for example. Unfortunately for me, it was never explained why he mastered them. What drew his interest to knives and swords, in this space age of laser guns etc? And although his upbringing was rough, why did it impact his life for so long?
This was well written, don't get me wrong. The pacing was smooth, and it was action-packed. There are moments of steam, as well as tenderness. The characters are familiar but I'm still learning new things about them with each book. I would recommend this book as I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. However, it just didn't 'push my buttons' like some of the other stories have.
* 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!
A Year of Living Happily: Week-by-Week Activities to Unlock the Secrets of a Happier Way of Being
Book
Experience a year of discovering how to swap worry and anxiety for joy and contentment using this...
Sygic Argentina, Chile, Uruguay: GPS Navigation
Navigation and Travel
App
THE MOST DOWNLOADED OFFLINE NAVIGATION APP IN THE WORLD! "This software has ratings too low for what...
The Billionaire's Sham Girlfriend
10.0
Rate It
Book
Gregor Beaumont is in a world of hurt that all the charm in his gorgeous, well-toned body can’t...