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Merissa (12919 KP) rated Viking Ink (Tewsbury Daddies #1) in Books
Apr 7, 2023 (Updated Apr 10, 2023)
VIKING INK is the first book in the Tewsbury Daddies series and is also this author's debut novel, which I find incredibly hard to believe! I loved this story and can't wait to dive back in!
Rhys and Simon fall into a relationship quickly - more quickly than Simon wanted but he is unable to resist Rhys' puppy-dog eyes. There is plenty of talk about their kink and how they want it to progress. Ree does regress quite a way, so if you like your Littles to be more Middles, then this is not the book for you. It also covers some difficult subjects so be aware of that. I thought it was all delicately handled and extremely well-written. The two sides of Rhys did come together so brilliantly, it was easy to see how Simon was bowled over.
Apart from the obvious angst, the relationship itself is low-angst, very sweet and tender, with some steamy moments that worked perfectly. I was left with questions about Liam but nothing was really necessary. I was just being greedy! I am hoping to see more of Rhys and Simon as the series progresses, especially so I can find out how the investigation is coming along. They really need to pay for their crimes!!
Obviously, Mitch and Cal deserve their story, but I also want Doc's as well as Officer Grumpy's. I am really looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next. HIGHLY 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!
April 7, 2023
Rhys and Simon fall into a relationship quickly - more quickly than Simon wanted but he is unable to resist Rhys' puppy-dog eyes. There is plenty of talk about their kink and how they want it to progress. Ree does regress quite a way, so if you like your Littles to be more Middles, then this is not the book for you. It also covers some difficult subjects so be aware of that. I thought it was all delicately handled and extremely well-written. The two sides of Rhys did come together so brilliantly, it was easy to see how Simon was bowled over.
Apart from the obvious angst, the relationship itself is low-angst, very sweet and tender, with some steamy moments that worked perfectly. I was left with questions about Liam but nothing was really necessary. I was just being greedy! I am hoping to see more of Rhys and Simon as the series progresses, especially so I can find out how the investigation is coming along. They really need to pay for their crimes!!
Obviously, Mitch and Cal deserve their story, but I also want Doc's as well as Officer Grumpy's. I am really looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next. HIGHLY 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!
April 7, 2023
Merissa (12919 KP) rated Not Another Soldier in Books
Apr 10, 2023
This is the story of Sienna and Nick. Nick is her dead husband's best friend although they haven't actually been that close over the past few years. Nick wants Sienna, and Sienna wants Nick, but she doesn't know if she can 'just' be a wife any more, especially an army wife. Nick however knows what he wants and isn't prepared to back down from a challenge.
On the whole, this was an enjoyable story that kept me reading. It's not one of the best that I've read but it definitely wasn't one of the worst. One of the things for me is that Sienna is quite a whingy character. Now I'm not saying she doesn't have the right, she really did have a scumbag of a husband but you see, my thing is, she is the one that made the choice to stay with him for all that time. Yes, I know she was leaving him when he died and it took his hands around his throat for her to do that but still... she knew he was cheating, it was a loveless marriage, yada yada yada and she STILL stayed. Nick deserves a medal, not for being a marine, but for keeping his mouth shut in such a situation.
Not Another Soldier is a relatively well-written and fast-paced novel. The characters are all well-rounded whether you like them or not. For me, it was a bit like a Chinese meal - satisfying at the time but hungry half an hour later.
* 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!
September 2, 2016
On the whole, this was an enjoyable story that kept me reading. It's not one of the best that I've read but it definitely wasn't one of the worst. One of the things for me is that Sienna is quite a whingy character. Now I'm not saying she doesn't have the right, she really did have a scumbag of a husband but you see, my thing is, she is the one that made the choice to stay with him for all that time. Yes, I know she was leaving him when he died and it took his hands around his throat for her to do that but still... she knew he was cheating, it was a loveless marriage, yada yada yada and she STILL stayed. Nick deserves a medal, not for being a marine, but for keeping his mouth shut in such a situation.
Not Another Soldier is a relatively well-written and fast-paced novel. The characters are all well-rounded whether you like them or not. For me, it was a bit like a Chinese meal - satisfying at the time but hungry half an hour later.
* 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!
September 2, 2016
Blazing Minds (92 KP) rated Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars (2017) in Movies
Nov 1, 2021 (Updated Nov 3, 2021)
Can it really be 20 years since Starship Troopers hit the big screens here in the UK? Well, it is indeed and after two live-action sequels and an animated movie, the fifth movie sticks with the CGI format and director Shinji Aramaki returns to the helm after Invasion, to bring us Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars and it’s not only Shinji that returns to the franchise, Casper Van Dien and Dina Meyer return to reprise their roles from the 1997 movie.
I know I can hear you saying, “hang on, Dizzy died in the first movie“, well yes she did, but Dizzy Flores has been brought back in such a wonderful way that ties this movie in very nicely to the original movies timeline.
The all-new military adventure has been penned by Ed Neumeier, who wrote the screenplay for the 1997 movie and also the brilliant Robocop, so with such a great team for this fifth outing, my hopes were up that this movie would be very much like the original movie, rather the sequels that were spawned from it.
The film takes place 20 years after the battle of Klendathu, now Rico (Casper Van Dien) has been demoted and is training the “Lost Patrol” at a station at Mars, but as always those pesky bugs are making their mark, the Federation fleet is too far away to help, so it’s down to Rico and his Troopers to keep the bugs at bay.
Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars is far from the previous movie from Shinji Aramaki, Invasion. Instead of being set on a battlecruiser and it feeling very confined, this movie takes us down to the planet surface, giving the animators to bring back the sheer hoards of bugs that we first saw in the 1997 live-action movie and boy are these bugs nicely done.
I know I can hear you saying, “hang on, Dizzy died in the first movie“, well yes she did, but Dizzy Flores has been brought back in such a wonderful way that ties this movie in very nicely to the original movies timeline.
The all-new military adventure has been penned by Ed Neumeier, who wrote the screenplay for the 1997 movie and also the brilliant Robocop, so with such a great team for this fifth outing, my hopes were up that this movie would be very much like the original movie, rather the sequels that were spawned from it.
The film takes place 20 years after the battle of Klendathu, now Rico (Casper Van Dien) has been demoted and is training the “Lost Patrol” at a station at Mars, but as always those pesky bugs are making their mark, the Federation fleet is too far away to help, so it’s down to Rico and his Troopers to keep the bugs at bay.
Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars is far from the previous movie from Shinji Aramaki, Invasion. Instead of being set on a battlecruiser and it feeling very confined, this movie takes us down to the planet surface, giving the animators to bring back the sheer hoards of bugs that we first saw in the 1997 live-action movie and boy are these bugs nicely done.
ClareR (5879 KP) rated Learned by Heart in Books
Sep 20, 2023
Learned by Heart is the fictionalised account of two women who really did exist: Eliza Raine and Anne Lister (also known as Gentleman Jack). I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator Shiromi Arserio, really brought the characters, all teenage girls for the most part, to life. Together with Emma Donoghue’s impeccable, compassionate writing, it made for an emotional and heartbreaking novel.
Both girls are outsiders: Eliza is an orphan of an English doctor and an Indian mother. Anne isn’t like any of the other girls, and doesn’t want to conform to expectations. They end up sharing a room and forge a close friendship. They eventually fall in love.
Anne is the person that Eliza is too shy to be. Eliza looks different - she’s darker skinned, and everyone knows that she was Indian. So she tries to avoid too much notice. Anne doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. Together they are able to make school more bearable.
Interspersed in the story of their time at school are Eliza’s letters written to Anne. Letters that are never sent. Eliza is in an asylum at a point in the future, and she doesn’t want the doctors to know about her relationship with Anne. These were such desperately sad parts - Eliza has lost Anne, perhaps partly due to her illness.
I thought the writing reflected the emotional inner life of teenagers so well. The overwhelming emotions and the fact that these were still children who were being forced to act as adult women in a regimented, emotionless setting.
I loved this. It was meticulously researched, and this enriched the story right up to its heartbreaking end. This really is well worth a read (or a listen!).
Both girls are outsiders: Eliza is an orphan of an English doctor and an Indian mother. Anne isn’t like any of the other girls, and doesn’t want to conform to expectations. They end up sharing a room and forge a close friendship. They eventually fall in love.
Anne is the person that Eliza is too shy to be. Eliza looks different - she’s darker skinned, and everyone knows that she was Indian. So she tries to avoid too much notice. Anne doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. Together they are able to make school more bearable.
Interspersed in the story of their time at school are Eliza’s letters written to Anne. Letters that are never sent. Eliza is in an asylum at a point in the future, and she doesn’t want the doctors to know about her relationship with Anne. These were such desperately sad parts - Eliza has lost Anne, perhaps partly due to her illness.
I thought the writing reflected the emotional inner life of teenagers so well. The overwhelming emotions and the fact that these were still children who were being forced to act as adult women in a regimented, emotionless setting.
I loved this. It was meticulously researched, and this enriched the story right up to its heartbreaking end. This really is well worth a read (or a listen!).
Merissa (12919 KP) rated EXSILIUM (Roma Nova Thriller #11) in Books
Mar 20, 2024
EXSILIUM is part of the Roma Nova series. I have read Inceptio but none of the others. I don't feel this impacted my enjoyment of the story or the characters.
Told in three separate parts by Maelia, Lucius, and Galla, this was a brilliant insight into how Rome could have been at the time when the old Gods were disappearing and the new Christos was taking over. I think the only thing that confused me was Maelia's story. The majority of it was incredibly well-written, but in the blurb, it says about him being a pagan traitor. It took me a while to understand that his backing the wrong emperor was also a fight between the two religions.
Full of hard times and sorrow, it is a story also full of hope, of working together to make things better - or at least, most of them did! The characters, whether you like them or not, are all relatable, especially considering the circumstances of their exile.
I found the epilogue to be perfect, giving me an update on all the characters I'd grown to love, while also jumping to the future to mention Inceptio. That was a surprise for me and made me want to read that story again, with the knowledge gained from this story.
A smooth pace and a full and well-rounded story and characters. Alison Merton is an author I never have a problem reading. 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 14, 2024
Told in three separate parts by Maelia, Lucius, and Galla, this was a brilliant insight into how Rome could have been at the time when the old Gods were disappearing and the new Christos was taking over. I think the only thing that confused me was Maelia's story. The majority of it was incredibly well-written, but in the blurb, it says about him being a pagan traitor. It took me a while to understand that his backing the wrong emperor was also a fight between the two religions.
Full of hard times and sorrow, it is a story also full of hope, of working together to make things better - or at least, most of them did! The characters, whether you like them or not, are all relatable, especially considering the circumstances of their exile.
I found the epilogue to be perfect, giving me an update on all the characters I'd grown to love, while also jumping to the future to mention Inceptio. That was a surprise for me and made me want to read that story again, with the knowledge gained from this story.
A smooth pace and a full and well-rounded story and characters. Alison Merton is an author I never have a problem reading. 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 14, 2024
Debbiereadsbook (1444 KP) rated Hidden Rooms in Books
May 3, 2024
4 very VERY good stars
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian via BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the author's debut novel, and I reckon she nailed it!
Riley's sister-in-law to be, Beth, is murdered, and her brother Ethan, is the prime suspect. Riley knows he's innocent, and sets about to prove it.
What I particularly liked about this, was being kept on my toes! Until it all came out, I didn't know whether Ethan did it or not!
Beth is keeping secrets, and those secrets cost her, but again, it takes time for things to come out.
Everything does take a time to come out, and I suggest, if like me, you weren't liking the slow pace, KEEP AT IT! It does speed up and move at pace. I am glad I kept with it.
Riley tells a great tale, even with this illness that rocks her through much of the book. I enjoyed her, especially as she is the only voice in the book. I liked the way the illness was dealt with, or not for much of the time!
I think I might not have enjoyed this so much had someone else had a say, which is contrary to my usual "I wanted to hear from everyone" thing, I know, but I really did like Riley.
It's well written, and well delivered. There is just enough suspense, once it kicks off, to keep you fully engaged and invested with this group of people.
As an ARC reader of many years, my primary genre is romance. Once in a while something different will come through and my interest is piqued. I am certainly glad I took this one on, and will absolutely read more by this author as and when.
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the author's debut novel, and I reckon she nailed it!
Riley's sister-in-law to be, Beth, is murdered, and her brother Ethan, is the prime suspect. Riley knows he's innocent, and sets about to prove it.
What I particularly liked about this, was being kept on my toes! Until it all came out, I didn't know whether Ethan did it or not!
Beth is keeping secrets, and those secrets cost her, but again, it takes time for things to come out.
Everything does take a time to come out, and I suggest, if like me, you weren't liking the slow pace, KEEP AT IT! It does speed up and move at pace. I am glad I kept with it.
Riley tells a great tale, even with this illness that rocks her through much of the book. I enjoyed her, especially as she is the only voice in the book. I liked the way the illness was dealt with, or not for much of the time!
I think I might not have enjoyed this so much had someone else had a say, which is contrary to my usual "I wanted to hear from everyone" thing, I know, but I really did like Riley.
It's well written, and well delivered. There is just enough suspense, once it kicks off, to keep you fully engaged and invested with this group of people.
As an ARC reader of many years, my primary genre is romance. Once in a while something different will come through and my interest is piqued. I am certainly glad I took this one on, and will absolutely read more by this author as and when.
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Beneath the Stands ( Sugarlake 2) in Books
Apr 7, 2024
66 of 220
Kindle
Beneath the Stands ( Sugarlake 2)
My Emily McIntire
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Elliot Carson left Sugarlake and has never looked back. Revered as the next big thing in basketball, Eli’s a star until an injury ends his career, sending him spiraling with no direction.
But he won’t go home.
He can’t.
Instead, he accepts a coaching gig at Florida Coast University, determined to leave his past behind. But fate has other plans when Becca, his sister’s best friend, shows up as a student and, even worse, becomes the new team manager.
Rebecca Sanger is the preacher’s daughter and the town's disappointment. When she ignores her family’s demands to come home, she’s cut off and needs a job so she can stay enrolled at FCU. She thought she had everything figured out, until Eli Carson—the person she hates more than anything in the world—ends up being her new boss.
Forced together, Becca and Eli’s hatred turns to heat, and they start an affair. But disaster quickly strikes, ripping them apart.
Years pass, and Becca’s back home, under her parent’s thumb, and living a mundane life. When Eli shows up out of the blue with a fiancée in tow, Becca is tasked with planning their wedding.
There’s only one problem.
Becca still loves Eli.
And he hates her.
A pretty decent read especially as lately I’ve struggled with romance. It was interlinked with book one so if you haven’t read it you will need to. It was good seeing conclusion to one story as well as it leading to the next. Flowed well and was a nice hit of that spice. It’s good to read a bit of spicy romance now and again.
Kindle
Beneath the Stands ( Sugarlake 2)
My Emily McIntire
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Elliot Carson left Sugarlake and has never looked back. Revered as the next big thing in basketball, Eli’s a star until an injury ends his career, sending him spiraling with no direction.
But he won’t go home.
He can’t.
Instead, he accepts a coaching gig at Florida Coast University, determined to leave his past behind. But fate has other plans when Becca, his sister’s best friend, shows up as a student and, even worse, becomes the new team manager.
Rebecca Sanger is the preacher’s daughter and the town's disappointment. When she ignores her family’s demands to come home, she’s cut off and needs a job so she can stay enrolled at FCU. She thought she had everything figured out, until Eli Carson—the person she hates more than anything in the world—ends up being her new boss.
Forced together, Becca and Eli’s hatred turns to heat, and they start an affair. But disaster quickly strikes, ripping them apart.
Years pass, and Becca’s back home, under her parent’s thumb, and living a mundane life. When Eli shows up out of the blue with a fiancée in tow, Becca is tasked with planning their wedding.
There’s only one problem.
Becca still loves Eli.
And he hates her.
A pretty decent read especially as lately I’ve struggled with romance. It was interlinked with book one so if you haven’t read it you will need to. It was good seeing conclusion to one story as well as it leading to the next. Flowed well and was a nice hit of that spice. It’s good to read a bit of spicy romance now and again.
Asiza Tait (139 KP) rated Where'd You Go, Bernadette? in Books
Feb 1, 2018
4.9 Stars out of 5
Bream Reading Club met tonight to review Where’d You Go Bernadette? By Maria Semple.
We all agreed that it is a brilliant book, thought provoking, satirical, profound and very well written. One thing we didn’t like was the cover of the book! It gave the impression that the target audience were those who love ‘chick lit’ or something trivial – something the book very well is not. We all agreed that we would not have picked it up if given the choice. In this case it was me who took a gamble and reserved the book and thankfully I hit upon a gem.
The book touches on many themes, the main one in our view being destruction and reconstitution. The 20 Mile House was the beginning of the destruction, of a house and a life, and it didn’t end until rebuilding truly began at the end of the book.
We saw the dilapidated state of the house at Straight Gate as a mirror for Bernadette herself. The house was barely liveable, certain areas were completely barricaded off because of being so hazardous and Bernadette’s tactics to get by in the house were the same type of skills she was using to get by in life. Ultimately the house would come down, and so does Bernadette, as only in that way can rebuilding begin.
The relationship between Bernadette and her neighbour Audrey is at once comedic and sad and perhaps even stereotypical of the super involved PTA mum not getting on with parents who are not as involved, no matter what their reasons may be. Audrey’s character is obnoxious at best but she does redeem herself and the reading club imagined that Bernadette and Audrey may get along quite well after the change in both their perspectives.
Coming to the relationship between Bernadette and Elgie (her husband) is a show of how a marriage falls apart when partners do not communicate with each other. Bernadette leans on ‘Manjula’ the virtual assistant to get normal life done and keeps it from Elgie as she knows he will only get mad about it. We found her behaviour to be reasonable considering what she had been through and was still going through. She clearly had depression, anxiety and was hiding away from life in general, especially being in trailer a great deal of the time. The only one who really understood her was Bee her daughter.
A moment in the book that irritated us badly was Elgie giving in and sleeping with this assistant. Yes, he was vulnerable and she was hero worshipping him and almost stalking him, but that is still a poor excuse and we labelled him weak willed. We also thought that perhaps in a small way he was getting back at Bernadette over her lying to him about ‘Manjula’ and exposing their identities and finances to a stranger, who in reality was not a virtual assistant but Russian criminals were posing as such.
The most steadfast relationship is between Bernadette and Bee. No matter what happens Bee with her astonishing level of maturity sees things for what they are and she is committed to Bernadette’s cause. She appears to be in denial about her mother’s disappearance but in reality she is the one who knows more than the adults.
The trip to Antarctica is where much of the hurt and miscommunication is finally resolved. Bee asks her father what the difference is between Manjula and Samantha 2 (his huge Microsoft project) which helps him to see that Bernadette’s transgression isn’t as unforgiveable as he thinks. During the trip Bee and her father’s relationships is mended, and Elgie himself finally sees hope in finding Bernadette and gives himself completely to it. Bee’s belief is completely vindicated. The happy ending is especially poignant because in Bee’s searching for her mother, Bernadette has had the time to find herself.
Bream Reading Club met tonight to review Where’d You Go Bernadette? By Maria Semple.
We all agreed that it is a brilliant book, thought provoking, satirical, profound and very well written. One thing we didn’t like was the cover of the book! It gave the impression that the target audience were those who love ‘chick lit’ or something trivial – something the book very well is not. We all agreed that we would not have picked it up if given the choice. In this case it was me who took a gamble and reserved the book and thankfully I hit upon a gem.
The book touches on many themes, the main one in our view being destruction and reconstitution. The 20 Mile House was the beginning of the destruction, of a house and a life, and it didn’t end until rebuilding truly began at the end of the book.
We saw the dilapidated state of the house at Straight Gate as a mirror for Bernadette herself. The house was barely liveable, certain areas were completely barricaded off because of being so hazardous and Bernadette’s tactics to get by in the house were the same type of skills she was using to get by in life. Ultimately the house would come down, and so does Bernadette, as only in that way can rebuilding begin.
The relationship between Bernadette and her neighbour Audrey is at once comedic and sad and perhaps even stereotypical of the super involved PTA mum not getting on with parents who are not as involved, no matter what their reasons may be. Audrey’s character is obnoxious at best but she does redeem herself and the reading club imagined that Bernadette and Audrey may get along quite well after the change in both their perspectives.
Coming to the relationship between Bernadette and Elgie (her husband) is a show of how a marriage falls apart when partners do not communicate with each other. Bernadette leans on ‘Manjula’ the virtual assistant to get normal life done and keeps it from Elgie as she knows he will only get mad about it. We found her behaviour to be reasonable considering what she had been through and was still going through. She clearly had depression, anxiety and was hiding away from life in general, especially being in trailer a great deal of the time. The only one who really understood her was Bee her daughter.
A moment in the book that irritated us badly was Elgie giving in and sleeping with this assistant. Yes, he was vulnerable and she was hero worshipping him and almost stalking him, but that is still a poor excuse and we labelled him weak willed. We also thought that perhaps in a small way he was getting back at Bernadette over her lying to him about ‘Manjula’ and exposing their identities and finances to a stranger, who in reality was not a virtual assistant but Russian criminals were posing as such.
The most steadfast relationship is between Bernadette and Bee. No matter what happens Bee with her astonishing level of maturity sees things for what they are and she is committed to Bernadette’s cause. She appears to be in denial about her mother’s disappearance but in reality she is the one who knows more than the adults.
The trip to Antarctica is where much of the hurt and miscommunication is finally resolved. Bee asks her father what the difference is between Manjula and Samantha 2 (his huge Microsoft project) which helps him to see that Bernadette’s transgression isn’t as unforgiveable as he thinks. During the trip Bee and her father’s relationships is mended, and Elgie himself finally sees hope in finding Bernadette and gives himself completely to it. Bee’s belief is completely vindicated. The happy ending is especially poignant because in Bee’s searching for her mother, Bernadette has had the time to find herself.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Alternity in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review is also on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
When I read the synopsis of Alternity by Mari Mancusi, I knew I would probably love this book! I wasn't wrong. This book is amazing!
Skye is just your average 18 year old girl. There's nothing that different about her. She has a fantastic boyfriend, she goes to school, and she works as a video games tester. She's been having these strange nightmares about being in a weird place. They're making her lose sleep until one day she actually wakes up in the place from her nightmare. Now she doesn't know who to trust. And why do people keep calling her Mariah?? Skye soon discovers she's arrived on another planet, and something sinister is going on.
The title to this book is great!! Alternity - like an alternative reality. It definitely fits right in with the story. From what I've heard, this book was originally released under the title of Moongazing. I'm glad the author decided to change the title as Alternity sounds like a much more interesting title.
I love the sci-fi feel of this cover. The picture of Skye on the front with a katana and the moon in the background is perfect for this story. I'm usually not a fan of just putting a pretty face on the cover, but it seems to work with this book.
I thought the world building and setting were fantastic!! The author has us believe that the planet of Terra is very much like Earth would be if there was to be some sort of post apocalyptic event. There's no sun, no sky...just bleakness. The underground bit of Terra is portrayed rather well with it being full of the poor people of Terra and those who have been mutated by radiation due to having to mine for the rich people.
The pacing for Alternity is beyond fantastic! In fact, I couldn't put this book down! Each chapter had me looking forward to the next as everything just flowed really well. Never, not even for one moment, was I even remotely bored reading Alternity.
The dialogue is fantastic in this book. I especially enjoyed the dialogue between Dawn and Skye. There are a few swear words but not many. The only minor annoyance I found was that at two points in the book, the author goes from using present tense to past tense.
The characters in this book are very believable. Skye was a great protagonist. She felt like a real person. In fact, I found myself wanting to be friends with her especially as we both have a love for video games! I love the fact that she started out a bit unsure of herself but throughout the story, she became a strong person. Dawn came across as a lovely guy. He wants what's best for his people, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect them. Duske makes an excellent villain. He's very charming, but he can be very very vile. He is very believable as being a bad guy, and he plays the role excellently.
Alternity by Mari Mancusi is a well executed book that will leave you feeling as if you are a part of the book. This is definitely one of those books that you have to read as you will not be disappointed!
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 16+, especially those who are fans of dystopian or post-apocalyptic novels. However, I feel this is one of those books that can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Now That You Mention It in Books
Jun 5, 2018
Lovely book with a great protagonist and supporting cast
Nora Stuart has overcome a lot. After a combination of relentless bullying and being overlooked and ignored in high school (even by her sister, Lily), she earned a scholarship to Tufts on her way to becoming a gastroenterologist. She thought the worst was behind her as she found happiness with her medical practice and her boyfriend, but then boom it all changed in a second--literally--when she stepped off a curb and was hit by a car. So she does the only thing she can think of: go home. For the first time in fifteen years, Nora finds herself back in Maine on Scupper Island, living with her Mom and sharing a room with her teenage niece, Poe. The townspeople still think of her as "Sharon's other daughter," and being home doesn't exactly bring back good memories. But Nora's banged up (inside and out); her younger sister is in jail; and Poe clearly could use some stability. Maybe, just maybe, coming home will be a much-needed chance to start over.
This is the type of book where you probably know how things will turn out (disgraced woman returns to her former home, which just happens to be an island). Still, in a way, I think they are the hardest to write, because, for me, they require such well-written plot with an excellent cast to pull it off. To get past it all, you need a really strong protagonist and a truly "lovable" love interest. You get all that in spades here. I'd never read a Kristan Higgins novel before, but had heard such good things about this book (especially from my Goodreads friend, Melissa) that I couldn't resist picking it up. I'm so glad I did. This novel was such a delight and such a good choice to read during my beach vacation with my daughters.
I really enjoyed Nora from the beginning: she felt real, and her love for her dog and her family was palatable. She made her job and her situation (which wasn't always easy) a pleasure to read. The supporting cast was also wonderful. Nora's mom is a total trip--I could just picture her reticent Maine self. Add in her niece, Poe, whom Higgins managed to keep from being a cliche, and another teenager, Audrey, who was a delight--I loved them. Even better, all the characters added to some hilarious moments, even among some of the serious parts of the book. There were some downright laugh out loud scenes in this book, particularly a dinner party on Nora's boat--featuring some great moments with her fellow Scupper Island residents--and a ham dinner at her Mom's. I couldn't believe how into the story I was or how funny and real all these people felt. Nora's love of Harry Potter was rather endearing as well.
The novel also dealt with its serious moments deftly as well. Nora has to overcome so much (almost an overload it felt), and the book handled the serious parts appropriately, with both gravitas and humor. She was a strong character, and I found myself very touched by some sweet pieces in the novel. There's a lot more to this one than meets the eye with its sunny cover.
Overall, this was a lovely book--fun yet serious--with a great protagonist and a wonderful supporting cast. It was downright laugh out loud funny at parts and just a refreshing, enjoyable read. I'm kicking myself for not requesting Higgins' latest ARC but will certainly be reading a lot more of her books in the future.
This is the type of book where you probably know how things will turn out (disgraced woman returns to her former home, which just happens to be an island). Still, in a way, I think they are the hardest to write, because, for me, they require such well-written plot with an excellent cast to pull it off. To get past it all, you need a really strong protagonist and a truly "lovable" love interest. You get all that in spades here. I'd never read a Kristan Higgins novel before, but had heard such good things about this book (especially from my Goodreads friend, Melissa) that I couldn't resist picking it up. I'm so glad I did. This novel was such a delight and such a good choice to read during my beach vacation with my daughters.
I really enjoyed Nora from the beginning: she felt real, and her love for her dog and her family was palatable. She made her job and her situation (which wasn't always easy) a pleasure to read. The supporting cast was also wonderful. Nora's mom is a total trip--I could just picture her reticent Maine self. Add in her niece, Poe, whom Higgins managed to keep from being a cliche, and another teenager, Audrey, who was a delight--I loved them. Even better, all the characters added to some hilarious moments, even among some of the serious parts of the book. There were some downright laugh out loud scenes in this book, particularly a dinner party on Nora's boat--featuring some great moments with her fellow Scupper Island residents--and a ham dinner at her Mom's. I couldn't believe how into the story I was or how funny and real all these people felt. Nora's love of Harry Potter was rather endearing as well.
The novel also dealt with its serious moments deftly as well. Nora has to overcome so much (almost an overload it felt), and the book handled the serious parts appropriately, with both gravitas and humor. She was a strong character, and I found myself very touched by some sweet pieces in the novel. There's a lot more to this one than meets the eye with its sunny cover.
Overall, this was a lovely book--fun yet serious--with a great protagonist and a wonderful supporting cast. It was downright laugh out loud funny at parts and just a refreshing, enjoyable read. I'm kicking myself for not requesting Higgins' latest ARC but will certainly be reading a lot more of her books in the future.