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Taryn K (441 KP) rated Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu Volume 2 (manga) in Books
May 15, 2022 (Updated May 15, 2022)
The characters are well written (1 more)
The world is beginning to expand.
Another quiet slice-of-life night at Izakaya Nobu
Much like volume 1, volume 2 of Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu takes us to the pub that sits between modern Japan and the rather medieval city of Aitheria. Again, we have Japanese, German, and English food terms going on, which keeps life interesting, but the explanations are handy, so there is minimal chance of confusion.
The book starts off with one of the soldiers from volume 1, Hans, stopping by the pub after training only to find out it's 'Kisu Day'. Hans is surprised to see Chef Nobu deep frying the tempura-battered fish and putting it on paper, which is a very expensive commodity in Aitheria. The little details really make this series special, I think.
In chapter 2, "Thief", we meet a new helper, a young girl trying to help out her family, named Effa. There is a bit of confusion, but we get to meet the new deacon in town, who has already become a regular.
Chapter 3, "An Uninvited Guest", Chef Nobu learns a 'new' recipe, and we are reminded that Shinobu can cook as well. A pompous little man and his gourmet aristocrat boss stop by in search of the Ankake Yudofu that pleased the bride-to-be in volume 1, as she praised it at her wedding. Each chapter builds ties to other people or builds ties between Shinobu/Chef and the regulars, which Is another thing I love. Ankake Yudofu is out of season, as it is no longer winter, so schnitzel is apparently just the ticket, if Chef just knew what it is.
Chapter 4, "Quarreling Craftsmen", sees two new characters introduced. Holga, a glassmaker who heard about Izakaya Nobu from the tax collector Gehrnot, who enjoyed the 'Spaghetti Napolitan' in volume 1, and Han's father, a woodworker named Laurenz. They spend most of the chapter arguing and trying each other's dishes, but it is a friendly rivalry that gets settled down by a surprising person.
Chapter 5, "The Commander's Weakness", is hilarious due to more puns on squid than I ever thought could be made, but Commander Bertholdt has to conquer his fear of squid before his arranged marriage to the daughter of a fisherman. Such a good chapter. One of my favorites. "He squidn't!"
Chapter 6, "Effa in Wonderland", sees Effa going through the back door of the pub into modern Japan. Not much cooking in this chapter, but we find out a little more about how the pub ended up being in two places at once. Thankfully, she gets back to Aitheria safe and sound.
I'm not completely sure about this being a review as much as a rundown of what happens. It's just a feel-good series, with just a hair of drama, but nothing that can't be resolved in a chapter or perhaps two. The characters are likeable, for the most part, and those who aren't are meant to be unlikeable. The interpersonal relationships are fun to see revealed. Definitely a good pre-bed book. 😊
The book starts off with one of the soldiers from volume 1, Hans, stopping by the pub after training only to find out it's 'Kisu Day'. Hans is surprised to see Chef Nobu deep frying the tempura-battered fish and putting it on paper, which is a very expensive commodity in Aitheria. The little details really make this series special, I think.
In chapter 2, "Thief", we meet a new helper, a young girl trying to help out her family, named Effa. There is a bit of confusion, but we get to meet the new deacon in town, who has already become a regular.
Chapter 3, "An Uninvited Guest", Chef Nobu learns a 'new' recipe, and we are reminded that Shinobu can cook as well. A pompous little man and his gourmet aristocrat boss stop by in search of the Ankake Yudofu that pleased the bride-to-be in volume 1, as she praised it at her wedding. Each chapter builds ties to other people or builds ties between Shinobu/Chef and the regulars, which Is another thing I love. Ankake Yudofu is out of season, as it is no longer winter, so schnitzel is apparently just the ticket, if Chef just knew what it is.
Chapter 4, "Quarreling Craftsmen", sees two new characters introduced. Holga, a glassmaker who heard about Izakaya Nobu from the tax collector Gehrnot, who enjoyed the 'Spaghetti Napolitan' in volume 1, and Han's father, a woodworker named Laurenz. They spend most of the chapter arguing and trying each other's dishes, but it is a friendly rivalry that gets settled down by a surprising person.
Chapter 5, "The Commander's Weakness", is hilarious due to more puns on squid than I ever thought could be made, but Commander Bertholdt has to conquer his fear of squid before his arranged marriage to the daughter of a fisherman. Such a good chapter. One of my favorites. "He squidn't!"
Chapter 6, "Effa in Wonderland", sees Effa going through the back door of the pub into modern Japan. Not much cooking in this chapter, but we find out a little more about how the pub ended up being in two places at once. Thankfully, she gets back to Aitheria safe and sound.
I'm not completely sure about this being a review as much as a rundown of what happens. It's just a feel-good series, with just a hair of drama, but nothing that can't be resolved in a chapter or perhaps two. The characters are likeable, for the most part, and those who aren't are meant to be unlikeable. The interpersonal relationships are fun to see revealed. Definitely a good pre-bed book. 😊
When I got the chance to read Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai, I jumped at the chance. My 7 (almost 8) year old sometimes has some big emotions. I figured this would be a great book for us to read together to help him navigate those emotions.
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides starts off with a guide for adults and a guide for kids on how to use the book to their advantage. It talks about inner guides which are any type of thing that can help you. It also talks about guards which are the negative feelings and emotions we all experience. Although the book is short in length, it does a very good job at discussing what guides we can use to help squash our guards and help us. Along the way, the author shares some tips and tools to help overcome the guards. Mine and my son's favorite tool was the tapping method. I really felt that both adults and kids can do this method quite easily to help them overcome any number of guards such as fear, anxiety, or any other horrible feeling. There's also a handy guide for teaching children (and/or adults) how to meditate. Desai also goes into just enough detail about different types of guards and guides that can help both adults and children understand what's going on. She never uses language that is too difficult to understand, nor does she drone on and on. This helps so much to keep the book flowing throughout and to help keep children's minds from wandering which they are prone to do quite often. One thing I do want to mention is I felt like my son was a little too young to understand some of the concepts and apply them. However, I do think that if he were a couple of years older, he would be the perfect age. I also think this might just depend on the emotionally maturity of the child as well.
The illustrations in Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides are fabulous! James Ballance shows how talented he is with each and every drawing. The illustrations are fun and help to keep kids engaged. The drawings are very helpful in making sure Desai's words are being understood. My son and I liked the way the illustrations were aimed towards kids his own age instead of being drawn for babies. (His words, not mine.) Each illustration helps to show what each section in the book is about. Just the drawings alone are worth reading this book!
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides is a very informative guide that is extremely helpful for children and adults! It's written in a language that is easy to understand yet drives the point across. With it's excellent illustrations and well written (and researched) passages, this book should be in every therapist's library and every home library. Basically, just put this book in every library. I would definitely recommend Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai to everyone aged 10+ who would love to get in touch with their feelings. This is one book you don't want to miss!
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides starts off with a guide for adults and a guide for kids on how to use the book to their advantage. It talks about inner guides which are any type of thing that can help you. It also talks about guards which are the negative feelings and emotions we all experience. Although the book is short in length, it does a very good job at discussing what guides we can use to help squash our guards and help us. Along the way, the author shares some tips and tools to help overcome the guards. Mine and my son's favorite tool was the tapping method. I really felt that both adults and kids can do this method quite easily to help them overcome any number of guards such as fear, anxiety, or any other horrible feeling. There's also a handy guide for teaching children (and/or adults) how to meditate. Desai also goes into just enough detail about different types of guards and guides that can help both adults and children understand what's going on. She never uses language that is too difficult to understand, nor does she drone on and on. This helps so much to keep the book flowing throughout and to help keep children's minds from wandering which they are prone to do quite often. One thing I do want to mention is I felt like my son was a little too young to understand some of the concepts and apply them. However, I do think that if he were a couple of years older, he would be the perfect age. I also think this might just depend on the emotionally maturity of the child as well.
The illustrations in Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides are fabulous! James Ballance shows how talented he is with each and every drawing. The illustrations are fun and help to keep kids engaged. The drawings are very helpful in making sure Desai's words are being understood. My son and I liked the way the illustrations were aimed towards kids his own age instead of being drawn for babies. (His words, not mine.) Each illustration helps to show what each section in the book is about. Just the drawings alone are worth reading this book!
Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides is a very informative guide that is extremely helpful for children and adults! It's written in a language that is easy to understand yet drives the point across. With it's excellent illustrations and well written (and researched) passages, this book should be in every therapist's library and every home library. Basically, just put this book in every library. I would definitely recommend Connected: Discovering Your Inner Guides by Seema Desai to everyone aged 10+ who would love to get in touch with their feelings. This is one book you don't want to miss!
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Smolder (Underground Encounters #1) in Books
Nov 7, 2017
Smolder (Underground Encounters #1) by Lisa Carlisle
Smolder is the first book in the Underground Encounters series, and we start off this new series with a blast - quite literally! Nike, and her best friend Maya, are the only two firefighters where they work, and they both like 'alternative' music. So whenever they get some time off, they go to Vamps, the best 'alternative' club. Nike is a very shy person, which is often mistaken for her being bitchy. So when she sees the man she has been lusting after from the local rock-climbing club at Vamps, she stumbles over her words. Things move quickly between them, and the story really kicks in.
This is a fast-paced novella, and that really is my only complaint about this book! I would have loved to have known more. I loved Nike, and her common-sense, no-nonsense, approach to something that she seriously wasn't expecting. Michel is a perfect partner for her, a case of opposites attracting. With attraction, danger, lust, and supernaturals, this book was very well written, drawing the reader into the world without any trouble. There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed this first novella. Looking forward to the next book in this series. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
This is a fast-paced novella, and that really is my only complaint about this book! I would have loved to have known more. I loved Nike, and her common-sense, no-nonsense, approach to something that she seriously wasn't expecting. Michel is a perfect partner for her, a case of opposites attracting. With attraction, danger, lust, and supernaturals, this book was very well written, drawing the reader into the world without any trouble. There were no editing or grammatical errors that I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed this first novella. Looking forward to the next book in this series. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Autumn (430 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Jan 2, 2018 (Updated Jan 2, 2018)
80s references (2 more)
Immersive world building
Not just for gamers
A bit too much referencing (1 more)
Would have liked to know what the winner did with the money after the game was over
I wasn’t alive in the 80s and am not a gamer, but I still got sucked into this book. I have seen a lot of 80s movies and heard of a lot of the consoles and games mentioned, so I was able to catch/understand most of the references. A lot of world building went into this, both inside and outside the OASIS simulation, and I think it was done well. I wish it had gone into what happened after the game was over. Did the winner try to help fix this dystopian society or just buy a big mansion, live like a king and watch the rest of the world burn? I’m glad the main character was from Oklahoma, my home state, and from a city only about 2 to 3 hrs from where I live. Oklahoma isn’t usually a popular place for movies or books to take place so it was nice to see something that partly took place in my state. It was also nice that this character wasn’t portrayed as a country bumpkin being from Oklahoma. Although, his living conditions and home life are pretty standard for characters from my state. I’m excited to see how this story translates from book to movie because, if done right, I think it could be good.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Freeing his Mate: A Howls Romance (Shifter World: Shifter Affairs #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2018
Freeing his Mate: A Howls Romance (Shifter World: Shifter Affairs #1) by Nancy Corrigan
Freeing His Mate is the first book in the Shifter Affairs series, and it is set in the same world as the Royal Kagan series. That being said, this review is for this book alone. And what a book it is! You have an 'old' wolf, depressed and contemplating suicide. He meets a waitress who perks his interest, only to find out that she is bonded unwillingly to somebody else as his breeding partner. Throw in an old murder, drugs rampaging through a town, assassins, new partners, cute kids, and you have a book that will keep you engrossed from start to finish.
Whilst this is the first book in the new series, we do reunite with some old favourites of mine from the Royal Kagan series. These appearances enhance this story without taking it over, giving it a depth and a richness. There are new characters to grow fond of, and wait impatiently for their story. A perfect combination of new and old, guaranteed to satisfy.
This story was exceedingly well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The scenes flowed smoothly from one to the next, and the pacing was perfect. An absolute stunner of a first book, that will definitely leave you wanting more. Highly recommended by me.
* 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!
Whilst this is the first book in the new series, we do reunite with some old favourites of mine from the Royal Kagan series. These appearances enhance this story without taking it over, giving it a depth and a richness. There are new characters to grow fond of, and wait impatiently for their story. A perfect combination of new and old, guaranteed to satisfy.
This story was exceedingly well written, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading. The scenes flowed smoothly from one to the next, and the pacing was perfect. An absolute stunner of a first book, that will definitely leave you wanting more. Highly recommended by me.
* 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!
BobbiesDustyPages (1259 KP) rated Neverwhere in Books
Jul 23, 2017
Setting (4 more)
Plot
Characters
World building
Gaiman's writing.
wonderland-esque and oh so good.
This was my first real venture in to the Urban Fantasy genre and I was so surprised I'd never really read anything from it before.
Neverwhere was an amazing book that had my imagination going on a rampage just trying to visualize London below, Gaiman did a wonderful job with combining a wonderland-esque world with modern London and living up to the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished."
The characters from London Below were all so detailed and took on a life of their own even as well as the magic of London Below it all just came off as being so real. My favorite characters hands down was Marquis De Carabas he was just so crafty and I really did not know if he was to be trusted or not, and Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar were some of the best villains I've seen in awhile.
The only thing I had a problem with and the reason even though I loved this book couldn't give it a full five star rating was I just didn't care for Richard Mayhew at all through out the whole book I made no attachment to him in the least bit, I know he was supposed to be this average every man type of person that got thrown into this crazy world but he either really annoyed me or was just kind of forgettable and fell into the background...I honestly forgot he was suppose to be the Protagonist.
Neverwhere was an amazing book that had my imagination going on a rampage just trying to visualize London below, Gaiman did a wonderful job with combining a wonderland-esque world with modern London and living up to the old saying "No good deed goes unpunished."
The characters from London Below were all so detailed and took on a life of their own even as well as the magic of London Below it all just came off as being so real. My favorite characters hands down was Marquis De Carabas he was just so crafty and I really did not know if he was to be trusted or not, and Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar were some of the best villains I've seen in awhile.
The only thing I had a problem with and the reason even though I loved this book couldn't give it a full five star rating was I just didn't care for Richard Mayhew at all through out the whole book I made no attachment to him in the least bit, I know he was supposed to be this average every man type of person that got thrown into this crazy world but he either really annoyed me or was just kind of forgettable and fell into the background...I honestly forgot he was suppose to be the Protagonist.
Merissa (11950 KP) rated Storm Wolf (Arctic Brotherhood #3) in Books
Jul 24, 2017
Storm Wolf (Arctic Brotherhood #3) by Jane Godman
Storm Wolf is the third book in the Arctic Brotherhood series, and this one features my favourite of the bunch - Dan Lowell. He is the environmental geek, the one who everyone goes to when they want some historical knowledge. In short, he's HOT!!! He finds out that Odessa Santin is poisoning the Arctic Circle, and she just happens to be the daughter of their old enemy. He goes to confront her, but things don't go according to plan ;) Instead, he finds out that both the Arctic Brotherhood and Odessa are being played, but they not sure by who. Luckily, both Odessa and Lowell have alibis in each other even though there is video proof otherwise. Lowell calls together the Brotherhood, determined to figure out what's going on. With the return of an old enemy, the Brotherhood will have to work to defeat him this time.
This instalment is just as well written as the previous books, and you do get to see old favourites too. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between the male Brotherhood, and Jenny, Violetta, and Odessa. Keeping my fingers crossed that Lowell doesn't disappear from the Brotherhood now. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
This instalment is just as well written as the previous books, and you do get to see old favourites too. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between the male Brotherhood, and Jenny, Violetta, and Odessa. Keeping my fingers crossed that Lowell doesn't disappear from the Brotherhood now. Definitely recommended by me.
* 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!
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated Dead on Ice (A Lovers in Crime Mystery #1) in Books
Sep 8, 2017
Dead on Ice is the first book that brings Joshua Thornton and his new girlfriend Cameron Gates together. This being that Cameron Gates is on the scene and investing Thorntons cousin home and finds a bomb in the home. Who planted it? Also who planted Cherry Pickens in the freezer in Joshua Thornton cousin Albert home.
Joshua goes along with Cameron while she investigates Cherry Pickens and then runs to have to solve Angie's murder. They do quite a few things. Donny gets involved a bit as well. What would all of Cherry Pickens friends want her dead? Cameron Gates has to figure out who and why all would want Angie and Cherry dead?
There are twists and turns to the end. Suspects are all over town in Hancock county. Will they find the killer of both Angie and Cherry? You will want to read to find out.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder, Open Season for Murder.
Joshua goes along with Cameron while she investigates Cherry Pickens and then runs to have to solve Angie's murder. They do quite a few things. Donny gets involved a bit as well. What would all of Cherry Pickens friends want her dead? Cameron Gates has to figure out who and why all would want Angie and Cherry dead?
There are twists and turns to the end. Suspects are all over town in Hancock county. Will they find the killer of both Angie and Cherry? You will want to read to find out.
Lauren Carr is one talented writer. She brings you along to find out who the killer is. One thing I love about her mysteries is that you never know who the murderer is? I have read a few of her books already and reviewed a few of them. You are welcome to read my reviews that are part of this audiobook palooza. My reviews are Cancelled Vows, A Fine Year for Murder, Killer in the Band, The Murders at Astaire Castle, Candidate for Murder, 3 Days to Forever, Kill and Run, Old Love Die Hard, 12 To Murder, Open Season for Murder.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated In Search of Sam in Books
May 10, 2018
Dani Lancaster has just found out that the father she hardly knew, Sam Swan, had passed away and left her with a few things in his will. When she goes to collect these things from his attorney, she finds a few personal belongings that send her on a quest to find her family. With Sam being in the foster system his whole life, finding the truth about his past may not be so easy.
This is a very touching story about finding the truth. Most of Dani's life she didn't even know her father existed. When they were finally united, it was for only a few weeks at which time Dani found out that Sam had cancer and not too long to live. In her journey to find out more about her father and herself, she travels through Canada finding people who knew Sam. When she finally discovers the truth it is a shock to her and to me as well.
This book made me cry. It touches a place in your heart. Even though we may know who our family is, we all have a desire to find out about our past and our ancestors. This is the first book I have read by Kristin Butcher. I look forward to reading more of her books starting with the prequel to this book, [bc:Truths I Learned from Sam|17335590|Truths I Learned from Sam|Kristin Butcher|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371222882s/17335590.jpg|24067750].
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
This is a very touching story about finding the truth. Most of Dani's life she didn't even know her father existed. When they were finally united, it was for only a few weeks at which time Dani found out that Sam had cancer and not too long to live. In her journey to find out more about her father and herself, she travels through Canada finding people who knew Sam. When she finally discovers the truth it is a shock to her and to me as well.
This book made me cry. It touches a place in your heart. Even though we may know who our family is, we all have a desire to find out about our past and our ancestors. This is the first book I have read by Kristin Butcher. I look forward to reading more of her books starting with the prequel to this book, [bc:Truths I Learned from Sam|17335590|Truths I Learned from Sam|Kristin Butcher|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1371222882s/17335590.jpg|24067750].
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated Ahsoka in Books
May 8, 2018
I've been wanting to read this novel for a long time, as Ahsoka Tano is my favorite character from the Clone Wars cartoon, and second-favorite in the entire Star Wars series. (Because General Leia exists.) I picked the book up at a used book store in Oregon when we went home from the holidays, but I've just had so many other things to read. I finally read it for May 4th, Star Wars Day.
I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I've read another book by Johnston, That Inevitable Victorian Thing, which I enjoyed but thought was too fluffy. And comparing this to the last Star Wars book I read - Phasma - this tilts that way too. It's not as fluffy as TIVT - people die, and the Empire is the ever-looming possible doom that it always is - but it just didn't feel as gritty as Phasma did. Perhaps it shouldn't; Phasma is a villain, and her backstory is suitably dark. And Ahsoka, here, is floundering a little in the wake of Order 66, and being alive when none of her compatriots, to her knowledge, are.
I did enjoy learning how she got her lightsabers back, and the story should lead well into the Rebels cartoon, which I have yet to watch.
So I don't know. It was an entertaining book, and it was effective at furthering Ahsoka's story, it just...wasn't quite what I wanted.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. I've read another book by Johnston, That Inevitable Victorian Thing, which I enjoyed but thought was too fluffy. And comparing this to the last Star Wars book I read - Phasma - this tilts that way too. It's not as fluffy as TIVT - people die, and the Empire is the ever-looming possible doom that it always is - but it just didn't feel as gritty as Phasma did. Perhaps it shouldn't; Phasma is a villain, and her backstory is suitably dark. And Ahsoka, here, is floundering a little in the wake of Order 66, and being alive when none of her compatriots, to her knowledge, are.
I did enjoy learning how she got her lightsabers back, and the story should lead well into the Rebels cartoon, which I have yet to watch.
So I don't know. It was an entertaining book, and it was effective at furthering Ahsoka's story, it just...wasn't quite what I wanted.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com