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| 4.20
| 480,247
| Sep 07, 2021
| Sep 07, 2021
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I’m on BookTube now! =) Oh wow, this book was wild! There were so many revelations and things I didn’t expect! Damn! Jennifer Lynn Barnes knows how to c I’m on BookTube now! =) Oh wow, this book was wild! There were so many revelations and things I didn’t expect! Damn! Jennifer Lynn Barnes knows how to capture her reader’s attention! Also Jameson and Grayson! Once again damn! *whistles* I’m leaning more towards Jameson this time around, though, because reasons. *lol* ;-P Full RTC soon! I need to digest this wild rollercoaster of a book first. XD ________________________________ It’s time to read “The Hawthorne Legacy” because after the first book I’m hooked!!! I mean, here’s me - a person who always takes ages to finish series - starting the second book a couple of months after finishing “The Inheritance Games”. That cliff-hanger from the first book, though! I need answers! I need more of the Hawthorne brothers and all those intrigues and machinations. Also I need more of that amazing big mansion with lots of secret passages and rooms! I. AM. READY!!! Bring it on Hawthorne boys! *lol* Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 20, 2024
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Sep 29, 2024
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Aug 20, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1405293187
| 9781405293181
| 1405293187
| 4.32
| 1,310,909
| May 02, 2019
| May 02, 2019
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it was amazing
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I’m on BookTube now! =) He scratched his nose. “I’ll be honest, I’m starting to find your tone a tad annoying.” “Good,” she said, following Max’s eyes a I’m on BookTube now! =) He scratched his nose. “I’ll be honest, I’m starting to find your tone a tad annoying.” “Good,” she said, following Max’s eyes as they looked over again to a noticeboard on the far wall, littered with posters and pinned-up notes and photographs. “And I’m starting to find your lies a tad intriguing.” Okay, so first things first: I can’t believe I slept on this series for so long!!! I mean “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” was published in 2019 already and I only discovered it now! How come I missed this?! I honestly dunno, but I’m very glad this book was all over my feed due to the upcoming TV show on Netflix. (Which was released at the beginning of August but of course, I can’t watch it because Netflix Austria didn’t buy the rights yet. T_T ) So it looks like I’ll enjoy all the books first before I’ll hopefully be able to get my greedy hands on the TV series. ”So my research methods will actually be: interviewing those close to the case, obsessive social media stalking and wild, WILD speculation. [DON’T LET MRS MORGAN SEE ANY OF THIS!!!]” Anyway! I guess by now everyone knows what the plot is about and I don’t have to say all too much. Still, for everyone who lives under a rock, just like me, I’ll give a really brief summary: Pippa Fitz-Amobi our MC is writing her final project for school and decides that she’s going to write about a murder that happened in her small town a couple of years ago. What makes the case interesting is the fact that it’s a closed one because everyone “knows” that high school sweetheart Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh right before he committed suicide. Problem is, Pip doesn’t believe he did it and she’s determined to find the real culprit. Starting with Sal’s family, she gets unexpected help in the form of his younger brother Ravi who wants to clear his brother’s name as well and the rest is… not exactly history, but plot and storyline of “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder”. ;-) "I'm irrationally serious," Pip smiled, holding the Tupperware box out to him. "And I made muffins." "Like bribery muffins?" "That's what the recipe said, yeah." Ravi's mouth twitched, not quite a smile. I really loved those two together and they had such a nice chemistry and great banter going on. The simple fact Pip believed in Sal’s innocence already helped Ravi so much and I felt extremely sorry for him and his family. I mean everyone was so sure that Sal killed Andie, they didn’t even try to follow a different path. For them it was clear that he killed his girlfriend so why bother with following any hints that might have proven his innocence. Case closed. Period. The ones who suffered were Ravi and his family, though. Everyone believed his brother murdered Andie and they all treated him and his parents badly because of it. Seriously, I could understand Pip’s rage when she witnessed how horrible people acted around Ravi. I would have been mad as well. Just because Sal was his brother, they automatically assumed the worst. It was so unfair and if there’s one thing that makes me angry, it’s injustice. Stanley: That’s ‘cause everyone knows what I’m saying is true. Pip: Actually, I don’t. I think it’s very irresponsible to label someone a murderer without using ‘suspect’ or ‘allegedly’ when there’s been no trial or conviction. Or calling Sal a monster. Obviously, Pip felt the same way and I absolutely adored her for it. This girl was amazing and her research was so much fun to follow! No, seriously, THIS is how you write a murder mystery! Holly Jackson is a genius because as a reader you’re along for the ride and find the same clues the MCs are discovering! You’re able to collect all the pieces of the puzzle and to guess alongside the characters and for me this was awesome! With other authors, you’re just with the characters and a lot of information is knowledge only the MCs possess and that is never mentioned, which means you can’t guess and some things stay in the dark until the big revelation at the ending. With Holly Jackson you’re allowed to come to your own conclusions and to figure things out for yourself and for me, personally, this is the best kind of mystery. "Pip was both surprised and not at all. Yet another path opening up in the maze of Andie Bell's life. Palimpsest upon palimpsest, the original concept of Andie only just peeking out through all the overlaying scribbles." In this particular case, Andie Bell was a mystery as well. The more we find out about her, the more we have to readjust the picture everyone painted and this added so much depth to the story. It made her a realistic victim with good and bad sides and with many layers that weren’t even mentioned in the news. It shows how easily the media turns people into either saints or demons with no room for individuality, let alone complexity. The way everyone turned Sal into this cold and calculating murderer without even digging any deeper. They didn’t even try to find a motive for him committing suicide because Andie’s murder was all they cared about. And of course Andie was a pretty white girl with blue eyes whereas Sal was a brown haired boy with dark skin. The blatant racism made me sick to my stomach. It didn’t matter that Sal was a bright student who was supposed to go to one of the best colleges, the media and the public had already made up their mind and had their culprit. =( ”She unfolded the paper, eyes skipping across it. In a large formal front printed across the page were the words: Stop digging, Pippa.” But Pip and Ravi believed in Sal’s innocence and dug deeper. Which ultimately led to Pip making a couple of enemies along the way. ;-) I suppose if you want to solve a murder mystery everyone believes to be a closed case you’re bound to antagonize a couple of people. And the list of people Pip made angry was long. Haha! From the reporters and media, to the police, right to Andie’s family and many other people she got in contact with due to her research. I can’t even put into words how much I loved this, because for once we have a teen that gets involved with everyone who was a part of the case and this in a realistic and logical way. I mean even Pip’s parents knew that she wrote her final project about Andie Bell’s murder. Sure, she kept a couple of secrets to herself but even this was reasonable considering how much knowledge she collected along the way. Moreover, sometimes you dig up things that help no one and it’s better to keep them a secret. XD So how does it all end? Ha! Go read the book yourself and collect all the hints, because I won’t spoil anything! ;-P ”Can you stop bleeding all over the murder board, please?” Pip said. Ravi pretended to throw a pin at her. Conclusion: “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” was an awesome book that had me glued to the pages! It’s very rare I stay up long into the night just because I want to know how a book ends, but with this story I actually did! The way everything came together in the end was amazing and I was such a sucker for collecting all the hints and creating my own murder board in my mind. If you love a good murder mystery where you can actually guess alongside the characters, if you’re a fan of the TV shows “Castle” and “Sherlock Holmes” and if you like stories that address important topics like grief, racism, xenophobia and irresponsible media coverage, then this is the right book for you. =) I enjoyed it a lot and I’ll definitely watch out for book two! _______________________________ OMG! This was awesome!!! I was glued to the pages and I loved how the reader was able to guess along with the clues! No, seriously! It’s been a while I stayed up late into the night just because I wanted to know how a book ends! XD The story was THAT good! Can’t wait to continue with the series! Full RTC soon! Stay tuned! I need to find out the exact day this is going to come out as a Netflix series. =) ________________________________ I’ve seen “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” on my feed for weeks now and I guess my fellow reviewers are doing a splendid job because I finally got curious enough to pick up the book at my library. *lol* Also, I heard that there’s going to be a TV show on Netflix in August?! I guess that’s the perfect moment to jump on the hype train. ;-P So far I mostly read murder mysteries written by Karen M. McManus so it’s about time to broaden my horizon. Let’s find out if Holly Jackson’s writing is for me. =) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 2024
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Jul 28, 2024
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Jul 01, 2024
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Paperback
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| 9783865806161
| 3865806163
| 4.39
| 28,065
| Apr 2005
| May 24, 2007
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) I’ve to admit that Volume 6 was better again and that it was actually pretty suspenseful. At the beginning, neither Light nor M I’m on BookTube now! =) I’ve to admit that Volume 6 was better again and that it was actually pretty suspenseful. At the beginning, neither Light nor Misa know that they’ve been the former owners of the “Death Note” and L is still in the dark about how the murders actually happen. In order to find the Kira in the finance company Light and L decide to go for surveillance cameras in the conference room and that definitely pays off. To figure out the identity of the new Kira takes them a little while, though. Well, and there is still the trust issue between L and Light. Their dynamic always amazes me because while they are both extremely intelligent and think about ten steps ahead they still don’t get along all too well. Yes, they put their differences aside for the time being whenever it’s necessary but they are always at each other’s throat as well. Also and that’s something I find very particular: Whenever they run out of words, they resort to fists and violence. *lol* Then again there’s something about L that can really piss you off. So I can’t blame Light for losing his patience every once in a while. Haha! I think what makes it really hard for L to figure out the details, is that he’s a logical person who thinks things through and comes to logical conclusions but that’s not how the Death Notes work. They are supernatural and L has troubles to wrap his mind around that, which stands in his way of figuring things out. I suppose you’d get the same result if you’d let Sherlock Holmes go for a supernatural case that is actually supernatural. XD I can’t help but wonder when it will finally sink in. Anyway! What I really liked about this Volume was how suspenseful it was. We’re led to the true identity of the Death Note owner and I’m sorry to say it but I was completely wrong with my assumptions after Vol.5. *lol* Tsugumi Ohba did a great job with that. Also kudos for making Misa a character that acts and thinks for herself. I really liked that she did her own thing in this Volume and it was intriguing to get insight into Rem’s thoughts. It’s interesting that Rem – a death god – thinks Light was a good owner of the Death Note because he used it to do good. Plus I’m pretty certain sooner or later the Death Note will find its way back to Light. After everything, I wonder how he’ll feel about it once he gets it back, though. Right now, it seems like he doesn’t believe in the possibility that he was the original Kira and to find out he was, might turn out to be quite the shock to this new version of Light. (view spoiler)[So far only Misa is back in the game and knows about the truth so I’m sure this is going to add a lot of new and interesting possibilities to the plot. ;-) (hide spoiler)] It might take a while until we get to this point of the series, though so I’m very curious how everything will continue in volume 7. After that suspenseful car chase at the ending, everything seems to be possible. The elaborate con to cause the new Death Note owner to expose himself was one hell of a freaky ride and I loved every second of it. ;-) I’m ready to find out what Volume 7 holds in store for me! ____________________________ Okay, I admit it! This was fun again! Of course, Light and L were at each other’s throat, but that’s nothing new. Still, I really liked how they planned ahead and set a trap for the new Kira. Very entertaining & suspenseful. Full and short RTC soon! ;-) ____________________________ It’s time to pick up volume 6 of “Death Note”! I wasn’t an all too huge fan of the last one but I have high hopes that this one will be great again. Apparently, Misa is working for Yotsuba-Group and trying to find out who has the death note. This already sounds way more interesting than the last volume. *lol* Fingers crossed this will be a good one! Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 03, 2024
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Jun 16, 2024
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Jun 03, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0241473667
| 9780241473665
| 0241473667
| 3.73
| 71,317
| Nov 30, 2021
| Nov 30, 2021
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) “You can be right in principle and still wrong in approach.” I think by now I’ve read almost every Karen M. McManus book that is I’m on BookTube now! =) “You can be right in principle and still wrong in approach.” I think by now I’ve read almost every Karen M. McManus book that is currently existing under the sun and because there is always a new one I decided to go for “You’ll Be the Death of Me” next. Of course, this one followed the typical McManus formula, but for some reason the story worked better for me this time around. I mean yes, the characters were pretty predictable and as always we have three teens with different POVs that all struggle with something in their private lives. No matter if it’s Ivy who tries her best to reach perfection in order to be as good as her brother, Cal who is lonely and has no friends or Mateo whose family is struggling after their livelihood was taken away from them. They all have problems and all three of them have good reasons to skip a day of school when they meet on a fateful day in the parking lot. ”Maybe I’m just jealous of Gabe. I have a chip on my shoulder, lately, for anyone who has more than they need and doesn’t have to work for it. I have two jobs, and Autumn, who graduated Carlton High last spring, has three. And it’s still not enough. Not since the one-two punch we got hit with. It starts good as well and for a while, they are able to forget about their troubles. Well, until Ivy spots Boney Mahoney – the reason why she skipped school in the first place - as he enters a building in Boston and decides to follow him. As the three friends stumble upon his corpse in a studio things escalate quickly and everything goes downhill from there. Of course, our three former besties don’t even think about calling the police or giving a statement and instead decide to solve the mystery on their own because that’s exactly what dumb kids these days do. *lol* Okay, okay, I’m reigning in my sarcasm, but it’s just so hilarious that McManus characters almost never do things the normal way and always try to do everything on their own. "I understand his frustration. I really, really do, because I share it. We're doing so many things wrong that it's almost physically painful. But every alternative comes with its own set of problems, and I'm not ready to face any of them." I suppose it’s good the author is aware that her characters are teens that do stupid things because otherwise this concept wouldn’t work that well. But I get it. You need your MCs to do stupid, reckless things while they try to solve a murder mystery in order to make it suspenseful for the reader. So this part of McManus books is always, the point where I turn a blind eye to the character’s antics because it does a good job at moving the plot along. AND the storyline in “You’ll Be the Death of Me” moves fast because the entire plot plays in the limited timeframe of just one day. As does the romance between Mateo and Ivy. ;-P ”Full disclosure: Mateo was my first crush. I spent half of eight grade desperately mooning over him while pretending not to, positive that he couldn't possibly feel the same." Of course, he was. XD When it comes to romance the author always follows the same concept too because we once again have Mateo, the seemingly bad boy who tries to get by and therefore skips school and Ivy the perfect student who always tries to make everything right, but fails somehow. I knew Ivy and Mateo would be each other’s love interest right from the moment they were introduced. As I said, predictable characters. Cal however was a little different. Yes, he’s a rather insecure MC that has no friends and tries to find his place in the world, but there’s a lot more to him than initially meets the eye. From all those three characters, he definitely was my favourite because he was able to surprise me. ”Ivy,” I say as gently as I can. “I’m not sure we can fix this.” She doesn’t reply, and I add, “We’re in way over our heads.” Not to mention despite Ivy being the brains of the group he certainly had more common sense and knew that their situation was dire. What I really liked about the story and what eventually caused me to give this book a rating of 3,5 stars rounded up to 4 was the fact that I was thoroughly entertained. There happened so many things during those 24 hours and many secrets were discovered and revealed! Even among our three friends and yes, those are quite the life altering secrets that are all kinda connected with each other. I mean one of my updates for this book was legit: “Oh wow! This is like all the skeletons in the closet decided to come out of it because they want to air their dirty laundry.” Which is to say, it were a lot of revelations that hit quite hard and in staccato. ;-) My inner gossip girl was thriving. *lol* "He's standing with his back to us, shoulders hunched, and there's something so defeated about his posture that I feel a surge of protectiveness for the guy. Back when we used to hang out, Cal was this really open, friendly, carefree kid. I don't know who he's meeting, but if she's making him look like this, I already don't like her. In addition, I really liked the close friendships of our main characters. They might have lost contact for a while but they still cared about each other and this was just lovely to see. As was the fact that Cal had two dads – Wes & Henry - and that you could feel their love for their son on every page on which they were mentioned. I love queer representation like this and it’s still so rare in books! So I was happy to see that we got one in this story. =) Conclusion: All told, “You’ll Be the Death of Me” was a fun read that kept me engaged until the very last page. All the small and big secrets that surfaced throughout the book cumulated into a great ending and made the story interesting. For a McManus book this felt slightly different and I found myself enjoying those little changes. I dunno about you, but I’m ready for whatever Karen M. McManus throws at us next. ;-) ______________________________ Okay, to be honest the characters were pretty predictable. For some reason this story worked, though. I think it were all those small and big secrets that surfaced throughout the book and made the plot so interesting. XD I had a great time! Full review to come soon! Stay tuned! ;-) _______________________________ What’s a sure sign I’m in a reading slump? I have 7 books on my “currently reading” but I’m adding an eight one that’s a Karen M. McManus book to the list. *lol* I honestly dread the day I’ll be through all of Karen’s books because for some reason they always get me out of my slumps. XD Anyway! This one sounds promising because we have three friends that skip class and accidentally stumble upon a murder scene. Nice! Let’s see if the McManus formula will work for me. ;-) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 28, 2024
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Jun 22, 2024
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May 28, 2024
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Paperback
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| 4.15
| 823,249
| Sep 01, 2020
| Sep 03, 2020
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) ”The remainder of my estate,” Mr. Ortega read, “including all properties, monetary assets, and worldly possessions not otherwis I’m on BookTube now! =) ”The remainder of my estate,” Mr. Ortega read, “including all properties, monetary assets, and worldly possessions not otherwise specified, I leave to Avery Kylie Grambs.” I honestly thought I could write a short review about this book, but the joke’s on me because when I looked through all the quotes I marked, I realized that it’s impossible to keep this review as short and simple as I intended it to be. There are just too many characters and different players in this story so a full-blown review it will be. I hope you have time because we’ll sit here for a little while. *lol* So first of all I’ve to say that this story blew me away in the best way possible! I absolutely loved this and it turned out to be the perfect book for me! This series popped up on my feed a lot lately and I got curious enough to add it to my TBR. The interesting thing is that I think this series might still be a little underrated?! Aside of on goodreads I never saw it in any bookstores and no one in my country seems to put an effort into trying to market it. Maybe that’s just an Austrian thing but I feel like “The Inheritance Games” should be more popular than they actually are over here. Anyway! What I really loved about this first book was the fact that a seeming nobody inherited a billion fortune and that there are four handsome grandsons who try to solve that mystery alongside the new heiress. All those four boys were very different and I adored them all in their own way. We didn’t just get two big mysteries but also a lot of secrets and a big mansion with hidden rooms and corridors, action and suspense, lots of intrigues and riddles as well. It was the full package and catered to all my needs and I honestly can’t wait to read the next book. Which is the main reason I’m writing this review now because I need to get it up before I jump into the second instalment. *lol* This said, let’s head to the character’s section! There’s a lot of ground to cover and I’m eager to discuss all those characters! ”Legally,” she said, “the Hawthorne family is required to provide you with keys. Practically speaking …” She narrowed her eyes. “The Hawthorne family is a pain in the ass.” “That a legal term?” Oren asked dryly. The characters: Welcome to Hawthorne Manor! This house is full of secrets, lies, intrigues and spoilers! You better tread carefully or either the estate or it’s occupants will make sure to let you disappear. Trust no one and keep your heart close, but most of all don’t read this spoilery spoiler section if you haven’t read the book. You’ve been warned! Now go, have a good time spending your billions! ;-P Avery Grambs: “I was supposed to have an edge. But sharp-edged girls had feelings, too.” You know, despite Avery kinda living the dream and inheriting billions, I actually felt really sorry for her most of the time. The way she was treated by most of the Hawthorne family members was horrible and it wasn’t even her fault that Tobias gave her all that money. I mean, she didn’t even know the man and from one day to the next she was an heiress and had more money than she could spend in 10 lifetimes. Of course, there was a lot of hostility to be expected, but I think for a person like Avery who came from nothing this must have been even harder than for most. Not to mention all the attention from the media and people that only spoke two words with her before she became rich and then expected to get some money. It was a real sh*tshow and Avery was thrown into it without any warning. It hurt to see how much she struggled to adapt and the fact she couldn’t trust anyone made everything so much worse. Despite all the things that were thrown at her she held her own pretty well, though and I think given the circumstances she acted like a boss! I love that she had so much compassion and tried to see things through the Hawthorne boy’s eyes. She stayed true to herself and I hope she’ll continue to do so in the next books as well. =) ”Think of someone you trust.” That hurt in a way that should have hollowed me out but left me feeling like I might throw up instead. I swallowed. Grayson Hawthorne: ”You.” Alisa greeted him with a steely-eyed look. “I take it I’m not forgiven for interfering?” Grayson asked. “You’re nineteen,” Alisa retorted. “Would it kill you to act like it?” “It might.” Grayson flashed his teeth in a smile. “And you’re welcome.” I gotta be honest here, I wasn’t Grayson’s biggest fan at first but he somehow won me over?! I have no idea how it happened, but to see his soft side and to know that everything he did, he did in order to protect his family was something I could relate to. I will always protect my family and friends as well, so the fact Grayson did it so fiercely kinda softened my heart for him. *lol* Still, he was a douche when Avery inherited the Hawthorne fortune and I won’t apologize his behaviour. I gotta give it to him, though. For a nineteen-year-old boy he is quite self-assured, intelligent and skilled. He seemed so strong at first but I think most of it was for show while he tried to keep everything from falling apart. I can respect that and I think Avery does too, which is the reason she started to like Gray more than she probably should…. XD “I will pay you to stop right there,” Grayson said, a pained expression on his face. Skye patted her son’s cheek. “Bribe. Threaten. Buy out. You couldn’t be more Hawthorne, darling, if you tried.” She gave me a knowing smile. “That’s why we call him the heir apparent.” But his grandfather chose me. “I’m –“ “Don’t say that you are sorry.” Grayson stared at the wall a moment longer, then turned to face me. “Don’t be sorry, Ms. Grambs. Be worthy of it.” Jameson Hawthorne: “Where are you going?” I asked him. After everything it has taken to get to this point, he couldn’t just walk away. “To hell, eventually,” Jameson answered. “Probably to the wine cellar, for now.” I think it will surprise absolutely no one that I loved Jameson right from the start! Haha! That boy is the perfect blend of tortured rich bad boy who can be so very gentle and soft when no one is looking! While it took me a while to warm up to Gray, I was on Team Jameson from the minute he was introduced. I have a weakness for broken boys and Jameson immediately gave off that vibe. What can I say? I’m just weak for boys like him. ;-P Still, like all the Hawthorne boys he has a sharp mind and is strong-willed and there’s definitely more than meets the eye. I’m very curious what’s going to happen with him in the next book and where his character arc is going. Hands reached past me to turn on the faucet. I should have jumped. I should have panicked. But somehow, my body relaxed into the person behind me. “It’s okay, Heiress,” Jameson murmured. “I’ve got you.” Xander Hawthorne: "I apologize for Xander," Grayson commented. "He tends not to buy into such antiquated notions as thinking before one speaks and sitting still for more than three consecutive seconds." He looked down. "He's the best of us, even on his worst days." Okay, but isn’t Xander just a ray of sunshine?! I adore this boy so much and as it seems everyone else does too! He gave off serious puppy vibes, and this despite being the tallest of the Hawthorne boys. *lol* I loved that he was a foodie and an inventor as well! Science seemed to be his passion and I swear he made me so hungry with all the talk about scones and cupcakes etc. But just as with Jameson I’m convinced there’s more to him than initially meets the eye. The reader is supposed to not see him as a threat, but I can’t help but wonder if we shouldn’t be more weary of him. It’s hard to tell. I guess only time will show his true face and I’ll definitely keep an eye on my sunshine boy in the next book! ;-) ”Maybe you’re blameless.” Xander shrugged. “Maybe you’re the evil genius that Gray seems to think you are, but at the end of the day, even if you thought that you’d manipulated our grandfather into this, I guarantee that he’d be the one manipulating you.” Nash Hawthorne: “We aren’t normal. This place isn’t normal, and you’re not a player, kid. You’re the glass ballerina—or the knife.” Now Nash is a character I instantly liked and I actually believe him that he doesn’t want any of the money. Of all the Hawthorne boys he seems to be the most grounded, reasonable and down-to-earth. What I find interesting is that it was mentioned Nash tries to save everyone and that most of the house’s personnel is loyal to him. So why not let him be their heir of all that money? A person who isn’t even interested in it would be best suited for it, right? Like you should never give power to the people who want it, but to those who don’t want it because they would do the right thing. For some reason old Tobias didn’t give him the money though, and I wonder why that is?! Maybe we’ll find out more in the next instalment?! I honestly hope so because this has my mind in knots. XD Nan – The Wildcard: She swatted his arm. “I’m this rascals great-grandmother.” Nan settled, with no small difficulty, into the open seat beside me. “Older than dirt and twice as mean.” I couldn’t help but like Nan from the moment she said that quote above. *lol* She’s quite something and I hope we’ll see more of her in the next book. Also from all the Hawthorne women she actually seemed to be the most sincere and honest one so I’m a fan of her. I don’t think she might play a bigger role in the books to come but who knows, maybe I’ll eat my words in the future. Everything is possible with Nan – The Wildcard. ;-) ”You ask me, if you’re going to kill someone, you should at least have the decency to do it yourself and do it right.” The relationships & ships: Avery & Grayson: "You have no idea," Grayson said lowly, "how ill prepared you are. A girl like you?" "You don't know me." A rush of fury surged through my veins as I cut him off. "I will," Grayson promised. "I'll know everything about you soon enough." Every bone in my body said that he was a person who kept his promises. I just realized that it’s kinda odd I saved more moments between Avery and Grayson than I did between Avery and Jameson. I guess this might be because their feelings are more restrained? They don’t really act on them which makes for amazing chemistry and as you all know I’m a sucker for a slow-burn and gentle gestures. I suppose Grayson fully delivered on that front yet I’d probably still choose Jameson as a love interest?! Help! I’m confused. *lol* Those two boys make it really hard and I think I’m not the only one who’s confused! Avery seems to be pretty undecided as well and if Gray wouldn’t hold back they probably would have kissed as well. Those two connect on an entirely different level than Jameson and Avery because they both value their family, are less impulsive and think a couple of steps ahead. They look at the bigger picture, which makes for a quite formidable pair. I wonder if they’ll ever act on their feelings in the other books. I guess only reading them will tell. "Remember me?" I raised a hand, then paid for it. "Subject of your conversation and capable individual in her own right?" Grayson must have seen the pain the movement caused me, because he turned and used his hands to gently lower mine. "You'll let Oren do his job," he ordered softly. Beside me, Grayson unbuckled his seat belt. He reached for my wrist, his touch gentle. "Oren's right. You shouldn't go out there." I looked down at his hands on mine, and after a heartbeat, I looked back up. "And what would you do," I said, "what lengths would you go to in order to protect your family?" Grayson let out a ragged breath, and then I felt him gently turning my face back toward his. “Avery.” He almost never used my given name. He gently traced the line of my jaw. “I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again. You have my word.” He thought he could protect me. He wanted to. He was touching me, and all I wanted was to let him. Let him protect me. Let him touch me. Avery & Jameson: "Avery doesn't bite." For once, Jameson referred to me by my actual name. "Frankly, now that the issue of relatedness has been settled in the negative, I'd be game if she did." Those two had a lot of chemistry right from the start and I think that automatically makes them the more obvious couple. I mean I almost instantly knew that they would hook up later on and that there would at least be a kiss somewhere during the book. It was almost inevitable and I’m pretty sure the author wanted it to be that way. We’re supposed to ship Avery and Jameson, but will they be endgame? I dunno. I’m very sceptical about their HEA because their relationship is a little bit too on the nose. Jameson deserves someone who’s nourishing and will give him the love that he craves, I’m not sure Avery is the one who can give him what he needs, though. Am I making any sense?! All I’ll say is, we’re supposed to ship them but then the author turned everything into a love triangle and as we all know they usually end up with a happy couple and one person who’s heart gets broken. I guess I’ll just read the series and see what’s going to happen in book two? XD ”Yes?” I asked him hoarsely. “Yes, Heiress.” My lips closed over his. He kissed me back, gentle at first, then not gently at all. Grayson & Jameson: ”I’m trying to protect you,” Grayson said lowly. “I think we both know,” Jameson replied, “that the only person you’ve ever protected is yourself.” Those two brothers had a seriously messed up relationship and I think it’s sad that they aren’t close anymore because of what happened with Emily. That girl must have been quite the heartbreaker and I hate that she used the two brothers and pitted them against each other. I suppose you could say Avery isn’t any better because both boys have feelings for her too, but while Emily did it on purpose Avery had no such intention. It just happened that she developed feelings for both of them. For Emily this was just a game and she probably basked in the attention she got from the brothers. Jameson and Grayson suffered because they loved her and if Emily would be still alive I’d give her a piece of my mind. The way she led them on was just vile and unfair. Jameson and Grayson deserved better than that! I really hope they’ll have a heart-to-heart and get closer again because it’s obvious they still care about each other. <3 ”Can’t an older brother spend time with his younger brother and an interloper of dubious intentions without getting the third degree?” “He doesn’t trust me with you,” I translated. “I’m such a delicate flower.” Jameson’s tone was light, but his eyes told a different story. “In need of protection and constant supervision.” ”You didn’t kill her,” I said. “The adrenaline did. Or the altitude, the change in pressure. I don’t know. Jameson wouldn’t take her. I shouldn’t have, either.” “I will always protect you" he told me, his jaw tight, his eyes shadowed. "You deserve to feel safe in your own home. And I'll help you with the foundation. I'll teach you what you need to know to take this life like you were born to it. But this...us..." He swallowed. "It can't happen, Avery. I've seen the way Jameson looks at you.” Libby & Avery: Libby picked up a cupcake and cradled it in her hands. “I’m doing the best I can, Avery.” She was a people pleaser. Drake liked putting her in the middle. He used me to hurt her. I couldn’t just wait around for the day he stopped punching walls. Libby’s and Avery’s sisterly bond was great and I liked those two a lot! Sure, they didn’t have it easy with all the Drake stuff going on and then Avery basically becoming a billionaire over night, but in contrast to Avery I never questioned Libby’s loyalty and love. She didn’t have to take in her sister after her mom’s death but she did and she really tried everything to make things work. It’s unfortunate she ended up with a guy like Drake but I think that matter resolved itself by now. For Libby I hope that she won’t fall for another “Drake” and that things will get better. She deserves some happiness and their sisterly bond deserves a chance to grow as well. =) ”Libby wouldn’t hurt me, I thought desperately. She wouldn’t let Drake hurt me. And then: She didn’t block his number.” ”Don’t you dare say we’re not sisters,” I told her. “Would you still want me here?” Libby asked me, her fingers rubbing at her choker. “If we’re not –“ “I want you here,” I promised. “No matter what.” Libby & Nash: Nash peered through her hair to the black eye underneath. "What happened here?" he murmured. "I'm fine," Libby said, sticking her chin out. "I can see that," Nash replied softly. "But if you decide you'd like to give me a name? I'd take it." Please someone tell me I’m not the only one who’s shipping those two like crazy! *lol* Nash going all “who did this to you?” and “touch her and you die” was my personal highlight of the book! Also in a very weird way those two make absolute sense?! Like it’s not just that Nash is someone who saves people and Libby kinda needs saving but it’s also the way they interact and just, I dunno, can be themselves around each other?! They are so in sync, it feels like they were always a part of each other’s life. Also the cowboy and the goth?! Love it! Give me more of this amazing “we’re blowing all the stereotypes and do it in style” couple. I’m a 100% convinced Nash wants to nibble more than just Libby’s cupcakes. Okay, that sounded weird now, but you get what I mean! *LOL* ;-P I’m fully on board of this ship and I hope we’ll see some development in the next books! <333 ”Don’t talk about me like I’m not here.” Libby looked up from the cupcakes she was icing to narrow her eyes at Nash. “Yes, ma’am.” Nash smiled, wide and slow. I wondered how long he’d been with her – why he’d been with her. Conclusion: I loved “The Inheritance Games” and this book was deliciously perfect! Mysteries, a big mansion with secret rooms and corridors, riddles and hints to be solved, 4 handsome heirs and many scheming and dangerous jilted family members? The perfect recipe for a suspenseful story that kept me guessing alongside the characters! All I can say is: I want more! =) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Mar 11, 2024
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Mar 30, 2024
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Mar 11, 2024
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Paperback
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| 1250162688
| 9781250162687
| 1250162688
| 3.87
| 15,183
| Jun 19, 2018
| Jun 19, 2018
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) "Help me find out who killed Nick Elliot, and everything I can teach you before Frostnight is yours." He propped his chin on th I’m on BookTube now! =) "Help me find out who killed Nick Elliot, and everything I can teach you before Frostnight is yours." He propped his chin on the pad of his thumb and the second knuckle of his index finger, examining me again. "Starting with how to hide your true nature, I think. You shine, Starred One, to anyone with the power to see." And so the interesting tale of Dr. Miles Singer and Tristan Hunter begins. To say it’s an intriguing story would be an understatement because wow, this book really surprised me. In the best way possible, I might add. These days it’s quite rare to find a unique and intriguing world-building but “Witchmark” managed to do exactly that! Plus it addressed a lot of other topics and themes and that makes it kinda hard to put it in just one category. For instance, we don’t just have the murder mystery around Nick Elliot who was killed by a stranger and passed his witch powers on to Miles right before he died. We also have politics, a secret society, magic, class differences, complicated family relationships, slavery, mental health, the aftereffects of war and PTSD. It’s a lot that’s packed into this 318 pages book but despite all that, it worked more than just well! C.L. Polk managed to pull it off and even added the setting of Edwardian England to it, which made for great scenes with bicycles and carriages. I honestly thought I read it all but then there comes this amazing chase scene on bicycles and I’m like: “Woah! I love it.” *lol* "She'll gut me if I hurt you," he said with a grin. "She didn't even need to say it. You inspire a true friendship, Miles." "She's never met anyone who claims to call on me." "I question the taste of every man and woman in this city." My face grew hot. So yeah, I had a great time with this book and I really enjoyed reading about it all. What I found very fascinating as well was the magic system and how it worked because apparently the people with magic abilities were also the people who were in charge and could do whatever they wanted. The way I understood the politics and power dynamics in this story, the aristocracy was divided into witches and storm singers. The Storm Singers kept their country safe by protecting it with their magic and keeping storms and horrible natural disasters at bay. And to strengthen their own powers while maintaining the weather balance in their country they took the power from Witches - which they considered inferior to them - and exploited their magic for their own gain. Which brings us to the topic of slavery because Witches weren’t even allowed to marry whoever they wanted, let alone allowed to use their own powers the way they wanted to. They are, for lack of a better word, some sort of battery that’s used by the Storm Singers. ”Free rein, but not free, Grace.” “I need you, Miles. If I’m to become the Voice, I need you. I wanted to convince you. I didn’t want this.” “But you won’t release me.” Silence. I rolled away from her hand, turned my back to her. “Go away.” Of course, this was the exact reason why Miles ran away from home and chose being a doctor in a war over being enslaved to his sister Grace. After he returned from the front, he let his family believe that he was dead and worked as a doctor in a veteran’s hospital instead. Unfortunately, him trying to heal Nick Elliot doesn’t only lead him to good people like Tristan Hunter but also causes him to be discovered and well, the rest you better read for yourself because I won’t spoil anything! ;-P This said, the mysterious mental disease some of the veterans brought back from the front and that turned them into murderers made for an interesting mystery and the love story between Tristan and Miles was just so sweet and tender. ”Should I go?” “No. Stay.” His hands trembled as he set them in mine. I raised them to my mouth and kissed his knuckles. “You didn’t enchant me.” “Like in the stories,” Tristan said. “I never did.” “You’re shaking.” “I am. Isn’t it silly?” I turned his hands over to kiss the palms, tracing the calluses of his sword hand. “You’re nervous. I didn’t think you felt –“ “Shut up, Miles.” He wound his arms around my neck and let me carry him upstairs. I mean, alone this quote! I loved those two together and I adored Tristan for giving Miles the respect and reverence he deserved. Miles was Tristan’s equal in every way and he appreciated his company, skills and intelligence! This was so palpable in every scene they had together and I just loved that about them. Was their love a little bit insta-lovey? Sure, I mean the happenings of the story take place during a timespan of about two weeks and that’s pretty short, but despite all that I’d still consider their love to be a slow-burn because they get to know each other first. They spend time together, they find out about each other’s habits and they have conversations while trying to solve a murder mystery. I really liked that about them and they both were such precious souls that just tried to help other people. No, seriously, they are a match made in heaven. <3 "He sat beside me and poured, stirring in a cube of sugar before giving me a cup. He rested his hand on my thigh as he sipped his own. Grace's nostrils flared as she watched Tristan lean against me as if we were lovers. I let him.” Also: I absolutely loved the way Tristan was protective of Miles and how he subtly but very clearly made his point in front of Grace. *lol* This Gentleman’s subtle “f*ck off” will forever be in the hall of fame of my favourite bookish scenes. It’s a gem. XD And speaking of Lady Grace Hensley, I hated her so much! Ugh! The way she treated Miles was horrible and it was so sad to see that Miles obviously loved her more than she loved him. If you truly love your sibling you’d never enslave him the way Grace did and the fact that she had the audacity to suggest marriage to him!! ARGH! That scene made me so damn angry and was pretty much the straw that broke the camel’s back. Grace was so egoistic and only thought about herself and her place in society while Miles always thought about others and tried to help them as best as he could. I mean that man tried to keep a low profile while working at a veteran’s hospital, healing other soldiers even though he went through hell as well. The only reason his cover was blown was because he tried to save a life. Grace… well she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and it was annoying af. XD I honestly dunno how I feel about continuing this series because I loathe Grace and apparently she’s the MC in the second book. I really would have wanted more of Miles and Tristan, not Grace. So I feel kinda conflicted about picking up the second instalment now. >_< Anyway! Back to the ending of my review! "Call me Tristan," he said. My pulse thumped in my ears. "It's not proper." "Miles," he said. Warmth spread across my chest. He leaned closer. Too handsome, and his face was only half of the truth. Conclusion: “Witchmark” was a great story with quite a unique world building! I haven’t read anything like it before and I really liked the entire Edwardian England with magic vibe! Miles was an amazing, altruistic, humble and extremely genuine MC as well and I enjoyed being in his head. His slow-burn romance with Tristan was awesome and I liked that it wasn’t the focus of the book, but still added so much to it. Politics, a murder mystery and social criticism were strong themes of the story too and I found myself enjoying that immensely. Maybe I might give the second instalment a chance after all? I guess we’ll see, for now I’m just glad I read the first book. =) ______________________________ Yesh! I finished this just in time to count it to my February Wrap Up! It’s the small goals, you know?! ;-P *lol* Anyway! I really enjoyed this and I loved the world building! I genuinely wish we would have gotten even more of it. The murder mystery was interesting too and I liked the characters as well. The ending could have been a little more detailed, though. Full RTC as soon as I get to it! (which might take a little while… XD ) _______________________________ I’ve wanted to read this for ages so I finally decided to go for it. I mean I really don’t know a lot about the plot other than that it’s a m/m story that plays in Edwardian England and apparently features a witch who’s hiding as a doctor in an asylum and a gorgeous man who helps him to solve the death of one of his patients. Sounds intriguing and as you all know I can never resist a great m/m series. So here we are! XD Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Feb 19, 2024
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Feb 29, 2024
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Feb 19, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0241473683
| 9780241473689
| 0241473683
| 3.90
| 57,103
| Aug 30, 2022
| Aug 25, 2022
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) I relax my shoulders, thinking we're done, but before he goes any farther, he gives me one last, searching look. "That's the qu I’m on BookTube now! =) I relax my shoulders, thinking we're done, but before he goes any farther, he gives me one last, searching look. "That's the question that keeps me up at night. Why would you?” Okay, I’ll admit it: This was fun! After reading “The Cousins” and being slightly disappointed by the story I went into this with a little bit of stomach ache, so I’m very glad to announce that “Nothing More to Tell” worked perfectly for me! Karen McManus’s books are always somewhat hit-or-miss for me, because I either end up enjoying the hell out of them or they just aren’t my cup of tea. I don’t know why, but it is the way it is and this time around, I was happy how the story progressed and unfolded. "Tripp Talbot got unfairly and undeservedly hot, and worst of all, he knows it. All of which I added to my list of reasons to dislike him." I think one of the main reasons I really liked this was the fact that we only had two POVs. We got Brynn’s and Tripp’s side of the story and this made it easier to follow the storyline and kept things on track and interesting. Sometimes too many POVs can ruin a story, but thankfully, this didn’t happen in here! Also Brynn and Tripp were great characters to follow around and even though they had a similar vibe as Nate and Bronwyn (Tripps real name is Noah btw.) the resemblance wasn’t as strong as in “The Cousins” and therefore didn’t bother me as much. ”Tripp, if you don't let whatever is inside of you out, I'm honestly afraid that it's going to kill you. And soon." He jerks his head away, eyes burning into mine. "Don't do that," he says hoarsely. "Don't - you can't touch me like that when you know how I ... Fuck." In addition, the chemistry between those two was nice and I liked their easy banter. While Brynn was a good student that returned to her hometown after four years, Tripp’s life didn’t treat him as kindly and he was getting by as good as possible. I found the dynamic of the three friends that found Mr. Larkin’s body in the woods extremely interesting and the different ways they developed after what happened could have been a study in sociology. They still stuck together but they didn’t really have a lot in common. I think of all three Tripp was the one who hurt the most, he obviously suffered from PTSD and his relationship with his absent mother and his coexistence with his withdrawn father most definitely didn’t help. That poor boy had a lot on his plate and no one he could trust with his secrets. He was the epitome of a broken boy and as you all know they’re my kryptonite. So of course I loved Tripp! He’s quite literally my BBK = Broken Boy Kryptonite and yes, I’m making this a thing now! *lol* I’m gonna spread that acronym into the world. Muahaha! *lol* Anyway! Charlotte’s and Shane’s privilege worked in their favour and they got out of the situation pretty easily and decided never to mention it again. That obviously worked for them, but not for Tripp. ”The man was a void. That son of a bitch got what he deserved. There’s more than one way to be awful. And I wonder, with another uncomfortable twist of my stomach, whether I ever really knew my favorite teacher at all.” But after four years and lots of time to think about Mr. Larkin’s case Brynn is determined to solve the murder case and even pitches it at her internship job interview at a true-crime show. She’s so persuasive that she doesn’t only get the job but is also asked to investigate and find out more about the three kids involved. So of course, her first target is Tripp, her former bestie who acted strangely before Mr. Larkin’s death and before she had to leave. I really liked that part of the book and the way Brynn investigated the crime was fun to read about. Mr. Larkin was such a mystery, I had about a thousand ideas what could have happened that day, but I’m glad to say that none of my theories was right. McManus gives you a couple of clues, but it’s really hard to find out the truth. I usually like it if I can work my way through the mystery alongside the characters and even though that wasn’t really possible in here I still appreciated the way the author chose to reveal the truth. “I haven’t felt like a kid since that day in the woods, and it doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you can get back.” Plus, I liked that McManus addressed a couple of other serious topics in here as well and showed how finding a dead body can affect people’s lives even years after it happened. Tripp’s trauma representation felt very real and comprehensible. Still, his mom Lisa Marie was horrible and I honestly hope Tripp will never see her again. He deserved so much better than that! I kinda wish we would have gotten a little bit more of Shane and Charlotte, though, but I get why McManus focused more on Tripp and Brynn instead. “I know that secrets can eat you alive, and the truth can break your heart, and sometimes it's hard to know which is worse.” This said I really liked “Nothing More to Tell” and it was a nice change to all the other books I read in January. The murder mystery around Mr. Larkin kept me guessing and took some really unexpected turns which is always an advantage in my book! Not to mention Brynn and Tripp as the two MCs who really won me over with their personalities. They made mistakes but that made them very human so I couldn’t help but root for them. Bottom line: This was fun and restored my trust in McManus’s books! I can’t wait to pick up the next one! =) ____________________________ This one was fun again! =) “The Cousins” wasn’t really my thing but I really enjoyed the two POVs in here and the mystery kept me guessing with Brynn and Tripp! Maybe it’s because we have a B & N couple again?! Bronwyn & Nate, Brynn & Noah aka Tripp. There’s a pattern here. *lol* Anyway! I really liked “Nothing More to Tell” and I’ll make sure to write a proper review soon! Soo y'all know the drill: RTC soon! Stay tuned! ;-) ____________________________ I found another McManus book in my library and it sounds like this one could be good! An old murder mystery and two former best friends? It sounds like Brynn and Tripp aren’t exactly on speaking terms but maybe that will change throughout the book?! I suppose the only way to find out is by reading the story, so that’s what I’ll do! ;-) Fingers crossed this will be a winner again! P.S: The title "Nothing More to Tell" is kinda funny, because there obviously is A LOT to tell! XD Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 14, 2024
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Jan 31, 2024
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Jan 14, 2024
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Paperback
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| 0349433372
| 9780349433370
| 0349433372
| 3.84
| 88,362
| Jan 18, 2022
| Oct 07, 2022
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) ”He could see the thin arc of her pale lips, the freckles almost invisible on her cheeks. Her face was burned into his memory, I’m on BookTube now! =) ”He could see the thin arc of her pale lips, the freckles almost invisible on her cheeks. Her face was burned into his memory, and it remained there: an echo but undiminished. A haunting.” How is it this book has lines like this one and still isn’t all too popular among my fellow reviewers?! Of course I can only speak for myself here but “Anatomy: A Love Story” was such a surprise and this in the best way possible! When I first heard of the book I thought it might be a romance that plays in Edinburgh in the year 1817 and it sounded interesting enough to pick it up when I found it at my library. Well, and then I read the blurb and my perception of the book changed and I got even more intrigued. ”What were miracles, but science that man didn’t yet understand? And didn’t that make it all the more miraculous that the secrets of the universe were out there, codes one might decipher if smart enough, tenacious enough?” Truth be told, it’s kind of hard to put this book in a certain genre because it’s one of those stories that defies to be pegged as just one thing. If I had to describe it with a couple of words I’d say it’s a story about a Lady and a resurrection man, with a little dash of romance, mysterious happenings, a dangerous sickness and some Frankenstein-like edge that adds creepy and gory scenes to the mix. It’s also critical of society and emancipated. And for everyone who thinks this sounds like way too many topics and issues packed into just one small book: Don’t worry, despite all that it still works more than just well! ”It’s the lesson young girls everywhere were taught their entire lives – don’t be seduced by the men you meet, protect your virtue – until, of course, their entire lives depended on seduction by the right man. It was an impossible situation, a trick of society as a whole: force women to live at the mercy of whichever man wants them but shame them for anything they might do to get a man to want them. Passivity was the ultimate virtue.” I really loved Hazel as a character and it was so refreshing to see her fight all the stereotypes society wanted to push on her. I mean we have that 16 year old Lady that’s supposed to marry her cousin – the future Viscount Almont – and she completely refuses to give up the life she has built to become just another wife at the side of a powerful man. She wants to be powerful herself, she wants to help people and become a surgeon and despite being a young lady she doesn’t even hesitate to befriend a resurrection man and even accompanies him to dig up a corpse in order to study it. It were things like this, which caused me to root for her so much! Hazel had no qualms to get her hands dirty, no matter if it was with soil or entrails. This girl was amazing and she had her heart at the right place! ”Oi,” Thrupp barked at Burgess. “You’re lucky you have this pretty boy to protect you. You fancy yourself some sort of gentleman with those lined coats, Hazleton?” “Yeah,” Hazel responded with the most masculine swagger she could manage. “I do. And the ladies seem to like it just fine.” Burgess laughed at that, a full throaty laugh, and Thrupp retreated with an eye roll. Also it was extremely awesome she masqueraded as a boy named George Hazelton just to be able to attend anatomy lectures. We dig a girl that’s got her priorities straight and doesn’t let anyone hold her back from pursuing a career as a surgeon. And speaking of the anatomy lessons. The author really didn’t abstain from writing very detailed descriptions so if you’re one of the faint-hearted you better don’t pick up this book. Just a fair warning. Plus if we’re already at it: If you’re allergic to outdated misogynistic bullshit – like I am - you might end up hating a certain Dr. Straine and Hazel’s fiancé as well. Dr. Beecham, well he’s an entirely different story, but at least he had no objections to Hazel becoming a surgeon. The boy you’ll definitely fall in love with is Jack Currer, though! ”It was easy to die in Edinburgh, but Jack had made it seventeen years because he knew how to survive." Oh boy, how I loved Jack! He was such a kind and gentle soul and he deserved the world! I absolutely adored this boy and even though he earned his money by being a resurrection man I could totally understand where he was coming from. Times back then were hard and his job at the Le Grand Leon theatre just didn’t earn him enough money to live from it. Always hungry, no possessions aside of the clothes he wore, no friends and family to watch out for him, Jack had nothing but still managed to survive. Still, despite his own situation, he still cared about others and tried to help them as best as he could and that made him one of the most precious souls ever. Hazel and he might have come from very different backgrounds but they had that in common, they cared about others and this was exactly what made them work so well. =) ”I don’t find myself cavorting with high society ladies like yourself all too often, so it doesn’t strike me as an introduction one needs to make.” “We’ve already met. Twice,” Hazel reasoned. “Aye, but is it really meeting if I haven’t given ye a name?” he said, and this time he winked for real. Haha! Jack could be quite cheeky sometimes and I really liked that about him. Anyway! Those two meet and kinda start some sort of business together and even though the story is slow at some parts and there doesn’t happen a lot, the moments when things actually DO happen were written very well and had me glued to the pages. I was such a sucker for all the little moments between Jack and Hazel and I really wanted them to be together and to have a future with each other in their lives. Their chemistry was amazing and I was a huge fan of their gender swapped moments and scenes. It was an interesting dynamic because even though Jack is a boy, he’s still poor and doesn’t have all the chances and resources Hazel does. ”There ain't going to be any more bodies." He looked away and showed a heavy bruise across his left cheek. Before she could think better of it, Hazel strode forward and lifted Jack's face in her hands. Jack’s hair was particularly lank and dull, and his eyes were flat. See what I mean!? Every reader knows plenty of scenes like that, but it’s usually the man that lifts the girl’s face and not the other way around. No, seriously! I want more moments like this one in my books! Vulnerable and honest men should appear in more books! Period! ;-) As for how the book ended and how everything was resolved: I won’t spoil anything but I will say that I saw some of the revelations come from miles away! It didn’t take a lot of brain capacity to figure things out, but I’m not gonna lie: The overall ending threw me and I’m still not over it. Urgh! My heart! <3 ”My heart is yours, Hazel Sinnett,” Jack said. “Forever. Beating or still.” “Beating or still,” she said. Conclusion: “Anatomy: A Love Story” turned out to be completely different than I thought it would be. I expected a romance and was positively surprised to find out that this book tackled so many other topics as well. I still have a hard time to describe this story because it’s so unique and defies being put into just one genre so all I’ll say is: If you like historical fiction books that think outside of the box and feature strong female characters that defy society’s rules you’ll enjoy this book. And if you like a little mystery, some gory details and two characters that try to save innocent people while inadvertently falling in love – Well, then you’ll most definitely end up loving this book! ;-) ________________________________ NO, what was that ending?! O_o Someone please tell me there’s another book and that I’ll get answers! >_< Also this was something different and I really enjoyed reading “Anatomy: A Love Story”. Hazel and Jack have my heart! <333 I really dislike damn Bernard, though. Can we please not have him in the next book (if there is one.) Full RTC soon! I need to look up if there’s a second instalment first. XD _________________________________ I’m so intrigued by this book because I heard so many people rave about it. At first, I thought this would be a romance but as it seems the plot of “Anatomy: A Love Story” is completely different than I thought it would be. I mean we have Edinburgh in 1817, a woman who wants to be a surgeon and a resurrection man who makes a living from digging up graves and they both try to solve a mystery together?! As I said: I am intrigued. XD I can’t wait to dive into this! This is going to be good! =) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
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Nov 20, 2023
|
Dec 10, 2023
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Nov 20, 2023
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Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1409181634
| 9781409181637
| 1409181634
| 4.18
| 2,480,666
| Feb 05, 2019
| Jan 01, 2020
|
it was ok
|
I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”Love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.” Oh boy, what did I read and I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”Love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.” Oh boy, what did I read and did I read the same book everyone else read?! Because I’m definitely going to be an unpopular opinion here and once I’m done with writing down my two cents I’ll take a closer look at all the other reviews and hopefully will find out if anyone else has a similar opinion to mine. I mean don’t get me wrong, this was an enjoyable read and when I would have just gone with the flow and wouldn’t have thought about things too closely I probably would have been fine too. The problem is, I have experience with psychotherapists and worked with many of them over the years and I just couldn’t switch off the voice in the back of my mind that constantly told me: “No psychotherapist worth their salt would ever act like this or say something like that! This is a psychiatric ward! How can the doctors, nurses and therapists in there act like this?!” Not to mention all the plot holes I just couldn’t overlook and that could easily compete with Swiss cheese. But I’m getting ahead of myself here so let’s just start at the beginning. ”And if I’m going to be honest – and I may as well be – the real reason I agreed to keep this diary was to reassure him – prove that I’m okay. I can’t bear the thought of him worrying about me. I don’t ever want to cause him any distress or make him unhappy or cause him pain. I love Gabriel so much. He is without doubt the love of my life.” So for everyone who doesn’t know what the plot of “The Silent Patient” is about: Alicia Berenson is an artist who is found next to her husband’s body. He was shot five times, in his head, close range and Alicia is arrested for his murder. And you can already guess it from the title: She doesn’t speak a single word which doesn’t exactly help her case. All the evidence points at her being her husband’s murderer but no one knows why. They were a happy couple, at least on the outside. Fast forward seven years and Alicia is at a psychiatric ward; still not talking and her husband’s murder is still a mystery. Enter Theo Faber a forensic psychotherapist who thinks he might be the solution to all of Alicia’s problems. He will make her talk, he’ll be the one who gets through to her. He is the only one who can solve the mystery and save her! Can you already tell that I absolutely loved Theo?! He was such a sweetheart! ”Without wishing to sound boastful, I felt uniquely qualified to help Alicia Berenson. I’m a forensic psychotherapist, and used to working with some of the most damaged, vulnerable members of society. And something about Alicia’s story resonated with me personally – I felt a profound empathy with her right from the start.” No, just no. Theo was such a red flag, I can’t even! Aside of his huge ego and his stance about psychotherapists I just couldn’t get warm with his character. He was the embodiment of everything a psychotherapists shouldn’t be or do and the fact they allowed him to take over Alicia’s case showed how desperate they must have been. I mean he had only just changed his job and was already entrusted with a delicate case like Alicia’s?! Not a realistic scenario but apparently some sacrifices had to be made in order to keep the plot going. ”The real motivation was purely selfish. I was on a quest to help myself. I believe the same is true for most people who go into mental health. We are drawn to this particular profession because we are damaged – we study psychology to heal ourselves. Whether we are prepared to admit this or not is another question.” Urgh. As I said, I just couldn’t with Theo. We have a character who had a really horrible childhood with an abusive father and he is drawn to his patient because her childhood wasn’t any better than his. I don’t think I have to explain why this is no good idea. But then again, it didn’t seem like any of the other people who worked at The Grove knew what they were doing. Diomedes seemed like the fatherly head of the institute indulging Theo whenever he could, Yuri – one of the male nurses - was an extremely questionable character and don’t even get me started on Theo’s former colleague Christian. The only character who seemed to be a halfway decent psychotherapist was Indira and she was a caricature of an idealistic hippie. Also and I have to mention this here: I think there were some misogynistic vibes going on as well. At least I had the impression that women weren’t equal to men in this story. Why? Okay, let me explain. ”You are not the first. I believed I would succeed. Alicia is a silent siren, my boy, luring us to the rocks, where we dash our therapeutic ambition to pieces.” All of the patients in the psychiatric ward are female whereas most of the staff is male. Truth be told, the only female character of the staff was Indira and she was described as “a kindly therapist” quite literally from the moment she had the job interview with Theo. She’s basically the voice of reason drowned out by all her male colleagues throughout the entire book. Also how come there isn’t even a single mention of a male patient in that psychiatric ward? Are we back in the 19th century where every woman was diagnosed with hysterics? The author’s choice of almost all the staff being male is interesting as well, considering the fact that approximately about 60% of psychotherapists are actually female. Yet we have one female psychotherapist and only female patients. Boggles the mind. The continued use of the word “bitch” when referring to one of the patients or women in general was very questionable as well and the description of Theo’s own psychologist – an old woman named Ruth – well, she was the motherly kind that was all soft and sweet. And Theo’s wife Kathy?! Or the description of Alicia’s aunt, of Alicia’s friend Barbie?! It seems like we either have too soft/silly/dependent/pretty women or despicable/ugly “bitches” in this book. There’s no in between and I could go on and on but I think I’ll just leave it at that. ”I remember thinking, there’s no going back now. We were crashing through every last boundary between therapist and patient. And soon it would be impossible to tell who was who.” Theo – well, as I already said I had a lot of issues with his character and aside of the fact that he seemed to be pretty unhinged the story and some parts of the plot were extremely unrealistic. I honestly would have had to switch off my common sense in order to be able to accept some of the things that happened in here. Unfortunately I couldn’t, so here we are! And before I spoil anything now I’ll just make a spoiler warning and rant about all the unrealistic things that didn’t work for me and caused me to rate this book 2,5 stars. Okay, here goes nothing! ”I was in a state of shock. I knew I had to take a look at myself – or risk losing myself. Get a grip, I muttered under my breath as I rolled a joint.” (view spoiler)[I get why Theo was an unreliable and unhinged narrator, if he wouldn’t have been the revelations at the ending of the book wouldn’t have been possible, but seriously, there were so many things I just couldn’t wrap my head around. For one thing I found it extremely unrealistic that Theo cut his finger when he found out about Kathy’s affair. I mean yeah, okay, the fact he cut his finger on a shard of glass wasn’t unrealistic but it going unnoticed by Kathy and his co-workers was extremely unrealistic. He literally, and I’m quoting the book here sliced “a chunk of flesh from my finger”! There was blood everywhere, he held his finger up and rivulets of blood were running down his arms. No one can tell me that an injury like this would go unnoticed by so many people, especially not his wife! My hubby had an injury like that once and he bled so much even I was starting to feel uneasy and considered to go to the hospital. We literally had to bandage his finger so much that it looked like he had a cast on it. Kathy would have noticed. His co-workers would have noticed. Period. Second example: Paul Rose – Alicia’s cousin – clocks Theo with a baseball bat because he thought he was a burglar. So first thing first: Who on earth would clock a person with a baseball bat just because aforementioned person is standing in front of their house?! Like sure, we all go around with baseball bats and once a person is looking at my house the first thing I do is take it and bash their head in. We all do, right?! Completely normal behaviour! But if that wasn’t weird enough, Theo’s reaction to it is even more weird. I mean he literally passed out on the ground after that blow to his head, he had a concussion and probably needed to get stitches but what did he do? You definitely wouldn’t sue the person that hit you and you also wouldn’t go to a hospital because cheers, mate no harm done. It was all in good humour, right? Theo takes it like a champ, asks Paul some questions and then he goes home like nothing ever happened and even goes to work the next day. And once again: NO ONE NOTICES!!! Not Theo’s wife, not his co-workers, no one! Surely no one would notice a laceration on another person’s head! And of course Theo would be able to go about his normal business, because people with concussions are known to be completely steady on their feet and to have no headache! I had a mild concussion once, I spent the next week with the worst headache of my life, was completely unsteady on my feet, my circulation was extremely off and I threw up a couple of times. And unlike Theo I didn’t even have a laceration that bled, you couldn’t see anything from the outside. Is Theo Superman or what?! As I said plot holes like Swiss Cheese and unrealistic scenarios that could put every spy movie to shame. I could mention a couple of other things but I’ll just leave it at that and go to the most important thing: The ending! Oh boy! If you thought the things above were already unrealistic then you’re in for a treat because the ending is probably the most unrealistic thing about the entire book. So Theo’s wife Kathy had an affair with Alicia’s husband Gabriel. Nice. But the timelines are completely off and in the huge revelation at the ending we’re supposed to believe that all the things with Kathy’s infidelity happened around the same time Alicia wrote her diary. But 7 years passed between the murder and Theo’s therapy with Alicia. Yet the thing with Theo slicing his finger happened when he found out about Kathy’s infidelity, Paul Rose bashed his head in while Theo knew Kathy was having an affair. It just doesn’t add up. At least for me it doesn’t. I honestly would have to reread the book again to find out if it’s just my perception of things and events but to read “The Silent Patient” once was enough so I won’t do that. By reading it once the timelines just didn’t add up. But that’s not all, the way Alicia fell into a coma?! We’re supposed to believe that Alicia found out Theo was the one who caused her to murder her husband, because he revealed Gabriel’s infidelity to her. Even when Gabriel thought Alicia was going to die he didn’t offer his life for hers and couldn’t tell her he loved her which was the reason Alicia ended up killing him in the end. So far so good. But and here comes the long list of things that didn’t add up: We’re supposed to believe that Alicia was tied to a chair when Gabriel found her and that she tried to free herself. Surely there would have been wounds on her wrists and ankles when she fought against her restrains for hours, right?! But the police didn’t report anything even though they obviously took a look at her wrists because she tried to kill herself. Even with cut wrists you would have seen chafed skin! Not to mention the chafed skin on her ankles. Also why the hell wouldn’t Alicia talk about what happened! 7 years! 7 freaking years and she never uttered a single word. Why?! Sure you could say she was traumatized but the way it was described in the book she just did it out of spite. Because she didn’t want to talk about it?! I mean sure, let the world think you killed your husband for no reason, create a painting you name “Alcestis” and spend the rest of your days in a psychiatric ward where they pump you so full of medicine you can’t even think straight. We’d all prefer that to talking about it, right?! I’m supposed to believe Alicia didn’t talk out of spite? Instead of the logical conclusion that she was actually traumatized by the events?! Sure. Let’s just roll with it. Also how did the diary – the important plot device that’s giving us all the answers – even end up with Alicia in the psychiatric ward in the first place?! You’d think the police would have immediately confiscated it as evidence when they investigated Gabriel’s murder. How the hell did it get to Alicia without anyone checking its contents first? It would have helped A LOT in the investigation and at court. And last but not least: No one can tell me that Alicia wrote that entire last diary entry and even snuck into her atelier to hide the diary behind the painting. It’s just not possible. Not with a deadly dose of morphine running through her veins. She could not have done it! Theo injected her with a needle! It went directly into her blood stream and everyone who ever got an intravenous drip knows how fast they work. There is no way she could have written that super long and extremely coherent explanation into her diary, let alone hide it behind one of her paintings. I repeat there’s no way this could have worked. No way. (hide spoiler)] Conclusion: Sorry for that salty spoiler part, but I just couldn’t with this. I mean this was an easy and fast read but I don’t really get the hype this book got. This was a #1 New York Times bestseller, mind you, but I honestly think there are better mystery thrillers out there. Was I entertained? Yes, I was. Was it the best book I ever read? Nope, definitely not. Maybe it’s just a case of “this book wasn’t for me”, I really dunno. All I know is that my common sense wasn’t fooled by this story and that a lot of things didn’t make any sense. At least not to me. Okay, my unpopular opinion time is over now. I’ll let myself out. ;-) _______________________________ Oh, well. I think I’m going to be the an unpopular opinion here but uff. I know this is a mystery thriller and was a #1 New York Times bestseller and even though I was entertained, I still had my issues with the book. Lots of things happened in here so umm. I think I’ll have to write a long and elaborate review. Please bear with me. Full RTC soon! This is going to be interesting. _______________________________ So #Rainboween is still going strong but I want to write my review for “Wolfsong” before I dive into “Ravensong” and because of that (and because I’m super slow with writing my reviews) I decided to go for another book first. *lol* V-logic! XD Anyway! I’ve heard so many good things about “The Silent Patient” and I think everybody and their grandma already read this story. I’m probably among the few people who still didn’t read the book so I’m going to rectify this now. I mean if Halloween month isn’t the perfect time to read a thriller then I don’t know! I’m very curious if I’ll like this one. Let’s find out. ;-) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
|
Oct 23, 2023
|
Nov 12, 2023
|
Oct 23, 2023
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1803360070
| 9781803360072
| 1803360070
| 3.89
| 83,700
| Jul 12, 2022
| Oct 18, 2022
|
really liked it
|
I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”We were younger then,” I said. “And immortal.” He forced a smile. It was ghastly and I looked awa I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”We were younger then,” I said. “And immortal.” He forced a smile. It was ghastly and I looked away, back to the moldering wallpaper. “Perhaps that’s it. But this place has made me afraid. This dreadful house. I think I would rather face a line of rifles, even now. At least that’s a human enemy.” That was an interesting statement and it set the pace for this 177 pages book. You’d think such a short story wouldn’t be able to build so much atmosphere but boy, I gotta give it to T. Kingfisher, she knows how to tell a tale! The reader is instantly thrown into the action and there was no time wasted. Which is interesting if you consider how many things you find out about Gallacian soldiers, their use of pronouns, their language and their culture in general. I kinda loved to read those little bits and pieces of information and I found it extremely intriguing that Kingfisher managed to add them to the story so seamlessly. ”You show up to basic training and they hand you a sword and a new set of pronouns. (It’s extremely rude to address a soldier as ta. It won’t get you labelled as a pervert, but it might get you punched in the mouth.) Easton was an amazing narrator and I really liked to be in their/kan head. It was fun and I absolutely loved the fine humour in this book. I don’t know if this is typical for the authors works but if this is her usual brand then I’m more than just ready to dive into some of her other books. As for the story and how it was executed: It was done so well. All the characters had their own voices and their interactions were amusing, intriguing and very often they were creepy af. Especially Easton’s conversations with Madeline and Roderick gave me goose bumps. ”Then she smiled and it was terrible. Madeline’s lips pulled up at the corners in a terrible parody of good humor, her mouth stretching painfully wide, her jaw dropped so far that it looked almost like a scream. Above that awful grin, her eyes were as flat and dead as stones.” Shudders. Yep, Maddy is definitely the kind of woman you don’t want to meet alone at night. It didn’t surprise me that Easton had to fight kan flight instinct when ka was alone with Madeline or Roderick. If you ask me Easton is way braver than most other people would have been in the same situation. Just saying. *lol* ”Every Gallacian soldier I know carries at least one bottle of livrit with kan. It reminds us that we are part of a great and glorious tradition of people doing gallant things in service of a country that can’t find its arse with both hands and a map.” Thankfully Easton had lots of livrit with kan and I guess that helped to be a little bit braver. Liquid courage never hurt nobody. ;-P I’m pretty sure it also helped that Easton wasn’t entirely alone in the house. James Denton – the Usher’s American doctor – and Easton’s servant Angus were a great addition to the cast and I really liked both of them. Plus we also had Eugenia Potter, a mycologist, who helped them figure things out as well. That woman! *lol* I swear she was braver than all three others combined! Haha! If I ever get in a situation like that, I’d like to have that sturdy and steadfast Englishwoman at my side. "There were three veterans at that table, battle-scarred soldiers who had served their countries honorably in more than one war ... and all three of us screamed like small children and recoiled in horror." Also can we acknowledge that Angus and Miss Potter apparently found each other attractive! *lol* I kinda liked the idea of those two together and no matter how small their interactions on page, I couldn’t help but think that they were adorable. James Denton and Easton were an interesting pairing too and even though nothing happened, there was still some potential and tension there. ”The Good Lord looks out for fools. In your case, apparently He sends the occasional Englishwoman.” “I thought He’d sent you.” “You’re a two-person job, youngster.” Bless Angus! I loved that man so much! XD I think you can already tell that I had a great time with “What Moves the Dead” and I can highly recommend it to everyone who wants to read something short and creepy with a nice dose of fine humour. Since it’s a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s story “The Fall of the House of Usher” it was also the perfect read for my #Rainboween Readathon! I think that this version might have been more creepy than the original one, though. And last but not least, I have to mention that I was happy to find an amazing tinnitus representation in this book! "My tinnitus chose that moment to strike, a high-pitched whine ringing through my ears and drowning out even the soft lapping of the tarn. I stopped and waited for it to pass. It's not dangerous, but sometimes my balance becomes a trifle questionable, and I had no desire to stumble into the lake." I honestly didn’t expect to find a tinnitus rep in “What Moves the Dead” but I was positively surprised when I did. Representations like that are so rare and I think I’ve never even found another one in a book before. As someone who has suffered from tinnitus for years and still does this rep was something, I never knew I needed until I saw it written down on page. I’m very thankful T. Kingfisher wrote it into her book and I hope that I’ll find more tinnitus reps in the future. All told I really enjoyed this story and I can’t wait to read more of the author’s other works! =) _____________________________ I really liked this take on “The Fall of the House of Usher”! Easton was a fun narrator and I really liked the fine humour in this. Also it was the right amount of creepy for me! =) Considering this is just a 177 pages book this was great. T.Kingfisher nailed it. Full RTC soon! ;-) _____________________________ Still not Halloweeen but soon it will be #Rainboween and I want to be able to recommend this. So fingers crossed “What Moves the Dead” is going to be amazing! I mean it’s a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and it features a non-binary MC! It has to be good, right?! =) I’m so ready to dive into this and it’s a really short book so I’m sure it won’t take me long to read it. Let’s do this! Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
|
1
|
Sep 25, 2023
|
Oct 14, 2023
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Sep 25, 2023
|
Paperback
| ||||||||||||||
| 1250859611
| 9781250859617
| 1250859611
| 3.98
| 95,199
| Feb 01, 2022
| Feb 01, 2022
|
really liked it
|
I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”Why did my heroine need a hero to save her? Why couldn’t she just be trusted to save herself?” Th I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”Why did my heroine need a hero to save her? Why couldn’t she just be trusted to save herself?” This was such a fun ride once again! I have no idea how Elle Cosimano comes up with all those crazy ideas but I’m so here for it! *lol* Like seriously! Whenever you think: “Oh, it can’t possibly get any worse than this”, Elle throws you for a loop and all the cards are mixed up again. I can only speak for myself here, but I love this kind of writing style because you never know what’s going to happen next. Finlay is such a chaotic narrator and Vero her best friend and side-kick (who also happens to be her kids nanny) is extremely unpredictable and always does exactly what she’s not supposed to do. Fun times! XD ”No,” I said irritably, “I’m plotting Steven’s murder.” “Thank you, baby Jesus, it’s about damn time.” Vero ducked, giggling as I threw the marker at her head. “Not literally. I’m making a list of everyone Steven’s managed to piss off. Then I’ll figure out which one of them has the strongest motive to kill him.” Vero’s laughter quieted as she surveyed the length of paper. “I hate to break it to you, Finn, but you’re going to need another roll.” So this out of the way you might have asked yourself what the second book is about and that’s easily explained. After the first book ended on a cliff-hanger that informed the reader about Steven (Finlay’s ex-husband) being on a hit list the plot picks up where it left off. After seeing Steven’s name on Feliks forum Finlay and Vero are determined to find out who’s behind the username FedUp and even more importantly who’s the contract killer FedUp hired. But of course this is easier said than done and with every passing day the threat on Steven’s life gets more and more serious. Even worse, Steven doesn’t believe Finlay and thinks it’s just an elaborate ploy to keep their children away from him. ”In some ways, Steven would always be a constant in my life, too, but he wasn’t a net I could safely fall back on. I wasn’t falling backward anymore. From now on, there was only falling forward.” Honestly, I was fed up with Steven too and to some degree I could understand why FedUp hired a hitman to get rid of him. *lol* I mean seriously! Finlay was trying so hard to save his life and he just didn’t listen to her. It was maddening and I have no idea how Finn wasn’t tempted to punch him in the face. I mean, I’m one hell of a patient person and people gave me the nickname unicorn because where others already lose their cool I’m still trying to be diplomatic, but even I would have had a hard time forcing myself to stay calm. I swear, Steven is probably one of the most annoying characters I ever came across in a book and that says a lot! ”Call it dinner. Call it date. Call it research for a book. Call it whatever the hell you want, Finn. Whatever it was between us, I miss it." It was hard to breathe when he was standing this close. But of course trying to find the contract killer who’s out and about attempting to murder her ex-husband is only one of Finlay’s many problems. There are two hot love interests that are still vying for her attention and as it seems Vero is keeping a secret as well. Not to mention the book deadline Finn’s agent is more than just adamant about. Add to that the daily struggles of a single mom and a dangerous man behind bars that seems to get more and more interested in Finlay’s actions than is good for her and you have the perfect recipe for disaster. “You are a fascinating woman, Ms. Donovan. I'm curious to see how this little game of yours plays out." He gave me a lingering last look before rapping on the door. Feliks Zhirov is definitely not the kind of man you want to mess with. And you most definitely don’t want to have his attention either. Julian’s and Nick’s attention on the other hand… I’m not gonna lie, if I’d have been Finlay I wouldn’t have been able to decide between those two as well. Still, I’m not really convinced by either of them. Finn just has a lot on her plate as a single mom and Julian is so young, he probably wouldn’t get half of the problems she has to deal with. They are both at completely different stages of their lives and it would be extremely hard to reconcile them. ”How can I help?” My mouth went dry. I hated how easy he was making this. I’d never lied to him like this before – not since that night when I’d told him everything. Julian had been the one person aside from Vero who knew all my most horrible secrets. But if he’d been worried a few Instagram photos might compromise his future, what would he think if he knew what I was about to do? As for Nick: I still think it’s kinda shady he takes Finlay with him for his police work?! I dunno. I really like him and he’s sexy and he seems to be a decent man but I also wonder why he would take Finn along with him. He already got into trouble for it in the first book so him still going for police work with Finn seems to be pretty weird. Then again maybe Elle Cosimano just decided to write it like that because it makes for a fun plot device and it does, but it’s also sort of unrealistic. Oh well, I suppose everything that happens in the Finlay Donovan books is, so yeah, don’t mind me! *lol* It’s actually one of the things that appeals so much to me. The fact that Finn’s struggles with being a single mom are extremely relatable and realistic, yet at the same time all the rest that happens in here is not. XD ”Finlay tells me you’d like to spend time with the children. I think that’s just wonderful. Delia and Zach are staying with Paul and me next weekend so Finlay can spend time with her new boyfriend.” My mother called out to me, “Which one was it, sweetheart? The police officer or the law student? They’re both so handsome, I get them mixed up.” “Savage,” Vero whispered. Also can we give a shout-out to Finlay’s mom and her sister?! I love those two to bits and pieces! Her mom only wants what’s best for her and I absolutely adore her for the way she handled Steven! Savage doesn’t even cover it, she’s a genius! *lol* Steven definitely deserved it so that’s fine by me. ;-P It’s really nice to see that her mom and her sister are watching out for Finlay and that she’s not alone even though Steven left her. ”I don’t need someone to swoop into my life and rescue me!” “I know that!” she said, slapping the corkscrew on the counter. “I’ve know that ever since the day Steven walked out on you and the kids! You’ve been holding the three of you above water ever since. But just because you can survive alone doesn’t mean you should have to.” She took me by the shoulders with a gentle shake. “I love you, you idiot. No one’s saying you have to find a husband. But sometimes it’s nice to have a decent partner riding shotgun.” Georgia is precious and I’ve a crush on her. There, I said it and it’s out in the world. ;-) She seems to be the counterweight to all the madness in Finn’s life and I think that’s a good thing. I wonder what she’d say to Finn being on friendly terms with Feliks and Irina, though. *lol I’m pretty sure she’d try to keep her sister as far away from the Russian mob as possible, so I guess it’s good she doesn’t know about what Finlay is up to in her free time. She might pass out if she would and we’d miss out on a lot of Finlay’s funny shenanigans. It’s better she doesn’t know. XD Conclusion: “Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead” was another fun ride and I can’t wait to see what Elle Cosimano comes up with in the next book. Finn and Vero got in the most compromising situations and there were a lot of plot twist I never saw coming. The combination of both made this a wild and suspenseful ride that even caused me to spend the last couple of chapters at the edge of my seat. All told, I’m a huge fan of this series and I’m ready to buddy read book three with Bea soon! I already know we’ll have a blast! ;-) _____________________________ I don’t know how Elle Cosimano does it, but this was so WILD again. *lol* Bea and I had such a blast reading this and OMG! This time around there were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming! XD Like WOAH! Also I kinda love how the author always stets up the plot of the next book with the ending of the former one. Full RTC soon! Stay tuned, my lovelies! =) _____________________________ Bea and I are at it again and this means we’re continuing our buddy read of Finlay Donovan! This time around Finlay apparently is going to “Knock ‘Em Dead” and we’re both so ready to see what’s going to happen in book two! Especially with all the sexy love interests Finlay collected in the first book. *lol* ;-P Also I’m sure there’ll be more Vero antics and I can’t wait to see them. Wanna join the wild ride? XD Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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Sep 22, 2023
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Nov 10, 2023
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Sep 22, 2023
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Paperback
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| 1421506262
| 9781421506265
| B01EKIH0AU
| 4.32
| 30,328
| Feb 04, 2005
| May 02, 2006
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liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) So this Volume unfortunately wasn’t as good as the others and the story kinda lost steam after Li I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) So this Volume unfortunately wasn’t as good as the others and the story kinda lost steam after Light was forced to give up the Death Note. I suppose I should have expected that it would go that way but for some reason I thought there would be a way around it or that the plot wouldn’t lose its touch once someone else had the Death Note. Then again the cat and mouse game between L and Light could only go on for so long until this major step needed to be taken. I mean it was only logical that it couldn’t continue this way without getting boring. Sooner or later their mind games had to end in order to make room for something new. Still, I think the choice to give the Death Note into the hands of a finance company wasn’t the best one and even though the mystery about who of the eight board members has the Death Note is nice, it doesn’t really glue me to the pages. This said, my bet is on either Reiji Namikawa or Shingo Mido. *lol* Both of them are strategic thinkers and would gain a lot by helping Yotsuba Finance. Just saying. XD Tsugumi Ohba obviously tried to get a little bit of fresh air into the plot by adding two criminals to the taks force and Aiber – a con artist – and Wedy – a burglar and picklock - are definitely a nice addition to the cast. I’m not all too persuaded by the idea of the police deciding to cancel the task force and prohibiting its members from finding out who Kira is, though. Kira is still a mystery and his murders are all over the news so it seems to be a strange decision to go for this route. Also the fact that the task force lost another member because the police officially disbanded it felt slightly off. (view spoiler)[And don’t even get me started on the fact that Lights father basically agreed to test his son and threatened to kill him and Misa just to get a confession out of them. I guess it’s good Light lost all his memories about the Death Note and actually thought that he’s innocent. What was really weird was how fast he forgave his father for playing him like that, though. Honestly, I would be so mad at my father if he’d do something like that and definitely wouldn’t forgive him that easily. It felt extremely unrealistic and was handled way too hastily in my opinion. (hide spoiler)] Not too sure how everything is going to continue in the next volume but the fact the financial sharks took over most definitely doesn’t help to make it more attractive for me. The corporate aspect is just not as appealing as the personal one. I’ve been told that it gets better in the next volume, though so I’ll continue with the series and find out if Volume 6 will work for me. Fingers crossed it will! XD ________________________________ This was okay, not as good as the other first four volumes but still okay. I kinda missed L’s and Light’s mind games in this one. XD Full RTC soon! Won’t be long but I want to write a short one at least. ;-) ________________________________ August has been the worst reading month ever… I didn’t even manage to finish a single book and it’s already the 26th. Not going to lie, my hubby being hospitalized drained the life out of me and got me in a horrible reading slump. =( Let’s hope “Death Note” will be able to get me out of it. If I read a couple of Mangas I might get into reading again. Wish me luck! On the plus side: I really want to know how this continues after Vol.4 so my curiosity might help. *fingers crossed* Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 26, 2023
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Aug 28, 2023
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Aug 26, 2023
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Paperback
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| 1473228018
| 9781473228016
| 1473228018
| 4.13
| 138,923
| Jan 10, 2023
| Jan 10, 2023
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”Too many shadows, too much history, too many bodies piling up. Too many enemies. There was no wa I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”Too many shadows, too much history, too many bodies piling up. Too many enemies. There was no way to fight them all.” If this isn’t the short summary of “Hell Bent” then I dunno. This book was quite the journey and I enjoyed it immensely. Probably even more than the first book and I think that’s mostly due to the fact that all the main players were already introduced. We were finally allowed to dig deeper and to find out more about the characters and their background stories and since I’m a person that loves character driven books this was totally my cup of tea. Also it was less gruesome and disgusting than the first book. I know you’d think that a book that’s called “Hell Bent” would be even harder to digest than “Ninth House” but despite the entire hell aspect this was actually pretty easy to read and definitely had less horrible scenes than in the first book. At least that’s the kind of impression the book left me with. Whilst the first book had a heavy focus on getting to know Alex’s world, her past and who she is, the focus of the second book was clearly on Darlington and how to get him back from hell. I don’t know how to express this but for me it felt like Leigh Bardugo went back to her roots with this one and just told her story without adding too many dark scenes for shock value which worked perfectly fine for me. Sometimes you don’t have to scandalize your readers to tell a great story and just have to give more room to the characters and their development which is exactly what Leigh did with this book. I loved to get to know Turner and Tripp and I was very happy Mercy got a bigger part in the story as well. As for the new addition of Professor Walsh-Whiteley… Boy, I could have done without that misogynistic excuse for a man. No fan of him and never will be. Still, all the characters fighting not only against literal demons but also against their own inner demons was what made this book so good and before I continue to write an essay I’ll just go to my characters section and discuss all the MCs there. The characters: You are descending down to hell. Be careful, it’s full of dangerous demons, things that will cause you to question your sanity, nightmares that will haunt you for the rest of your life and … It’s full of spoilers!! Probably the worst thing you’ll encounter down there. So beware! ;-P Alex Stern: ”Why didn’t these people ever get it? Protect your own. Pay your debts. There was no other way to live, not if you wanted to live right.” I swear Alex still has some of the best one-liners ever. I really love her character and that she’s so driven. Darlington and Dawes are her family and there is nothing she wouldn’t do for them. Honestly, the lengths she went to in order to get Darlington back from hell. Wow, that’s some serious determination and I adore that about her. Alex might be a morally grey character but she knows what’s right and what’s wrong and even though she toes the lines sometimes her inner compass always steers her back to the right path. She would never leave any of her friends behind and she has some sort of integrity that’s not easy to find. She’s extremely loyal to those she loves and cares about and I think she doesn’t even know half about what she’s capable of. Considering everything Alex has been through in her short life it’s amazing she’s still braving it all, going out there and doing her thing. This woman is a survivor and people better don’t underestimate her. I’m very curious about book three because I’m sure we’ll get to know more about what it means to be a wheel and now that Darlington is back, the two storylines can merge into one which brings so much potential to the table! ARGH! I can’t wait to read it all! ”I don’t know how to forgive,” Alex admitted. “And I don’t think I want to learn.” "Life is cruel. Magic is real. And I'm not ready to die." ”She had to find a way back to the game of pretend she’d played last year, had to find a new sea level. They would bring Darlington back. They would make everything right again.” ”A little magic. A talent for taking a beating. A demon at her side. That was all she had, but maybe it was all she needed. “Come on, Darlington,” she said. “Let’s give them hell.” Darlington: ”The chalk circle glowed golden, less a circle than a shimmering wall, and at its center, Daniel Tabor Arlington V sat cross-legged, naked as a baby in the bath. Two horns curled back from his forehead, their ridges gleaming as if shot through with molten gold, and his body was covered in bright markings. A wide golden collar ringed his neck, ornamented with rows of garnet and jade.” Oh my gosh!!! I have so many thoughts about Darlington I can barely put them into coherent sentences! I mean, what a way to enter the book?!! Buck naked with a glowing… you know. *LOL* No, but seriously, there is so much to unpack here. From his childhood and how he became the golden boy of Lethe, right to how he ended up in hell and what he did there. My poor tortured Darlington. I felt so sorry for him and suffered with him. To be in hell for so long. It must have changed him profoundly. Alone the line: ”He would pretend to be human again until he was.”! It says so much about what he experienced, how he feels about the things he had to do in order to survive. There’s darkness in him now, don’t get me wrong, it was always there, but it’s stronger now and it will be hard for him to keep it at bay. There’s some rough side to the carefully crafted smooth gentleman we always got to see on the outside and I personally lived and breathed for it. To get a glimpse at his thoughts, his inner turmoil, it was so well done. I’m sure Darlington’s time in hell will be a big factor and topic in the next book and I think I’ll never be able to face that. My poor, poor, broken boy. T_T Darlington deserved so much better than that. I hope he can heal and will come back stronger than before. Eventually his façade will crack and I genuinely hope that Alex and the others will be there to catch him when he falls. >_< He has the potential to be a very complex character and I’m so ready to see it happening. ”Find the Gauntlet, make the descent. Come get me, Stern.” He paused then, and his golden eyes flashed open. “Please.” That word, raw and human, was all she could bear. ”He's ... expensive." Darlington was too beautiful, too well-read, too well-traveled. He wasn't just cut from a different cloth; he was too finely made and tailored. ”At the time, Alex had wondered how bad it could have been, growing up in a mansion. But now that she’d been in Darlington’s grandfather’s head, seen his memories of a little boy lost in the dark, she understood why that boy would come here, to a place full of people and noise, where there was always something to read or to look at, where no one would think twice about a studious kid with a backpack who didn’t want to leave.” ”Darlington sat down on the edge of the bed, the knowledge of everything that had happened crashing into him. If he let his mind alight on any single thought for too long, he’d go mad. Or maybe he was already mad. How was he supposed to be human again after what he’d seen and done?” ”Demons were not thinking creatures. They operated on instinct, driven by their appetites. He had prided himself on being nothing like that. Never rash. Guided by reason. But now he wanted in a way he never had. He had been tempted to bury his face in his soup bowl and lap at it like a greedy animal. He wanted to place himself between Alex’s legs now and do the same to her.” Turner: "I think I do. But I definitely believe in the devil, and if he gets hold of a soul and doesn't want to let it go, I think you have to try to pry it away from him. Especially if that soul has the makings of a soldier." Ahh Turner is really growing on me as a character. I already liked him in the first book but we got to know him so much better in “Hell Bent” and it was nice to be in his head every once in a while. I think in some way he might be the conscience of the group because he has his values and as a policeman he holds to them. It’s interesting that he’s also religious and seems to take the fight between good and evil very seriously. It’s something he believes in and it’s his main motivation to help Alex and the group. He might not agree with everything they do, but he still helps them because he knows it’s the right thing to do. Turner still seems to see the world in black and white, but I’m sure that will change over time. No one can be as exposed to the supernatural world as Turner and not be changed by it. Mark my words, we’ll see it on page. I’m sure of it. ;-) ”This is what your magic is for, isn’t it? This is what it does. Props up the people in power, lets the people with everything take a little more?” "He loved his family, loved his people. He could be their sword and their protector. He needed to believe he could." Mercy: ”I was a really lonely kid. The advantage to being unpopular is you get a lot more reading done.” Alex shook her head. “Boy, did you come to the right place.” *sighs deeply* Mercy. Poor Mercy. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. I was very proud of her taking things into her own hands and doing what she wanted to do. She was such a great addition to the group, brought a lot of knowledge with her, and turned out to be extremely useful. Her being a part of Alex’s group made perfect sense to me. I was glad she came out stronger after everything that happened to her, but I’m kinda worried the ending of “Hell Bent” might have thrown her off course. It’s all good fun until push comes to shove and you have to make a decision and get your hands dirty. I think Mercy underestimated that and now she has to live with the consequences. It’s not Alex’s fault because she tried to warn her so I really hope those two will be able to mend what’s broken in the next book. >_< ”But we’re always in danger. Go to a party, meet up with the wrong person, walk down the wrong street. I think … I think sometimes it’s easier if instead of waiting for trouble, you go to meet it.” The relationships & ships: Alex & Darlington: ”Galaxy Stern,” Darlington said, his eyes flashing gold, “I have been crying out to you from the start.” THOSE TWO!!! I swear the air between them was so charged you could have easily set the room on fire by just breathing and I absolutely dig it? Like, I’m so glad there is so much chemistry between them and that it’s building up. Slowly, steadily, a full on proper slow burn about to unfold. I know everybody and their grandma wants them to have sex, I’ve seen plenty of reviews stating that very sentence, but I think it’s good the way it’s done here. Why does it always have to be physical? Isn’t the sizzling chemistry that’s between them and building up way more beautiful and interesting than them just spending a night together? Those are two characters that have literally gone through hell and back and they deserve room to grow, to get to know each other, to cope with their trauma first before they go for a relationship. Yeah, I know it could just be sex, but we all know that Darlington and Alex are more than that. There’s a deeper connection between them and they are just getting to know each other so I’m totally on board of exploring their chemistry and their slow-burn a little bit more. Might be the demisexual in me but it is the way it is. *shrugs* I’m probably the only voice that doesn’t demand sex but that’s okay for me. *lol* Anyway! Back to those two! I kinda like that Darlington seems to be more straight forward with that he thinks and the fact it sort of throws Alex is a lot of fun to watch. I mean that sentence about “predilection for first editions and women who like to lecture him”? Haha! Gosh, I lived for that. I honestly hope for more moments like that and a ton of chemistry that’s oozing off the pages! To have a relationship won’t be easy with all the baggage those two bring into the game, but I’m sure Leigh Bardugo will be able to make it. I mean alone the power dynamic is quite heavy, with Alex basically being Darlington’s master now. Boy, this isn’t going to be easy, yet I’m still ready for book three! Bring it on! XD ”Danny, come home.” Darlington’s shoulders slumped. His head bowed. The rock slid from his hands. When he looked up, his eyes met hers, and in them she saw the anguish of ten thousand hours, of a year lost to suffering. She saw guilt in them too, and shame, and she understood: That golden demon was Darlington too. He was both prisoner and guard here in hell, tortured and torturer. ”Darlington?” Alex stammered. “I … Where are you going?” “To get some clothes, Stern,” he said, climbing the steps and leaving bloody footprints behind. “A man can spend only so much time without trousers on before he begins to feel like a deviant.” Alex stared up at him, one hand on the banister. The gentleman of Lethe had returned. ”They watched each other in the quiet of the kitchen. They knew everything about each other. They knew nothing at all. He had a sense that they had entered into an uneasy truce, but he couldn’t quite name the war. She was more beautiful than he remembered. No, that wasn’t true. It wasn’t that she had changed or that his vision had sharpened. He was just less afraid of her beauty now.” ”You know your problem?” “A predilection for first editions and women who like to lecture me about myself?” “An unhealthy respect for the rules. Get some sleep.” She vanished down the dark hall, there and gone, like some kind of magic trick. ”These marks mean I am bound in service. Forever.” “To hell? To Golgarot?” He laughed then, the sound deep and cold, the thing at the bottom of the lake. “I’m bound to you, Stern. To the woman who brought me out of hell. I will serve you ‘til the end of days.” Alex & Turner: "Before the doors could close, Turner shoved his hand in and they pinged back open. "I've got it," he said. "You always looked like you had trouble chasing you." Alex jabbed the door-close button. "So?" "Now you look like it caught up." I really like their dynamic. There’s animosity but also a lot of respect and it’s such a pleasure to see that played out on page. I think after they both have been in the heads of each other they have a very good understanding of how the other person thinks and feels. And of what moves and drives them. I’m pretty sure in another life they might have been friends right from the start, but in this one they caught each other on the wrong foot and slowly learn to trust each other. Their relationship is one they had to fight for, but I think that makes it even more precious. At the moment there’s some sort of tentative trust between them, but I’m sure it will get a chance to bloom. Come to think of it their relationship dynamic reminds me a little bit of a father and his reluctant kid. I think in some way Turner actually is filling in as some sort of father figure for Alex, because whenever she was in real trouble she called him. I wonder if she’s going to realize that in the next book. Guess we’ll find out. I’m very curious about how their relationship is going to develop. ”Besides, if Turner believed something was off, there was. She’d been in his head, looked through his eyes. She’d seen the world as he did, the details of it, the signs and signals everyone else missed or ignored. She’d felt the prickle at the base of her skull.” ”You can’t walk through hell unchanged.” “We’ll see,” he said, heading down the steps. He paused on the walkway and looked back at her. “It changed you too, Stern. You may not care about good and evil, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. You stole a man out of hell. You beat a demon at his own game. You’d better think about what that means.” “And what’s that?” “The devil knows your name now, Galaxy Stern.” Conclusion: “Hell Bent” was great and I really enjoyed that we finally got to see more of the characters, their background stories and their motives. Whilst the first book focused on Alex and her life, the second instalment managed to involve many of the former side-characters and shed some light on Darlington’s thoughts as well. Book two definitely wasn’t as gruesome and gross as the first book and I was very thankful for that. Still, there was enough action to glue me to the pages and I was through the book in no time. ;-) With the storyline from “Ninth House” and the addition of Darlington’s return I can’t help but be curious about book three, though. Let’s hope we won’t have to wait all too long. _______________________________ I never thought I’d say this, but I finally finished my first book in August! Yay! Okay, it might be the first and last book I finish in August but that’s fine by me. Also wow, the wait for book 3 is going to be pure torture. I really liked this one, though. Is it just me or was this actually tamer than the first one?! Full RTC soon! =) Or at least as soon as I can manage to get to it. ________________________________ I’ve to return this to the library in three weeks! 481 pages, I can do this! ;-P No, honestly, I’ll page through "Hell Bent" if I can, because I’ve been dying to read this book ever since I finished the first one and Leigh Bardugo never disappoints. Also fingers crossed we’ll get more of Darlington in book 2. I need more of the Golden Boy of Lethe. Kinda worried about him, though. >_< Anyway! Let’s go! Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Aug 03, 2023
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Aug 27, 2023
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Aug 03, 2023
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Hardcover
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| 4.23
| 320,351
| Sep 15, 2020
| Sep 2021
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s Kindness infinite.” Sometimes there are books you d I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s Kindness infinite.” Sometimes there are books you don’t want to talk about, because going into them blind is the best thing you can do. Knowing more than necessary would ruin the experience and take away from the fun so all you can do is to stick to the blurb and be as vague as possible. Well, “Piranesi” is one of those books. I honestly tried to find out more about this story before I went into it but the entire bookish community seems to have decided not to spoil anything and looking at it in retrospective, I’m very grateful for it. So thank you to everyone who made it impossible to know more about “Piranesi” than the facts that are already written on the blurb. ”I have known for many years that the Other does not revere the House the same way I do, but it still shocks me when he talks like this. How can a man as intelligent as him say there is nothing alive in the House? The Lower Halls are full of sea creatures and vegetation, many of them very beautiful and very strange. The Tides themselves are full of movement and power so that, while they may not exactly be alive, neither are they not-alive. In the Middle Halls are birds and men…” I think I’m going to join the majority of readers here and won’t talk all too much about the plot, what I can tell you though is that I loved every second of this story and it sort of put a magical spell on me. Whenever I couldn’t read the book because I was busy doing other things, I felt an urge to pick it up again and to continue reading. I just had to know what would happen next and I was driven by this almost compulsory thirst for knowledge. I honestly don’t know how to describe this special brand of reading experience but it definitely was something new for me. The fact the entire book is written in journal entries from Piranesi’s POV added so much character to the story and the reader is right there with the MC, trying to solve a mystery neither the reader nor Prianesi were aware of when the book began. It’s quite the journey, to be honest. ”The House is valuable because it is the House. It is enough in and of itself. It is not the means to an end.” I’m kind of fighting against myself here because I don’t want to spoil anything, yet at the same time I really want to talk about this amazing book. XD Sometimes being a reader can be difficult, but for the greater good and the sake of all the readers after me, I will just suck it up and not talk about “Piranesi” all too much. I know, I know, I usually write super long reviews so this is extremely hard for me, but this time around I’ll just take one for the team, no matter how much it pains me. XD What I will say, is that I absolutely loved Piranesi as a character and that I adored his child-like nature and the way he saw things. It was beautiful to see this new and strange world though his eyes and to experience how much attention he gave every detail. Piranesi truly cared about the House and I think it’s safe to assume that the House cared about him too. They were a unit and they were both innocent and pure at heart, which might be the reason they worked together so well and had formed some sort of symbiosis. Their interaction was fascinating and extremely lovely to read about. I know this might sound like the house is a character as well and truth be told, for me it actually was. The House is the House and it is. If that makes any sense?! Probably only to the people who read the book. ”The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it’s Kindness infinite.” I don’t want to say more, because this is one of those rare books you have to read and experience for yourself. So I’ll do us all a favour and finish this painfully inconclusive review here, giving it my best shot to end it on a high note: Mysterious, compelling, refreshingly unique, whimsical, innocent, fascinating and remarkable. “Piranesi” was one of a kind and a story that will stay with me for a long time. If you haven’t read this book yet and enjoy magical realism with a dash of mysterious fantasy, do yourself a favour and pick it up. You won’t regret it. ;-) _______________________________ This book was just… WOW! I get all the high ratings and why everyone who read it seems to love “Piranesi”. The effect of this story! It was exactly what I was craving for when I read “The Midnight Library” but never got. But with this book… damn! I got everything I wanted. I think I’m totally incoherent now. This story blew my mind so all I’ll say is: Full RTC once I calmed down enough to write one and my thoughts stopped reeling! *lol* _________________________________ I’ve wanted to read "Piranesi" for ages and it’s actually a pretty short one, so I dunno why it took me so long to get to it. Fact is: I’ve to return it to the library in two weeks and I wanted to read it before it goes back. 245 pages sound doable so here I am. ;-) I can’t really explain what the book is about but apparently it’s about Piranesi who lives in a house that has an ocean in its basement and rooms that change every day. And if that wouldn’t be mysterious enough there seems to live another person in the house Piranesi never met before. Very curious about this storyline. It sounds so intriguing and unlike anything, I’ve ever read. Join my journey and come along for the ride?! =) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 18, 2023
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Jul 29, 2023
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Jul 18, 2023
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Paperback
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| B08889RY1X
| 4.01
| 186,456
| Feb 02, 2021
| Feb 02, 2021
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”I didn’t know which was worse. That I was actually proud of myself for the first time in my life I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”I didn’t know which was worse. That I was actually proud of myself for the first time in my life, or that every single penny I’d earned could put me in prison for the rest of it.” This book was such a wild ride, but I loved every second of it and just wanted more?! “Finlay Donovan is Killing It” kinda reminded me of Janet Evanovich’s “Stephanie Plum” novels, only that it’s way more morally grey and Finlay isn’t exactly what you’d call a nice person. She has her flaws, a lot of them, and in contrast to Stephanie she doesn’t always try to do what’s right and most of the times follows her morally grey compass into dooms town. *lol* Because of that “Finlay Donovan” seems to be darker and not as light as “Stephanie Plum” but I personally really loved that darker twist and can’t wait to read more about how Finlay will get herself in even more trouble in the next couple of books. ;-) Aside of the questionable talent to get into a lot of trouble the two mentioned heroines don’t have a lot in common, though. I really loved that Finlay was a divorced single mom that had two little kids and struggled to keep her head above water. It was very realistic and some of the scenes with her children were relatable af. If you have a little kid you know how crazy life can be. XD ”You told me to bring plastic wrap.” “I told you to get plastic sheeting.” “Same thing.” “No, it’s not. Plastic wrap goes around sandwiches. Plastic sheeting goes around dead people. It’s bigger and sturdier. More like a shower curtain.” “You told me not to bring a shower curtain because it would make us look guilty!” “Because nothing screams innocent like a rotting corpse in three thousand feet of Cling Wrap!” Finlay and Vero – her loyal babysitter – take the word “crazy” to the next level, though. Their antics and conversations were hilarious and while Finlay always tries, her best to keep the damage under control Vero obviously has no qualms to use every situation to their advantage and sometimes adds even more chaos to their problems. Or to say it metaphorically: She adds even more fuel to the fire. Their dynamic was quite something and if I’d have to nail their vibe I’d say it’s “To add insult to injury.” *lol* It definitely made for a very entertaining read and I kept guessing what could go wrong next. The answer is: A lot! Haha! No, seriously, Bea and I had a field day reading this. It was chaotic, extremely wild and a lot of fun! ”Vero bent over the yellow notepad, sifting for clues. She’d taken care of my kids like they were her own. She’d stood up to Steven and paid my bills. She’d read my manuscript because she liked it. She’d helped me bury a body, for Chrissake, and I didn’t have a single photo of us together. Maybe because I didn’t need to. Because we’d already proven whatever we needed to prove to each other.” The close friendship between Finlay and Vero was definitely one of the best things about the book, because no matter what happened they always got each other’s back. It was lovely to see such a strong friendship and those two aren’t just friends you can steal horses with, they are also friends that will bury bodies together even though none of them was the killer. XD Get yourself a friend like that. Just kidding! Or am I?! ;-P I think in some weird way Vero provided stability for Finlay even though she was also the reason things went sideways more often than not. Because where Finlay’s moral compass is pretty morally grey, Vero’s tends to be on the blackish side of things. Her willingness to do something illegal was astonishing and where other people would have hesitated before they crossed a line Vero just rushed into it not even thinking about the consequences. I can’t wait to find out more about her background in the next books because something tells me Vero is familiar with illegal dealings. >_> ”The kids would only be gone one night. They’d be home again tomorrow, and they were only a few blocks away, but I hated how easily he swooped in, took what he wanted, and left. I hated how unfair it was, and how nobody else seemed to notice or care.” And speaking of the characters: I hated Steven, Finlay’s ex-husband, with a passion and didn’t like him at all. Teresa his fiancée wasn’t any better and I guess they both got what they deserved. They are horrible and can be horrible together. The way Steven had no regard for Finlay’s feelings and let her do all the work while he enjoyed his life without the kids and even arranged a babysitter for the weekends when he finally had them, because he needed time for himself and Teresa was despicable. Urgh! Such a worm of a man. And the guts to want to have sole custody!? Are you kidding me?! He barely even took care of his kids the weekends he had them. Every judge in his right mind would have given Finlay sole custody in the blink of an eye. Unfortunately, there is a lot of injustice in the world and people are way too good at pretending. Usually despicable worms like Steven perfected that art. I’m getting angry at him again as I type this so let’s move on to nicer topics and nicer men! ;-P ”I have kids,” I called across the parking lot. “Two of them.” His smile caught the lamplight. “I’ve got nothing against minivans.” I fought back a surprised laugh as I watched him go. Finlay doesn’t have just one love interest in this book, she actually has two! And of course they are both interesting and handsome. I honestly wouldn’t have known which one to choose because both men had their appeal and were completely different characters. Julian was a young law student who worked as a bartender to pay for his student loans and life while Nick was a cop who worked hard to solve murder cases. Their lives, age and appearances were total opposites and Finlay couldn’t be honest with either of them because there happened way too many things she just couldn’t tell them without going straight to jail. At the end of the book Finlay makes a decision, though and I’m very curious if it will stick or not. *lol* I guess only reading the next book will give me that answer so I already planned another buddy read with Bea in September. Book two is waiting for us! XD Nick’s laugh was a low rumble in his chest. “If you ask me, the guy sounds like an idiot.” “Why, because he gets drunk and falls back on old habits?” “Because he let you go.” All told, I really enjoyed “Finlay Donovan Is Killing It” and I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen next. This was such a fun ride and Bea and I had a great time shooting voice messages towards each other that mostly started with us chuckling like crazy. Finlay and Vero’s antics were just too comical and bizarre and I liked that I never knew what kind of bonkers and illegal thing they’d do next. This was a nice surprise and I’m ready for book two! ________________________________ This was such a wild ride but I loved every second of it?! *lol* I swear Bea and I had such a blast with our buddy read because Finlay and Vero were quite something and extremely morally grey. The love interest were great too and I can’t wait to read book two. Full RTC soon! For now I’ll say I enjoyed it! =) ________________________________ My dear friend Bea and I wanted to read this book for a while now and decided to go for a buddy read in June! So here I am (although a little late) and we’ll finally read this book together! =) I’m so looking forward to find out about "Finlay Donovan"! I mean a single mom that pitches the plot of her new book to her agent and is mistaken for a serial killer?! *lol* It sounds like this will be a lot of fun to read and very relatable. XD Bea, we got this! ;-) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jun 26, 2023
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Jul 20, 2023
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Jun 26, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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| 0062696610
| 9780062696618
| 0062696610
| 3.67
| 18,348
| Oct 02, 2018
| May 07, 2019
|
really liked it
|
I’m on BookTube now! =) ”Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep. He’ll follow you home and won’t let you sleep.” Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[em I’m on BookTube now! =) ”Beware of the woods and the dark, dank deep. He’ll follow you home and won’t let you sleep.” Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[emotional and physical abuse by a parent/ child abuse, aphobia, grief, racism, murder, violence, abuse, blood, gore, the death of an animal, self-harm, loss and trauma (hide spoiler)] This sounds like the perfect horror book, right? Well, yes and no. “Sawkill Girls” is one of those books that have a rather deceiving blurb and when I read the summary I thought that I’d be in for a very creepy read. I mean yes, this book was creepy at times but it was also so much more than that. Quite honestly I never expected to get so invested and to love it that much when I picked it up. I thought it would be one of those books you read in between when you want something different but in the end it was the book that had all my attention. And this is no easy feat. ;-) ”There was a magnetism to the Mortimer women, and they knew it, and they used it. It was their right, this witchery; they’d given up their souls for it.” The sheer amount of topics that was tackled in here had my head spinning and I totally loved all the characters. Those three girls were amazing and even though they were all so different and didn’t always get along this was one of the things that really made me want to continue to read the book. There were a lot of moments when I couldn’t predict the story line and to say this was super intriguing would be putting it mildly! I love when an author manages to surprise me and Claire Legrand certainly did. Truth be told, this book is actually pretty dark at times and there were some scenes that creeped me out big time. (view spoiler)[EWWW! To that moment when Marion coughed up horse hair in the middle of the night! Like ick! People coughing up random things in horror stories and movies will always creep me out! (hide spoiler)] The three main characters were all very interesting as well and I loved how Legrand managed to make me pull for them even though they all had their flaws and were pretty morally grey. Especially Valerie and Zoey were two MCs that weren’t all too likable, yet I still loved them for just being who they were. ”Val swayed where she stood, her eyes falling shut. A fierce warmth expanded in her chest and slid down her belly, her thighs, her legs. Her traitorous body – groomed to serve him, birthed to anchor him – responded gleefully to his approval.” Another thing that totally caught me off guard was the fact that “Sawkill Girls” was super diverse and even had LGBTQ+ reps. I mean we have Zoey who is black and asexual, Marion who is bisexual and has curves and Val who is pan or bi (at least I got the impression that she is). As someone who’s always watching out for LGBTQ+ books I was very surprised when I figured that this book actually has decent LGBTQ+ reps. I never read this in any of the other reviews so I decided to mention it in mine. ;-) Zoey’s laugh was bitter. “Oh, and we poor delicate girls are vulnerable and desperate, is that what you’re saying?” “What I’m saying,” Marion said, now looking right at Zoey, her gray eyes bright, “is that girls hunger. And we’re taught, from the moment our brains can take it, that there isn’t enough food for us all.” And this automatically brings me to all the other important topics that were addressed in here. I loved how the topic of misogyny wasn’t only addressed but also challenged. No matter if it’s Val, Marion or Zoey, they all have a “no bullshit” attitude when it comes to men telling women what to do. *lol* I totally loved that about them and I was so happy when they put those misogynistic men in their place and gave them a piece of their mind. It’s surprising how well it all fit with the horror element of the Collector abusing, violating and suppressing the Mortimer women for so many years and feasting on the pure souls of innocent girls. You really gotta give Legrand kudos for inventing such a multi-layered story around the initial horror element that started it all. Also can we appreciate the fierce friendships in this book! I loved the strong friendship between Zoey and Marion and the closeness between Zoey and Greyson. Those characters would have done everything for each other and this even though they weren’t always on speaking terms. Still, true friends will stick with you no matter what and this was exactly the kind of message this book spread. =) ”Come for a while, reads the sign at Sawkill’s ferry dock, and stay forever.” All told I really loved this and enjoyed the story immensely! I was pleasantly surprised by how attached I got to these characters and by how strongly I pulled for them. If you’re looking for a moderately creepy Halloween read, if you love books with strong female characters and decent LGBTQ+ reps, if you like atmospheric books, well I guess then you’ll enjoy this one as well. =) __________________________ Now this book came as a surprise! I never expected I’d get THAT invested but I actually enjoyed it A LOT! This was great! XD Girl power FTW! *lol* Full RTC soon! Stay tuned and don’t run away from the island! ;-P ___________________________ It’s time to tackle the last book that’s still left of My Library Book Haul! Maybe once I finished that one I’ll go for another book haul and video. ;-) Anyway! I’m so curious about this one and if it will be able to live up to my expectations. I rarely read in the YA horror genre but I gotta admit that the promise of “Sawkill Girls” has me intrigued. I’m a scaredy fox though so I can’t help but wonder if I’ll have to read this during the day. *lol* Did you already read this book and if yes, did you like it? =) ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 12, 2021
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Aug 06, 2021
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Jul 12, 2021
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Paperback
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| 140888951X
| 9781408889510
| 140888951X
| 3.81
| 408,661
| Feb 08, 2018
| Oct 01, 2018
|
really liked it
|
”How lost do you have to be to let the devil lead you home?” The answer is VERY! Considering that our MC has no memories and wakes up in a totally fore ”How lost do you have to be to let the devil lead you home?” The answer is VERY! Considering that our MC has no memories and wakes up in a totally foreign body this doesn’t really come as a surprise though. I guess we’d all be scared if we’d experience something like that. I mean at first Aiden doesn’t even know his own name, all he knows is a name that dropped from his lips before he witnessed a murder. What a way to start your day! And this is just the first one. 8 days. 8 different hosts. A huge manor. A murder. A violent footman. A mysterious Plague Doctor. Several rivals. And innumerable intrigues and lies that entwine around Blackheath like ivy. ”The future isn’t a warning my friend, it’s a promise, and it won’t be broken by us.” Who can you trust? Who is telling the truth? Who is lying? Who is desperate enough to cut your throat in your sleep? ”If this isn’t hell, the devil is surely taking notes.” I LOVED this so much! <3 “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” was some sort of “Groundhog Day” meets “Every Day” and “Sherlock Holmes”. There were so many different characters in this book and each and every single one of them had their own agenda. To collect all those hints and breadcrumbs, to keep track of the happenings, to know the right order of things, it was quite a challenge! And boy, do I love myself a decent challenge. *lol* In other words: I had so much fun trying to figure out things! There were times my brain cells ended up twisted like a pretzel but this only made everything even more intriguing! XD I already said it in my pre-review and I’ll say it again: I don’t even want to know how many hours Turton invested in all those plot lines! It must have taken ages! Also the mysterious Plague Doctor and the character of the footman added quite some thrill to the story. Aiden isn’t just hunting for the killer but he’s also hunted by the footman and this gave the story such an urgent vibe that I found myself at the edge of my seat! ”Everywhere I go, he seems to be a step ahead of me. And yet, simply winning isn’t enough. He needs me to know it. He needs me to be afraid. For some reason, he needs me to suffer.” All told, I loved the atmosphere of Blackheath, the countless mysteries that floated around in the air like a seemingly impenetrable wall of mist. Easy lies falling like ripe apples from the lips of corrupted souls, truths that vanished like smoke if you scrutinized them too closely, lies within lies and deceptions that could have filled the entire mansion with their presence. In short: This was brilliant! I won’t say more! This is a book you just need to experience for yourself and it’s definitely worth it! READ IT!! You won’t regret it! ;-) For every one of you who followed my updates closely: I managed to solve at least 2 ½ of the main puzzles and I’m going to share it in the spoiler tag! XD (view spoiler)[ 1.) ”The Plague Doctor was telling the truth. There’s no escape from Blackheath.” I kind of figured that Blackheath is some sort of prison. I mean we got enough hints throughout the entire book, so that one was pretty easy. ;-) 2.) ”It doesn’t matter whether we like her, or whether the Plague Doctor is right, you don’t get to kill somebody and put them on display. She’s innocent, and we can stop it. And we should.” I figured out that Daniel Coleridge was no future host of Aiden. The more I saw of him the more I realized that he couldn’t be. Aiden Bishop was too honourable to be Daniel and the less hosts he had left, the less likely it became that Daniel was one of them. Call it a gut feeling I had pretty early on. 3.) I figured out that Michael Hardcastle killed Evelyn. There were a couple of hints we got and I followed them as good as I could. For instance the two black revolvers that looked exactly the same. Aiden asked Michael about them on the hunt and it was that moment when I realized that Evelyn used a white revolver when she killed herself the second time. There was a change in the pattern which only left the conclusion that the black revolver had been changed and from there on it was easy to see the connection to Michael and what it meant that she hadn’t used the black one. 4.) “This isn’t a celebration, it’s a punishment, and there’ll be fifty people in their very finest clothes watching it happen.” Now to Evelyn herself... that got my brain into a real knot. At first I suspected Cunningham to be the murderer of Thomas. He had the opportunity and a motive. After all he was one of the children that went on that scavenger hunt and he was the illegitimate son of Helena Hardcastle and Charlie Carver. Jealousy is a strong motive and he didn’t seem to be happy about his position in the house. But then I got to see more of him and stopped suspecting him. Still, I KNEW, I just knew that one of Helena’s children had to be Thomas’s murderer. She had been covered in blood but it was obvious that she didn’t kill him and so I assumed that she was trying to cover for someone else. One of her own children. A mother would always try to protect her child, no matter what it did. Well, and then I got that little bit that Michael had been at home sick. So who else had an opportunity to kill Thomas and the means to do it? Evelyn. She had a horse, everyone assumed she was out riding and no one could prove where she’d been. And here came my dilemma. I was SO damn certain that Evelyn killed her own brother. I KNEW it! But I just couldn’t align her character with the cunning deed. You see, the Evelyn I got to know throughout the entire book was a good soul. She defended her maid against a rascal; she regretted her decisions, she showed kindness to a man she had despised for his actions. It didn’t fit. How could a person like that be a killer? So I was at a loss. What I never took into consideration was that Felicity was acting as Evelyn Hardcastle and that Evelyn’s maid Madeline Aubert was actually Evelyn. Turton definitely got me there. Even when Millicent Derby and Evelyn’s father were poisoned I didn’t really suspect Evelyn. I didn’t connect Millicent going to the gallery of pictures after seeing Evelyn and her maid next to each other. *lol* And I could bite myself for that mistake. XD In retrospective it all makes sense. I mean who else would want Evelyn to be out of the picture? Michaels poisoning was just an accident because he drank from the same glass Evelyn did. 5.) And now to Helena Hardcastle. I knew she wasn’t the killer right from the start. Aiden might have suspected her but she would have never hurt her own children no matter how much she despised them. (She knew Evelyn had killed Thomas, I mean she believed it to be an accident but she never forgave her for it. Yet she still protected her for years.) So since Helena was a no-show the entire book I knew she was dead, which was the reason I suspected Cunningham for a while. He was the last one to see her alive. ;-) You see, if Cunningham would have been Thomas’s murderer he would have a reason to want his mother out of the way, and if Evelyn would have been Thomas’s murderer the same would be valid for her. But Cunningham spoke with his mother and was fond of her and he would have had multiple opportunities to kill her over the years. So what changed? Evelyn appeared on the scene. And once again I was sure Evelyn killed Thomas and Helena but I couldn’t connect it with her character which seemed to be so at odds with those sinister deeds. *LOL* Damn, if I would have made that connection with Madeline. XD 6.) And last but not least: I never would have figured out that ALL of the Hardcastle’s children were from Charlie Carver. That one caught me out of the blue. Also Anna’s true identity. Never would have known that if the Plague Doctor wouldn’t have told Aiden. *lol* So I guess that’s all for now! I hope you had fun reading my musings. XD (hide spoiler)] ___________________________________ I absolutely loved this!!! <3 Like seriously, it was so much fun to collect all those puzzle pieces and breadcrumbs! This book made me think so much and I just loved it for twisting my mind! *lol* Also at least 2 ½ of my main theories were confirmed, which makes me a happy camper! =)) Full review to come soon! Stay tuned! ;-) P.S: I don't even want to know how many hours Turton invested in all those plot lines. XD _______________________________ This is going to be my first Halloween read of 2020 and I hope it’s going to be a good one! Technically “The Language of Thorns” turned out to be a perfect Halloween book too but this is the first one I actually chose for the spooky time of the year. XD I really like the idea of “The Seven ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” and I’m curious to find out if it’s done well. Just imagine waking up in the body of the murderer one day. O_o But then again the murderer doesn’t want Aiden to find out so this is going to be fun. ;-P Also can anyone explain to me why it’s sometimes “The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” and then it’s “The Seven ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle”?! I’d really love to know why they changed it. As it seems the title alone is already a mystery. *lol* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Oct 12, 2020
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Oct 25, 2020
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Oct 12, 2020
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Paperback
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| 4.09
| 9,488
| Dec 04, 2012
| Dec 04, 2012
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really liked it
|
”I hesitated, but it was night, and words spoken in the dark can always be forgotten come the dawn.” So this was the first book I pulled from my newly ”I hesitated, but it was night, and words spoken in the dark can always be forgotten come the dawn.” So this was the first book I pulled from my newly invented "Bookie Jar" and since I didn’t even know this was on my e-reader I was really surprised that I’m already in the possession of such a nice gem! *lol* I guess it was a really good idea to make my “Bookie Jar” because otherwise this might have stayed on my e-reader for eternity without me ever knowing that it even exists. XD Anyway, let’s move on! This book was a fun adventure and I really enjoyed every aspect of it. There were so many things that hooked me and made this a pleasant read and once I started reading I just couldn’t put it down anymore. =))) So what are you going to find in this book? - Christine!!! Mrs. ”I will not surrender my profession simply because men throughout history have been unduly enarmored of their penises!” Gosh, she’s so kick-asss!!! Haha! I love that woman and I adored her for staying by Whyborne’s side after she found out that he’s gay! She took it all in stride and the world definitely needs more amazing women like that! <3 - Two main characters which are so adorable that you can’t help but say “Awww” whenever they do something really cute. ”Just a moment, just this one kiss, surely that would be enough… Then he kissed me back, and it would never be enough, a thousand years of this would not be enough.” - Lots of funny thoughts from our shy and innocent protagonist, who never was in a relationship before and is completely oblivious to the many flirty remarks Griffin is feeding him throughout the course of the entire book. *lol* ”Not without your consent, at least,” he said with a little smile. Damn the man; I could think of far too many things I’d happily consent to. - Creepy monsters, a charismatic but blood-curdling villain, abandoned houses, mystery, magic and appalling experiments. - Passionate moments between our two heroes that caused me to smirk and laugh out loud. Especially a certain name mentioned “in the throes of passion”. *lol* So damn cute! <333 ”Tell me what you ache for. Tell me what has kept you awake at night, alone and yearning in your bed. Show me the secret fire in your heart.” “Let me touch you,” I panted. “Please.” He rolled onto his back, his eyes smoldering along with his smile. “Have your way with me, then.” - Complex and multi-layered main characters that both have an intriguing and painful past but somehow found each other despite all their troubles and go through thick and thin. "Perhaps he simply couldn’t imagine anyone would stay with a man who wasn’t entirely whole. Who had been broken, and hadn’t managed to put all the pieces back together." - An amazing historical setting that handled the important aspects of that period really well. ;-) All told, this was a fast fun read and I can really recommend it to everyone who doesn’t only like the m/m genre but is also looking for a little more depth and a great storyline. ;-) “Widdershins” has a lot to offer and I’m sure if you decide to read it you won’t be disappointed! XD ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Nov 25, 2018
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Dec 05, 2018
|
Nov 25, 2018
|
ebook
| |||||||||||||||||
| 1743316429
| 9781743316429
| 1743316429
| 3.99
| 3,435
| Sep 05, 2013
| Sep 05, 2013
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None
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Notes are private!
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0
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not set
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not set
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Sep 12, 2017
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Paperback
| |||||||||||||||
| 125009528X
| 9781250095282
| 125009528X
| 4.14
| 310,921
| Apr 11, 2017
| Apr 11, 2017
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None
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Notes are private!
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0
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not set
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not set
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Sep 08, 2017
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Hardcover
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