Title: Brave New World Author: Aldous Huxley Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again) My Bookshelves:Classics, Science fiction Pace: Slow Format: eBook, Novel Year: 1932
I can completely understand why this is a classic – it is kind of brilliantly constructed and thought through. However, I wasn’t a huge fan. I found this a little bit too chaotic and meandering. I found it quite hard to concentrate on what was happening. And whilst I enjoyed the general gist, I just couldn’t get into it. Plus, I’m at a point that I just want a feel good story in my life at this point – there is just too much chaos and drama in my day to day.
The idea of science ruling the world and what this can lead to is incredibly potent. Even now, decades after this was written, the issue remains the same. There is no one formula to happiness, but in using science to try and make it so, there is a whole lot of controlling going on. The scenes with the classical conditioning made me cry. They were so uncomfortable and harsh. The cruelties of science and experimentation are pretty clear when they are set up against humans and children.
All in all, this was a book that was interesting and worth a read. But, it wasn’t one that I am incredibly keen on reading again. A lot more classics to fill my shelves. But I’m glad that I dived into this story and gave it a good shot.
A nice and short novella that was enjoyable, but not overly memorable. I enjoyed reading this and would be happy to pick up another EmKay Connor novella, but also wouldn’t be rushing to read one. Obviously, I’m very eh about the reading of this. That may also be because, at its core, this is a story about a couple who is on the verge of separation. It is about people who are still trying to be together, but too many mistakes and too much distance leads them to start to fracture. A kind of similar circumstance to myself when I was reading this, so it also might just be the fact that it was touching a little too close to home.
Again, something that felt a little too familiar – the fact that a lot of the issues, at least from Lou’s point of view is his voluntary distance. Rather than facing up to the difficulties in his relationship, he chose to pull away from Katie. Luckily, he does choose to own up to his shortcomings and work on being better. It’s almost too late, but I love that he’s able to actually see where his mistakes lie and work on improving himself.
Even though Lou realises his mistakes before being shot, the danger he finds himself in just helps to drive home how important his relationship is to him. I know that, even though I have not been in such a horrible situation, it took almost breaking to make me realise how much I don’t want to give up on the person I love more than anything else. Like I said, not a bad novella, but definitely one that hit a little bit too close to home in the reading of it.
Title: The Billionaire’s Intern Author: Lia Hunt Rating Out of 5: 1.5 (Couldn’t get past the first chapter) Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2022
Whilst I love a good redemption arc in my romances, I’m at a point in my reading and life that I need there to be a glimmer of the good to start with. And honestly, this read just like what I’ve now dubbed an “asshole romance”. Those romances that the guy doesn’t really change, there isn’t actually all that much that is nice about him, and you can’t quite get over all of the moral lines he crosses, so you kind of give up. Then there’s the whole fact that the female love interest is the whole starry-eyed innocent. Which meant that she was immediately dismissed, and the stalker ex-wife. And just… everything about this sat really uncomfortably from the very beginning.
I gave this a really good try, but honestly, if after three chapters I can’t find anything redeeming about a character. Then it’s just a big, hard nope. So I guess I’ll move onto stories that are far more suited to my taste and interest.
Title: Beach Boss Author: Liz Alden Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Contemporary romance, Vacation romance Pace: Fast Format: eBook, Short story
After reading this short story, I just want more of the Wanderlust Resort. I mean, I got to see Emery and her partner in The Rival in South Africa, and Clara from Nutcracker with Benefits is also mentioned in Beach Boss, so I love the cross over. And it was good to see their origin. But, I also wanted more of the resort in the Caribbean and the different couples that could fall in love here.
There is something dreamy and sweet about a vacation romance. The fact that this is a story all about falling in love with a Caribbean beach as the backdrop is just so damn cute. Plus, Emery is also reeling from the death of her father and trying to figure out how to rebuild his business. It makes the love and support in this story all that much sweeter and more endearing. Plus, Emery’s mum absolutely sucks. I mean, yeah, she has hurt feelings from the past with her dad. But to take that out on your own child? Absolutely unbelievable. So much nope.
This is a really quick and cute read about two people finding their way back to one another. They both have crushes on each other from years ago, but the depth of feeling and maturity just grows and grows with the advent of age and understanding. I absolutely adored this story, and as I mentioned before, I would love more of this Resort and all of the potential it shows!
Title: Best Served Hot Author: Amanda Elliot Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect) My Bookshelves:Contemporary romance, Food Pace: Medium Format: eBook, Novel Year: 2023
I can’t say that the idea of Internet Influencers, or running my own page that brings in traffic as a career has ever been something that I’ve completely understood. It’s just a world that my introverted self doesn’t quite feel the need to enter. However, I absolutely loved reading a story about someone who puts their passions and loves out into the public eye through social media and the public eye. It was an entirely new viewpoint and one that I wasn’t really expecting. But, man, did I enjoy it.
One of the aspects that I loved about this romance is that it took the different modes of food reviewing and highlighting the pros and cons of each style. Julie is the grass roots internet influencer who is all about the hidden gems and is working out how to make her own footprint on the “scene” without much assistance. Bennett on the other hand is from a more privileged background and thus has a greater number of resources to begin with. He also has a different set of limitations to Julie, both have their unique niches that they slot into brilliantly, and, ultimately, neither of them is “better” than the other, rather, they are just two different sides of the same passionate coin.
Even though you know that Bennett and Julie are going to end up together (because romance), I love how well their chemistry reads from the very first moment. There are just sparks flying everywhere, and I couldn’t wait for them to dive in. Plus, the characters that I thought would stand in the way of their happily ever after actually support their attraction! I love that the entire story was a massive slow burn and they really don’t get together to fairly close to the end. Of course, there is that last minute spanner in the works that drives them apart again. But it was still nice to read a good, solid slow burn that had me speed reading through the pages to find when they finally decide to get together.
I must admit, that this is definitely a book I wouldn’t suggest people eat on an empty stomach. It is just filled with wonderful and delicious descriptions of food. Descriptions that, even as I’m writing this review, make me want to get in the kitchen and create something scrumptious. I’m actually not that talented in the kitchen, but it made me want to try. I love that, even when Julie is so dang obsessed with class / social circles, food ends up ultimately being the great equaliser. It’s a great mode in which her big chip on her shoulder is whittled down just a bit. We all enjoy food in our own unique ways, and, whilst our background can and will influence what we are drawn to, we are all drawn to food of some sort. At least, in my experience.
Starting the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology is the story of Eva and Finn, but there are multiple mentions of Leo and Haley’s engagement and how it instigated a whole lot of change for their families. I love that the following story, O Come All Ye Faithful is all about Leo and Haley’s experiences of the Christmas party. As they’re a more settled couple, there was none of the will they / won’t they feelings. And there was a whole lot of contentment in their relationship. Which I seriously enjoyed.
There was a lot of the BDSM sexuality throughout this story, which I often find is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. This is a quite intense tale, one that I absolutely adored. Even if it’s definitely the kind of story that I would prefer to read without witnesses and companions, like I said, a perfectly enjoyable guilty pleasure. Particularly as the sexuality of the story lends itself to telling more of Leo and his control impulses. It also creates a darker lens to this romance and Christmas party, one that I found dark and unforgettable.
I love that, although Haley and Leo are an established and settled couple in this story, they are still negotiating the changes in their public personas. Haley is constantly worried about how she is going to fit into Leo’s world. And I love that she figures out a way to play in his waters, helping to make his life a little easier. And honestly, just showing the depths of her love for the man.
I absolutely adore cozy mysteries. There is something about them that is such a fun and enjoyable diversion. Particularly in this world that is insane and incredibly intense. The fact that this is a well-written cozy mystery with dragons was going to pull me in far more deeply. And then there’s the fact that the Women’s Institution are absolutely obsessed with tea and cake. This is definitely not the book that you should be reading on an empty stomach. Or without tea and cake at hand to enjoy the high jinx and nonsense that the cast manage to get up to.
Throughout the entirety of this story, I could not stop smiling and giggling. Every single chapter was hilarious and I honestly could not stop laughing. I mean, not only are there meddling, pint-sized dragons who can’t stop getting involved and irritating the cops involved in the murder. But Alice and Miriam can’t stop there nosy meddling ways either. The fact that Miriam and Alice are elder women with complex pasts who will try anything just made it all that funnier. A young detective comes to a small town expecting to easily solve a murder, but then has to deal with the nonsense that Alice brings along to the table.
I could honestly spend this whole review reflecting on how much I love and was entertained by the WI and their shenanigans. Not one of them is a meek elderly lady who is easily led. Rather, they all have opinions, they all want to help. And even the more clueless of them seem to just get under foot and cause havoc and chaos. I honestly found DI Adams trying to deal with their nonsense and figure out just how the hell to solve a mystery in a small town to be one of the most hilarious things I’ve read in a while. It was such a subtle and English humour running through the words. And I couldn’t put them down.
Even though there are hints as to who the real villain was from the beginning, I didn’t actually guess who it was. In hindsight it is incredibly obvious. Partly this is because Watt was incredibly good at providing Red Herrings and misleading you throughout. But it was also in great part to the fact that I couldn’t stop laughing at the shenanigans. I didn’t even necessarily care who committed the murder throughout most of the story. I just wanted to see what awkward position Beaufort, Montgomery, Alice and Miriam would find themselves in next. Which, of course, just makes me want to dive into Yule Be Sorry all that much more.
It’s been a bit of time since I last read a story by Skye Warren. And I kind of forgot how there tends to be a dark undertone to her romances. This feeling of so many secrets and horrors underlying the lust and potential romantic connections. It’s probably why she’s not an author I read constantly, but one I still like to have on my shelves. Sometimes you just need a darker story to fill your time and energy.
This short story acts as both a tale of the rich and famous at a Christmas gala, but also a beginning to the One for the Money series. It’s pretty intense and I’m absolutely intrigued by all of the drama and horrors that hide in people’s lives. I felt like the entire time I was reading these three chapters, my heart was in my throat and I was waiting for the next lot of insanity and nonsense to hit.
Finn might be a total alpha who has most likely left bodies in his wake. But it’s obvious that Eva has secrets too. And I doubt that she’s anywhere near as innocent as she comes across. This is unapologetically dark and I can’t wait to read One for the Money.
Carla and Noah work wonderfully as an opposites-attract story. Noah is a stunt driver, with no hesitation in diving into a number of life-risking endeavours. Carla on the other hand, is a software developer who has a chronic health condition and isn’t able to just follow the impulses and dangers of Noah’s life. I love how different they are, and how they are able to make their relationship work. It’s a great reminder that different people with different needs and desires can still work wonderfully together. And, as is very much in evidence within Tough Cookie, support each other through the good and the bad.
I had a brief brush against Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when I was in high school, luckily for me, it was a short term experience. Honestly, reading about a woman with this condition was a big reminder of just how intense and terrifying this experience is. I’m always keen to read romances, or indeed, any story which features someone with a chronic condition, it reminds us that most people have some battle or other that they must face. Hunter is brilliant at highlighting that Carla is just a normal human with a whole lot less Teaspoons. And, honestly, a lot more will power and willingness to fight for what she wants than some other people if I’m being honest.
At the beginning when Noah is happy that Carla doesn’t really like him, because women just fall for him, I thought he was a bit of a fool. I mean, that’s a pretty big ego one has there and it felt kind of unrealistic. But then, you find out just why he fears someone developing feelings for him just for his natural charisma. It took a while, but that assumption became far less negatively judged after finding out more about Noah’s past. Then, there’s the fact that he completely respects Carla’s boundaries and needs. He might help push her outside of her comfort zone, but he does it with her permission and is constantly checking in to see how she’s coping with all of the changes in her life.
Hunterbrings a lot of experience and knowledge to the character of Carla. A lot of illnesses, disabilities, chronic conditions, etc. are invisible. Which, in my experience, means that people don’t quite think that they exist. Carla’s family and her ex both act like this to varying degrees. Whilst her family is just trying to help, but not actually succeeding in so many ways. Her ex-fiancé on the other hand, could not deal with her illness. Whilst it’s understandable that some people can’t deal with having a sick partner, it’s also not painting him in the greatest light. The fact that the person he swore to love is exchangeable because they can’t act the way they once did. Loving someone means loving them through all of the twists and turns of life, not just the convenient and easy moments.
Noah as a male cookie maker and cake decorator is too adorable. I love that his passion started as a child helping out his mother. And then choosing to pursue it again as an adult. I love that it is a man in a female-dominated sphere (a rarity even in the books I read), and that he just embraces it. Plus, there’s the whole making cookies which suit all of Carla’s dietary restrictions. But making cookies which are still nice and don’t taste (and feel) like cardboard. I wish this recipes were here for me to try…
This novella is filled with snapshots into the life and times of Dorian. I love that each chapter is a different point in his life and his journey to Aisha and his ability to shift. I love that the first few chapters are about Dorian learning to accept his latency. And, rather than choosing to let this be a weakness, he turns it into a superpower. His will and strength of self are seriously enviable, from a very young age too. And I hope that I am able to raise children with the same strength of self and resilience that Dorian has!
Where Hostage to Pleasure ends with Dorian’s first transformation, this novella takes place before and after this. Starting with the previously mentioned early years, and then surpassing his first shifts to when he lets the rest of his family know. The joy and the genuine love for one another come striking off of the pages with every word. I love that sense of belonging that each of the DarkRiver cats find, and how they have accepted Dorian as he is, but also rejoice in the positive changes in his life.
The fat that all of the sentinels give Dorian no quarter even though he’s only just learning how to be a cat made me smile. They accept him and make sure that he knows he is still expected to be as tough and independent as he’s always been. They treat him as the powerhouse that he is, and this recognition of his power made me smile. It’s nice to know that people don’t just assume that others are weaker because they have a handicap. It also lit up a fire in Dorian. Definitely a story that I needed to fill in all of the joyful gaps in Dorian’s story and journey to becoming the strong sentinel I fall in love with every time I read Hostage to Pleasure.
Earth and Skye 