Tag: 5-Star-Reads • BookLikes

review 2020-06-03 12:56

Forever (Always & Forever Book 2) Kindle Edition - Kindle Alexander

*verified purchase April 2020* I loved Always, and I waited for so long for this, the followup, so very long. And I struggled. It took me 2 months to read this, I had to read a little bit at a time, because I found it such hard work and I have no flipping idea WHY! It is a lovely story, I did love the feathers thing. Both Robert and Landon have their say. I just . . . don't know! I did finish it though, so . . 3 stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

review 2020-05-02 15:32

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Sorry kids, no feet.

A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel - Amor Towles

This book was just what I needed. For starters the main character is forced to spend all of his time in one building. Granted that building has a five star restaurant, a full-service bar, and a barber shop that's allowed to operate but the man is stuck inside all the same. It kind of seems fitting right about now.

This was a charming book from start to finish. I adored the Count. I adored Nina. I adored Sophia. I adored everyone we met in this book. Even some of the high ranking Russian officials. The Count was one of those men it was impossible not to be charmed by. I can see where some readers might have an issue with this. People like characters to have obvious flaws. They like when bad things happen. They like brooding. The Count had obvious flaws and bad things did happen to him (You don't get forced into house arrest for the rest of your life for nothing. Well maybe in Communist Russia but it sure beats the firing squad.). The Count just wasn't the type to brood. That doesn't mean he was happy all the time either. The Count is much more complicated than that. Unless you read the book, you just won't understand it.

When I first started this book, my immediate thought was it was much like an adult version of Eloise. The Count lives in the tippy top floor. The Metropol is much like the Plaza. The Count isn't quite as naughty as Eloise but he's not without his shenanigans. This comparison remained apt through out the novel's entirety. I think it lends to the charm.

Aside from the characters, I can see people taking issue with words themselves. The author has English related degrees from Yale and Stanford. His education is on full display at The Metropol. At times his word choices border on arrogant but it works. There is nothing wrong with an author who sets out to publish a smartly written book. At the end of the day, that's what this is. I get where that might rub people the wrong way. They may feel like he's insulting your intelligence. He's not. He's just displaying his own. What his own intelligence translates into is a lyrical work with more notable passages than I can track.

This is one of those books I will heartily recommend to anyone who asks with the understand that they will either love it or loathe it. If you love it? Wonderful. If you loathe it? That's fine too. We're all different.

Because I can't focus on just one thing at a time while I'm working on this, I have about 15 different browser tabs open. In one, there is a group discussion of this book where some talks about a movie that was rumored to be in production with Kenneth Branagh in the lead. I'm not opposed to that casting. I just don't think it works for the whole movie. The book starts with the Count in his early 30s. Branagh, while brilliant just might be a little too old to go start to finish. He definitely has the charm to pull it off. I would also like to throw Tom Hiddleston into the ring as a man who oozes charm. Again, the age thing might be problematic. Any one else who has read this book have any other suggestions?

Dates read 4/24/2020-5/1/2020

Book 31/75

Historical favorites Library Reads 5-star reads 2020 reads best of 2020

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review 2020-05-02 11:19

so very nearly 5 stars!

debbiereadsbook

Independent reviewer for Archaeolubrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book. Thornton runs into the side of Asher's car and neither man will ever be the same again. Thornton is a Daddy, and he wants Asher for his boy, but Asher doesn't have a clue about the lifestyle or what being a little means. Can Thornton make Asher see that he needs him, that they need each other? I really REALLY enjoyed this book! I've been struggling with a lot of reading at the moment, and to be honest, Daddy/littles haven't really been my thing but this one twanged something when I read the blurb, and I am so glad I gave it a go! Poor Asher! He really is a wreck about most things, everyday things cause him into meltdowns and he is struggling just to function. Cue getting sideswiped in the rain, and Asher is losing it, big time. Then a voice cuts through the panic and Asher can just breathe (as much as fractured ribs will allow) and Asher falls hard and fast for Thornton. Thornton, while feeling incredibly guilty for crashing his car into Asher's, feels a pull to Asher that he never felt before. Just seeing him in that wreck calls to his inner Daddy so far and so deeply, Thornton cannot resist. But Asher thinks he is damaged, and Thornton knows that isn't the case, he just needs to make Asher see. I've tagged this BDSM but there is actually very little of the "usual" stuff, just some spanking, and talk about power exchange and a Dom/sub relationship that is in this book for Thornton's best friends. It is HEAVY on the emotional side of things though, and I think that's what carried me through, watching Asher get out of his head, and into his little for his Daddy. Thornton's emotions are all over the place too, but I didn't feel them as deeply as I did Asher's. It is also incredibly SWEET in places, hence the warm and fuzzies tag. Both voices are clear and you really do get into Asher's head when he starts to meltdown. Very well written scenes when Asher loses it and Thornton brings him back. I'm interested in reading about Damian and Syed (the D/s relationship here), Thornton's best friends, but MORE so about another pairing that blossomed towards the end of this book. Madi, who is Asher's best friend, and Trent, who is Thornton's younger brother. That pairing would be a Mummy/little relationship, and I'm really rather curious about that one! Not quite hitting those 5 stars, but so very nearly! 4 stars **same worded review will appear elsehwere**

romance Contemporary Bdsm coming of age male male darker grittier warm and fuzzies one sitting reads age gaps 2020 reads 4 star reads 2020

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review 2020-04-16 14:52

a fun but BUSY read

debbiereadsbook

By Fairy Means or Foul: A Starfig Investigations Novel - Meghan Maslow

Independent reviewer for Gay Romance Reviews, I was gifted my copy of this book. So, cute! Really a rather amusing read, not laugh out loud funny, but one of those that kept me chuckling at random points long the way. Twig is half dragon, half fairy and cannot shift. Quinn is traded (yes, traded) with Twig as payment for services to find the unicorn's horn. Quinn thought he was a wizard, but failed the last test to find a familiar, and was bought by said unicorn as a slave. Twig and Quinn must work together to find the horn, but also to find themselves. I liked this, a lot. It is busy though! Lots going on, lots of side characters, and lots and lots of action! I got a bit concerned when zombies were mentioned! Usually I steer clear of book that mention the Z word in the blurb and I must have missed it in this one, but the zombies here are only on page long enough to be . . destroyed . . by someone(spoilers, don't ya know!), so I didn't have to worry about them too much. I liked all the twists that were thrown at Twig and Quinn. The shifting, or not as the case may be for Twig. The wizard thing for Quinn. What I didn't like was how FAST the book moved. There was no let up, once Quinn and Twig were off after the horn, not one! It was one thing after another and another and they had no time to process what happened at each encounter before moving on to the next. I also didn't like we didn't get to hear from Quinn. Yes I knw that might have given some things away way before they were literally thrown at us, but still. I wanted to know about what the unicorn had done to Quinn, it is hinted at, and then . . left. So while you can put the pieces together, I still wanted to hear it from Quinn, you know?? A fun read, just far too fast moving, and I wanted a page or three to catch up! 4 good solid stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

romance paranormal Dragons crime thriller male male magic themed kinda creeps up on ya single person point of view first person point of view 2020 reads 4 star reads 2020 grr 2020

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review 2020-04-16 14:21

very engaging!

debbiereadsbook

Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book. For the most, I did enjoy this. Couple of things let it down, for ME, and I'll enplain shortly. Dallas is called up by an acqaintance, is best to describe him, to cash in on a favour owned. Someone needs protecting, and the acquaintance needs something from this someone to keep her safe. There follows a lot of double crossing, back stabbing and general underhandedness you would expect from an organised crime boss, and an organisation that walks under the radar of most things. From what I can gather, this is actually a spin off from another series, The Nicci Beauvior series and Dallas plays a huge part in the 2nd and 3rd book in that series. Some reviewers of THIS have said you should read THOSE books to get the full picture of what Dallas went through, and how he came to where he is now. Personally, I don't think it's really necessary. There is enough recapped and retold here, for you to get the picture, or for ME anyway, to get enough of the picture to fill in the gaps and for this story to flow. I was a little concerned at first that this would be a bit too complicated for my addled brain (April 2020, you get my drift?) to cope with, but it's good. There is a good, intriguing plot to follow, but it's not ever so complex that you have to concentrate too hard on, you know? It's ENOUGH to make you think, to excerise the grey matter, and just enough to keep you engaged til the end. What let it down for ME were two things. Only Dallas has a say. I would like to have heard from Gwen, the someone who Dallas is called to keep safe. I get maybe some of the plotline would be given away, yes, but still I wanted to hear from her, and (job aside) what she thought of Dallas and what leads her to make the offer she does. And Dallas himself was very . . standoffish? . .maybe not quite the right word, but I struggled to connect with Dallas, made more difficult because only his voice is heard. Had Gwen had a say, I could have coped better, or maybe connected earlier, with Dallas. I LOVED Cleveland and Stokes, two of Dallas' operatives. Their banter has, I'm sure, far deeper roots and far further reaching branches, than is currently showing. A very engaging 4 stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

Contemporary crime thriller darker grittier military police dudes single person point of view 2020 reads 4 star reads 2020 archaeolibrarian 2020