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verumsolum's reviews
2704 reviews
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer
4.5
This is one of those books that, I suspect, the rating says more about the reader than the book: in part, because this book isn’t what it seems (or, at least, that’s not its full story).
I would not use this as a reference work, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read, most of the time. (My small reservation being that sometimes the author’s sense of humor shows itself (I hope in ways that aren’t always unambiguous).
I would not use this as a reference work, but it was a thoroughly enjoyable read, most of the time. (My small reservation being that sometimes the author’s sense of humor shows itself (I hope in ways that aren’t always unambiguous).
The Village Christmas Party by Sue Roberts
4.5
A fairly strong book: village Christmas romance, with a telling that doesn’t go overboard (like too many other books which amp up the drama to an uncomfortable level): the people feel real and good (though still appropriately flawed)
Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrun
4.5
This is a really strong book… in the acknowledgments, the author writes about the Ellie character living in fear and… I wonder if the reason I don't rate it higher is because she did it so well that Ellie could be a rather uncomfortable mirror of who I am or who I was or some weird combination of the two. (Thank goodness I have my beloved, so I don't have to face it alone, like I did when I was younger.)
Sure, some of the premise was unrealistic but… one doesn't go to holiday romances for their realism, do we? And the ending was powerful… my love/hate relationship with the romance genre comes from narrative structure, where authors put characters through hells before they get to their happily ever afters… and I usually want to read happiness more than hells… (and I don't know yet what it takes for a book to keep reminding me of the happiness while it drags its characters through the struggles to get there; but I know some manage to do it better than others)
Still worth the read, even though I took it in smaller chunks than I prefer to, because sometimes the feelings became too much to continue reading without putting the book down for a few hours.
Sure, some of the premise was unrealistic but… one doesn't go to holiday romances for their realism, do we? And the ending was powerful… my love/hate relationship with the romance genre comes from narrative structure, where authors put characters through hells before they get to their happily ever afters… and I usually want to read happiness more than hells… (and I don't know yet what it takes for a book to keep reminding me of the happiness while it drags its characters through the struggles to get there; but I know some manage to do it better than others)
Still worth the read, even though I took it in smaller chunks than I prefer to, because sometimes the feelings became too much to continue reading without putting the book down for a few hours.
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 28%.
I got more than a quarter of the way through and… it's a whole mess of things and everybody is lying to everybody else. Combine that with the twin swap and the TV show and… I'm finding this neither realistic nor fun. I'm sure it's just a case of me being the wrong reader for this book, but… I am going to make the decision now to throw in the towel and hope the next book I start is one I enjoy more.
Pucks and Coffee by Toni Aleo
4.5
Like the first book of the series, this one is really good. Like the first book, it has one element that gets more attention in the book than I would have preferred, but the rest of it is so perfect, I can’t help but love it
The Christmas Ball by Lily Seabrooke
4.25
I'm going to lead with this: I don't think I'm the right audience for this book. It's a very good book and I think I personally found it more difficult to read because it is so good. Because… the conflict in this one touches some very deep places in my heart and in my personal history. She handles it well and for most readers, I would highly recommend it, but… as somebody who grew up in a religious family, and had to fear the reaction of a family member before I came out (and deal with that family member's refusal to accept the reality she didn't approve of), the conflict in this book hit too close to home, and I didn't have the courage of this book's couple until I was about a decade older.
That's a long and roundabout way of saying that the author painted the picture so well that I was dealing with the echoes of my own past and its parallels with the book. And… reliving old hurts and fears is not the most conducive setting for me to experience the type of romantic holiday warm-fuzzies that I was hoping for: the book had them… my background made it difficult for me to appreciate them.
Shorter still: my rating is for my level of enjoyment. I expect most readers who would want to pick this book up would enjoy it more than I did, so don't let my rating deter you.
That's a long and roundabout way of saying that the author painted the picture so well that I was dealing with the echoes of my own past and its parallels with the book. And… reliving old hurts and fears is not the most conducive setting for me to experience the type of romantic holiday warm-fuzzies that I was hoping for: the book had them… my background made it difficult for me to appreciate them.
Shorter still: my rating is for my level of enjoyment. I expect most readers who would want to pick this book up would enjoy it more than I did, so don't let my rating deter you.
Augur Issue 7.3 by Conyer Clayton
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Take Back Demons by Casey Blair
4.75
I think I took a little bit to get into this book. I think some of what I liked about the first book was less present in the beginning of this one (or perhaps, with other books read in between, I was mis-remembering book one when I returned to the series). But once it hit its stride, I have enjoyed seeing all that has happened.
So, book three must be read… and I really hope you, reader, will decide to try this series, too
So, book three must be read… and I really hope you, reader, will decide to try this series, too
The Witch Club by Felicity Green
4.0
This was… an interesting story, but… it didn't quite grab me as much as I'd hoped when I started reading it. I think I might have a different experience if I continued to the second book in the series (where I'd start knowing things about this book's world that I didn't when I started it the first time), but… I don't expect I will.
The writing is good and I can imagine other readers enjoying it, but… I found too many elements of it unbelievable: not just the supernatural aspects (which were obviously going to be a part of it), but… even when we learn about Dessie's husband and his life before he met her, it just feels a bit too "convenient" and unrealistic to me.
The book's ending softened my negative feelings about it, but it was too little, too late: I'm disappointed enough that I don't want to invest the time in another book in the series.
The writing is good and I can imagine other readers enjoying it, but… I found too many elements of it unbelievable: not just the supernatural aspects (which were obviously going to be a part of it), but… even when we learn about Dessie's husband and his life before he met her, it just feels a bit too "convenient" and unrealistic to me.
The book's ending softened my negative feelings about it, but it was too little, too late: I'm disappointed enough that I don't want to invest the time in another book in the series.