Two Bloggers One Book ~ Swamp Monster Massacre by Hunter Shea

 So, I got this one for my birthday, and it fits a challenge I am doing on Booktube, so I, of course, asked my buddy Barb if she wanted to read it, as we both like Hunter Shea. :) After you read what I say, go check out her thoughts at Booker T's Farm!

The swamp belongs to them. Humans are only prey.

Deep in the overgrown swamps of Florida, where humans rarely dare to enter, lives a race of creatures long thought to be only the stuff of legend. They walk upright but are stronger, taller, and more brutal than any man. And when a small boat of tourists, held captive by a fleeing criminal, accidentally kills one of the swamp dwellers’ young, the creatures are filled with a terrifyingly human emotion—a merciless lust for vengeance that will paint the trees red with blood.

So, this is pretty much your basic creature feature and just a fun romp. This man named Rooster had an incident at the beginning with a guy he was trying to get some guns from and ends up on the run from guys with guns. A tourist boat going down the Everglades is parked right where Rooster is going, so he jumps on and holds it up, taking it over. Some of the captives are not going to let me get away with things, but things go a bit wrong, and they end up slamming the river boat into some trees and might have run right over a young skunk ape. This doesn't make the other skunk apes very happy. 

So, then it's pretty much a fight for survival or get ripped apart, and it's not easy to get around because there are also alligators to look out for. So, it was a fun creature feature, but there was just this one thing towards the end that knocked it down a half star, as it was unnecessary and didn't do anything to the story. 

If you like creature books that are just quick and kind of cheesy, then this one is for you. :) 

3.5 stars

Two Bloggers One Book ~ Night of the Crabs

So, I wanted to read a retro killer animal book and Barb was nice enough to read it with me. After you see what I thought head on over and see what Barb thought at Booker T's Farm.

The Welsh coast basks in summer tranquility, then the drownings begin... Not until the monstrous crustaceans crawl ashore, their pincers poised for destruction, does the world understand the threat it faces....

So as in every good killer animal type book it starts off with a young couple out for a good time on the beach of Shell Island in the UK. The girl goes in the water, but something happens and the guy goes in after her and neither are seen again.

Professor Cliff Davenport was expecting his nephew and his girlfriend to show up but when they don't, he starts to get worried. He soon finds out that the nephew's car is found out at Shell Island but no trace of them. Cliff decides to look around, and he sees something unusual and hard to believe. He is sure he sees markings that crabs make from their legs, but they are very large, with no proof nobody would believe him as the water will wash them away. 

I forget exactly why but he ends up meeting this lady named Pat, I think others at the dining area was putting them together as they were both single. Pat was a widow, and well they hit it off rather quickly. He tells her about his missing nephew and the next day they head out to see if they can find any proof of large crabs. While waiting to see if they see anything they have time for a bit of roll on the beach *insert eye roll here* Then they go looking and do find more markings and it is indeed crabs. More people go missing but how to get anyone to believe them.

Cliff finally gets a military friend to believe him or at least listen to him, but it wasn't till the military base gets attacked by the giant crabs that people really start believing him. The crabs are getting more and more active and a town is attacked. How do you get rid of giant crabs!? 

Well, I guess you would have to read the book...lol. 

It was your typical retro killer animal type book; it was cheesy but fun. The instalove/lust wasn't needed, and for a short book more than one sex scene was really not needed. They never really say how all of a sudden there are giant crabs. It's like one day none, next day giant crabs! I needed to know and it was weird nobody else seemed to care, just wanted to get rid of them. 

3.25 stars

Week in Review #144

The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

This week I had a bit of Birthday fun as my b-day was on the 11th but didn't celebrate till the 15th and we went to a bookstore and out to eat. It was a tiring day but fun. Other than that not a whole lot happened but staying in and out of the heat and it seems like this coming week will be worse...blah.

Hope you all have a great day and happy reading!

What I read:

• Companion to Danger - This was okay, kind of gothic in tone at least I think so and I was curious about if the old lady was who she thought she was but with these old romances the romance isn't really much at all...lol.
• Case of the Deadly Desperados - First book in this series, about P.K. Pinkerton and his hijinks and it was fun.
• Partners in Crime - This was the first mashup between J.P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady and at first, I wasn't sure how it was going to go but it ended up being a pretty good mystery and the two started working together instead of bumping heads.

Currently Reading

• Night of the Crabs - Typical killer animal type story and it's been okay. I am 40% into the ebook.
• We Wish You a Murderous Christmas - Second book in the Year-round Christmas series and it's going okay. I think I am sort of losing my love for cozy mysteries a little. I think I am around 59% into the audiobook.

What are you reading?

Two Bloggers One Series ~ All is Bright by RaeAnne Thayne (Hope's Crossing #8)

 Hope's Crossing has come to an end. It's been a great series, and I have enjoyed reading it with Barb. After checking out what I thought head on over to Booker T's Farm and see what Barb thought. 

Return to Hope’s Crossing this Christmas in New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne’s latest heartwarming story of matchmaking at the holidays!

Sage McKnight is an ambitious young architect working at her father’s firm who takes on her most challenging client in Mason Tucker. The former pro baseball player is still healing from the physical and emotional scars after a plane crash left him a wheelchair-using single dad, and he’s determined not to let anyone breach his emotional defenses. Sage knows her work on Mason’s new home in Hope’s Crossing is her best work yet, and she won’t let her grumpy client prevent her from showcasing her work personally.

With Sage’s gift for taking broken things and making them better, the matchmaking talent of the quirky locals and a generous sprinkling of Christmas cheer, Mason doesn’t stand a chance against the power of this magical holiday season.

My Thoughts:

So, I am guessing that when this series originally ended in 2016 there was a couple of side characters that were teenagers that everyone wanted to see a story from and so RaeAnne Thayne came back to Hope's Crossing and gave them that story in 2022 and that is what we have here. So, it's kind of different that the others but still has that cozy feel you get from one of her books. 

So the author put to romances in one story and gave it the POV treatment. So, we get different POV's and they alternate between Sage and Mason who are the main story and then we get Taryn who is struggling with wanting a romance with the guy who has been her best friend since they were teens. 

So, in Hope's Crossing we know that Sage was the eldest daughter of one of the characters from a previous book and she has gone through a few things and I hate to give things away in case someone wants to read this series. She has gone to college and is not an architect and is working on a project in Hope's Crossing for a ex-baseball player, Mason. Mason was in an accident that killed his wife and he is in a wheelchair and has moved to Hope's Crossing with his young daughter looking for a fresh start. 

Sage's passion is making homes for those that have any type of disability because of something that happened to her friend Tayrn back when they were younger. So, she loved putting together this home for Mason, but he doesn't want her to showcase his place on your channel (can't remember if it was like YouTube or something else). They bump heads over it a time or two and have some great banter and their romance was pretty good though at times I wanted to smack Mason. 

Then there is Taryn who after an accident that happens in book one which I won't go into she has had a rough go of things, relearning a lot of things, walking, and even her speech at times. She was friends with Charlie, but after the accident they really became good friends and he has a heavy burden he carries because of the accident that still bothers him now. Taryn has been in love with Charlie for a long time and she feels like this is her last chance to change his mind about them or she will have to try and move on. I really wanted to smack Charlie a lot...lol. 

Anyway, the two stories go together really well and I liked how the author went back and gave us follow up stories for Sage and Taryn as we get to know them well throughout the series.

4.25 stars

Week in Review #143

The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

Okay, so I have been very sporadic in posting and going to try and get back into the groove, so we shall see.

I love summer but I am a little over the HOT, I like it when it's warm, but this extreme heat is not fun. Still hate winter more.

Well, I really don't have anything much to day...lol. Hope you all have a great week!

What I read:

• Squirreled Away - Cute little chapter book. First book in a series. 
• Bad Little Falls - Third book in the Mike Bowdich series and it was okay, but the MC is a little annoying at times. Makes dumb decisions. 
• Nebraska! - Second book in the Wagons West series and it was very good! Love a good retro read!
• All is Bright - The last book in the Hope's Crossing series and I enjoyed it. 

Currently Reading

• Companion to Danger - I am enjoying this one so far, it has a gothic romance feel to it. I am on page 68 of 156 on the print book. 
• Night of the Crabs - So far this one is okay, but I haven't gotten into it enough to know if I am going to like it. It had the normal start to a killer animal type story so only time will tell. I am 20% into the ebook.

Hope you all read some good books!

Two Bloggers One Series ~ Wild Iris Ridge by RaeAnne Thayne (Hope's Crossing #6)

 

I really enjoy small town romances, and this is one of my favorite authors so it's been fun reading this series with Barb. Once you see what I thought please go over to Booker T's Farm and see what Barb thought.

Lucy Drake and Brendan Caine have only one thing in common…

And it's likely to tear them apart. Because it was Brendan's late wife, Jessie—and Lucy's best friend—who'd brought them together in the first place. And since Jessie's passing, Brendan's been distracted by his two little ones…and the memory of an explosive kiss with Lucy years before his marriage. Still, he'll steer clear of her. She's always been trouble with a capital T.

Lucy couldn't wait to shed her small-town roots for the big city. But now that she's back in Hope's Crossing to take care of the Queen Anne home her late aunt has left her, she figures seeing Brendan Caine again is no big deal. After all, she'd managed to resist the handsome fire chief once before, but clearly the embers of their attraction are still smoldering….

I really like this series it's always fun to get to know the characters in the town of Hope's Crossing. 

Lucy Drake used to live in Hope's Crossing when she was younger with her aunt and cousin Jessie but left to pursue her dreams. Now she is moving back to the home her aunt left her to try and figure out a new path because things haven't gone so well. She has managed not coming back to avoid people like Brendan who was married to her cousin who has also passed away. 

Lucy had fell for Brendan a long time ago and then he married her cousin so there is some tension there. Brendan has his hands full with two young kids and being the fire chief. He ends up spending a lot of time with Lucy where sparks fly, but he keeps pushing her away. She gets mad because of past hurts, etc. 

Hope's Crossing has a great cast of characters, as it still has the ones we already know about but adds new ones with each book. In this one I really liked the two kids, even though I am normally not that big on kids in romances. I also really liked Dermot who is Brendan's father, he has been in some other stories, but he was really fun in this one. 

Overall, this one was good though I thought at times the romance was awkward and some of the things towards the ending a bit annoying, but it ends well. 

4 stars

Week in Review #142

The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

It's been a while since I did one of these, mainly as I keep forgetting to do them on Saturdays and don't have time on Sundays before church to write one up. Anyway, not a lot has happened in the time I have been gone. :) This past week we have had a lot of rain, and I am tired of rain and could use a few dry days as I need to mow.

This week I watched a lot of killer animal type movies as I know it's strange but I find them relaxing. I watched mostly ones I have seen before like Killer Crocodile, Mega Python vs Gateriod, but I did watch a few new to me ones like Robo Croc which was pretty good, but the worst one was Bears on a Ship, that was so dumb, you could tell it was someone in a costume. This movie is newer, I think 2025, even being a indie film, I would think they could do better. I will stick with my older movies and the rubber Croc over any new killer animal films.

Well, that is all I have to chat about so hope y'all have a great week and happy reading!

What I read:

• Beast Business - This was a novella in the Hidden Legacy series and it was good.
• Last Kids on Earth and the Forbidden Fortress - Book 8 in the series and really fun.
• Night of the Vam-Wolf-Zom - Last book in a fun little series. 
• Train to Impossible Places - First book in a series and I thought it was fun.

Currently Reading:

• The Widow Spy - Historical fiction about the first Pinkerton female and it's not the greatest.
• The Captain's Clue - Second book in the Parable Port series and so far it's fun, but only around 19% in.

What did you read last week?