JD
This is amazing resource and an absolute must for any reader. I like to use this and cross reference the gates with gene keys and the visonary i-ching. It really gives you a deeper understanding of each gate!
Overall rating: 5/5Writing: 5/5, Her writing style is engaging and thoughtful. Plot: 5/5, Awesome plot, I think she plans out her books very well. I'm a bit bummed we didn't learn more about Keira but it's a series.Characters: 5/5, Darcy Coates has a very special skill with characters! In just one page, sometimes one paragraph she can make you deeply invested in these people. With a few words, you are rooting for them!
Would I reread?: Yup, definitely and I'm happy this was my last book of 2021
Narrators: single narrator, Keira
POV: 3rd person, single POV
Genre: Horror, Adult, Cozy Horror or Feel Good Horror,
Pace: Fast-Paced, It grabs you from the first page!Tone: Tense, emotionalStoryline: Character-driven, Character explorationThemes: Found family, ghosts, mediumship, graveyard, amnesiaWriting style: Contemporary and light, succinct, well plottedBook Appeal: For those wanting cozy horror, wanting a good tension but a happy ending for our MCType: 1st in the Gravekeeper Series, I can't wait for book two in March. I hope we get quite a few adventures with Keira and her buddies!Content Warnings: death (off-page little graphic), betrayal, child death, suicide, injuries Was the Blurb/Genre Accurate: YesAdditional Comments:I have had only one book that I didn't absolutely love from this author and I'm now convinced that was a fluke. Her books are both spooky and totally warmhearted! This book reminds me a lot of Craven Manor and I'm so pleased it's going to be a series! Just good feels with her books! And she was the author I read most this year! I think this and Craven Manor will be yearly re-reads for me!
Tons of info!
She is very thorough in talking about this subject. She provides detailed info about her entire process with references. And she is very clearly successful in her methods. That said I think this is geared for certain people only. Not everyone can even get to an area where TV shows are shot, same with some radio. Yes, she provides useful info for podcasts and reviewers as well which I will take into consideration for sure.
BUT, the system she puts forth looks like a full-time job all on its own!
I think for that reason this would really only be a good idea if you're indie wanting to be traditional. I think most indie authors want to be writing their next book for a rapid release rather than emailing pitches to 1000s of people.
I'll probably revisit once I'm a bit more established as an author. But then again maybe not. I think this is a method that will work only for a very particular kind of author. But it has plenty of info for those very extroverted, ability to travel all over, kind of romance authors.
I wish I had read the reviews first. This was recommended by some authortube channel.
You'll see in the other reviews the basics, he's very egotistical for having only 4 or 5 books under his belt at the time of writing. He goes on and on with metaphors! The first 20% is useless and just trying to convince you that this is ground breaking new info... It's not spoiler.
If you want what this books sounds like it is, with actual examples and no metaphorical nonsense read Super Structure by James Scott Bell! I was hoping this would add more layers but I was disappointed!
Maybe for some beginners to structure this is okay. But I honestly didn't get anything from this but frustration and feelings of mansplaining!
I overall enjoyed the book a great deal! I think it's interesting how many scientists remain rigid in their beliefs but each to their own.
One little heads up, if you want to read this for how to change your beliefs, this isn't that book. This is just a scientific view of why belief can change so much of our lives.
Grab a book on energy psychology for actual practices. I have to admit I thought he'd go more into psych-k when I stayed this and was sadly disappointed. But it's still very interesting and a good companion for Dr. Joe Dispenza's work!
I originally gave this a 4star but rereading it, I'm not sure why. This reads like the author didn't know what was going to happen.
The ending felt incredibly rushed and the actual results of some of the plot was just explained briefly at the end.
I think I rated it higher because I liked the series, but you'll see why they changed a lot when it was adapted to keep things moving.
It is refreshing to find a Protection Magick book designed for Intermediate to Advanced Practitioners. I think everyone that practices magick will find some gold in this book. And I love Jason Miller states that these rituals and spells can and even should be tailored to work with your own deities and spirits.
It's quite an eclectic mix of different manners and methods to deal with the subject. You are bound to see something new or at least different. I recommend this highly even to beginners! Everyone that practices magick should be able to efficiently protect themselves and have access to reversals when necessary.
I'd actually say the movie from 1999 called the Haunting is actually really true to the book but has a more satisfying conclusion.
And while the TV show has the same name they have zero in common essentially. So that was interesting.
Like many classic horrors I feel like this one ends very abruptly. It is also fairly short, so there is no real details into why the haunting started or what's actually going on. It's just very focused on Eleanor aka Nell. So I actually like that the movie filled in those questions.
And this becomes a book I'm glad I read but it's not my favorite or my least favorite. Just middle of the road.
Not my cup of tea. I've heard this gets better as it goes but frankly with books as long as these I can't fathom suffering through multiple books for it to get good.
My biggest complaints are:
Rachel seems truly bad at her job, she doesn't plan anything, seemingly depending on luck and supporting characters to keep her alive. She doesn't put any thought into any decision at all in fact. Including the main choice to leave her job at the very beginning. It all feels flat and ridiculous.
Ivy and Rachel. As soon as Ivy comes into view she is described in a pretty sexual way. And immediately clarifies that she's straight. Something she will continue to say every time she finds Ivy attractive or seductive. As a Queer gal, I found the repeated statements of “I'm straight” really annoying as she's actively wanting to get frisky, or so it seems. Vampire allure or not.
The common trope that some magick is addictive or drives ppl crazy is over done imo. I'd love a newer take like the fact that addictive personalities can make anything addictive. Also, the overall convenience of having everything she needs practically automatically seemed convenient.
And the biggest ish is that she was targeted at all for what Ivy said to their boss. It seemed weak that whole partnership seemed weak honestly.
With how much great urban fantasy is out there I can't imagine continuing further with this series. Even if it does get good further in, I've read other series that weren't the absolute strongest but it had characters that made me go forward. The characters here just aren't strong enough to move me on. And it seemed the premise was a bit phoned in despite the unique background history.
The things I love the most about Jason Miller's books are the underlying magickal theory that he lives by and how he executes his practical and eclectic magick.
This book had great pearls just as his other books do, and so far I've yet to be disappointed by a single one. They are well researched and the man himself is a well-learned and practiced practical sorcerer.
For me and my practice what I really get out of these books more than the rituals or spells is the strategy and as said above the magickal theory. He presents this in a way of experience and conversation. Summarizing clearly. Now, my personal preferences are going to shift with the type of breathing exercises and entities that I work closely with, but his general set up and timing of practice is incredibly helpful.
And I believe every witch, sorcerer(ess), magician, etc. can learn something from his books. I recommend them to intermediate and advanced practitioners. I think a lot of us overlook certain foundational practices after awhile and this can help shake some dust off your practice.
Kate Alice Marshall's writing is always gorgeous and haunting and this doesn't disappoint in that regard. I think if you are in this book for the mystery 1st then it's a 3 star. The mystery aspect isn't all that hard to figure out and if you're prone to knowing mystery endings you'll guess it early.
But! This book is really about trauma and what it can do to you. The cycles that we re-create when trauma hits the wrong way and how we deal with our scars both visible and invisible. And about the secrets of home towns.
In the regards of the atmosphere, the prose, and the trauma lens I think this is 4 stars. Just know what you're signing up for. I'd probably give her thrillers another go but maybe her Speculative YA will always just be my favorite.
Keeps you guessing at every turn. You may want to keep notes as the plot gets more and more inter-layered. And even if you guess the villain, the ending is satisfying all the same!
If anything about this title speaks to you, buy it, read it, apply it! This is a book if you are drawn to it, I believe fully it is for you!
This is for you if:
You regularly know things and can't tell anyone how you know them! And often you're right about the thing.
Traditional craft/process books are NOT working and maybe have made you more stuck
If you're overwhelmed as a newbie or seasoned writer with everyone telling the “right” or “only” way to write or run your business
If you feel intuitive with your writing but don't know what that looks like for your process and when you get stuck
If you feel drawn to this book
Also, I think this applies to any intuitive creative person not just writers
Like Intuition itself, this book and how I feel about it is very hard to put into words. I will try though because I want every intuitive writer out there to read this book! Not every writer, but all the intuitive ones!
For a non-fiction writing or self-help book to be 5 stars for me it needs to be compelling, have something new to me, and have actionable steps for me to follow. This hits all of that. It also has something that I rarely find, there is no one in this book telling you there's only “one” way. That is something that will always make me put down a book faster than you can spit. When someone says there's only “one” way they lose a lot of my interest and respect as an “expert.” Here we have none of that which I love. We have each and every step of the way a clear signpost that says “maybe this is you,” or “maybe you're more like this.”
Something that surprised me and delighted me was the fact that this is not just about intuitive writing as a process but more about being an intuitive writer as a whole. It includes the processes, but also goes into marketing and running your business. And let me tell you this book is highlighted and bookmarked within an inch of its life! I imagine yours will be too. Because there are so many action steps for so many different possible problems and situations. I know I will be referring to this book a LOT as I really embed these practices into my life.
I also, highly recommend Becca's Patreon and her courses. The community is amazing and supportive in unique ways that other writing groups just don't have and Becca and her team give so freely and often to their members. You will get every penny's worth out of her/their books and memberships. One of the things that I think is hard about Better-Faster Academy recommendations is that I can't say this is exactly what you think it will be and they will fix that exact problem you think you have. For instance in comparison, if someone is recommending an Ad course you know to ask the person recommending if they learned actionable steps to run ads as the course advertises. This is a yes or no answer situation. BUT, with Becca and Better-Faster Academy my experience and the experience I see a lot is that it solves problems you didn't necessarily go in knowing about, it helps give you clarity that you may have already had but never knew to trust, and it might show you that the “problem” was actually not your problem at all. Confused yet?
What I can say with clarity about Better-Faster Academy and Becca Syme is that I recommend them because they tailor EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING exactly to you. There is no cookie-cutter BS with them. And this book is a perfect example of that. They will help you find YOUR WAY to Success AND be there to support you through the implementation!
So what are you waiting for? Buy the book and do all the things. Follow her, join Patreon, and take a course. No matter where you are in life and your career this kind of coaching and help is priceless and practical!
Definitely legally blonde vibes, impeccable revenge and an amazing main guy that will almost give you hope for humanity! Great Xmas romance for all the girls who've been told they're too much!
Was at 4 stars till about the last hour or hour and a half (read via audiobook). For me the ending felt a bit flat after the build up. So, it went to 3 stars for me.
Really fun production of a locked door murder mystery. It gave me some Deathtrap vibes as far as a play within a play kind of situation.
The voice acting was wonderful and it was very immersive. It's a very fun experience overall and definitely very twisty and turny! It'll have you guessing what the hell is going on.
Another win
This series is addictive! I'm excited to see what's next for our monsters! As far as monster sexy time goes this is where it's at!
Nothing is wrong per se, but this is all pretty common sense stuff. And I wasn't expecting it to basically be only social media marketing. I think most of know about tiktok and Facebook groups. There are some tips on types of posts that was helpful for newbies.
But I was hoping for more specific advice and places to check out.
I loved this. How many of us lose faith in our own ability to thrive to survive. At the end of the day we can choose our own path forward or take the easier more mundane route. And perhaps we'll all stronger than we think!
Is it perfect? No. Is it fun? YES.
The beginning has a lot of gushing over each other non-stop which felt very telling not showing IMO. You can say it once and then give hints with actions that deepen it and that's what I'd prefer.
BUT once we get into the plot and meat of the story it takes off. The sex is really well done especially since we're talking about monster sex. That can get cringy fast but this was well done and had me going!
So yeah this is definitely monster porn, but it does have a plot and it does have sweet moments. Which is right up my alley.
And let's be honest with one another, as soon as I saw this had Mothman in RH I was down!
Warnings if you're squeamish about horror and/or graphic death this ain't your jam. This is for sure a Horror RH Romance.
OMG, this is not overhyped! I love that the grumpy person is the FMC, but also our sunshine fella isn't all sunshine.
And curious am I the only one that wants very badly to read Aunt Edna's autobiography? I could even say Aunt Edna and Aiden's affection for her was what immediately hooked me on these characters! I mean page one I was invested! And instead of the usual misunderstanding BS, these characters mostly communicate and grow from being with each other!
15/10 the perfect xmas romance! Oh but know that despite the cute cover, the adorkable bowties, and Aunt Edna stories there is some grade A smut as well! So clean romance gals and guys should probably look elsewhere. LOL
4.75★
I think that this is a great companion to 7 figure fiction by T. Taylor. I think layering tropes and having those tropes match Universal Fantasies, which most do, is a very strong plan. I love that she goes through multiple genres, not just romance here. I'm a little sad that she didn't include a Horror breakdown but the tropes are usable for that genre too. I'd still have loved to see differences there.
I also think this is a good starting place to start building a longer list of tropes and Universal fantasies for yourself. Because I think this is a good starting place but not the be all end all. Especially with specific subgenres and adding in those reader expectations as you get into mashups etc.
But this is a great tool and really gets you thinking. I also like that she included her personal questionnaire for when she is building her outline!
