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Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Sam Cheever | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Vlad-Handing is book 5 in the Silver Hills Cozy Mystery series. It is set in a singles/retirement residency (think 55 and older) filled with an eccentric cast of characters. This time around, Flo and Agnes find themselves trying to prove that manager Vlad Newsome, who many consider a reprehensible creature of the night, is innocent of murder. The only problem is that these ladies are a not 100% sure that Vlad isn’t the murderer.

Flo and Agnes are two ladies that you would love to call your friends. They are laugh out loud funny adding comedy to a terrific cozy mystery that will have you in stitches until the end. I highly suggest starting out with book 1 Dose Vidanya and reading the books in order. While these books can be read stand alone, the cast of characters build as each book in the series continues.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
TU
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Maxine “Max” O’Hara and Jake Lambert are entering a local brews and burgers festival. However, the festival takes a turn for the worse when notoriously nasty food critic Reginald Mobley signs on as a replacement judge. However, no one expects him to be murdered. Worse yet, he collapses right after eating Jake’s entry in the burger competition. Can Max figure out what is happening.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, but I loved this one even more. The characters we met in the first book are all back, and they are still fantastic. The mystery is compelling with lots of secrets to be revealed before we reach a suspenseful and logical climax. I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/10/book-review-tangled-up-in-brew-by-joyce.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Charlie’s grandson has been born, and he’s delighted to be spending time with this addition to the family. But he soon begins to get drawn into another mystery. First a true crime writer wants to write about some of Charlie’s past cases. Then there’s the mysterious man in the library asking questions.

This is definitely a slower book in the series as it took a while for us to figure out exactly where the mystery might be. There is one in the book, and I enjoyed it once Charlie started investigating. As always, the characters, both new and old, shine. I loved getting to spend more time with the usual gang, and most of them get at least an appearance. We also get to see some characters from the author’s other series, which was a lot of fun.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2018/03/book-review-claws-for-concern-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
GF
Get Fluffy (Pampered Pets Mystery #2)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When Mel gets stuck with Fluffy, the famous dog of Mona Michaels, all Mel wants to do is return the dog. However, when the two arrive at Mona’s mansion, Mona has been murdered. Mel wants to stay out of the investigation, but she keeps learning things that the point her toward the killer. Will she solve the crime?

I wanted to get to book two in this series soon to meet Mel, the cousin of the main character in the first in the series. This book was just as delightful as that first one. We get a mostly new cast of characters, who are all very strong. The mystery is great with lots of secrets and surprises on the way to the logical conclusion. And the antics of the pets in the book are delightfully fun.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-get-fluffy-by-sparkle-abbey.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Vlad-Handing (Silver Hills Cozy Mysteries, #5)
Sam Cheever | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Vlad-Handing is book 5 in the Silver Hills Cozy Mystery series. It is set in a singles/retirement residency (think 55 and older) filled with an eccentric cast of characters. This time around, Flo and Agnes find themselves trying to prove that manager Vlad Newsome, who many consider a reprehensible creature of the night, is innocent of murder. The only problem is that these ladies are a not 100% sure that Vlad isn’t the murderer.

Flo and Agnes are two ladies that you would love to call your friends. They are laugh out loud funny adding comedy to a terrific cozy mystery that will have you in stitches until the end. I highly suggest starting out with book 1 Dose Vidanya and reading the books in order. While these books can be read stand alone, the cast of characters build as each book in the series continues.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum, #2)
Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum, #2)
Janet Evanovich | 1996 | Fiction & Poetry
10
7.7 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
03-01-2009
09-03-2012

You've got mail! This is the first book I've ever read in which someone receives a penis by mail.
Stephanie is after Kenny Mancuso who shot his friend Moogey Bues. Then Kenny skedaddles and Moogey is shot again (only this time he goes to the morgue). The creepy undertaker Spiro Stiva enlists our heroine's help with tracking down 24 (count 'em) caskets.
This book is like the rest in the series: breezy, completely unbelievable, and ridiculously appealing. Seriously, Grandma Mazur is such a gem! I think a series with her as a main character would be a ball! More chemistry with Joe Morelli, more explosions, this book is hilarious and a bit unsettling... Stephanie is faced with a home invader who leaves body part and the aforementioned penis mailing. Oh, and former ho, Lula, begins her stint as a filing clerk. I read this book in less than a day. Hope I didn't spoil it for ya.
  
The Last Star
The Last Star
Rick Yancey | 2016 | Children
6
6.8 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
What happened! This series was so good, I am rather disappointed by this one! I just didn't feel as drawn into this one as I did the other two. Evan annoyed me to death and some of his choices just left me like excuse me? Really, is that how we are going to leave things? There were some absolutely cringe worthy lines when it comes to between Cassie and Evan. I had to read through one eye I found them so cringe worthy. I had hoped for so much more from this book and maybe an ending I hadn't predicted from the first half of the book. This book just didn't capture my imagination as the other two had done and I was so excited to read it. I was sure I was going to be sad by the end of this series but instead I am just sad that this book was nothing I had hoped it would be.
  
Little Mate (Gay Monsters in Space #1)
Little Mate (Gay Monsters in Space #1)
Rome Ford | 2023 | Erotica, LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
LITTLE MATE is the first book in the Gay Monsters in Space series, and it is a perfect hot-and-spicy coffee break book!

The pacing is fast but the story is all there. We're also talking about a HUGE case of instalust, although Jake does do his best to fight it at the beginning. His sarcasm was spot on. And Zahn's reaction to it was brilliant.

I would have liked a little more to the story, but I'm always greedy with novellas and end up wanting more. And it was nice to see Jake's sister get her HEA too.

A great start to the series and I look forward to reading more.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sep 13, 2023
  
Stalker (Joona Linna #5)
Stalker (Joona Linna #5)
Lars Kepler | 2019 | Thriller
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Interesting story (0 more)
Slow start (0 more)
5th novel in the Joona Linna series. Can stand-alone
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

Stalker by Lars Kepler is the 5th novel in the Swedish police series involving the main character, Joona Linna. Linna is a detective who is on the hunt of an obsessive, stalking serial killer who secretly video records his victims before brutally murdering them. He taunts police by sending them videos showing the victim alive and clearly unaware they are being recorded.

This novel can stand-alone but, according to reviews on Goodreads, the earlier novels provide information and background stories on characters in the series. I have never read the previous books but have had several of them on my "want to read" list since the 4th book, Sandman, could be found all over social media last year.

I was hesitant to start the series because, I have found when a book has that much hype surrounding it, it feels like a disappointment when reading. I did not feel that when reading Stalker. The novel started off slowly. This may be because I was not familiar with the characters. Familiar or not, after the slow start, I was sucked into the story and will be moving the rest of the series to the top of my "want to read" list.

Review published on Philomathinphila.com on 3/21/19.
  
The Subtle Knife
The Subtle Knife
Philip Pullman | 2015 | Children
8
7.4 (18 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Window into Another World
For me, the second book in a series is always the best. The author has already introduced the characters and has set the scene for the adventure in the first book. The second book gets into the meat of the story and gives the reader pages of pure action and adventure, which is exactly what I got with this book.

The Subtle Knife is the sequel to 'Northern Lights' and introduces the character of Will Parry who is on a mission to find his father. Along the way, he meets our heroine from the first book, Lyra and together they set off on an adventure to 'fix the world'.

Continue reading my review at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/119324.The_Subtle_Knife?ac=1&from_search=true