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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2568 KP) rated Murder Gets a Makeover in Books

Oct 15, 2021 (Updated Oct 15, 2021)  
Murder Gets a Makeover
Murder Gets a Makeover
Laura Levine | 2021 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Who Gave Bebe a Makeover as a Corpse?
Thanks to her neighbor, Jaine Austen is getting a free makeover. Unfortunately, it is with Bebe Braddock, who turns out to be a nasty woman. When Jaine goes to a fitting, she finds Bebe’s dead body. The police start looking at Jaine as their top suspect, so she tries to find the real killer. Meanwhile, Jaine’s cat, Prozac, becomes a viral star after saving a toddler’s life and her father thinks he finally has the goods on his nemesis in the retirement community.

Between the strong sub-plots and the solid mystery, this book is always hopping. Author Laura Levine does a great job of juggling everything and keeping us entertained the entire time. The book is filled with laughs, mainly coming from the sub-plots. The characters are more caricatures, but they fit the tone of the series perfectly and do their job of entertaining us. I did feel this book wasn’t quite as good as most of the series, but it’s mostly minor nitpicks. Overall, I enjoyed Jaine’s latest adventure and am sure that her fans will laugh as the pages fly by.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2568 KP) rated In the Event of Murder in Books

Aug 22, 2024  
In the Event of Murder
In the Event of Murder
Cynthia Kuhn | 2024 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
More Event Than Murder
It’s the final week of the year, which means it is time for the annual fundraiser for the library in Silvercrest, Colorado. Like the rest of the town, Emma Starrs is thrilled that the cast of Chasers, the popular mystery TV show, is coming to town to headline the events. However, when murder threatens the event, Emma is asked to step in and help make sure the gala on New Year’s Eve goes off without a hitch. Can she do that?

It's been a couple of years since the first book in this series came out, so I wasn’t sure how much I’d remember about the characters. Fortunately, I was able to slip back into their world without too much effort. Sadly, the mystery was disappointing. The emphasis was more on the planning for the event, and those scenes grew repetitive. We did reach a solution, but parts of it felt forced to me. On the other hand, the characters were charming. I really did enjoy seeing Emma and her family and friends again. I wanted to like this more than I did, but it was mixed for me.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2568 KP) rated Once Upon a Wardrobe in Books

Nov 13, 2024 (Updated Nov 13, 2024)  
Once Upon a Wardrobe
Once Upon a Wardrobe
Patti Callahan Henry | 2021
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mixed Journey of Self-Discovery
Megs’s younger brother George has a heart defect that keeps him in bed reading. It’s 1950, and he’s just discovered The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and he wants to know where Narnia came from. Since Megs is at Oxford, she goes to ask the author himself. But will C.S. Lewis’s answer help Megs and George?

I’ve been a Narnia fan since I first read the books in 3rd grade, so the premise of this book intrigued. However, it didn’t work for me. It felt too scattered, with too many storylines. It’s part biography of C.S. Lewis with vignettes about his life. It’s part coming of age story for Megs. I see where the author was trying to combine them thematically, but it didn’t quite work for me. I needed a bit more focus on something. Plus, some events in the story really strained what I could believe. But I did enjoy the characters, and I found myself tearing up a time or two. If the premise really intrigues you, check it out. Otherwise, give this one a pass.
  
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ClareR (6225 KP) rated The Bell Witches in Books

Mar 16, 2025  
The Bell Witches
The Bell Witches
Lindsey Kelk | 2025 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I don’t read much YA anymore, but when I do I realise just how much I enjoy it (and wonder why I don’t read more of it 🤷🏼‍♀️).

A winning combination for me is the supernatural and coming of age.
Emily is recently orphaned and has been taken to live with her rich grandmother in Savannah. She learns that her fathers side of the family has an unusual and rich family history. On her 17th birthday, Emily will become a fully fledged witch at a special ceremony. However her new boyfriend may risk everything.

There are some great characters: a haughty, glamorous grandmother, a resentful aunt, a very attractive boyfriend, and some great new friends.

This is the start of a new series, which I hope will be as exciting as this first book. Ashleigh Haddad narrated this so well - although I feel an accent for Emily might have helped show just how much out of her comfort zone she was (she had never lived in the US, she’d last lived in Wales).
If you’re a fan of all things witchy, then you’ll probably enjoy this as much as I did!