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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2534 KP) rated The Jig is Up in Books
Aug 22, 2024
Kate Must Dance Fast to Find a Killer
When Kate Buckley gets a text from her sister, Colleen, she packs up her daughters and heads home to Shamrock, a town that has become an Irish themed tourist destination. Before Kate can find out what is wrong with Colleen, the two find the dead body of Colleen’s best friend, Deirdre, who was a famous Irish dancer. Kate finds herself drawn into the mystery of what happened. Can she solve the case?
I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen an Irish touristy town as a series theme before now. While I did feel things and characters could have been a bit more fleshed out, I enjoyed what we got here. The theming is fun and made me smile multiple times. The characters are, likewise, charming, and I am looking forward to getting to know them better. The mystery got off to a strong start, and the book kept me engaged, even with some things that might have annoyed me in lesser hands. You’ll dance through this debut and be left anxious for the encore.
I’m a little surprised we haven’t seen an Irish touristy town as a series theme before now. While I did feel things and characters could have been a bit more fleshed out, I enjoyed what we got here. The theming is fun and made me smile multiple times. The characters are, likewise, charming, and I am looking forward to getting to know them better. The mystery got off to a strong start, and the book kept me engaged, even with some things that might have annoyed me in lesser hands. You’ll dance through this debut and be left anxious for the encore.
This is the heart wrenching story of Obiefuna, and how his father sends him to a strict religious boarding school after he catches him kissing another boy. He basically cuts him off from his family and especially from his beloved mother.
Obiefuna has to keep his sexuality hidden as Nigeria moves to criminalise homosexuality, and he finds himself living a lie at school, and even participating in another boys brutal beating.
This could just be an emotionally devastating story of an ostracised boy, but there is love in this, from Obi’s mother and those he meets when he leaves school. He is a resilient boy and man who does find love.
I listened to this on audiobook (from Xigxag) and it was read so well by Fejiro Emasiobi and Tariye Peterside. This added much to the story itself - even just by teaching me how to pronounce the characters names properly. They also ramped up the emotion for me, especially when Obi is a boy.
This is a stunning debut and well worth a read (or a listen!!).
Obiefuna has to keep his sexuality hidden as Nigeria moves to criminalise homosexuality, and he finds himself living a lie at school, and even participating in another boys brutal beating.
This could just be an emotionally devastating story of an ostracised boy, but there is love in this, from Obi’s mother and those he meets when he leaves school. He is a resilient boy and man who does find love.
I listened to this on audiobook (from Xigxag) and it was read so well by Fejiro Emasiobi and Tariye Peterside. This added much to the story itself - even just by teaching me how to pronounce the characters names properly. They also ramped up the emotion for me, especially when Obi is a boy.
This is a stunning debut and well worth a read (or a listen!!).
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
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All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2534 KP) rated Death on Cozumel Island in Books
Apr 30, 2026
Is This a Series Debut to Dive into?
Claire O’Keefe is planning a destination bachelorette party of her best friend to Cozumel, hoping to get some diving in around the pre-wedding festivities. But her diving is less than ideal thanks to an obnoxious fellow diver. When someone kills him after a dive, Claire is surprised to learn a dive guide she really likes is the suspect. Can she find evidence to clear his name?
Being a lover of all things aquatic, this book attracted my attention when I first heard about it several years ago. But I just got a chance to read it. Sadly, it needed another couple of drafts to polish things up. The pacing was way off until we reached the final third of the book. Claire was pretty selfish at times, and her actions didn’t always make sense. The writing was rough at times as well. However, the descriptions of the diving were enough to make me want to plan a trip myself. Hopefully, the series gets better as it goes along.
Being a lover of all things aquatic, this book attracted my attention when I first heard about it several years ago. But I just got a chance to read it. Sadly, it needed another couple of drafts to polish things up. The pacing was way off until we reached the final third of the book. Claire was pretty selfish at times, and her actions didn’t always make sense. The writing was rough at times as well. However, the descriptions of the diving were enough to make me want to plan a trip myself. Hopefully, the series gets better as it goes along.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2534 KP) rated This Way to Murder in Books
Nov 13, 2025
Can Remi Follow the Clues to Find a Killer?
Remi McKenna is hosting a letterboxing event with some friends in the town where she is planning to move. Along for the ride is her best friend, Trace Cooper. However, Trace has brought a problem with her. She’s been getting some weird texts and phone calls recently, and it appears her potential stalker has followed her. Can Remi juggle the event she is running with trying to figure out if her best friend is truly in danger?
This debut had some promise to it. I really did enjoy the main characters, for example. The supporting characters tended to blend together for me. While the letterboxing event was fun, I was expecting a bit more about the board game cafe instead of it being a subplot. The pacing for the mystery is a bit off, but things made sense when we reached the end. I’d consider giving a second in the series a chance, but I’d hope some of these kinks would be worked out.
This debut had some promise to it. I really did enjoy the main characters, for example. The supporting characters tended to blend together for me. While the letterboxing event was fun, I was expecting a bit more about the board game cafe instead of it being a subplot. The pacing for the mystery is a bit off, but things made sense when we reached the end. I’d consider giving a second in the series a chance, but I’d hope some of these kinks would be worked out.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Ninja Girl in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
So I have Cookie OGormans debut novel, <i>Adorkable </i>sitting in my Kindle app, and I cant wait to read it because it sounds freakishly adorable, and I am all about adorable books (I like to mention <i><a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imperfect Chemistry</a></i> for the New Adult readers).
<i>Ninja Girl</i> is OGormans second novel, and it does seem like a second book in a stand-alone series since from what I know, the love interest of this book, Ash, makes an appearance in <i>Adorkable </i>and the couple in that book make an appearance here. (Did I make sense or was that too weird?)
What drew me to <i>Ninja Girl</i> in the first place is the Korean MC, Snow, who looks up to Bruce Lee as her role model and makes her decisions based on what she thinks Bruce Lee would approve. Shes phenomenal at martial arts, which makes her stick out from her group of friends because shes considered a tomboy. To prove that she is indeed a girl, Snow decides to kiss an entirely random guy, someone she would never typically go for, who turns out to be the son of a running candidate for the Senate that recently got pulled out of his life in a public school to a private school.
<i>Ninja Girl</i> reverses the whole damsel in distress and boy saves girl trope - instead, Snow is the one who saves Ash. Snow is recruited as Ashs bodyguard when his father starts getting more threats as they get closer to elections. Its just so refreshing to see a familiar trope being reversed and breaking out of the norm (and of course, OGorman isnt the only one who does this, but Im extremely glad theres another female character to root for).
It is a very nitpicky thing, but I am a little bothered by the title since ninja originates from Japan. However, I feel the title fits remarkably well with Snow as a character - she is extraordinarily fast in her movements when we see her in action as a bodyguard.
I loved the writing style in <i>Ninja Girl</i> - OGorman is hilarious with her writing style, and there are a lot of moments where I just really enjoyed having Snow as the main character and getting to know Ash as a character. As mentioned, I currently have OGormans debut novel on my kindle and getting the chance to see her writing style in her sophomore novel makes me extremely excited to read her debut when I get the chance. There are some fantastic lines in <i>Ninja Girl</i> that I love, and I honestly want to make a different post featuring all of my favorite quotes from the book.
Overall, though, if you want a cute story with a kickass main character who is a POC and hilarious lines, <i>Ninja Girl</i> might be the book for you.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/ninja-girl-by-cookie-ogorman-blog-tour/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
So I have Cookie OGormans debut novel, <i>Adorkable </i>sitting in my Kindle app, and I cant wait to read it because it sounds freakishly adorable, and I am all about adorable books (I like to mention <i><a href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-imperfect-chemistry-by-mary-frame"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Imperfect Chemistry</a></i> for the New Adult readers).
<i>Ninja Girl</i> is OGormans second novel, and it does seem like a second book in a stand-alone series since from what I know, the love interest of this book, Ash, makes an appearance in <i>Adorkable </i>and the couple in that book make an appearance here. (Did I make sense or was that too weird?)
What drew me to <i>Ninja Girl</i> in the first place is the Korean MC, Snow, who looks up to Bruce Lee as her role model and makes her decisions based on what she thinks Bruce Lee would approve. Shes phenomenal at martial arts, which makes her stick out from her group of friends because shes considered a tomboy. To prove that she is indeed a girl, Snow decides to kiss an entirely random guy, someone she would never typically go for, who turns out to be the son of a running candidate for the Senate that recently got pulled out of his life in a public school to a private school.
<i>Ninja Girl</i> reverses the whole damsel in distress and boy saves girl trope - instead, Snow is the one who saves Ash. Snow is recruited as Ashs bodyguard when his father starts getting more threats as they get closer to elections. Its just so refreshing to see a familiar trope being reversed and breaking out of the norm (and of course, OGorman isnt the only one who does this, but Im extremely glad theres another female character to root for).
It is a very nitpicky thing, but I am a little bothered by the title since ninja originates from Japan. However, I feel the title fits remarkably well with Snow as a character - she is extraordinarily fast in her movements when we see her in action as a bodyguard.
I loved the writing style in <i>Ninja Girl</i> - OGorman is hilarious with her writing style, and there are a lot of moments where I just really enjoyed having Snow as the main character and getting to know Ash as a character. As mentioned, I currently have OGormans debut novel on my kindle and getting the chance to see her writing style in her sophomore novel makes me extremely excited to read her debut when I get the chance. There are some fantastic lines in <i>Ninja Girl</i> that I love, and I honestly want to make a different post featuring all of my favorite quotes from the book.
Overall, though, if you want a cute story with a kickass main character who is a POC and hilarious lines, <i>Ninja Girl</i> might be the book for you.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/ninja-girl-by-cookie-ogorman-blog-tour/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The Art of Losing by The Anchoress
Album
AWARD-WINNING WELSH MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST THE ANCHORESS RETURNS WITH HER CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SECOND...
Debbiereadsbook (1727 KP) rated Hard to Get: A Haven#s Cove Novel #2 in Books
Apr 19, 2018
stunning follow up to Hard to let Go.
I was gifted my copy of this book, direct from the author. That I write a review was not required.
We met Gabe and Nate in book one, Hard to Let Go. You don't NEED to have read that before you read this one, but it will give you a better picture of Haven's Cove and the people in it, and why Gabe is in town. But you SHOULD read it, not least because that is a stunning 5 star debut read, but also because I said you SHOULD!
And this is another STUNNING follow up to that novel!
Gabe is Brody's best friend; brother in all ways but blood. Nate is hired by Brody. When Nate and Gabe meet, Gabe is immediately pulled to Nate. But Nate pushes Gabe away, and keeps pushing but Gabe keeps trying. Until they each see a different side to the other, and think that they can be friends, at least.
While not quite as emotionally devastating to me personally as book one, I absolutely loved this follow up!
Both men have been hurt before, badly and they deal with that in their own way. I'm not saying who does what but know that neither way is right or wrong, but it's right for that person to deal with their past in that way.
When the full extent of Gabe's hurt becomes clear, I cried for him, I really did. I loved that Nate's family showed himhow it should be. Nate's hurt is no less painful, just different.
I loved that it took a single line from a 5 year old to make Gabe see what and WHO he really wants.
"Because that's what daddies do"
I take it back! This book WAS emotionally devastating! It was just in a very VERY different way to book one.
I loved that we got some Brody and Owen and Jonah too. His story is laid out here and I can't wait to read that one. I have a feeling Jonah isn't as happy as he makes out and Cameron?? Well that boy is in a world of hurt already.
I always worry, you know, after reading such a stunning debut novel, that the next book might not be up to par with that book. But I need not have worried here.
5 stunning follow up stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
We met Gabe and Nate in book one, Hard to Let Go. You don't NEED to have read that before you read this one, but it will give you a better picture of Haven's Cove and the people in it, and why Gabe is in town. But you SHOULD read it, not least because that is a stunning 5 star debut read, but also because I said you SHOULD!
And this is another STUNNING follow up to that novel!
Gabe is Brody's best friend; brother in all ways but blood. Nate is hired by Brody. When Nate and Gabe meet, Gabe is immediately pulled to Nate. But Nate pushes Gabe away, and keeps pushing but Gabe keeps trying. Until they each see a different side to the other, and think that they can be friends, at least.
While not quite as emotionally devastating to me personally as book one, I absolutely loved this follow up!
Both men have been hurt before, badly and they deal with that in their own way. I'm not saying who does what but know that neither way is right or wrong, but it's right for that person to deal with their past in that way.
When the full extent of Gabe's hurt becomes clear, I cried for him, I really did. I loved that Nate's family showed himhow it should be. Nate's hurt is no less painful, just different.
I loved that it took a single line from a 5 year old to make Gabe see what and WHO he really wants.
"Because that's what daddies do"
I take it back! This book WAS emotionally devastating! It was just in a very VERY different way to book one.
I loved that we got some Brody and Owen and Jonah too. His story is laid out here and I can't wait to read that one. I have a feeling Jonah isn't as happy as he makes out and Cameron?? Well that boy is in a world of hurt already.
I always worry, you know, after reading such a stunning debut novel, that the next book might not be up to par with that book. But I need not have worried here.
5 stunning follow up stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**