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I’ve been wanting to read this for quite some time, but for one reason or another, I haven’t. COVID-19 and lockdown gave me the ideal opportunity to borrow it from my library’s ebook selection. It’s a quick read for an adult and possibly some young people too, but it’s just the right length for the story.

I loved it - Sleeping Beauty with a twist. It definitely has the fairy story vibes, where the good people are good, and the bad are thoroughly bad. Some would say that’s a very one-dimensional way of looking at it, but isn’t that what fairy stories are all about? As for those who’s ah it’s too scary for young children, I would disagree. I would have loved this as a young child. Yes, it’s scary in places, but it’s a typical fairy story, in that good triumphs over evil. Actually, who am I kidding? I loved this as an adult!

And the art work is stunning. Chris Riddell’s drawings are always wonderful, and the drawings in this book are no exception. Beautiful drawings that complimented the story so well.
  
Hot Enough to Kill
Hot Enough to Kill
Paula Boyd | 1999 | Mystery
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not as Hot a Debut As I Had Hoped
Jolene Jackson hates to return to her hometown of Kickapoo, Texas, but when her mother, Lucille, is brought in for questioning after the mayor is murdered, Jolene heads down to help out. Lucille is obviously hiding something from the sheriff, who also happens to be Jolene’s high school sweetheart. When it becomes obvious that Lucille’s life is in danger, Jolene jumps in to figure things out. Can she do it?

I discovered recently that I bought this book twice, physical and ebook. Clearly, I was interested in reading it. Sadly, it disappointed. The mystery confuses action with unraveling a mystery, so I got a little frustrated in the middle of the book. Even so, I was interested in the action the entire way through. While the main characters are good, the supporting cast is thin. What is supposed to come across as humorous instead comes across as condescending toward those that Jolene doesn’t agree with. Add in some characters who come across as purposefully stereotypical and a few needless political comments and I struggled at times. I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy this book more.
  
Hallowed Out
Hallowed Out
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Haunted Tour Ends in Mystery
Julia Snowden has gotten roped into an effort to bring some tourists to town during October via a haunted homes tour. One of the stops is Gus’s restaurant where a rumrunner was killed by gangsters during Prohibition. An actor has been brought in to help with the reenactment, but the night of the first tour, he is shot when the lights go out. Who did it?

It truly is wonderful to revisit the characters, no matter how briefly it might be. The plot is strong, and the characters we meet along the way are just as strong. I didn’t see the twists of the mystery coming, and the ending caught me by surprise. There is a delightful sub-plot as well that kept me grinning. And there’s a recipe or two at the end.

NOTE: This story is a novella, roughly 100 pages, and was originally part of the novella collection Haunted House Murder. If you have that book, there is no need to buy this ebook. If you haven’t read the story, now is the time to sit back and enjoy this Halloween trip to Maine.
  
Exile (The Last Roman #1)
Exile (The Last Roman #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Well.

That was unexpected.

I actually came across this via an ad on FB (marketing does work!), where it was described as 'Jason Bourne' meets Highlander.

That's actually not all that bad a description.

This is presented chapter about with the 'present day' portion of the tale and the historical parts, with the main character of Marcus - the soldier who put his spear into the side of Jesus Christ whilst he was on the cross - cursed with immortality as a result.

He's not the only immortal: there's also another group, all with links to the same 'original' period of time (I don't want to say too much and give stuff away) living through history as well.

Well, when I say immortal they're not quite immortal: they can be killed for good, but it has to be extreme: a shooting won't do it, say, but being burnt at the stake would ...

Anyway, perhaps the best compliment I can give this is that, after reading it through Kindle Unlimited, I then actually went back and purchased the ebook 'proper', as well as the next in the series.