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Secret of Magic: Rebels & Spies ( Academy of Falling Kingdom book 2)
By Marisa Mills and Drake Mason
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The good news: I miraculously survived a would-be fatal fall.
The bad news: A demon helped me do it.
The worst news: Prince Alexander saw everything.

Reverie is supposed to be paradise -- but the power holding the floating city aloft isn't holy; it's demonic. Now demons are attacking my classmates -- and I think they're targeting me. If we can't find the source behind the attacks, the entire kingdom could be in danger of falling from the sky.

And Alexander knows I'm a fraud.

I came to Reverie to steal something. Now I need Alexander to steal something, too. Because he has one thing I never will; the trust of the king.

But can I convince him to exploit his father's trust to save his people? Or will Alexander tell the world who I really am?


The Secret of Magic is a young adult fantasy adventure full of monsters, murder and romantic intrigue. Fans who enjoyed Rachel Carter’s Black Mage series and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy will love this sprawling magic academy!

I loved it! From surviving the fall to the very last chapter I found it interesting and just wanted to keep reading. I knew her true identity it was kind of obvious I was just willing it along until Wynter found out too! Looking forward to seeing where they all go from here.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated Dead Man's Hand in Books

Nov 29, 2023 (Updated Nov 29, 2023)  
Dead Man's Hand
Dead Man's Hand
Penny Warner | 2010 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Chip in the Dead Man’s Hand
The cold, snowy weather that Flat Skunk, California is having this January doesn’t hide a dead body, especially since the body is found hanging in front of one of the stores in town. While it would be easy to rule it an obvious suicide, the sheriff finds evidence that leads him to believe it is murder. Naturally, Connor Westphal sees the chance to get a big news story for her paper, but she can’t get a handle on the story. What is the meaning of the chip from the nearby Indian casino found in the victim’s hand? Or does the victim’s drug dealing have anything to do with his death?

This book didn't have quite the feel of the other books in the series, and some of the regulars were absent or weren't around much. Having said that, I did still enjoy seeing Connor one last time. She makes an interesting and strong main character. I also enjoyed getting to see more of her service dog. The plot was strong and I didn't see the ending coming at all. I enjoyed seeing how things had changed for deaf people even in the short time between when the series started and this book, which came out in 2007. There is much more foul language than is typical for a cozy. This is the final book in the series, and I really liked where Connor wound up. I'm sure that other fans of the series will be happy as well.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated 26 Below in Books

Sep 13, 2024 (Updated Sep 13, 2024)  
26 Below
26 Below
Kimberley Woodhouse | 2023 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Can Darcie and Jason Stop a Villain Cold?
Darcie Phillips is thrilled to be leading the new Emergency Operations Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. On the team is Jason Myers, a cybersecurity expert. But they’ve just barely begun their jobs when a strange woman appears in town warning about something happening when the temperature drops to 26 below. Since winter is coming, that will be soon. Can Darcie and Jason figure out a way to deal with this crisis?

I was intrigued by this premise, so I decided to give this book a try. Unfortunately, I found this book uneven. There is more buildup than pay off, and some of that buildup gets swept under the rug. I did like Darci and Jason and find them compelling characters, although the rest of the team are fairly one note. This is a Christian novel, and I found that aspect refreshing and emotionally touching in ways I wasn’t expecting. I think this is more of a character study than a thriller, and I wasn’t expecting that. There are a couple of small timeline issues, made more obvious by the way each scene is headlined with date and time. But I had to laugh at how much of a cold weather wimp I am while reading how these characters felt about the weather in Alaska. I am still considering picking up the next book since I am intrigued by the threads left opened here. If you are looking for strong characters in a light thriller, you should consider picking this book up.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated Murder Out of Character in Books

Mar 1, 2024 (Updated Mar 1, 2024)  
Murder Out of Character
Murder Out of Character
Olivia Matthews | 2022 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Has Marvey Found a Hit List?
The summer fun raising campaign for the library is kicking off with a cocktail reception, and Marvey Harris is in the thick of things thanks to her job. The event goes well, but as the staff is cleaning up, Marvey finds a list of names left behind by someone. She’s intrigued since her good friend Spence is on it as is a man who has just died.

Two days later, another person on the list has died. Marvey can’t help but think she’s found a list that someone is targeting, but she is having a hard time getting anyone to take her seriously. Especially since no one seems to be able to figure out a solid connection between the four people on the list. Can Marvey discover what is going on before a killer strikes again?

I’d intended to get back and finish this series, and I was happy to see the main characters again. While the supporting players could have been a bit better developed, I love Marvey and her friends. They are just wonderful. I was intrigued by the plot, but it didn’t quite work for me. The pacing was off, with some repetitive scenes. While the killer and motive did make sense, there was still a major part of the plot that was never explained. If you are a plot first person, I’d recommend you skip this book. But if you enjoy reading about strong bonds between characters, you will want to check this one out.
  
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MY (82 KP) rated Paw Patrol in TV

Oct 3, 2017  
Paw Patrol
Paw Patrol
2013 | Animation
9
6.6 (21 Ratings)
TV Show Rating
Great fun children's series about a team of lovable pups who always save the day (0 more)
“No job's too big, no pup's too small! Ryder (a 10 year old boy) and the leader of the Paw Patrol and his pups work together in every challenges and emergency for the good of their community.
Each of the pups have their own special skills, gadgets and vehicles that help them on their mission to save the day.
The pups are Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rubble and Skye, and with an ever growing team membership which includes Apollo the Super-Pup, Everest and Tracker theres always a big adventure to be found.
News out is that there's a new character by the name of Sweetie too.
  
We're The Millers (2013)
We're The Millers (2013)
2013 | Comedy, Crime
Entertaining (0 more)
The testicle scene (0 more)
Good fun
All good fun and I found myself chuckling on occasion. With Jason Sudeikis starring I knew there'd be some bawdy humour, as evidenced by the showing of a swollen testicle and one of the other characters referring to her sex life as "throwing a hotdog down a hallway". I don't particularly like that puerile stuff but putting it aside this film was entertaining enough as we watch 4 acquaintances become a pretend family who then develop a warmth and love for each other, all the while trying to transport marijuana in an RV from Mexico to America whilst being pursued by a drug boss. It's not cerebral in anyway so just an easy watch.
  
Northern Lights
Northern Lights
Philip Pullman | 2015 | Children
9
7.8 (14 Ratings)
Book Rating
A great YA novel
I read this over 10 years ago, remember enjoying it but for some reason never bothered with the other books in the trilogy. So I decided to try again.

This is a fantastic first novel in the trilogy, and a great fantasy story. I love the idea of people having daemons, and the plight of Lyra is intriguing and full of twists and turns. There are some great characters, all well developed and I really found myself caring for some and hating others, as intended. Pullman id a fantastic writer. My only criticisms would be the heavy emphasis on religion, and that the plot does seem a little bit over the top at times. Still can't wait to read the rest!