Search
Search results
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated A Darker State (Karin Müller #3) in Books
Feb 3, 2020
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25708878-stasi-child">Stasi Child</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32194597-stasi-wolf">Stasi Wolf</a> - Not Read
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2384443604">A Darker State</a> - ★★
#4 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42408350-stasi-77">Stasi 77</a> - Not Read
#5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47872602-stasi-winter">Stasi Winter</a> - Not Read
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Book-Review-Banner-19-1024x576.png"/>;
<i>For the Stasi, it’s not just the truth that gets buried . . .
The body of a teenage boy is found weighted down in a lake. Karin Müller, newly appointed Major of the People’s Police, is called to investigate. But her power will only stretch so far, when every move she makes is under the watchful eye of the Stasi.
Then, when the son of Müller’s team member goes missing, it quickly becomes clear that there is a terrifying conspiracy at the heart of this case, one that could fast lead Müller and her young family into real danger.
Can she navigate this complex political web and find the missing boy, before it’s too late?</i>
<i><b>I have mixed feelings about A Darker State (Karin Müller #3).</b></i> It has been sitting on my shelf for a very long time, and when I finally managed to read it, I thought I would be in for a treat, for something special. But it wasn’t special. I did enjoy a bit of the mystery, but it is most certainly not a favourite of mine.
Apparently, this is the third book of a series, and the books can be read as standalone. The only thing they have in common is the character and how it develops throughout the books.
From the very beginning, the book came across as unrealistic. Karin has recently become a mother, and she is just getting back to her job, when suddenly, she is being promoted as the Major of the People’s Police and is put on a very dangerous case. Now I don’t know about your police forces, but ours would certainly not promote a person just like that.
<b><i>Karin’s character was too forced upon me.</i></b>
At least that is how I felt. Like I needed to like her, and I needed to respect her. And I just wasn’t having it. She was not really that good of a character. Maybe it’s because I missed on reading the previous two books and don’t know her well enough. And maybe she was just a poor creation.
I didn’t enjoy the political webs and plotting. I think I prefer a much more realistic, straight up mystery novel. There was a huge lack of mystery drama, suspense, excitement or fear, which I think was crucial for me rate this book low. There were only a few actual scenes where the scene was discussed and the causes of death, etc. I wish there were more scenes like this, rather than mysterious conversation with politicians and secretive tycoons.
I loved the author’s writing and description, but I don’t think his style fits my preference, so I don’t think I will be reading any more books from this series.
Let me know if you have read it. I would love to know what you think.
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
#1 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25708878-stasi-child">Stasi Child</a> - Not Read
#2 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32194597-stasi-wolf">Stasi Wolf</a> - Not Read
#3 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2384443604">A Darker State</a> - ★★
#4 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42408350-stasi-77">Stasi 77</a> - Not Read
#5 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47872602-stasi-winter">Stasi Winter</a> - Not Read
<img src="https://diaryofdifference.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Book-Review-Banner-19-1024x576.png"/>;
<i>For the Stasi, it’s not just the truth that gets buried . . .
The body of a teenage boy is found weighted down in a lake. Karin Müller, newly appointed Major of the People’s Police, is called to investigate. But her power will only stretch so far, when every move she makes is under the watchful eye of the Stasi.
Then, when the son of Müller’s team member goes missing, it quickly becomes clear that there is a terrifying conspiracy at the heart of this case, one that could fast lead Müller and her young family into real danger.
Can she navigate this complex political web and find the missing boy, before it’s too late?</i>
<i><b>I have mixed feelings about A Darker State (Karin Müller #3).</b></i> It has been sitting on my shelf for a very long time, and when I finally managed to read it, I thought I would be in for a treat, for something special. But it wasn’t special. I did enjoy a bit of the mystery, but it is most certainly not a favourite of mine.
Apparently, this is the third book of a series, and the books can be read as standalone. The only thing they have in common is the character and how it develops throughout the books.
From the very beginning, the book came across as unrealistic. Karin has recently become a mother, and she is just getting back to her job, when suddenly, she is being promoted as the Major of the People’s Police and is put on a very dangerous case. Now I don’t know about your police forces, but ours would certainly not promote a person just like that.
<b><i>Karin’s character was too forced upon me.</i></b>
At least that is how I felt. Like I needed to like her, and I needed to respect her. And I just wasn’t having it. She was not really that good of a character. Maybe it’s because I missed on reading the previous two books and don’t know her well enough. And maybe she was just a poor creation.
I didn’t enjoy the political webs and plotting. I think I prefer a much more realistic, straight up mystery novel. There was a huge lack of mystery drama, suspense, excitement or fear, which I think was crucial for me rate this book low. There were only a few actual scenes where the scene was discussed and the causes of death, etc. I wish there were more scenes like this, rather than mysterious conversation with politicians and secretive tycoons.
I loved the author’s writing and description, but I don’t think his style fits my preference, so I don’t think I will be reading any more books from this series.
Let me know if you have read it. I would love to know what you think.
<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wi7amb">Wishlist</a>; | <a
<a href="https://diaryofdifference.com/">Blog</a>; | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diaryofdifference/">Facebook</a>; | <a href="https://twitter.com/DiaryDifference">Twitter</a>; | <a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofdifference/">Instagram</a>; | <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/diaryofdifference/pins/">Pinterest</a>;
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Five Total Strangers in Books
Dec 24, 2020
Browsing for my next digital read, I came across Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards. The synopsis definitely had my interest piqued. I'm glad I decided to read this story because I enjoyed it very much.
High school senior Mira is trying to get home to her mother for Christmas. However, a severe snowstorm means that Mira's connecting flight has been cancelled until further notice. Desperate to get home to her mother, Mira decides to take a chance with the college girl who was sat beside her on the plane named Harper. Somehow, Harper manages to snag a rental car, but there are three other people besides Harper and Mira. When personal items start going missing and strange things begin happening, Mira wonders who can she actually trust that's sharing a car with her and just what is the end game.
I loved, loved, loved the plot. It sounds like it's such a simplistic storyline with just five people travelling together, but it was so much more than that. It's a mystery, horror, thriller, and suspense story all in one which are all of my favorite genres. The pacing was absolutely spot on, and I found myself closely following each word on the page to find out what would happen next. I felt like I was one of the people in the car. I started getting paranoid about who to trust in the car. There were a couple of plot twists which were interesting. I never could figure out who was the sender of the letters to Mira until it was revealed at the end, and I wasn't sure who the saboteur was either until the end. There were many times I realized I was holding my breath in anticipation while reading Five Total Strangers. I pretty much read the whole book in one sitting. The only thing that was a small disappointment was the ending. It didn't feel like it was rushed, but I felt like there could have been a bit more information. I would have loved to know what the other occupants of the car got up to after their disastrous trip. There were no cliffhangers though which I was grateful for.
I felt like the characters were fleshed out perfectly for Five Total Strangers. There isn't much backstory for Harper, Brecken, Kayla, and Josh besides little tidbits here and there, but that's what makes this book even better. It gives it more of a mysterious feel. I liked the book being in Mira's perspective. I felt like I was feeling everything right along with Mira. Even though she was only eighteen, she came across as much older. Sure, she still made some decisions with a teen brain, but for the most part, she did have a good head on her shoulders. I liked Harper, and I admired her bravado. However, I also liked the times she showed her human side and her vulnerability. I admired Josh and Brecken's desire to help out when things got really rough. I did love Kayla's dry humor peppered within the book. I would even go as far as saying she was my favorite character in Five Total Strangers.
Trigger warnings for Five Total Strangers include swearing, attempted murder, death, some violence, and some drug use.
All in all, Five Total Strangers is a fantastic read which will leave you guessing who to trust throughout the book. With a great set of characters and fantastic world building, this is not a book you want to miss. I would definitely recommend Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards to those aged 15+ who are after a story that will captivate them the entire time.
High school senior Mira is trying to get home to her mother for Christmas. However, a severe snowstorm means that Mira's connecting flight has been cancelled until further notice. Desperate to get home to her mother, Mira decides to take a chance with the college girl who was sat beside her on the plane named Harper. Somehow, Harper manages to snag a rental car, but there are three other people besides Harper and Mira. When personal items start going missing and strange things begin happening, Mira wonders who can she actually trust that's sharing a car with her and just what is the end game.
I loved, loved, loved the plot. It sounds like it's such a simplistic storyline with just five people travelling together, but it was so much more than that. It's a mystery, horror, thriller, and suspense story all in one which are all of my favorite genres. The pacing was absolutely spot on, and I found myself closely following each word on the page to find out what would happen next. I felt like I was one of the people in the car. I started getting paranoid about who to trust in the car. There were a couple of plot twists which were interesting. I never could figure out who was the sender of the letters to Mira until it was revealed at the end, and I wasn't sure who the saboteur was either until the end. There were many times I realized I was holding my breath in anticipation while reading Five Total Strangers. I pretty much read the whole book in one sitting. The only thing that was a small disappointment was the ending. It didn't feel like it was rushed, but I felt like there could have been a bit more information. I would have loved to know what the other occupants of the car got up to after their disastrous trip. There were no cliffhangers though which I was grateful for.
I felt like the characters were fleshed out perfectly for Five Total Strangers. There isn't much backstory for Harper, Brecken, Kayla, and Josh besides little tidbits here and there, but that's what makes this book even better. It gives it more of a mysterious feel. I liked the book being in Mira's perspective. I felt like I was feeling everything right along with Mira. Even though she was only eighteen, she came across as much older. Sure, she still made some decisions with a teen brain, but for the most part, she did have a good head on her shoulders. I liked Harper, and I admired her bravado. However, I also liked the times she showed her human side and her vulnerability. I admired Josh and Brecken's desire to help out when things got really rough. I did love Kayla's dry humor peppered within the book. I would even go as far as saying she was my favorite character in Five Total Strangers.
Trigger warnings for Five Total Strangers include swearing, attempted murder, death, some violence, and some drug use.
All in all, Five Total Strangers is a fantastic read which will leave you guessing who to trust throughout the book. With a great set of characters and fantastic world building, this is not a book you want to miss. I would definitely recommend Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards to those aged 15+ who are after a story that will captivate them the entire time.
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<b>Trigger warning:</b> this book is heavily focused on sexual assault and rape.
This novel is certainly very captivating. I found it difficult to put it down once I had picked it up! I loved the crime and mysterious criminal and I loved the pace of it all. Sometimes, these crime novels can burst with excitement for one second, and then fizzle out until the last few pages, or, completely the opposite of that, be total non-stop action, but feel really over the top and unrealistic. This, on the other hand, had a great mix of action and downtime.
I loved the setting for this, it felt so retro with its mention of floppy disks, pagers, and cassette tapes! This whole book was really well described and brought to life. It felt so real, you completely lost yourselves in the characters worlds. The horror of each murder and plot reveal really grabs you by the throat and give you goosebumps. There’s no escaping the terror in this one.
As for the crime, this one is certainly unique… and gruesome! If you’re like me, and don’t like the thought of surgery or human anatomy, then this will certainly be a struggle to read as it contains many in-depth scenes where we’re walked through what’s happening on the inside of the body. That certainly made it a little hard for me to read because I have this slight fear of our insides and all descriptions of it, but I was too intrigued as to who the killer was, to put it down. While not a particularly twisty turny story, there are plenty of characters in this novel to keep you guessing on who the real killer is.
This always seems to happen to me, but I just can’t seem to get on with female detectives in these kinds of series. Rizzoli wasn’t the worst I have come across, but she still got on my nerves. I’m well aware the message this book was trying to put across was all to do with a “woman in a man’s world”, and I can feel for Rizzoli, it would be hard to be taken seriously in a homicide department in 2001 as a woman… But!!! It was not necessary for her to act as though every single man she encountered was an enemy, needing to be destroyed and put in his place. If she wanted to be taken so seriously as a woman, I’m surprised she couldn’t utter the word “tampon” and described it as being a “disgusting object”. (I have seen this point mentioned by other reviewers and some have said the “fear” of tampons could be a generational thing).
I also wasn’t a fan of the underlying tone this book had, that “all men are capable of evil”. <i>Everyone</i> is capable of evil, why were only men being targeted in this book? Now, I don’t want to sound anti-feminist or something with me saying all this stuff, but I felt the book was a bit radical with some of it’s points about men being raping, murdering bastards. Again, I would like to put my hands up and say I’m <i>really</i> not trying to trivialise or undermine rape “victims” (I prefer the term survivors myself) because I’m close to several, I know how much it fucks them up, but I did feel like this book was a bit heavy hitting towards the male gender as a whole, rather than to the select few scumbags who do that sort of thing <i>(just to rehash this point, I’m not some kind of rape apologist, I just didn’t feel the book needed to be so anti-man).</i>
Another problem I had with this book was sometimes it seemed to have an undermining stance on rape, calling it a woman’s “shameful secret” as though it was their own fault they had been abused in this way. There was also a moment where Rizzoli called herself a “victim of The Surgeon” because she had fucked up part of the investigation, which I thought was completely inappropriate. Comparing a job related incident that was your own fault to being kidnapped and raped is just disgusting. <i>That</i> really got on my nerves. Another thing that grated on me was the overuse of the word “victim” when it came to the rape survivors, but I can imagine that’s more to do with the time this book came out than anything else.
Also!!! (<b>Not a spoiler</b>) There is a disgusting comment on suicide nearer the end of the novel, where Rizzoli calls a man who killed himself a “loser who ate his gun” and “pathetic enough to blow his own brains out”.
Even after having those couple of issues with this novel, I still enjoyed it enough to finish it but I won’t forget the offensiveness of it. I’m going to give myself a break from this series for a month or so, just to really review whether use want to continue with writing I find so problematic. If any of you have gone on to read more of this series, please let me know if it gets any better by not taking digs at traumatised women and mental illness.
This novel is certainly very captivating. I found it difficult to put it down once I had picked it up! I loved the crime and mysterious criminal and I loved the pace of it all. Sometimes, these crime novels can burst with excitement for one second, and then fizzle out until the last few pages, or, completely the opposite of that, be total non-stop action, but feel really over the top and unrealistic. This, on the other hand, had a great mix of action and downtime.
I loved the setting for this, it felt so retro with its mention of floppy disks, pagers, and cassette tapes! This whole book was really well described and brought to life. It felt so real, you completely lost yourselves in the characters worlds. The horror of each murder and plot reveal really grabs you by the throat and give you goosebumps. There’s no escaping the terror in this one.
As for the crime, this one is certainly unique… and gruesome! If you’re like me, and don’t like the thought of surgery or human anatomy, then this will certainly be a struggle to read as it contains many in-depth scenes where we’re walked through what’s happening on the inside of the body. That certainly made it a little hard for me to read because I have this slight fear of our insides and all descriptions of it, but I was too intrigued as to who the killer was, to put it down. While not a particularly twisty turny story, there are plenty of characters in this novel to keep you guessing on who the real killer is.
This always seems to happen to me, but I just can’t seem to get on with female detectives in these kinds of series. Rizzoli wasn’t the worst I have come across, but she still got on my nerves. I’m well aware the message this book was trying to put across was all to do with a “woman in a man’s world”, and I can feel for Rizzoli, it would be hard to be taken seriously in a homicide department in 2001 as a woman… But!!! It was not necessary for her to act as though every single man she encountered was an enemy, needing to be destroyed and put in his place. If she wanted to be taken so seriously as a woman, I’m surprised she couldn’t utter the word “tampon” and described it as being a “disgusting object”. (I have seen this point mentioned by other reviewers and some have said the “fear” of tampons could be a generational thing).
I also wasn’t a fan of the underlying tone this book had, that “all men are capable of evil”. <i>Everyone</i> is capable of evil, why were only men being targeted in this book? Now, I don’t want to sound anti-feminist or something with me saying all this stuff, but I felt the book was a bit radical with some of it’s points about men being raping, murdering bastards. Again, I would like to put my hands up and say I’m <i>really</i> not trying to trivialise or undermine rape “victims” (I prefer the term survivors myself) because I’m close to several, I know how much it fucks them up, but I did feel like this book was a bit heavy hitting towards the male gender as a whole, rather than to the select few scumbags who do that sort of thing <i>(just to rehash this point, I’m not some kind of rape apologist, I just didn’t feel the book needed to be so anti-man).</i>
Another problem I had with this book was sometimes it seemed to have an undermining stance on rape, calling it a woman’s “shameful secret” as though it was their own fault they had been abused in this way. There was also a moment where Rizzoli called herself a “victim of The Surgeon” because she had fucked up part of the investigation, which I thought was completely inappropriate. Comparing a job related incident that was your own fault to being kidnapped and raped is just disgusting. <i>That</i> really got on my nerves. Another thing that grated on me was the overuse of the word “victim” when it came to the rape survivors, but I can imagine that’s more to do with the time this book came out than anything else.
Also!!! (<b>Not a spoiler</b>) There is a disgusting comment on suicide nearer the end of the novel, where Rizzoli calls a man who killed himself a “loser who ate his gun” and “pathetic enough to blow his own brains out”.
Even after having those couple of issues with this novel, I still enjoyed it enough to finish it but I won’t forget the offensiveness of it. I’m going to give myself a break from this series for a month or so, just to really review whether use want to continue with writing I find so problematic. If any of you have gone on to read more of this series, please let me know if it gets any better by not taking digs at traumatised women and mental illness.
Merissa (13911 KP) rated Polar Nights (Under an Arctic Sky #1.5) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
I received this book from NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.
This story is set in Svalbard where Andreas is in his last year of University to gain his Masters Degree in Geophysics. Until he is able to get into his dorm, he is due to stay with his step-mother's brother, Christian, which would be okay except Andreas has had a crush on Christian for years.
They are awkward with each other as they try to fight the attraction for a number of reasons, not the least being Christian's concern with how the family would see it and that both of them is afraid to say anything in case of rejection.
This is a gentle, sweet romance with a couple of sexy scenes in there that help you to feel the depth of love they have for each other. The supporting characters are all interesting and with their own stories that I would like to hear more about as the series continues.
There was only one editing issue that I found which was where the word sceptic had been used instead of sceptical. This certainly did not ruin my enjoyment and there was nothing more than that that I saw.
Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely one to continue in the series.
This story is set in Svalbard where Andreas is in his last year of University to gain his Masters Degree in Geophysics. Until he is able to get into his dorm, he is due to stay with his step-mother's brother, Christian, which would be okay except Andreas has had a crush on Christian for years.
They are awkward with each other as they try to fight the attraction for a number of reasons, not the least being Christian's concern with how the family would see it and that both of them is afraid to say anything in case of rejection.
This is a gentle, sweet romance with a couple of sexy scenes in there that help you to feel the depth of love they have for each other. The supporting characters are all interesting and with their own stories that I would like to hear more about as the series continues.
There was only one editing issue that I found which was where the word sceptic had been used instead of sceptical. This certainly did not ruin my enjoyment and there was nothing more than that that I saw.
Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely one to continue in the series.
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Bob Ross: The Happy Painter (2011) in Movies
Jul 7, 2019
Bob makes everyone happy!
I found this documentary on the Bob Ross phenomenon on Amazon Prime and it is worth checking out.
It tells you a lot of Bob's childhood, his relationships with his parents, children and wives and his rise to fame doing what he loved best, painting. His passion was demonstrating the "wet on wet" technique he learned at a young age and teaching it to others. He argued anyone could learn to paint quickly and easily using the techniques he was teaching.
The documentary shows some of his appearances on other TV programs of the time like Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, John Rivers and Phil Donahue. It also talks about his love of animals and how he used to treat and care for them.
One of the points mentioned I thought was interesting was only about 3% of the viewing audience tuned in and actually painted along with Bob. The vast majority just tuned in because they enjoyed his calming voice, big hair and his colorful vernacular.
What a great talent Bob Ross was and he died way too young. I still watch his show almost every night before I go to bed as it is a great way to end the day.
It tells you a lot of Bob's childhood, his relationships with his parents, children and wives and his rise to fame doing what he loved best, painting. His passion was demonstrating the "wet on wet" technique he learned at a young age and teaching it to others. He argued anyone could learn to paint quickly and easily using the techniques he was teaching.
The documentary shows some of his appearances on other TV programs of the time like Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, John Rivers and Phil Donahue. It also talks about his love of animals and how he used to treat and care for them.
One of the points mentioned I thought was interesting was only about 3% of the viewing audience tuned in and actually painted along with Bob. The vast majority just tuned in because they enjoyed his calming voice, big hair and his colorful vernacular.
What a great talent Bob Ross was and he died way too young. I still watch his show almost every night before I go to bed as it is a great way to end the day.
Merissa (13911 KP) rated Fire Beyond the Frost in Books
Jan 2, 2020
FIRE BEYOND THE FROST introduces the reader to Catalina, an accomplished surgeon from Earth who signs up to go to an isolated ice planet called Ruvuk. Not only does she want to help the inhabitants of Ruvuk but she also wants to leave behind her ex-fiance. She was expecting cold and ice, but she wasn't expecting the fire she found in Sari.
This is a fast-paced story with plenty of detail given in stories told between our two main characters, so no info-dump here. You get a taste of what life is like for those who live there, as well as some of the dangers they face. The attraction between Sari and Catalina is slow to start with, but once they make the connection, it moves forward quickly.
I loved how Catalina made decisions and choices based upon who she was and what she wanted, without kowtowing to others as she had in the past. I loved how she was so sure of what she was doing, and the risk she was taking.
This was a great story with wonderful characters. It was the first book by Thea Landen I have read, but I doubt very much that it will be the last. Definitely recommended by me.
This is a fast-paced story with plenty of detail given in stories told between our two main characters, so no info-dump here. You get a taste of what life is like for those who live there, as well as some of the dangers they face. The attraction between Sari and Catalina is slow to start with, but once they make the connection, it moves forward quickly.
I loved how Catalina made decisions and choices based upon who she was and what she wanted, without kowtowing to others as she had in the past. I loved how she was so sure of what she was doing, and the risk she was taking.
This was a great story with wonderful characters. It was the first book by Thea Landen I have read, but I doubt very much that it will be the last. Definitely recommended by me.
Joe Dante recommended The Old Dark House (1932) in Movies (curated)
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2518 KP) rated Dying in a Winter Wonderland in Books
Sep 30, 2020
After Christmas Murder
Merry Wilkinson has gotten talked into designing the decorations for Luanne Ireland’s wedding. However, on Christmas Eve, Luanne drops the bombshell that she is moving the wedding up from summer to Valentine’s Day, and naturally it causes chaos. Just two days later, Luanne’s fiancé is found murdered, however, and Merry’s brother, Chris, becomes the prime suspect. Luanne and Chris had dated back in high school, but is that enough motive for murder? Merry doesn’t think so, and she sets out to prove him innocent. Can she do it?
No matter when the books in this series are set, they always immediately put me in the Christmas spirit, and this book is no exception. Merry and the rest of the characters are their usual charming selves, and I always enjoy spending some time with them. Okay, so there are a few characters who regularly annoy Merry, but I enjoy those scenes, too, and we got some interesting developments with them in this book. The plot introduced lots of drama before the murder takes place, and that pulled me in from the first chapter. I never wanted to put the book down until I reached the logical conclusion. This latest book is perfect for any time you need a dose of Christmas.
No matter when the books in this series are set, they always immediately put me in the Christmas spirit, and this book is no exception. Merry and the rest of the characters are their usual charming selves, and I always enjoy spending some time with them. Okay, so there are a few characters who regularly annoy Merry, but I enjoy those scenes, too, and we got some interesting developments with them in this book. The plot introduced lots of drama before the murder takes place, and that pulled me in from the first chapter. I never wanted to put the book down until I reached the logical conclusion. This latest book is perfect for any time you need a dose of Christmas.
Lindsay (1807 KP) rated Our Moon Festival: Celebrating the Moon Festival in Asian Communities in Books
Sep 4, 2021
Are you looking for a book about different Asian cultures and other traditions? I found one that talks about their Moon Festival. It is good to learn about different cultures and not change that culture because we do not like it. We should try and understand it.
“Our Moon Festival” by Yobe Qui is a beautiful picture book about three different families and how they celebrate the Moon and their traditions. The first one is about a Chinese festival and talks about Singapore. The second story talks about the Vietnamese and their lovely traditions. The last story is about the Japanese and how they celebrate the holiday with their traditions.
This book shows and illustrates the holiday; it talks about what is similar and how they are different. The illustrations in the book are displayed well and beautifully. The images are bright and colorful. Great for children and parents to learn about Asian communities and a bit of Asian culture.
Children will want to learn more about these three Asian countries, Japan, Singapore, Chinese, and the culture. Children want to learn about the Moon Festivals. I think they are different but similar. I enjoyed learning about other holidays and the traditions of different cultures. I enjoy learning about the Our Moon Festival.
“Our Moon Festival” by Yobe Qui is a beautiful picture book about three different families and how they celebrate the Moon and their traditions. The first one is about a Chinese festival and talks about Singapore. The second story talks about the Vietnamese and their lovely traditions. The last story is about the Japanese and how they celebrate the holiday with their traditions.
This book shows and illustrates the holiday; it talks about what is similar and how they are different. The illustrations in the book are displayed well and beautifully. The images are bright and colorful. Great for children and parents to learn about Asian communities and a bit of Asian culture.
Children will want to learn more about these three Asian countries, Japan, Singapore, Chinese, and the culture. Children want to learn about the Moon Festivals. I think they are different but similar. I enjoyed learning about other holidays and the traditions of different cultures. I enjoy learning about the Our Moon Festival.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2518 KP) rated Edam and Weep in Books
Aug 6, 2025
Carly Finds Murder at a Fundraiser
As this book opens, it’s just over a month until Carly’s wedding to Ari. But today, she’s focused on the 50’s diner themed fundraiser for the local high school’s gym. While she’s selling simple grilled cheese (of course), some of the other vendors are offering various other offerings. But the man selling sodas clearly doesn’t want to be there, and his rude behavior leads to a confrontation with Carly’s mom. When the man is found dead later with the scarf that her mom was wearing around his neck, Carly jumps in to figure out what really happened.
When I heard about this book, I quickly added it to my reading plans since I’ve enjoyed the earlier books in the series. Sadly, this one was disappointing. There are two dualing storylines, but they both losing steam in the second half. The mystery plot felt a bit familiar, although I didn’t have the killer pegged. Fortunately, the characters are still charming, and I enjoyed spending time with them. We get two cheese themed recipes at the end. This is one that fans will want to read to the end. But if you are new to the series, start with an earlier book.
When I heard about this book, I quickly added it to my reading plans since I’ve enjoyed the earlier books in the series. Sadly, this one was disappointing. There are two dualing storylines, but they both losing steam in the second half. The mystery plot felt a bit familiar, although I didn’t have the killer pegged. Fortunately, the characters are still charming, and I enjoyed spending time with them. We get two cheese themed recipes at the end. This is one that fans will want to read to the end. But if you are new to the series, start with an earlier book.