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Murder at the Breakers
Murder at the Breakers
Alyssa Maxwell | 2014 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Party to Die at
Emma Cross is attending the social event of the year at The Breakers. While she is distantly related to the hosts, the Vanderbilts, she is also covering it as the society reporter. The night ends in tragedy when a man falls to his death in front of Emma. With all the evidence pointing to her brother, Brady, who was up to something that night, Emma starts investigating. Can she find the truth?

This book does a great job balancing the beginning of the plot with the introduction of Emma and her world. The plot was great, and I appreciated that Emma fell for some red herrings before she reached the logical conclusion. The characters are also strong; it was hard to tell if some of them were going to be series regulars or were just suspects for this book. This book is a tad gray and falls closer to traditional than cozy for me, but that’s a minor issue. I also appreciated how the time and place came to life and were used by the author. It’s easy to tell why this series is so popular. I’m looking forward to reading more soon.
  
Light & Kingdom (Royal & Piper #2)
Light & Kingdom (Royal & Piper #2)
E.L. Tenenbaum | 2023 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
LIGHT & KINGDOM is the second book in the Royal & Piper series and carries on from Book 1, so you really need to read that one first.

Quirin and Cal are on the run from Evalena and intent on reaching Quirin's old homeland where he is sure she will get help. The only problem is that to do this, they need to travel over the top of a mountain, which people stay away from for fear of death.

What a book! Quirin and Cal become closer in this book as they deal with things outside of the extraordinary. They are alone and have to rely upon each other for survival, as well as seeing wondrous sights.

I loved this story and the finale was fantastic! I honestly can't wait to continue with this story. It is rich in detail and intrigue, bringing the story to life as you turn the pages. Absolutely brilliant and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 26, 2024
  
Murder at Rough Point
Murder at Rough Point
Alyssa Maxwell | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder Makes a Retreat Rough
It is September of 1896 and Emma cross has been asked to cover an artist retreat happening at Rough Point, a mansion owned by Frederick Vanderbilt. When she arrives, Emma is surprised by some of the people included in the retreat. But even more surprising is the death of one of the artists at the base of the cliffs. It looks like it could be an accident, or even suicide. But something about the incident doesn’t sit right with Emma. Could it be murder?

This is the first time a book in the series is set off season, and I found I missed the real-life characters we’d gotten to know, although we did get updates on them. Due to that, the focus is on the cast of new characters and the mystery. I liked the clues and red herrings, although another subplot or two to break things up would have been nice. The one we did get allowed Emma to grow, which was nice. And an ongoing storyline got more complicated here. Overall, I enjoyed this and am looking forward to seeing what comes next.