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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2057 KP) rated The Spirit in Question in Books
Oct 3, 2018
Murder in the Haunted Theater
Lila has been talked into working on a play that her university is putting on this semester. The play is Puzzled: The Musical written by Tolliver Ingersoll, a fellow professor at Stonedale University, and it's being directed by Jean Claude Lestronge, who is visiting the college for the semester. Putting the play on is proving to be a struggle, but things get more interesting when someone is shot during a planned blackout. That's when Lila starts to hear some stories about the history of this particular theater. Could that have something to do with what is currently happening? Or is there a more modern motive for murder?
There is a lot happening in this book, and at times, the plot appears to ramble as a result. The murder definitely takes a back seat to some of the other things going on, but I never found myself getting board since everything was entertaining. And the various bits and pieces do begin to tie together the further we get into the book. Because we get so many new characters, we don't see much of most of the series regulars, but the new characters are all developed enough to make us care about the outcome, and Lila continues to be a strong lead. And the play! I was laughing at the little bits we did learn about it over the course of the book. Heck, the song titles alone are great. It looks like a fun spoof of the mystery genre that I would go see if I could.
There is a lot happening in this book, and at times, the plot appears to ramble as a result. The murder definitely takes a back seat to some of the other things going on, but I never found myself getting board since everything was entertaining. And the various bits and pieces do begin to tie together the further we get into the book. Because we get so many new characters, we don't see much of most of the series regulars, but the new characters are all developed enough to make us care about the outcome, and Lila continues to be a strong lead. And the play! I was laughing at the little bits we did learn about it over the course of the book. Heck, the song titles alone are great. It looks like a fun spoof of the mystery genre that I would go see if I could.
Merissa (11612 KP) rated Infinite Blue in Books
Oct 19, 2018
Infinite Blue by Natalina Reis
Infinite Blue is a standalone story (as far as I can tell), which tells the story of soul mates, and what happens when it is between a shifter and a human. Shahin has been told for years by his mother that it can never happen, but finds his own soul mate in the very human form of Cai. He spends time watching him from afar (admitting to himself how stalkerish his behaviour is!) before actually meeting up with him. Unfortunately, things don't go quite as smoothly as he hoped for. Will he live to see them bond, or will he die to have Cai in his life?
This was a great story, with plenty of humorous moments, as well as heat between the sheets. The "mystery" behind Shahin's illness wasn't too difficult to figure out, but the fun was in watching them figure it out, and what they would do next.
Whilst Cai doesn't have that big a family, Shahin does - and I would love to see more of them. This was a brilliantly written story, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I found the pacing to be spot on, with plenty of intrigue and humour from one page to the next.
This was a great shifter story, and definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This was a great story, with plenty of humorous moments, as well as heat between the sheets. The "mystery" behind Shahin's illness wasn't too difficult to figure out, but the fun was in watching them figure it out, and what they would do next.
Whilst Cai doesn't have that big a family, Shahin does - and I would love to see more of them. This was a brilliantly written story, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I found the pacing to be spot on, with plenty of intrigue and humour from one page to the next.
This was a great shifter story, and definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2057 KP) rated Books Can Be Deceiving in Books
Dec 2, 2018
In Which I Finally Start This Series
Lindsey Norris is settling into her new life as the director of the public library in Briar Creek, Connecticut. One of her many joys is working alongside her best friend Beth Stanley, the children's librarian. Unfortunately, Lindsey has never warmed to Beth's boyfriend Rick Eckman, and spending more time with him doesn't change that at all. So, Lindsey isn't upset when the two break up. However, Beth gets some surprising news about Rick the next day just before she finds his body. It's obvious that Rick has been killed. With the police certain that Beth is guilty, Lindsey springs into action to clear her best friend. Can she do it?
I'm finally getting around to starting this series, but I've loved the other books from Jenn McKinlay I've read. I pretty much knew what to expect here, and I was right. We get a fantastic cast of characters that I already can't wait to spend more time with. The setting, both the library and the town, are charming as well. I'd move to this town is it weren't for the murder rate (and the fact that it's fictional). There is a bit of series set up that slows things down at the beginning, but the mystery is very strong once it gets started. I was surprised by some of the twists along the way. I also laughed several times along the way, and part of the climax made me want to cheer.
I'm finally getting around to starting this series, but I've loved the other books from Jenn McKinlay I've read. I pretty much knew what to expect here, and I was right. We get a fantastic cast of characters that I already can't wait to spend more time with. The setting, both the library and the town, are charming as well. I'd move to this town is it weren't for the murder rate (and the fact that it's fictional). There is a bit of series set up that slows things down at the beginning, but the mystery is very strong once it gets started. I was surprised by some of the twists along the way. I also laughed several times along the way, and part of the climax made me want to cheer.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2057 KP) rated Game of Scones in Books
Dec 5, 2018
War of the Scones
After losing her job at a food magazine, Rosetta Sugarbaker Calloway, “Sugar” to friends, opens a new business with award winning baker Dixie Spicer. Together, the two will shepherd community cookbooks through the publishing process. Their first project is for the centennial of the town where they live, St. Ignatius, Iowa. However, this cookbook has heated up the feud between Elsie, a member of the most prominent family in town, and Bertie, Dixie's aunt. The two are fighting over which of their scone recipes should be included in the book. When Sugar goes to meet with Elsie to attempt to reach a resolution, she finds Elsie's dead body. Bertie is the prime suspect, but she has disappeared. Is she in danger as well, or is she the killer?
This book gets this new series off to a fun start. Sugar and Dixie are a great duo, and they are surrounded by a fun group of family and friends. I enjoyed getting to know them here, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better in future books. The town is wonderful, with all the hallmarks of a delightful cozy setting, and I enjoyed the fact that it is in Iowa, not some place we typically go for cozies. I did feel the pacing of the mystery was a bit off, but this never lasted for long, and we had a great climax. We get a total of three recipes at the end of the book, including both scone recipes.
This book gets this new series off to a fun start. Sugar and Dixie are a great duo, and they are surrounded by a fun group of family and friends. I enjoyed getting to know them here, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them better in future books. The town is wonderful, with all the hallmarks of a delightful cozy setting, and I enjoyed the fact that it is in Iowa, not some place we typically go for cozies. I did feel the pacing of the mystery was a bit off, but this never lasted for long, and we had a great climax. We get a total of three recipes at the end of the book, including both scone recipes.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I couldn't read this book fast enough! Jaime Jo Wright weaves such a tale of mystery and suspense that you won't want to put it down. Thankfully, when house duties called, I have SCRIBD, so I could listen to the book while I did dishes, vacuumed, and did the laundry.
Filled with so much agony for all that these characters go through, the empath in me had a rough go of it. But, all said and done, the author created the perfect balance with the tension, the hope, the suspense, and the romance. I am not sure how much more I can say without giving away the story! I couldn't figure out who the "bad guys" were for the longest time. I was trying so hard to figure out how everything all meshed together...But couldn't work it out on my own.
Annalise and Libby are two women that I think are incredibly strong, brave, and heroines of the best sort. Sure they have made mistakes (who hasn't), but the important thing is that they learned from them, grew, moved on, and are helping others.
I just want all of Jaime's stories in my hands right now! I could read them all year. Haha! I adore her voice and the vision she has behind her stories. They truly are remarkable and deserve the highest praise.
I received a complimentary copy of The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Filled with so much agony for all that these characters go through, the empath in me had a rough go of it. But, all said and done, the author created the perfect balance with the tension, the hope, the suspense, and the romance. I am not sure how much more I can say without giving away the story! I couldn't figure out who the "bad guys" were for the longest time. I was trying so hard to figure out how everything all meshed together...But couldn't work it out on my own.
Annalise and Libby are two women that I think are incredibly strong, brave, and heroines of the best sort. Sure they have made mistakes (who hasn't), but the important thing is that they learned from them, grew, moved on, and are helping others.
I just want all of Jaime's stories in my hands right now! I could read them all year. Haha! I adore her voice and the vision she has behind her stories. They truly are remarkable and deserve the highest praise.
I received a complimentary copy of The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Knight's Bride: Chivalry Lives in 6 Stories from the Middle Ages in Books
Jan 2, 2019
In an age where chivalry thrives, danger abounds also. Follow six stories of love and honor that will warm your heart during these cold winter months.
With settings ranging from the years 1367 to 1815, there is a wide variety of stories in this collection. Each author brings to life the mystery and romance of the time in their own unique ways. The beauty of the language and the oddity of the customs is always a pleasure to learn more about. The Middle Ages has always held a fascination for me. Times were so different then that it is sometimes hard for me to understand why things happened the way they did. But this collection was eye opening to the culture of the time and inspired me to look up different aspects of the era. This is a nice collection and the stories are short and easy to read. My personal favorite was A Stranger's Kiss by Yvonne Lehman. Even though most of the time I was frustrated with the main character for not speaking out what was on her heart. I realised however, that in the real world, we could save so much stress and confusion if we would only speak out. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen right away. Fear and doubt riddle us until we no longer know what to do. But in the end the truth will win out and justice will reign.
I received a free digital copy of The Knight's Bride from Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
With settings ranging from the years 1367 to 1815, there is a wide variety of stories in this collection. Each author brings to life the mystery and romance of the time in their own unique ways. The beauty of the language and the oddity of the customs is always a pleasure to learn more about. The Middle Ages has always held a fascination for me. Times were so different then that it is sometimes hard for me to understand why things happened the way they did. But this collection was eye opening to the culture of the time and inspired me to look up different aspects of the era. This is a nice collection and the stories are short and easy to read. My personal favorite was A Stranger's Kiss by Yvonne Lehman. Even though most of the time I was frustrated with the main character for not speaking out what was on her heart. I realised however, that in the real world, we could save so much stress and confusion if we would only speak out. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen right away. Fear and doubt riddle us until we no longer know what to do. But in the end the truth will win out and justice will reign.
I received a free digital copy of The Knight's Bride from Barbour Publishing Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2057 KP) rated Saturn Night Fever in Books
Jan 16, 2019
Race to Rescue Pika
It's been a few months since we last saw Sylvia, and in that time, she's been living on Neptune's compound, training with him and her friend, smuggler Mattix. One day, Mattix's ship arrives back at Neptune's place on autopilot. Inside, Neptune and Sylvia find a message from Pika, the little Gremlon who has also been living with them, asking for help. Then they find Mattix's body. Naturally, Neptune and Sylvia do the only thing they can, steal a Moon Unit Corporation ship, hire a small crew, and set out to reach Saturn and figure out what has happened to Pika. But can their crew be trusted? Will they survive the flight?
I was anxious to pick up this book to find out what happened after the revelation that ended the previous book. We definitely get more on that here. In fact, we get plenty on that as Sylvia is also trying to resolve her latest troubles. There are plenty of twists and turns there as well since Sylvia doesn't really know who she can trust. I did feel that in the midst of the twists the original premise got hurt a little, but I may be overthinking things, and it was definitely a minor issues. Author Diane Vallere does a great job of making the science fiction setting and alien characters relatable. Cozy mystery fans like myself will feel right at home here. The alien characters allow for a few more over the top characters, but I loved that, and overall, I still found them to be relatable characters.
I was anxious to pick up this book to find out what happened after the revelation that ended the previous book. We definitely get more on that here. In fact, we get plenty on that as Sylvia is also trying to resolve her latest troubles. There are plenty of twists and turns there as well since Sylvia doesn't really know who she can trust. I did feel that in the midst of the twists the original premise got hurt a little, but I may be overthinking things, and it was definitely a minor issues. Author Diane Vallere does a great job of making the science fiction setting and alien characters relatable. Cozy mystery fans like myself will feel right at home here. The alien characters allow for a few more over the top characters, but I loved that, and overall, I still found them to be relatable characters.
Merissa (11612 KP) rated Crossing the Barrier (The Gray Eyes Series #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
Crossing the Barrier is the first book in the Grey Eyes series, and starts off with Lily who is an empath. She has worked hard on her 'shields' which help negate the effects of feeling everyone's emotions. These shields came into being partly because of the 'loving' relationship she has with her mother. However, a bump on her head loses her those shields and she has to find a way to cope. Malakai is the wide receiver (and yes, I had to google what that was!) and has been fascinated with the pretty clarinet player since Freshman year. However, he never had a chance to speak to her... until he ploughed into her and knocked her off her feet. Theirs is a turbulent relationship, not always because of them, but because of circumstances outside of their control.
This is a very well written YA Romance, that has more of a hint of paranormal about it. The story flows very well, and the characters are solid. There are no grammatical or editing errors to disrupt the reading flow. With hints of mystery, suspense, danger, as well as romance, this is a book that ticks many boxes. If I did half stars, then it would be a 4.5, but I don't, so it isn't ;) However, I do highly recommend this book for anyone who likes High School angst with a hint of paranormal and a dash of romance.
* I received this book from YA Reads in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
This is a very well written YA Romance, that has more of a hint of paranormal about it. The story flows very well, and the characters are solid. There are no grammatical or editing errors to disrupt the reading flow. With hints of mystery, suspense, danger, as well as romance, this is a book that ticks many boxes. If I did half stars, then it would be a 4.5, but I don't, so it isn't ;) However, I do highly recommend this book for anyone who likes High School angst with a hint of paranormal and a dash of romance.
* I received this book from YA Reads in return for a fair and honest review. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Mister in Books
Nov 30, 2019
The passionate new romance from E L James, author of the phenomenal #1 bestselling Fifty Shades Trilogy
London, 2019. Life has been easy for Maxim Trevelyan. With his good looks, aristocratic connections, and money, he’s never had to work and he’s rarely slept alone. But all that changes when tragedy strikes and Maxim inherits his family’s noble title, wealth, and estates, and all the responsibility that entails. It’s a role he’s not prepared for and one that he struggles to face.
But his biggest challenge is fighting his desire for an unexpected, enigmatic young woman who’s recently arrived in England, possessing little more than a dangerous and troublesome past. Reticent, beautiful, and musically gifted, she’s an alluring mystery, and Maxim’s longing for her deepens into a passion that he’s never experienced and dares not name. Just who is Alessia Demachi? Can Maxim protect her from the malevolence that threatens her? And what will she do when she learns that he’s been hiding secrets of his own?
From the heart of London through wild, rural Cornwall to the bleak, forbidding beauty of the Balkans, The Mister is a roller-coaster ride of danger and desire that leaves the reader breathless to the very last page.
I enjoyed reading this. It was an easy read and it didn't take long to finish. I think the wrong thing to do is compare it to 50shades personally I think I enjoyed this more. It was gave us a bit of adventure as well as her famous sex scenes! I'm looking forward to reading future projects.
London, 2019. Life has been easy for Maxim Trevelyan. With his good looks, aristocratic connections, and money, he’s never had to work and he’s rarely slept alone. But all that changes when tragedy strikes and Maxim inherits his family’s noble title, wealth, and estates, and all the responsibility that entails. It’s a role he’s not prepared for and one that he struggles to face.
But his biggest challenge is fighting his desire for an unexpected, enigmatic young woman who’s recently arrived in England, possessing little more than a dangerous and troublesome past. Reticent, beautiful, and musically gifted, she’s an alluring mystery, and Maxim’s longing for her deepens into a passion that he’s never experienced and dares not name. Just who is Alessia Demachi? Can Maxim protect her from the malevolence that threatens her? And what will she do when she learns that he’s been hiding secrets of his own?
From the heart of London through wild, rural Cornwall to the bleak, forbidding beauty of the Balkans, The Mister is a roller-coaster ride of danger and desire that leaves the reader breathless to the very last page.
I enjoyed reading this. It was an easy read and it didn't take long to finish. I think the wrong thing to do is compare it to 50shades personally I think I enjoyed this more. It was gave us a bit of adventure as well as her famous sex scenes! I'm looking forward to reading future projects.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2057 KP) rated On Borrowed Time in Books
Dec 15, 2019
Can Lindsey Find Her Brother Before Time Runs Out?
Lindsey Norris is getting ready for the weekly Crafternoon meeting, but she finds a surprise guest hiding out in their usual meeting room – her brother Jack. She wasn’t expecting to see him for a few more weeks when her entire family arrived for Christmas. He begs her to keep his presence a secret and promises to explain everything after a nap. Lindsey returns after the meeting, but instead of her brother, she finds a dead body on the floor. Who is the dead man? Where is her brother? And how much danger is he in?
I originally picked up this book thinking I’d get a Christmas themed cozy. It was quickly obvious that wasn’t going to be the case, but that is hardly a complaint at all. The story was so strong I didn’t want anything slowing it down. It kept my attention the entire time, from the fast-paced opening until it reached the action-packed climax. The love triangle is still going strongly here, although it seems obvious to me which way Lindsey is leaning. It doesn’t take over from the main mystery, and it provides some fun humor along the way. One of the guys gets some nice character development. All the regulars are here and very strong. The new characters don’t get a whole lot of page time, but they do come alive with what little page time they do have. This is a great book that will please fans of the series.
I originally picked up this book thinking I’d get a Christmas themed cozy. It was quickly obvious that wasn’t going to be the case, but that is hardly a complaint at all. The story was so strong I didn’t want anything slowing it down. It kept my attention the entire time, from the fast-paced opening until it reached the action-packed climax. The love triangle is still going strongly here, although it seems obvious to me which way Lindsey is leaning. It doesn’t take over from the main mystery, and it provides some fun humor along the way. One of the guys gets some nice character development. All the regulars are here and very strong. The new characters don’t get a whole lot of page time, but they do come alive with what little page time they do have. This is a great book that will please fans of the series.
Rebekah Palmer Pierce (225 KP) Oct 3, 2018
NerdGeek (155 KP) Oct 3, 2018