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Debbiereadsbook (1569 KP) rated Shifter Woods: Growl (Esposito County Shifters #3) in Books
Jan 18, 2023
its only short but packs quite the punch!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is a short, slotting into the series after book 3, I think. (I'm a little puzzled by the listings on some sites about the order!) I've not read those, and I'll come back to that shortly. I didn't think I missed anything by not reading them, though, and so I would say this can be read as a stand alone.
I liked this, a lot. It gives you an insight into Esposito County, and the people who live in it.
It;s steamy and smexy. It's dark and dangerous. It's only short but packs a punch! I loved the twist with the magic spell that was shielding Marco, and what that was doing just a tad too well!
Going back to not reading the other books. I didn't feel I missed anything, and you know I'm all about sharing my book feelings, but what I am left with is a NEED to read those books. Not because I missed anything, but because I want to read everyone else's story!
So, my KU shelf needs clearing for those books 🙂
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is a short, slotting into the series after book 3, I think. (I'm a little puzzled by the listings on some sites about the order!) I've not read those, and I'll come back to that shortly. I didn't think I missed anything by not reading them, though, and so I would say this can be read as a stand alone.
I liked this, a lot. It gives you an insight into Esposito County, and the people who live in it.
It;s steamy and smexy. It's dark and dangerous. It's only short but packs a punch! I loved the twist with the magic spell that was shielding Marco, and what that was doing just a tad too well!
Going back to not reading the other books. I didn't feel I missed anything, and you know I'm all about sharing my book feelings, but what I am left with is a NEED to read those books. Not because I missed anything, but because I want to read everyone else's story!
So, my KU shelf needs clearing for those books 🙂
4 solid stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated From Bad to Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die #2) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog: <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
After reading the first book in this series, Bad Girls Don't Die, I knew I had to read From Bad to Cursed. I must admit that I was a bit wary of reading the next book as usually sequels aren't as good as the first book. However, all my worrying was in vain. This book turned out to be amazing just like the first.
Alexis and her little sister are back in this second book in the Bad Girls Don't Die series. Alexis is still worried about Kasey who has been in home for the mentally unstable. Kasey has come back home, and Alexis will do anything to keep Kasey safe. So when Kasey starts becoming more beautiful and starts making tons of new friends, including her sword enemy, Alexis gets suspicious. Alexis learns that Kasey is involved in a club called the Sunshine Club. However, the club isn't as nice as the name suggests. Alexis joins this club to find out what Kasey has gotten herself into this time. However, it soon becomes apparent that Alexis is in way over her head.
From Bad to Cursed is a good title for this book. In the story, things definitely go from bad to cursed so I can see why the author chose this title.
The cover of From Bad to Cursed looks incredibly creepy, not as much as the first book in the series, but still creepy. I'm not sure who's supposed to be on the cover. I thought it might be Kasey, but Alexis is more dominant in this story, so he could possible be Alexis. However, it still could be any member of the Sunshine Club. I do love the cover of this book, but just like Bad Girls Don't Die, I don't feel that it really gives much away about the story.
Again, Katie Alender is spot on with the world building! She makes you feel like you are experiencing everything that Alexis is. Alender makes you feel as if you're part of the Sunshine Club for this story. Everything just feels so realistic which is fantastic!
This is another book where I enjoyed the pacing very much. It was hard for me to put this book down to do anything else. Reluctantly, I did have to put this book down for some time, but as soon as I had free time, I was reading it again. This is such a fast paced story that you will not even notice the minutes flying by.
The wording in From Bad to Cursed is fantastic. It is easy to understand, and I also appreciate the fact that the teenagers speak like teenagers and not like the teens out of Dawson's Creek. I didn't notice any swear words, so fear not. The dialogue flows quite nicely.
All the characters in this book are all well developed with their each individual personalities. Alexis is a fantastic main character. I think everyone can relate to her in some way. I love Kasey!! I love how vulnerable she comes across as. She also comes across as being a bit more strong in this book. I love how she's grown. We also get to learn a bit more about Lydia in this story which I appreciated. However, Carter isn't mentioned too much in this story although he's still in it.
The whole plot in this book was well executed. It's a fantastic idea for a book. This book has me looking forward to the next book in the series, As Dead As It Gets. In fact, I ended up buying it today before I had even finished From Bad to Cursed. That's how much I love this whole series.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+. It is amazing!
From Bad to Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die #2) by Katie Alender gets a 5 out of 5 from me.
After reading the first book in this series, Bad Girls Don't Die, I knew I had to read From Bad to Cursed. I must admit that I was a bit wary of reading the next book as usually sequels aren't as good as the first book. However, all my worrying was in vain. This book turned out to be amazing just like the first.
Alexis and her little sister are back in this second book in the Bad Girls Don't Die series. Alexis is still worried about Kasey who has been in home for the mentally unstable. Kasey has come back home, and Alexis will do anything to keep Kasey safe. So when Kasey starts becoming more beautiful and starts making tons of new friends, including her sword enemy, Alexis gets suspicious. Alexis learns that Kasey is involved in a club called the Sunshine Club. However, the club isn't as nice as the name suggests. Alexis joins this club to find out what Kasey has gotten herself into this time. However, it soon becomes apparent that Alexis is in way over her head.
From Bad to Cursed is a good title for this book. In the story, things definitely go from bad to cursed so I can see why the author chose this title.
The cover of From Bad to Cursed looks incredibly creepy, not as much as the first book in the series, but still creepy. I'm not sure who's supposed to be on the cover. I thought it might be Kasey, but Alexis is more dominant in this story, so he could possible be Alexis. However, it still could be any member of the Sunshine Club. I do love the cover of this book, but just like Bad Girls Don't Die, I don't feel that it really gives much away about the story.
Again, Katie Alender is spot on with the world building! She makes you feel like you are experiencing everything that Alexis is. Alender makes you feel as if you're part of the Sunshine Club for this story. Everything just feels so realistic which is fantastic!
This is another book where I enjoyed the pacing very much. It was hard for me to put this book down to do anything else. Reluctantly, I did have to put this book down for some time, but as soon as I had free time, I was reading it again. This is such a fast paced story that you will not even notice the minutes flying by.
The wording in From Bad to Cursed is fantastic. It is easy to understand, and I also appreciate the fact that the teenagers speak like teenagers and not like the teens out of Dawson's Creek. I didn't notice any swear words, so fear not. The dialogue flows quite nicely.
All the characters in this book are all well developed with their each individual personalities. Alexis is a fantastic main character. I think everyone can relate to her in some way. I love Kasey!! I love how vulnerable she comes across as. She also comes across as being a bit more strong in this book. I love how she's grown. We also get to learn a bit more about Lydia in this story which I appreciated. However, Carter isn't mentioned too much in this story although he's still in it.
The whole plot in this book was well executed. It's a fantastic idea for a book. This book has me looking forward to the next book in the series, As Dead As It Gets. In fact, I ended up buying it today before I had even finished From Bad to Cursed. That's how much I love this whole series.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+. It is amazing!
From Bad to Cursed (Bad Girls Don't Die #2) by Katie Alender gets a 5 out of 5 from me.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated A Plague of Traitors (Leine Basso #11) in Books
Aug 22, 2021
I have made no secret that I am a fan of D.V. Berkom's work and particularly of her books starring Leine Basso but you would think that after so many stories it would become stale. Well let me tell you that this is most certainly not the case. D.V. Berkom has a gift of creating plausible and exciting situations that keep me coming back every single time.
Once again, I have run out of words to describe how much I enjoyed this book so will just say that it is yet another action packed thriller full of tension that will have you turning the pages at quick speed (or tapping the screen!).
D.V. Berkom has a knack of creating excellent characters and this book is absolutely littered with them from the good guys to the not-so-good. Leine has to be one of my favourite characters of all time - she is strong, brave, not afraid to kick rear ends but with a soft side that is endearing and feels natural and believable.
This is part of a series but, in my opinion, it holds up extremely well as a stand-alone. There are recurring characters, and I am pleased to see the return of Derek, but the author has the ability to provide just enough information so you don't get lost but not so much that it detracts from the current story.
Yet again, this is another hit for me and I would recommend this and the rest of the series to anyone who loves a thrilling read that although contains violence, it's not over the top.
I, for one, cannot wait for the Leine's next "adventure" but I must thank D.V. Berkom for allowing me to be a member of her Advance Reader Team and for sending me a copy of "A Plague of Traitors" before the official publication date on 31-August-2021 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review for which I am, once again, extremely grateful.
Once again, I have run out of words to describe how much I enjoyed this book so will just say that it is yet another action packed thriller full of tension that will have you turning the pages at quick speed (or tapping the screen!).
D.V. Berkom has a knack of creating excellent characters and this book is absolutely littered with them from the good guys to the not-so-good. Leine has to be one of my favourite characters of all time - she is strong, brave, not afraid to kick rear ends but with a soft side that is endearing and feels natural and believable.
This is part of a series but, in my opinion, it holds up extremely well as a stand-alone. There are recurring characters, and I am pleased to see the return of Derek, but the author has the ability to provide just enough information so you don't get lost but not so much that it detracts from the current story.
Yet again, this is another hit for me and I would recommend this and the rest of the series to anyone who loves a thrilling read that although contains violence, it's not over the top.
I, for one, cannot wait for the Leine's next "adventure" but I must thank D.V. Berkom for allowing me to be a member of her Advance Reader Team and for sending me a copy of "A Plague of Traitors" before the official publication date on 31-August-2021 in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review for which I am, once again, extremely grateful.
Merissa (13427 KP) rated Silver Moon (The Silver #7) in Books
Mar 19, 2020
Silver Moon is the final book in the Silver series, and let me tell you, this book has ripped my heart out, thrown it on the floor, stamped all over it, picked it back up again, only to do it all again, before finally leaving me needing a new series!!!
Things come to a head for Jaze and his pack and he has to make decisions no young adult should have to. I really won't say too much as I don't want to give out any spoilers. All I will say is be careful! Your heart will racing, your mouth dry, as you try to figure out just how he gets out of certain situations. And also, for the last quarter of the book (at least) I was sobbing as I read. Not just crying, oh no. We're talking great big f'ugly crying!!!
There's so much I want to say but I can't without giving away spoilers! I want to talk about certain characters and what they went through and how it made me feel. I want to talk about that spectacular ending that just about killed me. I want to talk about the aftermath which made me cry again. But I can't.
What I will say is this series is simply outstanding. I have loved all of the books in this series for one reason or another. They all fit together perfectly. The writing is unsurpassed. The pacing is smooth. The characters are all lifelike and behave just as you think they should, before they turn around and surprise the living daylights out of you.
This book killed me. I love and hate it so it will be kept and re-read, again and again. So sad to see this series end but it does lead me nicely onto the next series, which now I just HAVE to read.
* 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!
Things come to a head for Jaze and his pack and he has to make decisions no young adult should have to. I really won't say too much as I don't want to give out any spoilers. All I will say is be careful! Your heart will racing, your mouth dry, as you try to figure out just how he gets out of certain situations. And also, for the last quarter of the book (at least) I was sobbing as I read. Not just crying, oh no. We're talking great big f'ugly crying!!!
There's so much I want to say but I can't without giving away spoilers! I want to talk about certain characters and what they went through and how it made me feel. I want to talk about that spectacular ending that just about killed me. I want to talk about the aftermath which made me cry again. But I can't.
What I will say is this series is simply outstanding. I have loved all of the books in this series for one reason or another. They all fit together perfectly. The writing is unsurpassed. The pacing is smooth. The characters are all lifelike and behave just as you think they should, before they turn around and surprise the living daylights out of you.
This book killed me. I love and hate it so it will be kept and re-read, again and again. So sad to see this series end but it does lead me nicely onto the next series, which now I just HAVE to read.
* 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!
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Whole Truth (DI Adam Fawley #5) in Books
Aug 14, 2022
I have had this book on my 'to-be-read' pile for ages only realising (because my pile is so big!) when book 6 came along. I am so disappointed with myself that I didn't read it earlier because this is yet another cracker from Cara Hunter and a great addition to the series. I don't think you have to read the others in the series to enjoy this as it works pretty well as a standalone.
Once again, we are treated to an up to date story line of alleged abuse by a female in a powerful position against a male student and an old case that is coming back to haunt DI Fawley, his team and his wife. Ms Hunter uses different types of media, including podcasts and transcripts from interviews, to enhance the story and make it feel current and relevant and definitely enhances the reading experience.
The Whole Truth, and in fact the whole series so far, is full of excellent characters that are well developed but what I particularly like is that at the very beginning, there is a brief summary of the main characters in the series which gets you up to speed and jogs your memory which, for people who read a lot of books/series or for those, like me, who have memory lapses from time to time, is really useful. I would certainly recommend this to other authors who write series.
I have one small quibble in what is a really good book and that is the reproduction of Alex's written notes and some of the excepts from text conversations and social media didn't reproduce very well on the Kindle in that they were too small even when the font was set to maximum; I realise in a physical book this is likely not to be an issue but it might be worth thinking about this for future books.
Like I said, this is a cracker and one I would recommend to those of you who enjoy a really good police procedural with some great twists, turns and suspense.
Many thanks to Penguin Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my views of The Whole Truth.
Once again, we are treated to an up to date story line of alleged abuse by a female in a powerful position against a male student and an old case that is coming back to haunt DI Fawley, his team and his wife. Ms Hunter uses different types of media, including podcasts and transcripts from interviews, to enhance the story and make it feel current and relevant and definitely enhances the reading experience.
The Whole Truth, and in fact the whole series so far, is full of excellent characters that are well developed but what I particularly like is that at the very beginning, there is a brief summary of the main characters in the series which gets you up to speed and jogs your memory which, for people who read a lot of books/series or for those, like me, who have memory lapses from time to time, is really useful. I would certainly recommend this to other authors who write series.
I have one small quibble in what is a really good book and that is the reproduction of Alex's written notes and some of the excepts from text conversations and social media didn't reproduce very well on the Kindle in that they were too small even when the font was set to maximum; I realise in a physical book this is likely not to be an issue but it might be worth thinking about this for future books.
Like I said, this is a cracker and one I would recommend to those of you who enjoy a really good police procedural with some great twists, turns and suspense.
Many thanks to Penguin Books UK and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my views of The Whole Truth.
Merissa (13427 KP) rated The Past Comes Homes (Ames Bridge #2) in Books
Oct 24, 2017
The Past Comes Home (Ames Bridge #2) by Silvia Violet
The Past comes Home is the second book in the Ames Bridge series, and we reunite with Pax, who we met in the first book when he supported Beck and Cal. In this book, we start off when he is a teenager. He is watching his older brother and his brother's best friend, and realises that what ticks his boxes is NOT the female anatomy. The years pass, and tragedy strikes Pax's family, but his feelings towards his brother's best friend remain the same. So when Brad comes back to town for a school reunion, Pax has to try and keep it cool being as Brad is straight... except that he isn't and he has had the same feelings for Pax and for pretty much the same amount of time.
With the same wonderful cast of characters, and yep, the not-so-wonderful are still there too, it was a pleasure to come back to this series. With a different set of circumstances and dilemmas, Pax and Brad's story is different from Beck and Cal, and I'm happy to announce that they show up in this one too.
One of the things that Silvia Violet does so well is to keep the tension and attraction going between her main males. The circumstances might not be right, but the attraction simmers. That means that when they DO get together, that attraction explodes into some of the steamiest, sensual, and sexy, reads I have had the pleasure of reading.
I was a fan of Silvia Violet's after reading Professional Distance (Thorne & Dash #1), and the Ames Bridge series has just compounded my love of her writing style. As expected, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I read this book in a single sitting - the world (and my children) having to wait until I had reached the end of Pax and Brad's story. An excellent addition to the series, and highly 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!
With the same wonderful cast of characters, and yep, the not-so-wonderful are still there too, it was a pleasure to come back to this series. With a different set of circumstances and dilemmas, Pax and Brad's story is different from Beck and Cal, and I'm happy to announce that they show up in this one too.
One of the things that Silvia Violet does so well is to keep the tension and attraction going between her main males. The circumstances might not be right, but the attraction simmers. That means that when they DO get together, that attraction explodes into some of the steamiest, sensual, and sexy, reads I have had the pleasure of reading.
I was a fan of Silvia Violet's after reading Professional Distance (Thorne & Dash #1), and the Ames Bridge series has just compounded my love of her writing style. As expected, there were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow. I read this book in a single sitting - the world (and my children) having to wait until I had reached the end of Pax and Brad's story. An excellent addition to the series, and highly 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!
Solomon Wendt (30 KP) rated A Deadly Education: Lesson One of the Scholomance in Books
Aug 28, 2021
Worldbuilding (2 more)
Magic
Coming of Age
Some descriptions lacking (2 more)
Confused on Series Plot
Good first book but not a stand alone story
A Deadly Slice of Life/Coming of Age Magic School
Magic School. Wizards. Teenage Angst. A lot of reasons I signed up for the giveaway of this novel and glad I got a copy.
For those who want the quick recommendation, if you enjoy wizard teens and magic schools, you will enjoy this book. Outside of that category, it is a decent fantasy novel that is worth a read, but no need to go and get right away.
First and foremost, books like "A Deadly Education" have the unfortunate hurdle of separating itself from the magic school genre alpha that is Harry Potter, to which I believe Naomi Novik did really well. Whenever I read such stories, I can't help compare to the Potter series, but the world that Novik builds is such a stark contrast that I quickly forgot about Hogwarts and Muggles and traded in for the Scholomance and mundanes.
The world that Novik builds is dark and untrusting. Inside the school, there are maleficera, or 'mals,' that try to consume the students' mana at every turn. This puts the place on edge, making almost every character paranoid to open anything or even go anywhere without at least one other person with them, usually at a cost. This darker side is refreshing, especially because the magic in Novik's world is hard magic as opposed to the soft magic of other series. To those who don't know the difference, soft magic is that magic just exists and spells come without consequence. Hard, on the other hand, has limits and comes from a source and takes skills and finesse to learn and use them. Any author who takes it upon themselves to make the magic in their world hard magic gives themselves a challenge, something that Novik clears easily.
The other part of the world that is dangerous are the mals that attack students. There are a lot of them, so much to the point there should be a separate book that could be referenced to know what they are fighting. Although your imagination can run wild, some of the descriptions, or lack there of, leave you to fill in a lot of blanks. I'm still not sure if they are shadows and/or goo with various metal attached or part of their bodies. The variety is so immense that you don't encounter the same thing twice it seems. When reading the encounters, it was hard to picture the exact nature of the fight in my mind. However, the sense of danger was ever present throughout the whole book.
The story itself is coming of age, or more so coming of friendship, mixed with a slice of life feel. Although there is a starting event, Orion saving Galadriel for the second time, there is not an overarching plot for the story. It is just to survive and possibly make an alliance for graduation. This is not my cup of tea when it comes to stories as I enjoy seeing a defined goal or enemy that leads to a finale or into the next book of the series. This story does not have that, which seems to lack an overall plot other that "just survive." Even the climax of this story felt a little out of the blue in terms of action, and then is superseded by a social bombshell and cliffhanger for the next in the series.
To wrap and reiterate, I enjoy the world that this story takes place. It is inventive and unique to standout against others within the magic school genre. There was some plot lacking, but is still enjoyable for not quite knowing what is coming around the next corning. This a clearly the first book of series which is not the strongest as its own installment, but definitely has me waiting for the next in the line.
For those who want the quick recommendation, if you enjoy wizard teens and magic schools, you will enjoy this book. Outside of that category, it is a decent fantasy novel that is worth a read, but no need to go and get right away.
First and foremost, books like "A Deadly Education" have the unfortunate hurdle of separating itself from the magic school genre alpha that is Harry Potter, to which I believe Naomi Novik did really well. Whenever I read such stories, I can't help compare to the Potter series, but the world that Novik builds is such a stark contrast that I quickly forgot about Hogwarts and Muggles and traded in for the Scholomance and mundanes.
The world that Novik builds is dark and untrusting. Inside the school, there are maleficera, or 'mals,' that try to consume the students' mana at every turn. This puts the place on edge, making almost every character paranoid to open anything or even go anywhere without at least one other person with them, usually at a cost. This darker side is refreshing, especially because the magic in Novik's world is hard magic as opposed to the soft magic of other series. To those who don't know the difference, soft magic is that magic just exists and spells come without consequence. Hard, on the other hand, has limits and comes from a source and takes skills and finesse to learn and use them. Any author who takes it upon themselves to make the magic in their world hard magic gives themselves a challenge, something that Novik clears easily.
The other part of the world that is dangerous are the mals that attack students. There are a lot of them, so much to the point there should be a separate book that could be referenced to know what they are fighting. Although your imagination can run wild, some of the descriptions, or lack there of, leave you to fill in a lot of blanks. I'm still not sure if they are shadows and/or goo with various metal attached or part of their bodies. The variety is so immense that you don't encounter the same thing twice it seems. When reading the encounters, it was hard to picture the exact nature of the fight in my mind. However, the sense of danger was ever present throughout the whole book.
The story itself is coming of age, or more so coming of friendship, mixed with a slice of life feel. Although there is a starting event, Orion saving Galadriel for the second time, there is not an overarching plot for the story. It is just to survive and possibly make an alliance for graduation. This is not my cup of tea when it comes to stories as I enjoy seeing a defined goal or enemy that leads to a finale or into the next book of the series. This story does not have that, which seems to lack an overall plot other that "just survive." Even the climax of this story felt a little out of the blue in terms of action, and then is superseded by a social bombshell and cliffhanger for the next in the series.
To wrap and reiterate, I enjoy the world that this story takes place. It is inventive and unique to standout against others within the magic school genre. There was some plot lacking, but is still enjoyable for not quite knowing what is coming around the next corning. This a clearly the first book of series which is not the strongest as its own installment, but definitely has me waiting for the next in the line.
Lindsay (1779 KP) rated A Celebration of Mothers in Rhyme (Mariana Books Rhyming #11) in Books
Apr 6, 2024
A Celebration of Mothers in Rhyme is another good rhyming book. It talks about mothers and how they are all different kinds of mothers. Children can learn to read with this book. They will learn to rhyme and understand that all other mothers exist worldwide. Even single dads consider themselves mothers or fathers, even if they own a fur baby.
There are all kinds of mothers out there, and this book puts love on them all. There are many mothers and unique types of mothers in the world. Showing and letting your child or children learn about these is a good thing. Children will learn some new and valuable views that mothers can be just about anyone. They will know what a mother brings to them as well.
Mothers can come in all different sizes and ways. This book shows that it is not always a child but maybe a dog or cat. That is fine as well. This book is a good Mother's day book as well. Children can learn about the many different types of mothers throughout this book. This book is done a bit differently by doing a love letter than in a poem or other way—it is a fun and enjoyable read. Pictures are done wonderfully. They look handpainted, but I am not sure. Parents and grandparents, this is another good one to add to your child's collection. You could add it to the series if you started collecting the books. This is book eleven in the series of “Mariana Books.”
There are all kinds of mothers out there, and this book puts love on them all. There are many mothers and unique types of mothers in the world. Showing and letting your child or children learn about these is a good thing. Children will learn some new and valuable views that mothers can be just about anyone. They will know what a mother brings to them as well.
Mothers can come in all different sizes and ways. This book shows that it is not always a child but maybe a dog or cat. That is fine as well. This book is a good Mother's day book as well. Children can learn about the many different types of mothers throughout this book. This book is done a bit differently by doing a love letter than in a poem or other way—it is a fun and enjoyable read. Pictures are done wonderfully. They look handpainted, but I am not sure. Parents and grandparents, this is another good one to add to your child's collection. You could add it to the series if you started collecting the books. This is book eleven in the series of “Mariana Books.”
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2440 KP) rated Nacho Average Murder in Books
Jul 2, 2020
Vacation with Murder
Robbie Jordan is taking a well-deserved vacation and heading back to Santa Barbara for her high school reunion. This is the first time she’s been back since her mother died, and it is definitely a struggle for her even before she hears a rumor that her mother might not have died from natural causes. When someone else dies under similar circumstances, Robbie can’t help but investigate. Will she learn the truth before she has to return home?
Vacation books can be tricky to pull off while satisfying fans. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work. I enjoyed seeing a different side of Robbie as she interacted with her old friends, and I did like the new characters. However, I missed the series regulars. The plot wasn’t as strong as it could have been, although things were wrapped up by the time we reached the end. I enjoyed spotting the parallels between where Robbie stayed and her own place back in Indiana. Instead of my normal breakfast food cravings while reading this book, I was left craving Mexican food, which I didn’t mind in the least. The recipes at the end will help everyone with that. As a fan of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone mysteries, I enjoyed the references to that series in this book. If you are a fan of the Country Store Mysteries, you’ll still want to pick up this book. But if you are new to the series, back up and read the earlier entries in the series.
Vacation books can be tricky to pull off while satisfying fans. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite work. I enjoyed seeing a different side of Robbie as she interacted with her old friends, and I did like the new characters. However, I missed the series regulars. The plot wasn’t as strong as it could have been, although things were wrapped up by the time we reached the end. I enjoyed spotting the parallels between where Robbie stayed and her own place back in Indiana. Instead of my normal breakfast food cravings while reading this book, I was left craving Mexican food, which I didn’t mind in the least. The recipes at the end will help everyone with that. As a fan of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone mysteries, I enjoyed the references to that series in this book. If you are a fan of the Country Store Mysteries, you’ll still want to pick up this book. But if you are new to the series, back up and read the earlier entries in the series.