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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2652 KP) rated Death of the Party in Books
Jan 28, 2026 (Updated Jan 28, 2026)
Will This Party Be the Death of Someone?
Annie Darling is taking a break to head to the smaller, private island of Golden Silk when her husband, Max, is hired to help find a killer. A year ago, media mogul Jeremiah Addison died when he fell down the stairs of his mansion. At the time, only his sister-in -law knew it was something more than an accident. But now, she’s inviting the guests from the weekend back, and she’s hoping that Max will be able to help her find the killer despite his insisting that this is a job for the police. With Annie tagging along, can they determine which guest turned it into a killer party?
When a series moves the setting, it’s always risky. In this case, the risk paid off. Yes, I missed the other regulars, but Annie and Max really got to shine, and the suspects got more time to develop. The mystery was a little slow getting going, but once it did, I was along for every twist. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it did answer my questions. I did miss the references to other mystery novels, but I loved that we didn’t see more of Annie being furious with the police. Any other fans who haven’t gotten to this book yet will be happy with this entry.
When a series moves the setting, it’s always risky. In this case, the risk paid off. Yes, I missed the other regulars, but Annie and Max really got to shine, and the suspects got more time to develop. The mystery was a little slow getting going, but once it did, I was along for every twist. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it did answer my questions. I did miss the references to other mystery novels, but I loved that we didn’t see more of Annie being furious with the police. Any other fans who haven’t gotten to this book yet will be happy with this entry.
Sea of Shadows (Sea and Stone Chronicles #2)
Book
1459. A gifted woman artist. A ruthless Scottish privateer. And an audacious plan that throws them...
Historical Romance Suspense Adventure
Karla Dee (6 KP) rated Sugar Town Queens in Books
Nov 19, 2021
**spoilerz*
OMG, this is going to be one of the best YA novels I'll read in a while. Amandla had me laughing until I cried but by the end I was mostly crying. What a gut wrenching novel with so many ups and downs?!!? Her grandpa truly is the devil and I couldn't ever forgive him either. Amandla pulling a gun out on him was surprising and I am glad she really didn't have the bullets to kill him...I was thinking the grandma was going to have a literal heart attack and I could barely keep listening to the audio book.
Another moment I had trouble getting past is when Jacob stabs Amandla's mother?!
I really thought he and his bros were all talk but turned out he was worse than some creepo. The kid was a murderer and to think he just preyed on little girls and most people didn't bat and eye. This is why I think Amandla was blaming herself and asking was it something she said or wore to invite his attention. We all know it is never what you wear but in some communities they will blame women before they blame men for anything which is what I think Amandla was dealing with and why she internally blamed herself for what happened to Jacob.
OMG, this is going to be one of the best YA novels I'll read in a while. Amandla had me laughing until I cried but by the end I was mostly crying. What a gut wrenching novel with so many ups and downs?!!? Her grandpa truly is the devil and I couldn't ever forgive him either. Amandla pulling a gun out on him was surprising and I am glad she really didn't have the bullets to kill him...I was thinking the grandma was going to have a literal heart attack and I could barely keep listening to the audio book.
Another moment I had trouble getting past is when Jacob stabs Amandla's mother?!
I really thought he and his bros were all talk but turned out he was worse than some creepo. The kid was a murderer and to think he just preyed on little girls and most people didn't bat and eye. This is why I think Amandla was blaming herself and asking was it something she said or wore to invite his attention. We all know it is never what you wear but in some communities they will blame women before they blame men for anything which is what I think Amandla was dealing with and why she internally blamed herself for what happened to Jacob.
David McK (3906 KP) rated Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) in Books
Nov 14, 2021
<2021 update>
Still good!
<original 2011 review>
I'd read the first 11 or so Dresden Files in a (relatively) short space of time, before taking a break and reading some other novelists, interspersed with his Codex Alera series.
Right from the first sentence of this novel, however, it's obvious that this one has been particulary aptly named, and why I found this particular series to be better than his other. It's all happening here: this novel hits the ground running (a weakness I found with the Codex Alera, in that they took a lot longer to get up to speed) and barely pauses for breath right throughout it's 500+ pages! By the end, it's obvious that nothing will be the same again ...
I remember reading somewhere that Jim Butcher had the series planned out to be 20 books: if that's so, we're just slightly over the 1/2 way mark by now, and you can see some of the plot threads introduced in earlier novels begining to move towards their denouement, with one (in particular) tied up in this novel. For that reeason, I probably wouldn't recommend this to be a first read - while technically possible to read them out of sequence, I feel that you would be doing yourself a great dis-service in doing so, especially with the recurring characters, references and themes that continually pop up.
Still good!
<original 2011 review>
I'd read the first 11 or so Dresden Files in a (relatively) short space of time, before taking a break and reading some other novelists, interspersed with his Codex Alera series.
Right from the first sentence of this novel, however, it's obvious that this one has been particulary aptly named, and why I found this particular series to be better than his other. It's all happening here: this novel hits the ground running (a weakness I found with the Codex Alera, in that they took a lot longer to get up to speed) and barely pauses for breath right throughout it's 500+ pages! By the end, it's obvious that nothing will be the same again ...
I remember reading somewhere that Jim Butcher had the series planned out to be 20 books: if that's so, we're just slightly over the 1/2 way mark by now, and you can see some of the plot threads introduced in earlier novels begining to move towards their denouement, with one (in particular) tied up in this novel. For that reeason, I probably wouldn't recommend this to be a first read - while technically possible to read them out of sequence, I feel that you would be doing yourself a great dis-service in doing so, especially with the recurring characters, references and themes that continually pop up.
The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After (Bridgertons, #1.5-8.5; 9.5)
8.0
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New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn presents a collection of 'second epilogues' to her...
David McK (3906 KP) rated Lesser Evil (Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendency, #3) in Books
Sep 25, 2022
Final part in Timothy Zahn's newest Thrawn trilogy, which itself acts as a sort of a prequel to his earlier prequel Thrawn trilogy (in which Thrawn joins the Empire), which itself is a prequel - of sorts - to his appearance in the tv show 'Star Wars: Rebels', with the latter most likely a result of his immense popularity since he was first introduced in Zahn's own (now defunct) 'Heir to the Empire' trilogy from the early 1990s.
Anyway - and, as before for this trilogy - this is set 'A long time ago, beyond a galaxy far, far away ...' and finally completes the arc/narrative started in Chaos Rising (and continued on in Greater Good) with the Chiss Ascendency under attack from a shadowy figure who has been pulling the strings all along (now that I type that, sounding a bit like Palpatine (it's not) ) turning the Ascendency against itself and their neighbours also against them at the same time. It's actually only really in the epilogue, where Thrawn and another character discuss the Fall of the Republic and the Rise of the Empire that you really only get a sense of where and when these events happen, which is both the novels greatest strength (it's fresh! it's not beholden to what-has-come-before) and weakness (the setting may be too 'new' for more casual Star Wars fans).
Anyway - and, as before for this trilogy - this is set 'A long time ago, beyond a galaxy far, far away ...' and finally completes the arc/narrative started in Chaos Rising (and continued on in Greater Good) with the Chiss Ascendency under attack from a shadowy figure who has been pulling the strings all along (now that I type that, sounding a bit like Palpatine (it's not) ) turning the Ascendency against itself and their neighbours also against them at the same time. It's actually only really in the epilogue, where Thrawn and another character discuss the Fall of the Republic and the Rise of the Empire that you really only get a sense of where and when these events happen, which is both the novels greatest strength (it's fresh! it's not beholden to what-has-come-before) and weakness (the setting may be too 'new' for more casual Star Wars fans).
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2652 KP) rated Bring the Night in Books
Sep 8, 2023 (Updated Sep 8, 2023)
Suicide? Or Murder?
Los Angeles in 1939 was experiencing a rash of suicides, but in the middle of them, PI Nate Ross is hired to prove one was murder when a brother and sister walk into his office wanting him to find the truth about their father’s death. The cops quickly ruled it another suicide, but they insist that it was murder. It isn’t long before Nate is finding more questions than answers and receiving threats. Can he figure out what is going on?
The suicide or murder question is a common trope of mysteries, and this book doesn’t spend long before Nate is certain it was murder. I had a couple of the twists figured out, but I didn’t grasp the full picture until the end. Even then, I had to think about the ending to make sure everything made sense; a little more exposition would have been nice. Nate is fun to be around as always, and the rest of the cast is interesting as well. As a PI novel, there’s a little more language and violence than in the typical novels I read, but it was still minimal. The use of slang from the time is a bit over the top, but it does help bring the period to life. Fans of the genre will be glad they picked up this book.
The suicide or murder question is a common trope of mysteries, and this book doesn’t spend long before Nate is certain it was murder. I had a couple of the twists figured out, but I didn’t grasp the full picture until the end. Even then, I had to think about the ending to make sure everything made sense; a little more exposition would have been nice. Nate is fun to be around as always, and the rest of the cast is interesting as well. As a PI novel, there’s a little more language and violence than in the typical novels I read, but it was still minimal. The use of slang from the time is a bit over the top, but it does help bring the period to life. Fans of the genre will be glad they picked up this book.
The Proof of the Pudding
8.0
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Lady Georgiana Rannoch is looking forward to her first ever turn as hostess for her very own house...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2652 KP) rated Murder at Sea in Books
May 31, 2023 (Updated Jun 21, 2023)
Set Sail for Eight Fun – and Deadly – Cruises
For this entry in the Destination Murders short story anthologies, the writers are sending their sleuths on cruises. Of course, no vacation in this series is without a hiccup and dead body or two. From Norway to Italy and Seattle, and from budget cruise lines to luxury yachts, the sleuths must deal with the unexpected when a killer decides that the sea is the perfect time to strike.
While there are a couple of stories that really stood out, every single one of these eight stories is enjoyable. I can’t think of one I didn’t like. Many of the authors included their series characters here, although you don’t have to know the characters to enjoy what happens. In fact, this reminded me that I really do need to read some of these author’s novels. These stories are long enough that, by the time you’ve read all eight, you’ve read the equivalent of a full-length novel, so there is plenty here to keep you entertained. Each story features a fun twist or two, and the solutions always satisfied. Whether you are looking for a great read for a summer vacation or want something to make you feel like you are on vacation, you’ll be glad you boarded this anthology.
While there are a couple of stories that really stood out, every single one of these eight stories is enjoyable. I can’t think of one I didn’t like. Many of the authors included their series characters here, although you don’t have to know the characters to enjoy what happens. In fact, this reminded me that I really do need to read some of these author’s novels. These stories are long enough that, by the time you’ve read all eight, you’ve read the equivalent of a full-length novel, so there is plenty here to keep you entertained. Each story features a fun twist or two, and the solutions always satisfied. Whether you are looking for a great read for a summer vacation or want something to make you feel like you are on vacation, you’ll be glad you boarded this anthology.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Fragments of the Lost in Books
Jan 10, 2018
Different but enjoyable novel
When Jessa Whitworth's high school ex-boyfriend dies suddenly, it's as if the world stops. One moment Caleb is at her track meet, taking the butterfly necklace she handed to him, and the next, he's gone, his car washed over a flooded bridge on a stormy day. Caleb's mom eventually asks Jessa to pack up his room--she blames Jessa for the accident, since Caleb had gone to see her that day, and Jessa feels she cannot say no. She's left to clean out his room and winds up piecing together bits of Caleb's life as she does. Each photograph, article of clothing, and notebook reminds her of parts of her life with Caleb. Even worse, she realizes there is so much she didn't know about him. With that realization, Jessa wonders, what really happened the day Caleb went over the bridge?
This novel isn't really what I expected at all, though I should have realized that it would be less teen angst and more teen angst and psychological mystery combined, as the two Megan Miranda novels I have read, The Perfect Stranger: A Novel and All the Missing Girls, are more in the suspense/thriller category.
The biggest issue for me was that this one starts off really slow. It's hard to get into any kind of momentum as every forward plot movement is broken by Jessa finding something and immediately remembering back into her past with Caleb. I was a little frustrated in the beginning, wanting more to happen.
I really enjoyed the character of Jessa, though. She was a little hard on herself in relation to Caleb's death, but she was also a teen dealing with both the death of a loved one and a recent breakup (their split occurring not too long before his death). She came across as pretty realistic. The supporting cast was a little more nebulous for me--Caleb's mom was pretty harsh, and we didn't see too much of Jessa's family, though I liked her older brother, Julian. Caleb's best friend and neighbor, Max, was probably the other character that was easiest to get to know and he was rather well fleshed out. Caleb himself--whom we learn about through Jessa's point of view and flashbacks--is a hard one to figure out, but that only adds to the mystique of how he ended up at the bridge that day.
Overall, if you can bring a little patience, this book is one to enjoy. It eventually picks up and while the storyline is somewhat different (this whole novel is rather hard to describe), I really did enjoy it. I felt satisfied with the ending--it was worth reading. I enjoyed Miranda's two adult mysteries and while this is the first of her YA novels that I've read, I will definitely investigate others. 3.5 stars.
This novel isn't really what I expected at all, though I should have realized that it would be less teen angst and more teen angst and psychological mystery combined, as the two Megan Miranda novels I have read, The Perfect Stranger: A Novel and All the Missing Girls, are more in the suspense/thriller category.
The biggest issue for me was that this one starts off really slow. It's hard to get into any kind of momentum as every forward plot movement is broken by Jessa finding something and immediately remembering back into her past with Caleb. I was a little frustrated in the beginning, wanting more to happen.
I really enjoyed the character of Jessa, though. She was a little hard on herself in relation to Caleb's death, but she was also a teen dealing with both the death of a loved one and a recent breakup (their split occurring not too long before his death). She came across as pretty realistic. The supporting cast was a little more nebulous for me--Caleb's mom was pretty harsh, and we didn't see too much of Jessa's family, though I liked her older brother, Julian. Caleb's best friend and neighbor, Max, was probably the other character that was easiest to get to know and he was rather well fleshed out. Caleb himself--whom we learn about through Jessa's point of view and flashbacks--is a hard one to figure out, but that only adds to the mystique of how he ended up at the bridge that day.
Overall, if you can bring a little patience, this book is one to enjoy. It eventually picks up and while the storyline is somewhat different (this whole novel is rather hard to describe), I really did enjoy it. I felt satisfied with the ending--it was worth reading. I enjoyed Miranda's two adult mysteries and while this is the first of her YA novels that I've read, I will definitely investigate others. 3.5 stars.