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ashezbookz (32 KP) rated Bundle of Trouble (A Maternal Instincts Mystery, #1) in Books
Jul 5, 2018
Definitely not my favourite cozy mystery series - there was a lot of internal dialogue that I did not enjoy. I did like her lists, I thought those were cute and funny - I thought some parts were funny and entertaining but a lot of it was just .. blah, like why is this necessary, why are we repeating this again, why is this happening - but the end was good and fun
I called a lot of the book but it was still fun toward the end to read and the very end - I also called but it was still absolutely joyful to read.
Reading the struggle of a new mother was fun too - it was an interesting take on a mystery trying to be a PI or solving a mystery while literally taking care of a brand spankin new baby and separation anxiety ..
I called a lot of the book but it was still fun toward the end to read and the very end - I also called but it was still absolutely joyful to read.
Reading the struggle of a new mother was fun too - it was an interesting take on a mystery trying to be a PI or solving a mystery while literally taking care of a brand spankin new baby and separation anxiety ..
David McK (3251 KP) rated Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, #4) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
The fourth installment of jim Butchers' "The Dresden Files" series, this sees the eponymous PI/Wizard-for-hire (the only professional wizard in the Chicago Phone Book) becoming embroiled in Faerie politics, as he is hired by the Winter Queen to solve a murder. Meanwhile, Harry has also to deal with the backlash from the Wizard High Council, who blame him for starting a war between the Wizards and the Vampire Courts, as he's also desperately looking for a cure for his ex-girlfriend who was bitten by a vampire towards the end of 'Grave Peril'.
This book also sees a welcome return of Karrin Murphy to a larger role than in the last novel, and with Harry still wise-cracking his way through the plot it also 'felt' (if that's the word I'm looking for) lighter than that previous installment.
This book also sees a welcome return of Karrin Murphy to a larger role than in the last novel, and with Harry still wise-cracking his way through the plot it also 'felt' (if that's the word I'm looking for) lighter than that previous installment.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Stalking The Angel (Elvis Cole, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
PI Elvis Cole is hired to find an ancient Japanese manuscript. The trail leads him to the Japanese mafia and down a path of other crimes, including brutal murder.
Part of my reaction to this book was purely personal – it is darker than I normally read. Still, the bleakness did bother me. Even so, I found the plot uneven, especially when it slowed way down two thirds of the way through for a segment that felt like a lecture. The characters became more real as the book went along, but they started out as stiff types as well. Maybe I’m just expecting too much since I know how popular the series is, but I feel like, my complaints about the darkness of the book aside, it still could have been better.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-stalking-angel-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Part of my reaction to this book was purely personal – it is darker than I normally read. Still, the bleakness did bother me. Even so, I found the plot uneven, especially when it slowed way down two thirds of the way through for a segment that felt like a lecture. The characters became more real as the book went along, but they started out as stiff types as well. Maybe I’m just expecting too much since I know how popular the series is, but I feel like, my complaints about the darkness of the book aside, it still could have been better.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-stalking-angel-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Lullaby Town (Elvis Cole, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Elvis Cole is hired by a big Hollywood director to find his ex-wife and their son. After a decade of no contact, Elvis takes a little time to pick up the trail, but once he does, the shock at the end might have him in over his head.
The book started out great, but about a third of the way into it, the twist kicked things into high gear. The new characters are great and really show a lot of growth here, which made me love them more. Pike, Cole’s partner in the PI business, is still more caricature than character and the foul language could easily be cut in half and still make the point, but overall, I did enjoy this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-lullaby-town-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book started out great, but about a third of the way into it, the twist kicked things into high gear. The new characters are great and really show a lot of growth here, which made me love them more. Pike, Cole’s partner in the PI business, is still more caricature than character and the foul language could easily be cut in half and still make the point, but overall, I did enjoy this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-lullaby-town-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated A is for .... Alibi in Books
Mar 9, 2018
“A” is for Alibi by Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone #1) – 4
Laurence Fife was a cheating divorce lawyer, so no one was too upset when he was murdered. Still, his wife Nikki hires PI Kinsey Millhone to find out who did it. The catch? Nikki is out of jail on parole after being convicted of committing the crime herself. With the case closed and cold, can Kinsey find any fresh leads?
I’ve long heard of the series and wanted to start it, and I’m glad I finally did. While the book does fall victim to a few clichés of the genre, it’s still a very enjoyable book. The plot is strong and the characters real, both of which kept me engrossed. I’m looking forward to more of the series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-is-for-alibi-by-sue-grafton.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Laurence Fife was a cheating divorce lawyer, so no one was too upset when he was murdered. Still, his wife Nikki hires PI Kinsey Millhone to find out who did it. The catch? Nikki is out of jail on parole after being convicted of committing the crime herself. With the case closed and cold, can Kinsey find any fresh leads?
I’ve long heard of the series and wanted to start it, and I’m glad I finally did. While the book does fall victim to a few clichés of the genre, it’s still a very enjoyable book. The plot is strong and the characters real, both of which kept me engrossed. I’m looking forward to more of the series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-is-for-alibi-by-sue-grafton.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated D is for Deadbeat (Kinsey Millhone, #4) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
On a fall Saturday, Alvin walks into Kinsey’s office and asks the PI to track down someone named Tony to give him a check. However, Tony turns out to be a teenager, the check Alvin gives Kinsey for his services bounces, and then Alvin is shot. What has Kinsey stumbled into this time?
The places this book leads from that set up were absolutely wonderful, and I loved seeing where the plot lead. I did feel things stalled out a little before we reached the climax, but the book ended on a great note. Likewise, the characters could have been a little sharper, but maybe that was more my aversion to the obnoxious Christian sect we meet in this book. Overall, still a fantastic read.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-d-is-for-deadbeat-by-sue.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The places this book leads from that set up were absolutely wonderful, and I loved seeing where the plot lead. I did feel things stalled out a little before we reached the climax, but the book ended on a great note. Likewise, the characters could have been a little sharper, but maybe that was more my aversion to the obnoxious Christian sect we meet in this book. Overall, still a fantastic read.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-d-is-for-deadbeat-by-sue.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Nicely written (2 more)
Adorable lead character
Lots of wit and humour
A Delight To Read!
Wow, what a fantastic beginning to a new series! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book from the very first page.
Shattered is the first novel of the "Drew Patrick Private Investigator" series, with PI Drew Patrick as the lead character.
Shattered begins with Cynthia and Jeffrey Holland, who are concerned for their daughter, Ashley, who is missing. Ashley, although prone to jetting off for long weekends and extended shopping trips, is very much a free spirit and has never been incommunicado for more than four days. When Ashley and another young woman, Hannah Parks, are found murdered, Drew realises he is facing two murder investigations. He is now on the trail of a contract killer and looking for the person who hired the assassin to carry out the murders.
When a third woman, Victoria Clark, vanishes from a luxury yacht and her body is washed up on shore, Drew needs to look deeper into the links between the victims. However, he finds himself in deep water with a renowned Boston crime boss.
I loved the portrayal of the relationship between Drew and his significant other, girlfriend Jessica Casey. They are "romantically involved" and have a relaxed, easy-going attitude towards one another. Drew is very thoughtful and caring of all of the important things and people in his life. He also has a good rapport with his working acquaintances. Jessica has beauty and brains, works for a Detective Agency and is very helpful to Drew as a PI.
Drew has some hilarious moments that make him adorable. I thought Shattered, though short, was very nicely written and I found it a delight to read. Though the ending was not a surprise, I loved the way the book was concluded.
Reading Shattered has inspired me to read other books by Jason Richards and I can't wait for the next one in this series!
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author for an ARC of this book.
Shattered is the first novel of the "Drew Patrick Private Investigator" series, with PI Drew Patrick as the lead character.
Shattered begins with Cynthia and Jeffrey Holland, who are concerned for their daughter, Ashley, who is missing. Ashley, although prone to jetting off for long weekends and extended shopping trips, is very much a free spirit and has never been incommunicado for more than four days. When Ashley and another young woman, Hannah Parks, are found murdered, Drew realises he is facing two murder investigations. He is now on the trail of a contract killer and looking for the person who hired the assassin to carry out the murders.
When a third woman, Victoria Clark, vanishes from a luxury yacht and her body is washed up on shore, Drew needs to look deeper into the links between the victims. However, he finds himself in deep water with a renowned Boston crime boss.
I loved the portrayal of the relationship between Drew and his significant other, girlfriend Jessica Casey. They are "romantically involved" and have a relaxed, easy-going attitude towards one another. Drew is very thoughtful and caring of all of the important things and people in his life. He also has a good rapport with his working acquaintances. Jessica has beauty and brains, works for a Detective Agency and is very helpful to Drew as a PI.
Drew has some hilarious moments that make him adorable. I thought Shattered, though short, was very nicely written and I found it a delight to read. Though the ending was not a surprise, I loved the way the book was concluded.
Reading Shattered has inspired me to read other books by Jason Richards and I can't wait for the next one in this series!
Thank you to LibraryThing and the author for an ARC of this book.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated The Last Detective (Elvis Cole, #9) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
While PI Elvis Cole is watching his girlfriend Lucy’s son, Ben is kidnapped. The caller says it is payback for something in Cole’s past, but he can’t figure out what that might be. As more people get involved in the case, the kidnapping puts a strain on Elvis’s relationship with Lucy. Can he find Ben?
This is a thrilling read from start to finish. Since we have gotten to know Lucy and Ben over the last couple of books, we care about the outcome here. I was so pulled in at the climax that I didn’t want to stop. The characters are strong as well, including Elvis and his partner Joe Pike. They are becoming more human. The flashbacks to Elvis’s past help with that, and they manage to be as engrossing as the main story instead of slowing it down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-review-last-detective-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This is a thrilling read from start to finish. Since we have gotten to know Lucy and Ben over the last couple of books, we care about the outcome here. I was so pulled in at the climax that I didn’t want to stop. The characters are strong as well, including Elvis and his partner Joe Pike. They are becoming more human. The flashbacks to Elvis’s past help with that, and they manage to be as engrossing as the main story instead of slowing it down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/11/book-review-last-detective-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated C is for Corpse (Kinsey Millhone #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
While working out at the gym, PI Kinsey Millhone is approached by a young man who was in a horrific accident 10 months ago take took part of his memory. He doesn’t think it was an accident but attempted murder and he wants Kinsey to find out why someone would want to kill him. She just begun when tragedy strikes. Can she solve this 10 month old puzzle?
Another strong entry makes it easy to see why this long running series is so popular. The characters are sharp; in fact, it is a pleasure to see how easily the author creates characters with just a few sentences. The plot moves along well, although I did figure things out a bit before Kinsey did. That’s a minor issue in this enjoyable novel.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-c-is-for-corpse-by-sue.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Another strong entry makes it easy to see why this long running series is so popular. The characters are sharp; in fact, it is a pleasure to see how easily the author creates characters with just a few sentences. The plot moves along well, although I did figure things out a bit before Kinsey did. That’s a minor issue in this enjoyable novel.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/01/book-review-c-is-for-corpse-by-sue.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Purrsistently (46 KP) rated The Life of Pi in Books
Jun 24, 2018
Ew.
It wasn’t the worst thing ever but definitely should have a content warning for graphic dismemberment of people and animals. I was not prepared for that at all and still would have read it but wouldn’t have been so broadsided.
I really didn’t enjoy this at all. I wouldn’t quite say “Don’t read this” but wouldn’t recommend it either. I didn’t find the thoughtful parts to be anything particularly profound, but I expected and would have enjoyed more of those and less extensive descriptions of feces.
I’ve never been one for this kind of story in general unless it featured really great characters. Life of Pi is no The Martian.
If you’re merely curious about it, I would recommend watching the movie instead because it will waste 10 less hours of your time if detailed defecation scenes aren’t your cup of tea.
I really didn’t enjoy this at all. I wouldn’t quite say “Don’t read this” but wouldn’t recommend it either. I didn’t find the thoughtful parts to be anything particularly profound, but I expected and would have enjoyed more of those and less extensive descriptions of feces.
I’ve never been one for this kind of story in general unless it featured really great characters. Life of Pi is no The Martian.
If you’re merely curious about it, I would recommend watching the movie instead because it will waste 10 less hours of your time if detailed defecation scenes aren’t your cup of tea.