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Murder in Rose Hill
8.0
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Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private detective husband Frank discover that the cure is worse than...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2478 KP) rated The Late Show (Renée Ballard, #1) in Books
Sep 7, 2024
Not Sure the Character is New, but Story is Great
LAPD officer Renee Ballard has been demoted to working the overnight shift in the Hollywood division. She’s frustrated that she never gets to work a case to resolution in her current role. Until one night when a series of cases land in her lap. A woman reports a stolen wallet. A transgender individual is left for dead. A shooting incident happens at a bar. As Ballard gets involved in all these cases, can she solve them?
I remember when this book came out how far behind I was on the author’s books and thinking I’d never get to it. And yet here I am. I found that Ballard shared quite a bit with the author’s Harry Bosch character. I’m not saying I didn’t like her, but I felt like she was a bit too familiar. Maybe that will change when I see them together. And again, I did like getting to meet her here and am looking forward to seeing what else happens to her. The mystery was very compelling. I saw a few things coming early, but there were some great twists that took me by surprise as well. I also enjoyed the nod to the Bosch TV show, which I guess means it is time for me to start watching it. Do keep in mind this is a police procedural, so the content is stronger than in the cozies I often read. If you haven’t met Ballard yet, you’ll be happy you picked up this book.
I remember when this book came out how far behind I was on the author’s books and thinking I’d never get to it. And yet here I am. I found that Ballard shared quite a bit with the author’s Harry Bosch character. I’m not saying I didn’t like her, but I felt like she was a bit too familiar. Maybe that will change when I see them together. And again, I did like getting to meet her here and am looking forward to seeing what else happens to her. The mystery was very compelling. I saw a few things coming early, but there were some great twists that took me by surprise as well. I also enjoyed the nod to the Bosch TV show, which I guess means it is time for me to start watching it. Do keep in mind this is a police procedural, so the content is stronger than in the cozies I often read. If you haven’t met Ballard yet, you’ll be happy you picked up this book.
His Mate by Allegiance (Lunetti Pack #3)
10.0
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“The wild in you calls to the wild in me, and if you let me, I will answer. I will always...
Mpreg MM Paranormal Romance Mafia
Covered in Flour: 1968: A Young Boy's Perspective on School, Family, and Changing Times
Book
It's 1968 in Whisper Haven, and 8-year-old Carl Pozzi's world is about to change. For...
Biographical Historical Fiction
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2478 KP) rated A Midnight Puzzle in Books
May 18, 2024
Litigious Customer Murdered
Secret Staircase Construction is being sued by their latest customer. He maintains that his wife’s accidental fall down the stairs was the result of their shoddy construction. Tempest Raj doesn’t believe a word of it and thinks he may have tried to kill his wife and blame them. Before they can figure out what to do the man dies at the theater where Tempest is preparing for her farewell tour – a theater with a connection to the Raj family’s tragic past. While the police are initially looking elsewhere, Tempest knows it is just a matter of time before they look at her family. Can she figure out what really happened?
This book wraps up an arc that Tempest has been on, which means fans of the series will be satisfied. If you are new to the series, there is some background, but you might not fully understand some of what happens here. The pacing in this book is off, with things a little slow in the second act. Unfortunately, it means that the third act, while it does logically wrap things up, also feels very rushed. We needed a little more time to fully absorb the twists. Still, I love the premise of this series, and Tempest and her friends and family are always a joy to spend time around. As usual, there are a couple of recipes at the end. Fans will be looking forward to the next entry when they finish this one.
This book wraps up an arc that Tempest has been on, which means fans of the series will be satisfied. If you are new to the series, there is some background, but you might not fully understand some of what happens here. The pacing in this book is off, with things a little slow in the second act. Unfortunately, it means that the third act, while it does logically wrap things up, also feels very rushed. We needed a little more time to fully absorb the twists. Still, I love the premise of this series, and Tempest and her friends and family are always a joy to spend time around. As usual, there are a couple of recipes at the end. Fans will be looking forward to the next entry when they finish this one.
Waters of Destruction
9.0
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Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious drowning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary...
Merissa (13749 KP) rated Worth the Wait (Worth It #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2025
WORTH THE WAIT is the first book in the Worth It series, set in the seaside town of Worthbridge. Nathan and Freddie were joined at the hip from a young age, but life wasn't easy, and so their friendship came to an end. Nathan joined the army, and Freddie joined the police force. Skip forward fifteen years, and Nathan has returned to Worthbridge with his son.
If you are looking for a gritty contemporary story, then I can always recommend C.F. White! This one is no different. It is full of emotions and English slang. I can almost hear the accents! There is an ongoing story, but this one wraps up nicely. I am hoping we get to see Freddie, Nathan, and Alfie in future books, as this one pretty much ends just as they get together again.
There is also a great cast of supporting characters that I also hope to see and learn more about. Considering the story, this was fairly low angst between our two MCs, and there is steam when they get together, although it's not soft and tender steam, if you know what I mean.
A great read, a brilliant start to a new series, and one I'm really looking forward to continuing. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 17, 2025
If you are looking for a gritty contemporary story, then I can always recommend C.F. White! This one is no different. It is full of emotions and English slang. I can almost hear the accents! There is an ongoing story, but this one wraps up nicely. I am hoping we get to see Freddie, Nathan, and Alfie in future books, as this one pretty much ends just as they get together again.
There is also a great cast of supporting characters that I also hope to see and learn more about. Considering the story, this was fairly low angst between our two MCs, and there is steam when they get together, although it's not soft and tender steam, if you know what I mean.
A great read, a brilliant start to a new series, and one I'm really looking forward to continuing. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 17, 2025
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Batman Begins (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
In the dark of night, a young man’s life is about to be forever changed. Young Bruce Wayne, son of wealthy industrialist Dr. Thomas Wayne (Linus Roache), is about to be orphaned in a random act of street violence.
The act will forever scar the younger Wayne, and will install and fuel a dark fire to stop crime and corruption wherever they may be. Fast forward years later and Bruce (Christian Bale), is interned in and Asian prison as a result of his desire to stop crime and an unfortunate series of events that made him flee Gotham City to find himself. Hope arrives one day in the form of a visitor named Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), who arranges not only to free Bruce, but to train him for his destiny.
High atop a rocky, snow-covered peak, Bruce undergoes rigorous physical and mental training to hone his body and mind into the ultimate tool to combat crime. As time passes, Bruce eventually is ready to go out into the world. That is until an unexpected situation arises that forces him to decide which path he wishes to select.
The aftermath of this decision has Bruce returning home to Gotham City, where he is again under the care of the trusted family servant Alfred (Michael Caine), who informs him that crime and corruption is rampant in Gotham because the crime leader Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), has many members of the police force and judicial system under his influence.
While touring his father’s company, Bruce meets Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), who makes all manners of high-end experimental military weaponry and armor available to Bruce. Inspired, Bruce begins to craft his alter ego Batman, and takes to the nights to disrupt Falcone and the criminal activities in Gotham.
Unknown to Bruce/Batman, an evil villain known as the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), is plotting to destroy Gotham, and with Batman being wanted by the police as a vigilante his attempts to cleanse the city are hindered as Bruce/Batman must fight a war on different fronts.
For most films this would be more than enough plot to carry a summer action film, but for Batman Begins, it is only the setup as the depth of the story is surpassed only by the depth of the intensity and emotion of the film as this is not Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher’s campy takes on the tale of the Dark Knight.
Director Christopher Nolan takes the gloves off and shows that his triumphant work in “Memento” was not a fluke. He has crafted a complex, dark, and emotional film that is more of a drama than a comic book caper. Bale does a masterful job portraying the angst and anger of his character without ever being hammy or over the top. He portrays Wayne as a very normal, yet disturbed soul, who clearly has a method to his madness and is not a shallow once dimensional character. When Bruce is not out fighting crime, he is not above cracking jokes, squiring the ladies about town, and spending time with long time friend (and the one who got away) Rachael Dawes (Katie Holmes).
The film takes many twists and never gets sappy as far too many comic based films do. In fact, the intensity of the film keeps going up until the town literally explodes into frenzy of violence and chaos. Parents should note that this Batman is a very intense film filled with dark images and as such may be too intense for younger viewers as this is a film that is aimed towards a more mature audience.
As I sat through the films nearly two and a half hour running time, I was captivated as the film holds your attention throughout, and is filled with great performances and action. The chase scene with the new Batmobile is one of the best car chase sequences in recent memory and the action scenes move with a crisp and steady pacing. Bale, as I mentioned, does great work, but so do Neeson, Caine and Gary Oldman in a supporting role as Police Officer Gordon. They take supporting characters and infuse them with a touch of humanity that enables them to come across as real people rather than the thin constructs that are far too often passed on as characters in films of this type.
The only real quibble I had with the film, and it is very minor, would be that Holmes was not given a chance to show more to her character other than the duality of the damsel in distress and the passionate Assistant D.A. Her scenes with Bale seem to lack the spark and chemistry of someone who is supposed to have been a close friend of Bruce since they were children.
That being said, the mature nature and gripping and deep storyline, as well as the standout performances and action, make this film a true classic and rivals “Spider-Man” as the best and most faithful adaptation of a comic book.
The act will forever scar the younger Wayne, and will install and fuel a dark fire to stop crime and corruption wherever they may be. Fast forward years later and Bruce (Christian Bale), is interned in and Asian prison as a result of his desire to stop crime and an unfortunate series of events that made him flee Gotham City to find himself. Hope arrives one day in the form of a visitor named Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), who arranges not only to free Bruce, but to train him for his destiny.
High atop a rocky, snow-covered peak, Bruce undergoes rigorous physical and mental training to hone his body and mind into the ultimate tool to combat crime. As time passes, Bruce eventually is ready to go out into the world. That is until an unexpected situation arises that forces him to decide which path he wishes to select.
The aftermath of this decision has Bruce returning home to Gotham City, where he is again under the care of the trusted family servant Alfred (Michael Caine), who informs him that crime and corruption is rampant in Gotham because the crime leader Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson), has many members of the police force and judicial system under his influence.
While touring his father’s company, Bruce meets Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), who makes all manners of high-end experimental military weaponry and armor available to Bruce. Inspired, Bruce begins to craft his alter ego Batman, and takes to the nights to disrupt Falcone and the criminal activities in Gotham.
Unknown to Bruce/Batman, an evil villain known as the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy), is plotting to destroy Gotham, and with Batman being wanted by the police as a vigilante his attempts to cleanse the city are hindered as Bruce/Batman must fight a war on different fronts.
For most films this would be more than enough plot to carry a summer action film, but for Batman Begins, it is only the setup as the depth of the story is surpassed only by the depth of the intensity and emotion of the film as this is not Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher’s campy takes on the tale of the Dark Knight.
Director Christopher Nolan takes the gloves off and shows that his triumphant work in “Memento” was not a fluke. He has crafted a complex, dark, and emotional film that is more of a drama than a comic book caper. Bale does a masterful job portraying the angst and anger of his character without ever being hammy or over the top. He portrays Wayne as a very normal, yet disturbed soul, who clearly has a method to his madness and is not a shallow once dimensional character. When Bruce is not out fighting crime, he is not above cracking jokes, squiring the ladies about town, and spending time with long time friend (and the one who got away) Rachael Dawes (Katie Holmes).
The film takes many twists and never gets sappy as far too many comic based films do. In fact, the intensity of the film keeps going up until the town literally explodes into frenzy of violence and chaos. Parents should note that this Batman is a very intense film filled with dark images and as such may be too intense for younger viewers as this is a film that is aimed towards a more mature audience.
As I sat through the films nearly two and a half hour running time, I was captivated as the film holds your attention throughout, and is filled with great performances and action. The chase scene with the new Batmobile is one of the best car chase sequences in recent memory and the action scenes move with a crisp and steady pacing. Bale, as I mentioned, does great work, but so do Neeson, Caine and Gary Oldman in a supporting role as Police Officer Gordon. They take supporting characters and infuse them with a touch of humanity that enables them to come across as real people rather than the thin constructs that are far too often passed on as characters in films of this type.
The only real quibble I had with the film, and it is very minor, would be that Holmes was not given a chance to show more to her character other than the duality of the damsel in distress and the passionate Assistant D.A. Her scenes with Bale seem to lack the spark and chemistry of someone who is supposed to have been a close friend of Bruce since they were children.
That being said, the mature nature and gripping and deep storyline, as well as the standout performances and action, make this film a true classic and rivals “Spider-Man” as the best and most faithful adaptation of a comic book.
Jamie (131 KP) rated Here and Gone in Books
Jul 26, 2017
Engrossing story line (2 more)
Well-developed characters
Good female relationships
Several plot holes (1 more)
Mildly frustrating main character
A parent's worst nightmare
This book may be one of the most compelling reads that I’ve had in a while. Here and Gone is the story of a woman trying to escape an abusive marriage that finds herself in handcuffs and her children taken away by suspicious cops. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. The opening chapters reminded me of some terrifying cases that I’ve read about innocent people being pulled over by corrupt or phony police officers.
The narrative swaps between characters throughout the story, sometimes swinging into the main two character’s pasts to flesh out their personalities. I really liked Danny, though I’ll admit that he seemed like a bit of an Asian stereotype to me, and being Asian American myself I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. His role in the story was cool but also seemed a little out of place. Audra I wish I could say that I liked her more, but her attitude in some of the flashback chapters really bothered me. My heart did break for her character, however, stuck in an abusive marriage with an enabler, with several chapters detailing her struggle with drug addiction.
I love the serious amount of woman power in this book that highlights the importance of female relationships. There are just certain things that many women know and understand about each other. This book was a heartfelt reminder about how vital it is for women to lift each other up, rather than tearing each other down. It was almost always female characters that would see what was happening to Audra and helped when she needed it the most. This was a major highlight for me in the story.
On the other hand though, I had to cut the rating down a little bit due to some pretty glaring plot holes that kept making me stop and ask my husband about law or the standard policies that are followed in any investigation. There were little things I noticed that just didn’t seem right and it would pull me out of my immersion in the novel.
Maybe it’s just me, but I would imagine that if a suspect in a missing person’s case were to implicate someone, even if it was a member of law enforcement, of abducting the kids and threatening her into taking the blame, wouldn’t the FBI be at least mildly suspicious? Question the officers involved, perhaps monitor their activity, separate them from the case, or put them on administrative leave? It would only make sense to me that the officers in question are too close to the case and should be taken off of it, but that wasn’t what happened. One cop had full access to the suspect, to police resources, and was still involved in the investigation. The other cop, well, nobody seemed to care about her one bit, or really noticed her absence. In fact, the FBI in general seemed pretty impotent in this book and that just didn’t seem normal to me.
All that aside, I really enjoyed this book. I was completely absorbed in the story from the first page and I couldn’t put it down, devouring it quickly over a period of about two days. I’ll definitely be checking out some more of the author’s work in the future.
The narrative swaps between characters throughout the story, sometimes swinging into the main two character’s pasts to flesh out their personalities. I really liked Danny, though I’ll admit that he seemed like a bit of an Asian stereotype to me, and being Asian American myself I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. His role in the story was cool but also seemed a little out of place. Audra I wish I could say that I liked her more, but her attitude in some of the flashback chapters really bothered me. My heart did break for her character, however, stuck in an abusive marriage with an enabler, with several chapters detailing her struggle with drug addiction.
I love the serious amount of woman power in this book that highlights the importance of female relationships. There are just certain things that many women know and understand about each other. This book was a heartfelt reminder about how vital it is for women to lift each other up, rather than tearing each other down. It was almost always female characters that would see what was happening to Audra and helped when she needed it the most. This was a major highlight for me in the story.
On the other hand though, I had to cut the rating down a little bit due to some pretty glaring plot holes that kept making me stop and ask my husband about law or the standard policies that are followed in any investigation. There were little things I noticed that just didn’t seem right and it would pull me out of my immersion in the novel.
Maybe it’s just me, but I would imagine that if a suspect in a missing person’s case were to implicate someone, even if it was a member of law enforcement, of abducting the kids and threatening her into taking the blame, wouldn’t the FBI be at least mildly suspicious? Question the officers involved, perhaps monitor their activity, separate them from the case, or put them on administrative leave? It would only make sense to me that the officers in question are too close to the case and should be taken off of it, but that wasn’t what happened. One cop had full access to the suspect, to police resources, and was still involved in the investigation. The other cop, well, nobody seemed to care about her one bit, or really noticed her absence. In fact, the FBI in general seemed pretty impotent in this book and that just didn’t seem normal to me.
All that aside, I really enjoyed this book. I was completely absorbed in the story from the first page and I couldn’t put it down, devouring it quickly over a period of about two days. I’ll definitely be checking out some more of the author’s work in the future.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Don't You Cry in Books
May 10, 2018
Quinn wakes up on Sunday morning to discover that her roommate, Esther, is gone. Quinn isn't sure what she should do. The window to the fire escape was left open, but there is no note or sign of where Esther could be. Should she go to the police or wait for Esther to return? When Quinn starts to find things that make her question the integrity of her roommate, she's not sure if she wants her to be found.
A few hours away on the shores of Lake Michigan, Alex, an 18 year old boy is on his way to work at the local diner. He's cleaning dishes, when the most beautiful girl he has ever seen walks in. It's all he can do to concentrate on his work and not watch her watching whatever it is she is looking at outside the window. Who is she and where did she come from? Alex is determined to find the answers to those questions.
This is the first book I have read by Mary Kubica. I have heard nothing but great things about all of her books. Recently, I won a copy of her most recent book, [b:Every Last Lie|32735394|Every Last Lie|Mary Kubica|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486762991s/32735394.jpg|53325365], and wanted to read something else of hers to get a feel for her writing style. When I first started the book, I dove in head first, I was very intrigued from the start and wanted to know what was going to happen.
I will say, that I found out what was going to happen about a third of the way through the book, although I was surprised at the end that I wasn't completely right. That is why I gave the book 3 stars.
What would you do if you found your roommate missing? A girl who you thought was one of the sweetest people you had ever known. Then you found evidence that maybe she wasn't so sweet after all, and maybe it was a good thing she was now gone. Quinn enlists the help of her friend and co-worker, Ben, who also knows Esther to help her get to the bottom of the mystery. When stranger and stranger details start to emerge, Quinn has no choice, but to go to the police for help. But will they help, or will they just assume, Esther has gone of her own free will and doesn't want to be found.
For Alex his motive is quite different. His life is not filled with much excitement, so when a new face appears in town and can shake up his boring world a bit, he's all for taking a chance on getting to know this girl. She is quite a change from dealing with his alcoholic father and the agoraphobic woman, Ingrid, who he frequently brings food to from the diner. But this girl won't tell him her name(he calls her Pearl because of her bracelet) or where she came from or why she is here. So he makes assumptions and tries his best to get to know her and find out who she is.
Are Esther and Pearl the same person? That is the question that plagues us through the whole book. You will have to read it to find out!
A few hours away on the shores of Lake Michigan, Alex, an 18 year old boy is on his way to work at the local diner. He's cleaning dishes, when the most beautiful girl he has ever seen walks in. It's all he can do to concentrate on his work and not watch her watching whatever it is she is looking at outside the window. Who is she and where did she come from? Alex is determined to find the answers to those questions.
This is the first book I have read by Mary Kubica. I have heard nothing but great things about all of her books. Recently, I won a copy of her most recent book, [b:Every Last Lie|32735394|Every Last Lie|Mary Kubica|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486762991s/32735394.jpg|53325365], and wanted to read something else of hers to get a feel for her writing style. When I first started the book, I dove in head first, I was very intrigued from the start and wanted to know what was going to happen.
I will say, that I found out what was going to happen about a third of the way through the book, although I was surprised at the end that I wasn't completely right. That is why I gave the book 3 stars.
What would you do if you found your roommate missing? A girl who you thought was one of the sweetest people you had ever known. Then you found evidence that maybe she wasn't so sweet after all, and maybe it was a good thing she was now gone. Quinn enlists the help of her friend and co-worker, Ben, who also knows Esther to help her get to the bottom of the mystery. When stranger and stranger details start to emerge, Quinn has no choice, but to go to the police for help. But will they help, or will they just assume, Esther has gone of her own free will and doesn't want to be found.
For Alex his motive is quite different. His life is not filled with much excitement, so when a new face appears in town and can shake up his boring world a bit, he's all for taking a chance on getting to know this girl. She is quite a change from dealing with his alcoholic father and the agoraphobic woman, Ingrid, who he frequently brings food to from the diner. But this girl won't tell him her name(he calls her Pearl because of her bracelet) or where she came from or why she is here. So he makes assumptions and tries his best to get to know her and find out who she is.
Are Esther and Pearl the same person? That is the question that plagues us through the whole book. You will have to read it to find out!