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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2611 KP) rated Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies in Books

Aug 15, 2024  
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies
Catherine Mack | 2024 | Mystery
3
3.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Don’t Bother Booking This Vacation
Eleanor Dash’s first book was an instant best seller. It was inspired by a trip she took to Rome, and she fictionalized parts of it. She just didn’t change the hero’s name, and ever since, her ex, Connor Smith, has been worming his way into her life. Ten years later, Eleanor is planning to kill him off – at least in her next book. However, someone seems determined to do it in real life on a trip they are both on to celebrate ten years of her series. Can she figure out what is going on?

The premise of this one sounded fun, and I was intrigued when I heard that there are footnotes in the book. Sadly, the footnotes didn’t add anything; in fact, they came across as self-indulgent at times and lazy at others, like when the author put character descriptions in them. And I’ll call out the foul language, which was especially excessive at the beginning. (See your footnote complaining about calling out foul language didn’t work.) The characters were shallow, and some of their relationships and issues seems like issues that could have been resolved quickly. Eleanor herself doesn’t seem to fit her backstory. Yes, the characters grew, but it wasn’t quite enough for me. The pacing in the book was off as well, although there were some good twists. I did enjoy the virtual trip to Italy. In the end, this book wasn’t nearly as clever as it thought it was, so the result wasn’t as entertaining as I hoped it would be.
  
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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Witch’s Curse ( The Bone Coven Chronicles book 1) in Books

Feb 12, 2022  
WC
Witch’s Curse ( The Bone Coven Chronicles book 1)
Jenna Wolfheart | 2022
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
26 of 230
Kindle
Witch’s Curse (The Bone Coven Chronicles book 1)
By Jenna Wolfheart
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wanted: Magically Armed and Dangerous.

Ever since my parents died in the demon war, I’ve paid my way through life by using magic to con people. It’s not right, but a girl’s gotta do what she can to survive.

Unfortunately, my latest con has left me smack dab in the middle of a murder scene. Now, a coven of angry mages thinks I’m the killer. In order to clear my name, I have to team up with an infuriatingly sexy warlock whose powers are far darker than he admits. Throw in a string of related murders and a vexed vampire clan, and I’m up to my eyeballs in danger.

But that's not even the worst of it. When I get too close to the real killer, he casts a life-threatening curse on my grandmother. Before, I just wanted to save my own butt, but now I’ll do whatever it takes to track him down—even if it means following him through monstrous dimensions.

Because I don’t play nice with magic. And when you mess with Grandma, you become #1 on my sh*t list.


Ok so it was good I’m struggling between a 3 & 4 star so I eventually decided on a 3! I liked the concept and structure of the supernatural and the storyline line was good but it didn’t wow me. I’m hoping as the series develops it will be more gripping. Also a new author for me so that’s a plus.
  
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ClareR (6256 KP) rated Lady In The Lake in Books

Jul 30, 2022  
Lady In The Lake
Lady In The Lake
Laura Lippman | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is an engrossing mystery set in 1960’s Baltimore. Madeline Schwartz has left her husband, desperate to make something of her life house and kitchen. After 20 years, she finds herself (mostly) free to make her own decisions and she decides to try and find her dream job - that of a journalist. But this is the 1960’s, and the closest she gets is as a PA at the newspaper.

Addie puts herself in the path of danger in order to solve the deaths of two women: one black, one white. The police are all in in their crusade to find the murderer of the white woman, not so much the black woman. And the newspaper centres around the white woman’s story too.

This book looks at themes of racism, classism, gender discrimination and ageing. Maddie is 37 years old, attractive, yet ageing. She’s looked down on by the men for her gender, and by the women because they think her looks scored her the job. No-one seems to appreciate her capabilities, or even give her the chance to show them.

I loved the chapters from other characters points of view - people Maddie had met in her investigation - and the way that we learn a bit more about her background. I was equally interested to see that the murders were based on real life cases from the same period, and the media coverage was the same as in the story.

An absorbing mystery that I’d recommend!