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Under Her Spell
8.0
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When a series of failed relationships and business ventures has Monica Jackson doubting her...
Adult Contemporary Romance
Her Sister's Lie
7.0
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In this riveting psychological thriller, the international bestselling author of The Bones of You...
mystery thriller
The Most Beautiful Thing I’ve Seen: Opening Your Eyes to Wonder
8.0
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Lisa Gungor thought she knew her own story: small-town girl meets boy in college and they blissfully...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2589 KP) rated Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder in Books
Oct 21, 2021 (Updated Oct 21, 2021)
Polar Bear Plunge of Death
Every December, Ocean Crest, New Jersey, hosts a polar bear plunge as a fund raiser, and this year it is raising money for a much-needed renovation for the senior center. Most of the businesses in the town are participating, and Lucy Berberian is representing her family’s Kebab Kitchen restaurant. As expected, the water is chilly, but all that is soon forgotten when the dead body of one of the participants washes ashore. At first everyone assumes that the shock of the cold water killed Deacon Spooner, but the medical examiners determines that it was murder. Lucy had recently met Deacon, and he wasn’t a nice man. When the police look at Lucy’s friend as their prime suspect, she can’t help but nose around. She uncovers plenty of motives and opportunity, but who actually killed the man?
The book starts out strong, but it loses its way, with very little forward movement and a sub-plot taking over as we near the climax. Fortunately, we do get a logical and suspenseful ending. The sub-plot, about Lucy dragging her feet planning her wedding, would have made sense if it had been weeks between books instead of months. Still, it did allow us to see some growth in Lucy and in her relationships, which I appreciated. The book isn’t overwhelming with Christmas, but it is there, and I enjoyed that aspect as well. We get four recipes at the end of the book to enjoy later. While the book could have been stronger, as a fan of the series, I’m glad I read it.
The book starts out strong, but it loses its way, with very little forward movement and a sub-plot taking over as we near the climax. Fortunately, we do get a logical and suspenseful ending. The sub-plot, about Lucy dragging her feet planning her wedding, would have made sense if it had been weeks between books instead of months. Still, it did allow us to see some growth in Lucy and in her relationships, which I appreciated. The book isn’t overwhelming with Christmas, but it is there, and I enjoyed that aspect as well. We get four recipes at the end of the book to enjoy later. While the book could have been stronger, as a fan of the series, I’m glad I read it.
Increase Your Emotional Intelligence By Recalibrating Your Mind
Book
INCREASE YOUR EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE BY RECALIBRATING YOUR MIND ( CHANGE YOUR LIFE BY CHANGING YOUR...
self-help
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2589 KP) rated No Stone Left Unturned in Books
Dec 23, 2025
Random Robbery? Or Something More?
When Detective Honeywell is called to the scene of a robbery turned shooting at a veterinary clinic, the case immediately becomes personal since he knows the man the robbers shot. But he can’t help but question what happened. It doesn’t feel like a true robbery but something personal. Meanwhile, Emma is on hand getting shots from outside the clinic. Given the connection Honeywell has to the case, Emma starts to dig into the background of the victim to try to see if she can uncover any leads to help. Will they be able to find the perpetrator before he strikes again?
As with the previous book, this one focuses a bit more on Matthias, although Emma still gets plenty of page time and adds to the mystery. I enjoyed getting to learn more about the supporting players who populate Matthias’s world. The suspects may not get too much page time, but that doesn’t hamper the plot at all, which is filled with clues, red herrings, and enough twists to keep the pages turning. I always had a hard time putting the book down. I enjoyed watching the characters and their relationships grow out of what happened in the last book, although you don’t need to read the books in order. Still, with how excellent these books are, you’ll want to read them anyway, so you might as well start with the first. This book left me anxious for the next in the series. Annette Dashofy is one of the best mystery writers we have today. If you aren’t already a fan, fix that today.
As with the previous book, this one focuses a bit more on Matthias, although Emma still gets plenty of page time and adds to the mystery. I enjoyed getting to learn more about the supporting players who populate Matthias’s world. The suspects may not get too much page time, but that doesn’t hamper the plot at all, which is filled with clues, red herrings, and enough twists to keep the pages turning. I always had a hard time putting the book down. I enjoyed watching the characters and their relationships grow out of what happened in the last book, although you don’t need to read the books in order. Still, with how excellent these books are, you’ll want to read them anyway, so you might as well start with the first. This book left me anxious for the next in the series. Annette Dashofy is one of the best mystery writers we have today. If you aren’t already a fan, fix that today.
A Prodigy in Auschwitz: Simon
Book
When Nazi Germany troops enter Krakow, Poland on September 2, 1939, fourteen-year-old Simon Baron...
Historical Fiction WWII Auschwitz Jewish Survivor Story
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2589 KP) rated The Library Game in Books
Apr 18, 2025 (Updated Apr 18, 2025)
Murder Strolls into a Library
Tempest Raj and the rest of the team are working on turning a house into a new library in Hidden Creek, this one focused on classic mysteries. While the library isn’t ready to open yet, they are participating in the Summer Stroll program that kicks off in a few days. Their contribution will be an escape room and an interactive mystery play that Tempest wrote with her best friend, Ivy. Naturally, Tempest is there for a dress rehearsal. Unfortunately, it goes horribly wrong with one of the actors turning up dead after a scripted power outage. However, by the time they call the police, the body is gone. Is he really dead? If so, who moved the body?
The case is even more impossible than I was able to work into my teaser, and I had fun watching Tempest lead us to the logical solution. The pacing might have lagged a bit in the middle, but that might be me. It was fantastic to spend time with all the regulars again, and I’m curious where some of the relationships will go from here. The suspects were good, too. We get a delicious sounding recipe for Blackberry Crumble Cobbler and more references to classic mysteries. I really need to find a time to read some of them. This book will work well as an intro/standalone if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series yet. But you’ll want to go back to read them after the fun you’ll have here. Fans will be glad they picked up this book.
The case is even more impossible than I was able to work into my teaser, and I had fun watching Tempest lead us to the logical solution. The pacing might have lagged a bit in the middle, but that might be me. It was fantastic to spend time with all the regulars again, and I’m curious where some of the relationships will go from here. The suspects were good, too. We get a delicious sounding recipe for Blackberry Crumble Cobbler and more references to classic mysteries. I really need to find a time to read some of them. This book will work well as an intro/standalone if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series yet. But you’ll want to go back to read them after the fun you’ll have here. Fans will be glad they picked up this book.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Reject ( Academy of Misfits book 2) in Books
Dec 16, 2021
209 of 250
Kindle
Reject (Academy of Misfits book 2)
By Bea Paige
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
What's the saying: keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
Guess I'm about to find out just how difficult that really is. I might have my best friend back but his safety and that of my chosen family depends on me doing something I vowed never to do.
Join Camden's crew.
Thing is, you don't turn down the leader of Hackney's Hackers and then get a second chance without forfeiting something in return. The relationships I was just starting to build, is that too high of a price?
Sonny with his joking nature and dimples.
Ford with his mysterious dominance and protective instinct.
Eastern with his unyielding loyalty and feeling of home.
This term at Oceanside Academy, my sanity will be pushed to the limit as I walk the fine line between friend and foe. All I know is this better be worth it because I'm about to learn something important about myself. I was happy being a delinquent, but a reject... ? Not so much.
Loved it!! Better than the first one and I enjoyed that! The story is developing and becoming more thrilling although I had the cliffhanger pegged from the start. I’d have tho by now that some of the characters would start grating on me but they aren’t the one you want to see dealt with is Monk that dude has it coming! Really good reverse harem too as it’s built nicely to this point. Definitely recommend.
Kindle
Reject (Academy of Misfits book 2)
By Bea Paige
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
What's the saying: keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
Guess I'm about to find out just how difficult that really is. I might have my best friend back but his safety and that of my chosen family depends on me doing something I vowed never to do.
Join Camden's crew.
Thing is, you don't turn down the leader of Hackney's Hackers and then get a second chance without forfeiting something in return. The relationships I was just starting to build, is that too high of a price?
Sonny with his joking nature and dimples.
Ford with his mysterious dominance and protective instinct.
Eastern with his unyielding loyalty and feeling of home.
This term at Oceanside Academy, my sanity will be pushed to the limit as I walk the fine line between friend and foe. All I know is this better be worth it because I'm about to learn something important about myself. I was happy being a delinquent, but a reject... ? Not so much.
Loved it!! Better than the first one and I enjoyed that! The story is developing and becoming more thrilling although I had the cliffhanger pegged from the start. I’d have tho by now that some of the characters would start grating on me but they aren’t the one you want to see dealt with is Monk that dude has it coming! Really good reverse harem too as it’s built nicely to this point. Definitely recommend.
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Meet Me In Another Life in Books
Jan 24, 2022
This book is so beautifully written and so different from anything that I have read in the past couple of years. It kept me engrossed the whole way through and while I wanted to know what happened, I didn’t particularly want the book to end.
We follow Thora and Santi as they meet in Cologne time and time again. Each chapter changes who we follow as the main character which makes it quite different. But although they’re either different ages or have lived a different life they still come back to each other like they are drawn to each other. The world around them changes and the relationships they have change, but they always find each other: whether that’s as father and daughter, friends or lovers.
At first, it was just like they were in a different universe each time and it was a different set of choices that were played out that shaped who they became. But as the book went on it became obvious that that wasn’t the explanation the author was going for. As they continue, they begin to remember things from their past lives and try to work out why they are so drawn to each other. The end of the book was a twist that I didn’t see coming, I had such hopes for them both and teared up a little bit during the last few pages.
The writing was beautiful and the way that Catriona Silvey wove the stories and the different possibilities between the two characters was so amazing to read. I think it will be a book that sticks with me for a long time.
We follow Thora and Santi as they meet in Cologne time and time again. Each chapter changes who we follow as the main character which makes it quite different. But although they’re either different ages or have lived a different life they still come back to each other like they are drawn to each other. The world around them changes and the relationships they have change, but they always find each other: whether that’s as father and daughter, friends or lovers.
At first, it was just like they were in a different universe each time and it was a different set of choices that were played out that shaped who they became. But as the book went on it became obvious that that wasn’t the explanation the author was going for. As they continue, they begin to remember things from their past lives and try to work out why they are so drawn to each other. The end of the book was a twist that I didn’t see coming, I had such hopes for them both and teared up a little bit during the last few pages.
The writing was beautiful and the way that Catriona Silvey wove the stories and the different possibilities between the two characters was so amazing to read. I think it will be a book that sticks with me for a long time.