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Murder in Morningside Heights
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In the latest from the bestselling author of Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue, former police sergeant...
What Lies Buried: A forensic psychologist’s true stories of madness, the bad and the misunderstood
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Kerry Daynes, leading forensic psychologist, opens up the case files of some of her most perplexing...
The Twyford Code
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It's time to solve the murder of the century... Forty years ago, Steven Smith found a copy of a...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2466 KP) rated Death of a Halloween Party Monster in Books
Aug 26, 2023
Cold Costumed Corpse
This story features Lee Hollis’s series star Hayley Powell, who is hosting a Halloween party at her new restaurant. However, the night ends in horror when the body of the high school music teacher is found in the freezer. Is one of Hayley’s friends a killer?
I don’t read this series, just the novellas when they are part of an anthology I want to read, but I found myself feeling right at home partying with these characters from the beginning of this story. I did figure out one aspect of the story early on, but there were several more, including the identity of the killer, that I hadn’t pieced together until Hayley did. It’s a twist on a locked room mystery, which is always fun. The ending was great and kept me turning the pages. There are also some recipes to enjoy while you read or at a party you are hosting this Halloween.
NOTE 1: This is a novella, so expect something shorter than a typical novel before you pick it up.
NOTE 2: This novella was originally in the Halloween Party Murder anthology. If you’ve already read it there, you don’t need to buy it again here.
I don’t read this series, just the novellas when they are part of an anthology I want to read, but I found myself feeling right at home partying with these characters from the beginning of this story. I did figure out one aspect of the story early on, but there were several more, including the identity of the killer, that I hadn’t pieced together until Hayley did. It’s a twist on a locked room mystery, which is always fun. The ending was great and kept me turning the pages. There are also some recipes to enjoy while you read or at a party you are hosting this Halloween.
NOTE 1: This is a novella, so expect something shorter than a typical novel before you pick it up.
NOTE 2: This novella was originally in the Halloween Party Murder anthology. If you’ve already read it there, you don’t need to buy it again here.
ClareR (6054 KP) rated Restless Dolly Maunder in Books
Jul 20, 2024
Another fabulous read that I wouldn’t have picked up if it hadn’t have been for the Women’s Prize.
Dolly Maunder is most definitely restless. She wants more than the hand that life has dealt her - and as a female whose parents work on a farm, she is expected to get married and have children who will work on a farm.
Dolly is determined, and that’s what shows throughout this book. When her parents take away the chance for her to become a teacher, she finds other ways to change her life. She’s a force of nature! I loved Dolly’s spirit. She did come across as obstinate and single minded, neither of which is a terrible thing for someone with ambition. But it’s not easy for those who have to live with her!
This is a pretty wide-sweeping novel, from Dolly’s childhood until her old age, and it still seemed to be over too soon. It was so interesting to learn about the Australian way of life from just before WWI to after WWII, and Dolly moves around enough for the reader to see different areas of Australia.
There’s a lot of emotion in this book, and when you read the authors note at the end, you’ll see why. Recommended.
Dolly Maunder is most definitely restless. She wants more than the hand that life has dealt her - and as a female whose parents work on a farm, she is expected to get married and have children who will work on a farm.
Dolly is determined, and that’s what shows throughout this book. When her parents take away the chance for her to become a teacher, she finds other ways to change her life. She’s a force of nature! I loved Dolly’s spirit. She did come across as obstinate and single minded, neither of which is a terrible thing for someone with ambition. But it’s not easy for those who have to live with her!
This is a pretty wide-sweeping novel, from Dolly’s childhood until her old age, and it still seemed to be over too soon. It was so interesting to learn about the Australian way of life from just before WWI to after WWII, and Dolly moves around enough for the reader to see different areas of Australia.
There’s a lot of emotion in this book, and when you read the authors note at the end, you’ll see why. Recommended.
Merissa (13619 KP) rated Scoop Me Up (Love in Maplewood #7) in Books
Jun 27, 2025
SCOOP ME UP returns to Maplewood for the seventh story in this series. This time, we have a non-binary school teacher, who longs to own his own ice-cream shop, and a business consultant in town to spend time with his daughter, who ends up not being as straight as he thought he was.
As with all the books I have read in this series, it is low angst, with a high dose of sweetness, charm to spare, and a whole town to rally round when your backs are against the wall. There were parts of this that confused me, as I thought decisions had already been made and conversations had. Maybe that was me reading more into parts than I should have done, but it did jolt me out of my zone whenever I hit them.
Anyway, this was a sweet story with some great ice-cream names and a wonderful supporting cast. If you like this series, then I have no doubt you will like this instalment.
** 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!
Jun 13, 2025
As with all the books I have read in this series, it is low angst, with a high dose of sweetness, charm to spare, and a whole town to rally round when your backs are against the wall. There were parts of this that confused me, as I thought decisions had already been made and conversations had. Maybe that was me reading more into parts than I should have done, but it did jolt me out of my zone whenever I hit them.
Anyway, this was a sweet story with some great ice-cream names and a wonderful supporting cast. If you like this series, then I have no doubt you will like this instalment.
** 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!
Jun 13, 2025
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Dungeon Academy in Tabletop Games
Dec 8, 2020
Roll-and-write style games have come a really long way over the past couple years. In the olden days we had Yahtzee, and that satisfied us. But then designers began dusting off that olde mechanic and breathing new life into it. While roll-and-write may never become my favorite mechanic, I am starting to appreciate the good ones more and more each time I play them. Dungeon Academy is one of these good games.
In Dungeon Academy players are taking the roles of students attempting their finals to become graduated warriors and mages in the land. They must pass their tests though, and that entails surviving through the dreaded Dungeon four times and surpassing all opponents to receive their degree.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup a solo game of Dungeon Academy, assemble the Dungeon component per the instructions. The player is dealt a character card with a special ability and markers to track Health and Mana throughout the game. Pile the Health and Mana tokens on the table, shuffle the Loot cards into a deck, and place the Teacher pawn nearby. Grab the pad of paper and pen and you are ready to begin.
Each attempt in the Dungeon will require the 16 Base Dice to be rolled and set inside the Dungeon. It is then flipped upside down when the timer begins and the mad dash to the Exit commences. As the player marks a line through every “room” (each die is considered a “room” in the Dungeon) they create a path to be checked at the end of the round. Once the player has made it through the Dungeon satisfactorily the Teacher will check the path.
The Teacher pawn is now used to track movement in the Dungeon. As the player tracks the path they drew on the paper, the Teacher is moved through the rooms. In each room (each die face) will be one of these possible encounters: a Mana potion to refill an empty Mana space on the character card, a Health potion, a small red Blob, a small blue Ghost, a large red Colossus, or a large blue Reaper. Each small foe encountered will be overtaken by spending one Health or Mana token from the character card. Each potion will restore spent Health or Mana. Each large foe encountered will require two Health or Mana to be spent. As the Teacher follows the path set by the player, Health and Mana will be spent and replenished on the character card, and foes defeated tracked on the sheet.
Once complete, the player will add up all the points from defeated foes (1VP per foe) and any VP from special character abilities or Loot cards. Additionally, the player will choose one of the four Quests at the bottom of the sheet to score each round for extra VP. They write these numbers on the sheet and prepare for the next level. After four total levels the game ends and the total is compared to a scale in the rulebook.
Multiplayer Dungeon Academy works the exact same way except once a player exits the Dungeon, they must grab the lowest-numbered Exit card as representation of the place finished in the Dungeon (so the first one out grabs the 1 card, etc.). The other difference from solo play is that players all compare total VP at the game end to determine the winner.
Components. This game has a large scorepad of 150 double-sided sheets, a bunch of cards for Hero characters, Loot, and Exits, as well as 18 total dice, about a trillion double-sided Health/Mana tokens and an impressive cardboard Dungeon. Everything is of wonderful Matagot quality… except for the Duneon. In my copy the Dungeon does not stay together very well. I may attempt some glue to keep the parts down that need to stay down, but it is still functional and a great design. The art style across the game is cute and fun, and I like the muted bright color scheme. That feels so weird to say/type, but the colors are vibrant hues, but muted so they stay out of the way. It’s strange and I love it.
Speaking of I love it, I love this game! It is quickly becoming one of my favorite roll-and-write games, and I can play it solo. In about 15 minutes. These are all positives, and I haven’t even really touched on the gameplay. Being able to get through a light solo game in 15 minutes while having a great time throughout is an achievement, and one I would like to applaud here. I wasn’t really sure going into this if I was going to enjoy it, but it has blown me away. Trying to evaluate the best path through the Dungeon while keeping track of how the Health and Mana is always in flux gives my brain a welcomed workout that is just a breath of fresh air for me. I love the art style and the theme, and the simple but easy to understand iconography on the dice is much appreciated.
I think that if you are looking for or lacking a similar type game in your collection you should do yourself a favor and check out Dungeon Academy. It is super quick, easy to grasp and play, requires little table space, and is simply a great time alone or with your gamer friends and family. I know I am going to be tracking lots of plays with this one. I am going to have to find a place on my shelves at eye-level because I don’t want it to be overshadowed down at foot-level.
If you already enjoy roll-and-write games and want something a little different with a great theme, or you don’t have any roll-and-writes and want to check one out for the first time, or you simply cannot get enough games featuring great art about wizards in school check this one out. I recommend it.
In Dungeon Academy players are taking the roles of students attempting their finals to become graduated warriors and mages in the land. They must pass their tests though, and that entails surviving through the dreaded Dungeon four times and surpassing all opponents to receive their degree.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your box. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, but will describe the overall game flow and major rule set so that our readers may get a sense of how the game plays. For more in depth rules, you may purchase a copy online or from your FLGS. -T
To setup a solo game of Dungeon Academy, assemble the Dungeon component per the instructions. The player is dealt a character card with a special ability and markers to track Health and Mana throughout the game. Pile the Health and Mana tokens on the table, shuffle the Loot cards into a deck, and place the Teacher pawn nearby. Grab the pad of paper and pen and you are ready to begin.
Each attempt in the Dungeon will require the 16 Base Dice to be rolled and set inside the Dungeon. It is then flipped upside down when the timer begins and the mad dash to the Exit commences. As the player marks a line through every “room” (each die is considered a “room” in the Dungeon) they create a path to be checked at the end of the round. Once the player has made it through the Dungeon satisfactorily the Teacher will check the path.
The Teacher pawn is now used to track movement in the Dungeon. As the player tracks the path they drew on the paper, the Teacher is moved through the rooms. In each room (each die face) will be one of these possible encounters: a Mana potion to refill an empty Mana space on the character card, a Health potion, a small red Blob, a small blue Ghost, a large red Colossus, or a large blue Reaper. Each small foe encountered will be overtaken by spending one Health or Mana token from the character card. Each potion will restore spent Health or Mana. Each large foe encountered will require two Health or Mana to be spent. As the Teacher follows the path set by the player, Health and Mana will be spent and replenished on the character card, and foes defeated tracked on the sheet.
Once complete, the player will add up all the points from defeated foes (1VP per foe) and any VP from special character abilities or Loot cards. Additionally, the player will choose one of the four Quests at the bottom of the sheet to score each round for extra VP. They write these numbers on the sheet and prepare for the next level. After four total levels the game ends and the total is compared to a scale in the rulebook.
Multiplayer Dungeon Academy works the exact same way except once a player exits the Dungeon, they must grab the lowest-numbered Exit card as representation of the place finished in the Dungeon (so the first one out grabs the 1 card, etc.). The other difference from solo play is that players all compare total VP at the game end to determine the winner.
Components. This game has a large scorepad of 150 double-sided sheets, a bunch of cards for Hero characters, Loot, and Exits, as well as 18 total dice, about a trillion double-sided Health/Mana tokens and an impressive cardboard Dungeon. Everything is of wonderful Matagot quality… except for the Duneon. In my copy the Dungeon does not stay together very well. I may attempt some glue to keep the parts down that need to stay down, but it is still functional and a great design. The art style across the game is cute and fun, and I like the muted bright color scheme. That feels so weird to say/type, but the colors are vibrant hues, but muted so they stay out of the way. It’s strange and I love it.
Speaking of I love it, I love this game! It is quickly becoming one of my favorite roll-and-write games, and I can play it solo. In about 15 minutes. These are all positives, and I haven’t even really touched on the gameplay. Being able to get through a light solo game in 15 minutes while having a great time throughout is an achievement, and one I would like to applaud here. I wasn’t really sure going into this if I was going to enjoy it, but it has blown me away. Trying to evaluate the best path through the Dungeon while keeping track of how the Health and Mana is always in flux gives my brain a welcomed workout that is just a breath of fresh air for me. I love the art style and the theme, and the simple but easy to understand iconography on the dice is much appreciated.
I think that if you are looking for or lacking a similar type game in your collection you should do yourself a favor and check out Dungeon Academy. It is super quick, easy to grasp and play, requires little table space, and is simply a great time alone or with your gamer friends and family. I know I am going to be tracking lots of plays with this one. I am going to have to find a place on my shelves at eye-level because I don’t want it to be overshadowed down at foot-level.
If you already enjoy roll-and-write games and want something a little different with a great theme, or you don’t have any roll-and-writes and want to check one out for the first time, or you simply cannot get enough games featuring great art about wizards in school check this one out. I recommend it.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Little Monsters (2019) in Movies
Nov 15, 2019
Verdict: Delightful
Story: Little Monsters starts when a washed up musician Dave (England) breaks up with his girlfriend Sara (Townsend) moving in with his sister Tess (Stewart) and her son Felix (Le Torraca), after getting his heart broken, Dave gets left on his last warning with Tess and after he meets Felix’s teacher Miss Caroline (Nyong’o) he ends up agreeing to go on a school trip.
When the trip seems to be going well, the school kids, Miss Caroline and Dave must find safety as zombies have broken free and heading to the petting zoo, joined by celebrity children’s host Teddy McGiggle (Gad) they must stay safe or face death.
Thoughts on Little Monsters
Characters – Miss Caroline is the kindergarten teacher that has the respect from all her students, treating them like nothing is going wrong no matter what is happening, she will always remain calm, with a smile on her face she takes complete control of the zombie outbreak. She has seen the father hit on her in the past which makes it easy for her to ignore them. Dave was once in a metal band, he had a girlfriend he always fought with him leading to him moving in with his sister and nephew. He is a terrible role model for Felix with his swearing, not listening and accepting it ok for a 5-year-old to play zombie games. He wants to get to know Miss Caroline and over this school trip he learns that there is more to life. Teddy McGiggle is a children’s entertainer who is world famous with every kid loving his work, when the zombies arrive, he shows the worst in mankind. The kids are all brilliant without being annoying like most would become in zombie films.
Performances – Lupita Nyong’o is wonderful to watch being a ray of sunshine through the film, bring a character that is completely different to anything we have seen before. Alexander England is excellent too, being someone, you could never see around children, getting so many laughs in the film. Josh Gad is great too, though it does seem like his character is slightly too much over the top at times. The young actors look like they are having a ball which is important for a film like this.
Story – The story here follows a teacher, a washed up musician and a group of school kids that get trapped during a zombie outbreak in a petting zoo. The best way to describe this story would be that we be, that we are focused on the human factors over the zombies, who are just background problem. We get to see how one man must learn about his life and start taking it more serious after years of wasting his time. We see zombies tackled a different way without needing to give us any sort of flashy zombie kill, which most all try to do, this is a character piece that shows positivity can give you hope no matter what is in your way. If you don’t end up smiling by the end of this film, it will be a surprise.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy is the highlight of this film, we get plenty of laughs, being part of the idea of Dave saying things or doing things around children along with how relaxing the survival attempts end up looking.
Settings – The film is mostly set on a petting zoo, which is meant to be a happy place for the children, despite it turning into a nightmare situation for the adults once the zombies come out.
Special Effects – The zombies are done with great practical effects, while any of the violence is withheld away from the camera.
Scene of the Movie – The tractor rescue.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It seems like we didn’t need Teddy’s character if we are being completely honest.
Final Thoughts – This is a truly delightful watch, with loveable characters, adorable kids and a fresh take on the zombie genre, showing it is about the characters, not the zombies.
Overall: Enjoyable from start to finish.
Story: Little Monsters starts when a washed up musician Dave (England) breaks up with his girlfriend Sara (Townsend) moving in with his sister Tess (Stewart) and her son Felix (Le Torraca), after getting his heart broken, Dave gets left on his last warning with Tess and after he meets Felix’s teacher Miss Caroline (Nyong’o) he ends up agreeing to go on a school trip.
When the trip seems to be going well, the school kids, Miss Caroline and Dave must find safety as zombies have broken free and heading to the petting zoo, joined by celebrity children’s host Teddy McGiggle (Gad) they must stay safe or face death.
Thoughts on Little Monsters
Characters – Miss Caroline is the kindergarten teacher that has the respect from all her students, treating them like nothing is going wrong no matter what is happening, she will always remain calm, with a smile on her face she takes complete control of the zombie outbreak. She has seen the father hit on her in the past which makes it easy for her to ignore them. Dave was once in a metal band, he had a girlfriend he always fought with him leading to him moving in with his sister and nephew. He is a terrible role model for Felix with his swearing, not listening and accepting it ok for a 5-year-old to play zombie games. He wants to get to know Miss Caroline and over this school trip he learns that there is more to life. Teddy McGiggle is a children’s entertainer who is world famous with every kid loving his work, when the zombies arrive, he shows the worst in mankind. The kids are all brilliant without being annoying like most would become in zombie films.
Performances – Lupita Nyong’o is wonderful to watch being a ray of sunshine through the film, bring a character that is completely different to anything we have seen before. Alexander England is excellent too, being someone, you could never see around children, getting so many laughs in the film. Josh Gad is great too, though it does seem like his character is slightly too much over the top at times. The young actors look like they are having a ball which is important for a film like this.
Story – The story here follows a teacher, a washed up musician and a group of school kids that get trapped during a zombie outbreak in a petting zoo. The best way to describe this story would be that we be, that we are focused on the human factors over the zombies, who are just background problem. We get to see how one man must learn about his life and start taking it more serious after years of wasting his time. We see zombies tackled a different way without needing to give us any sort of flashy zombie kill, which most all try to do, this is a character piece that shows positivity can give you hope no matter what is in your way. If you don’t end up smiling by the end of this film, it will be a surprise.
Comedy/Horror – The comedy is the highlight of this film, we get plenty of laughs, being part of the idea of Dave saying things or doing things around children along with how relaxing the survival attempts end up looking.
Settings – The film is mostly set on a petting zoo, which is meant to be a happy place for the children, despite it turning into a nightmare situation for the adults once the zombies come out.
Special Effects – The zombies are done with great practical effects, while any of the violence is withheld away from the camera.
Scene of the Movie – The tractor rescue.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It seems like we didn’t need Teddy’s character if we are being completely honest.
Final Thoughts – This is a truly delightful watch, with loveable characters, adorable kids and a fresh take on the zombie genre, showing it is about the characters, not the zombies.
Overall: Enjoyable from start to finish.
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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Undaunted Hope (Beacons of Hope, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
When Tessa's hope and dreams are thwarted, she must face her deepest fears. Will she have the strength to overcome?
Tessa hopes to outrun her past by escaping to Eagle Harbor in the fall of 1871. There she becomes the new school teacher, even though the town requested a male teacher. Percival Updegraff runs the town like a king. No one dares to stand up to him for fear of what he will do. Tessa has vowed to never step foot into another lighthouse again. But then the local light keeper, Michael Bjorklund, and his assistant and brother, Alex, begin vying for her attention. Micheal's children long for a mother, and even though Alex would sacrifice anything for his brother, can he give up the woman he loves? As winter sets in and difficulties arise, will Tessa stay strong in the face of evil? Can she overcome her fears? Will she rely on God to direct her path and protect her and those she loves?
"I choose to have hope. Will you?"
Jody Hedlund has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors! When I pick up one of her books, I know that nothing will get done until I finish! Although, this week I did manage to make Cornish Pasties. All thanks to a little inspiration from the book. Pasties has long been a family favorite recipe! Now down to business. I think it is safe to day that Undaunted Hope is my favorite book of the Beacons of Hope series. Tessa must face her fears and her past. How many times have we made a vow out of fear? Is God calling us to face that fear and overcome it? Know that He is with you every step of the way. And that you will come through it stronger. I could relate to Tessa very well! She stands up for truth and justice. Her heart aches for the people to be treated fairly and with respect. She is a brave woman. It was a pure delight to watch her discover her strength and find her true identity in Christ. This is an excellent book and one that I know I will read again.
If you have not read the first two books, I recommend you start with Out of the Storm it is the prequel to Love Unexpected. Undaunted Hope brings the story around full circle. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that book four, Forever Safe, will be releasing later this year as well!
I received a free digital copy of Undaunted Hope from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Tessa hopes to outrun her past by escaping to Eagle Harbor in the fall of 1871. There she becomes the new school teacher, even though the town requested a male teacher. Percival Updegraff runs the town like a king. No one dares to stand up to him for fear of what he will do. Tessa has vowed to never step foot into another lighthouse again. But then the local light keeper, Michael Bjorklund, and his assistant and brother, Alex, begin vying for her attention. Micheal's children long for a mother, and even though Alex would sacrifice anything for his brother, can he give up the woman he loves? As winter sets in and difficulties arise, will Tessa stay strong in the face of evil? Can she overcome her fears? Will she rely on God to direct her path and protect her and those she loves?
"I choose to have hope. Will you?"
Jody Hedlund has quickly become one of my absolute favorite authors! When I pick up one of her books, I know that nothing will get done until I finish! Although, this week I did manage to make Cornish Pasties. All thanks to a little inspiration from the book. Pasties has long been a family favorite recipe! Now down to business. I think it is safe to day that Undaunted Hope is my favorite book of the Beacons of Hope series. Tessa must face her fears and her past. How many times have we made a vow out of fear? Is God calling us to face that fear and overcome it? Know that He is with you every step of the way. And that you will come through it stronger. I could relate to Tessa very well! She stands up for truth and justice. Her heart aches for the people to be treated fairly and with respect. She is a brave woman. It was a pure delight to watch her discover her strength and find her true identity in Christ. This is an excellent book and one that I know I will read again.
If you have not read the first two books, I recommend you start with Out of the Storm it is the prequel to Love Unexpected. Undaunted Hope brings the story around full circle. I was also pleasantly surprised to find out that book four, Forever Safe, will be releasing later this year as well!
I received a free digital copy of Undaunted Hope from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.