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Merissa (13303 KP) rated Spark in Books

May 20, 2023  
Spark
Spark
Atthys J. Gage | 2015 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Francy is a 'normal' teenage girl, with nothing outstanding about her that she recognises. She is doing okay at school, has some good friends, and is on the Basketball team. So why would an alien entity decide to take up residence with her?

We stay with Francy as she enters a world of alien theories, collapsed fulcrums, mathematics, entropy and yoga. It is a whirlwind of theories that made my head spin at times. I loved Francy's dad's explanation of entropy, with analogies of having a 9-year-old child. Perfect!

There is intrigue and suspense in this book as Francy tries to figure out just what is going on, and more importantly, how she can help in any way. Then we also have a splash of romance as she and Owen become closer.

This is not your normal, run-of-the-mill Young Adult tale. It will intrigue and delight as the story takes you along. Different from anything I have read, I would not hesitate to recommend it.

* I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jan 23, 2016
  
Listening Woman
Listening Woman
Tony Hillerman | 1978 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Solving a Stalled Case
Joe Leaphorn is tackling several cases that have grown cool over the last few months. At the forefront is the case of the double murder or an old man and a teenage girl who were murdered near the man’s hogan. The only witness is the teenager’s aunt, a listening woman, who is blind. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have much she can add to the case, but Joe follows the few pieces she has given him. Will that be enough for him to figure out what really happened?

I wasn’t surprised when the various cases Joe was investigating played into this case, but I did feel like things were a little unfocused early on. Still, everything came together well, and the last third is a page turning thriller. While I like Joe, we still know very little about him or his personal life. Likewise, the rest of the cast isn’t fully developed, but they are real enough given the page time they have. I do appreciate how Joe balances the Navajo myths versus the reality of police work. It’s easy to see why these books are so well loved, and I’m glad I’ve picked them up.
  
Murder in the Graveyard
Murder in the Graveyard
Various Authors | 2025 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Watch Out for the Extra Body
Just in time for Halloween, we get this fun collection of murders set in and around graveyards. In addition to the unexpected dead body or two, we also get involved in revenge, teenage parties, amnesia, family feuds, and an escaped convict. Many of these stories are set around Halloween, although a few take place at other times of the year. And yes, a couple lean into the spooky, but it always fits the story, so I didn’t mind.

Many of these authors featured their series stars. I’ve read many of those novels, so it was fun to spend time with them. For those who I haven’t met outside of these short story collections, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything with the stories we got here. Each story was fun, taking me about half an hour to read. With nine stories, we get plenty of content. I was smiling through most of them, even laughing some. And the stories kept me engaged from start to finish.

Whether you read this book now or open it in a different season of the year, you’ll enjoy these stories.