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The Wedding Guest (Alex Delaware #34)
The Wedding Guest (Alex Delaware #34)
Jonathan Kellerman | 2019 | Mystery, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jonathan Kellerman's 34th Alex Delaware novel
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

If you have never read any of Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series you need to do so immediately. The Wedding Guest is Kellerman's 34th Alex Delaware novel. It would definitely help with the backstory but you do not need to start at book 1, "When the Bough Breaks", to appreciate the story. Each novel is part of the series but can stand alone.

Kellerman's Alex Delaware is a psychologist who helps Detective Milo Sturgis with difficult cases. As you can guess, having a psychologist as the main character gives the reader a hint that Kellerman's book are more than the ordinary cop vs bad guy type of book. You are almost guaranteed the story will be a psychological thriller.

The Wedding Guest is no exception. Someone is murdered at a wedding reception. Were they invited? Did they crash? Do the bride and groom know them? Do any of the family members or guests know them? Why kill someone during the reception?

The characters surrounding Alex and MIlo help round out the story and make them seem more human and approachable. They are not perfect. They make mistakes. They are a perfect team for working together to catch the bad guys.
  
The Perfect Family
The Perfect Family
Robyn Harding | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A tense look at a family pushed to the brink
The Adler family looks perfect to outsiders. Good jobs for husband Thomas and wife Viv, two lovely children in Eli and Tarryn, and a gorgeous home. But things begin to crack when they wake up one morning and find that gorgeous home covered in eggs. They are sure it was just a prank by some neighborhood kids. But it's followed by a smoke bomb, punctured tires, and more. Thomas sets up cameras, but they only catch shadows. The police offer little help. As things escalate with each supposed prank, the family grows more and more fearful. Especially because every family member is keeping a secret--and as the violence against them grows, the secrets only get worse.

"But the people who lived there only looked perfect. They had done horrible things."

This is definitely a page-turner with some twists. There's a lot going on in THE PERFECT FAMILY--each family member has secrets and lies. It's an interesting premise, that dark secrets can pull everyone apart, even entire families. I was always expecting just a little bit more: a slightly bigger secret or surprise than what happened here. Still, the book offers an excellent commentary on keeping secrets and putting pressure on your children. It was difficult to find a character to root for, though the two Adler children were certainly sympathetic. I also found the ending to lack a bit of resolution.

"I realized that everyone in my family had secrets. And mine might be the worst of all."

Overall, though, this mystery offers thrills and twists. While it wasn't perfect (ha) for me, I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Robyn Harding book, but it's worth a read. The twisted dynamics of the Adler family are intriguing and often terrifying, especially as the suspense ramps up. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
  
Bear Witness to Murder
Bear Witness to Murder
Meg Macy | 2018 | Mystery
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oktobearfest is Off to a Murderous Start
It’s October, and the town of Silver Hollow is getting ready for their Oktobearfest, a teddy bear themed Oktoberfest event for the entire family. Things are kicking off with a kid and teddy bear friendly tea that Sasha Silverman is helping with. She’s trying to avoid her high school nemesis, Holly Parker, when Holly’s assistant Gina interrupts the tea to announce she is suing the mayor. The next morning, Sasha finds a dead body. Despite vowing to stay out of it, she finds herself pulled into the investigation. Will she learn the truth?

There is a lot going on here, and it really pulled me into the story. I finished the book in just a couple of days, in fact. I kept switching what I thought was going on, but when we reached the climax, everything made perfect sense. I did catch a major timeline issue, however, something that always annoys me. The main characters, both series regulars and suspects, are strong and really drew me into the story as well.
  
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond
2021 | Action/Adventure, Role-Playing
Underground system (2 more)
Nostalgic feel
Contests
No more grinding (1 more)
Game exclusives
Brilliant Diamond is a remake of Diamond. Remakes aren’t always the best. However for Brilliant Diamond, I believe is was better than the orginal. I enjoyed spending hours in the underground catching Pokémon that I was struggling to get. I did find it annoying to have to trade with others for the game exclusives though.

I spent over 100 hours to beat the story in this game. I enjoyed trying to find the perfect team but I can say I hated how easy it was to level up Pokémon. Yes it’s nice to catch things in the underground once you hit like the third or forth city and spent more hours than I can count down there hunting and catching but it made the game a lot easier as you progressed. It seems to be the latest thing they are doing, to make the game easier. And while that is fine and dandy I miss having to grind the level of my Pokémon team.