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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2436 KP) rated Irish Milkshake Murder in Books

Jan 4, 2024 (Updated Jan 4, 2024)  
Irish Milkshake Murder
Irish Milkshake Murder
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Three Tales of Unlucky Milkshakes
Get ready for murder and mayhem around St. Patrick’s Day with these three fun novellas. Up first, we get “Irish Milkshake Murder” from Carlene O’Connor, which finds Tara Meehan and Danny O’Donnell’s pre-wedding party running into a storm that traps them on an island with a killer. Next up, Peggy Ehrhart takes us to New Jersey in “Murder Most Irish.” Her series characters Pamela Paterson and Bettina Fraser are on hand when a man collapses in his lunch at a local diner. But was it murder? Finally, we travel to the north pole with Liz Ireland’s “Mrs. Claus and the Luckless Leprechaun.” Spring is iceball season at the North Pole, but late after a game one night, the injured star of the local team is attacked. Can Mrs. Claus figure out who did it and why?

Since this is a novella collection, all three of these stories are fast reads. But the authors still pack in plenty of twists. They also do a good job of introducing their characters and the worlds they inhabit, so it is easy to jump in if you aren’t familiar with them. The St. Patrick’s Day theme is strong in each story as well. This is a book you’ll be happy to pull out in March and enjoy with your favorite minty milkshake. Who knows, you might even find a new series to read.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2436 KP) rated Irish Soda Bread Murder in Books

Dec 26, 2024 (Updated Dec 26, 2024)  
Irish Soda Bread Murder
Irish Soda Bread Murder
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
These Loaves of Bread Aren’t Deadly to Your Waistline. They’re Just Deadly
Three cozy mystery authors reunite to again present St. Patrick themed novellas with their characters. Up first, Carlene O’Connor revisits her Home to Ireland characters as Tara gets involved when her aunt’s rival dies from Irish soda bread. Next, Peggy Ehrhart presents a story with her Knits and Nibbles characters when a judge in a contest baking dies after sampling the first loaf of bread. Finally, Liz Ireland takes Mrs. Claus and three of the elves from Santaland to Oregon when April goes to investigate a leak in her inn only to get involved in some shady things going on with her caretaker.

All three stories are entertaining. I read this anthology for the Mrs. Claus story, but I felt right at home with the characters from the first two as well, so if you haven’t met any of them yet, you can easily use this to sample the authors. Given that these are novellas, I felt the authors all did a good job of bringing the characters to life, although I did feel the pacing could have been stronger. Still, I enjoyed all the stories and the twists we did get. I even laughed at that final story multiple times. If you pick up this book now or wait until March to read it, you’ll find yourself enjoying it.
  
Brutal Reign (Shadow Heirs #5)
Brutal Reign (Shadow Heirs #5)
C.J. Primer | 2024 | Paranormal, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
You should probably start at the beginning!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.

So, here's the thing. The blurb grabbed, it really did, even though it's the lsst in series, it says it can be read as a stand alone book. And I have no doubt that for some, it can. But for me? I missed something, I really did.

There were a lot of characters who grabbed me far more than Seb, Ace or River did and I think that's where I missed not reading any previous books.

So, here's what I did like.

All three have a say, and I liked getting into all three heads.

It's a slower burn book,. but once these three get with what Fate has in store for them, it's steamy and smexy. I liked that contrast in the before and after.

I didn't like how Seb and Ace were with River in the beginning, but given what happens later, I fully understand why they did what they did, to keep themselves away from River.

I'm just not sure this was the book for me to start with! And that's entirely my own fault, since it does it's last in series. I will, however, try something else of Primer's work, since this is the first I've read of their work.

But I finished it, and it had a satisfactory ending. I really liked the epilogues!

3 good stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Pay the Ghost (2015) in Movies

Nov 4, 2017 (Updated Nov 4, 2017)  
Pay the Ghost (2015)
Pay the Ghost (2015)
2015 | Mystery
4
3.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Another terrible Nicholas Cage horror
I was bored so I decided to watch this film knowing that it has terrible ratings. And I can definitely see why.

It surrounds Cage's missing child who disappeared on Halloween. There emerges a rather unclear pattern of missing children and bizarre otherworldly messages. Given that it is New York, it's difficult to see how they established a sequence of missing children as there were far more than just three children going missing on this day every year. And somehow Celtic folklore gets drafted in, where a mother, who was burned at the stake with her three children, seems to be the one taking these kids in revenge.

The end battle is almost comedic, as Cage gets strangled by a burnt witch while hovering in the sky and rotating simultaneously. It's pretty ridiculous - there's nothing that threads the story together, going from all out supernatural to thriller back to supernatural. A flakey story no doubt.
  
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Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2) in Books

Feb 14, 2019 (Updated Feb 14, 2019)  
The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)
The Wicked King (The Folk of the Air, #2)
Holly Black | 2019 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
9
9.0 (10 Ratings)
Book Rating
Twisty stuff
Holy plots twists on a stick, I am agog. I thought I knew what was what and then Holly Black pulled the rug well and truly from under my feet and I cannot wait but will somehow have to wait until book three.

Jude Duarte remains a flawed relatable heroine. She's fierce, she overestimates her abilities and she has some hidden weaknesses - her family and that darn King. Carden was both weak and wiley in this book and frankly a little shocking. He continued to appeal to me but I felt a bit like Jude, I shouldn't like him. I am sick once again about Jude's family and where it all ends up.

I felt gripped to this story and enjoyed it more than THE CRUEL PRINCE, the storyline was totally gripping, from the undersea to Elfhame. This is shaping up to be a fantastic cresendo in book three. Sign me up.
  
The Promise
The Promise
Teresa Driscoll | 2019 | Thriller
10
7.5 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Three girls held a deep, dark secret. Three girls made a promise they vowed to keep forever. Now something and someone is threatening that promise. Will the truth come out or will these women do anything possible to keep their secret hidden forever?

I found this to be an excellent psychological suspense story. Some may describe this as a slow burn but I found the pace to be perfect for this story. The characters build and grow with the story as does the plot as told from past to present. The ending you won't see coming.
The are loads of little hints dropped through the story and some are just red herrings to keep you guessing. I found myself totally absorbed and unable to put the story down til done.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological story with all it's dark twists and turns!

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and enjoy!