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Black List, White Death
Black List, White Death
Steve Hockensmith | 2023 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Two More Novellas with the Reds
The book features two novellas featuring cowboy detectives Old Red and Big Red. Up first, the two travel to the Arizona territory to try to find a list of names related to a murder that happened years before. Then, they go undercover at a tuberculosis sanitarium in Colorado where patients have died of unnatural causes. In between, we get a short story involving Big Red’s first solo case in which a package pickup goes wrong.

When you combine the three stories, you get a full-length book. And all three stories are filled with fun. I laughed multiple times while reading. But they are solid mysteries, and I’m always amazed at how Old Red pieces things together. As always, the brothers’ interactions are fun, and I really do enjoy spending time with them as they navigate cases in the 1890’s.
  
Beautiful wreck
Beautiful wreck
Larissa Brown | 2014 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Beautiful wreck. A beautiful book!
Step right up ladies and gents for the next time travelling extravaganza! Move over Jamie fraser Heirik's the new guy in town! With outlander on the continuous rise to the top it gives other time travel romances a good run for their money and rightly so who doesnt love jamie fraser and his swoon worthy quotes and fiery lingering gaze. He had me wanting to marry a fictional character from the get go!

 Beautiful wreck by the not so well known author larissa brown deserves alot more attention and credit than it has been given. The story is about a woman named ginn who ends up travelling to tenth century iceland I've copied the description off the back of the book to give you a better taste of what the book is about;
 In a bleak future built on virtual reality, Ginn is a romantic who yearns for something real. She designs environments for people who play at being Vikings. But when her project goes awry, she's stranded in the actual 10th century, on a storybook farm in Viking Iceland. Heirik is the young leader of his family, honored by the men and women who live on his land. But he is feared and isolated because of a terrible curse. Ginn and Heirik are two people who never thought they would find a home in someone else's heart. When forces rise against them to keep them apart, Ginn is called on to decide-- will she give up the brutal and beautiful reality of the past? Or will she have the courage to traverse time and become more of a Viking than she ever imagined?


Doesn't it sound awesome!? ?

Don't worry I'm not going to spoil the story but I will say that this book in my view is a high contender for the top spot in the time travel/ romance genre. it is so beautifully written and detailed that it feels like your actually there going through the trials and celebrations right along with ginn. It could also have something to do with my overactive imagination but I think it's the former in this case ? I will admit the ending seemed a little rushed, it could've had a bit more detailed but that is just my opinion. With the second book 'so wild a dream' following on in the series I'm not sure how it can get much better than beautiful wreck.


Overall an excellent and enjoyable read, this book will definitely be on my re-read list in the near future.
  
IT
Into the Dim (Into the Dim, #1)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<i>This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Into The Dim</i> by Janet B. Taylor begins with an empty coffin. Fragile sixteen year old Hope is at her mother’s memorial service after her mother’s body was unrecovered after a horrific earthquake. Despite the opinion of her stepfather’s family, Hope is convinced that her mother is still alive. However she has not time to convince anyone before she is shipped off to the Scottish Highlands to spend time with her mother’s sister, Lady Lucinda Carlyle.

Hope finds herself at Christopher Manor, a forbidding ancient mansion that reminds her of <i>Hogwarts</i> (I love that <i>Harry Potter</i> is easily mentioned in many contemporary novels these days! There is also a <i>Doctor Who</i> reference in this book). Despite the old-fashioned setting, the inhabitants are the complete opposite. Firstly there is Phoebe, a bubbly blue-haired girl who is excited about Hope’s arrival at the manor. Phoebe’s brother, Collum, on the other hand, has a contrasting personality. Then there is Lu, who, despite her title, is younger than some may initially imagine her to be.

Through these new characters, Hope learns that her mother is indeed still alive, but trapped somewhere beyond all logic and reason. What is worse, Hope, who is practically scared of her own shadow, along with Phoebe and Collum are the only people who can rescue her. So begins their dangerous but exciting adventure.

<i>Into The Dim</i> is both a contemporary and historical novel, with the science fiction element of time travel thrown in. Time travel is nothing new in fiction, and Taylor’s idea is even based upon the scientist, Nikola Tesla’s discoveries. The storyline itself is a bit of fun with witty characters and humorous banter, yet there is so much more to it than that. Taylor has concocted enough research to help readers to learn something new. Firstly there is Tesla, as already mentioned, and then there is the knowledge and detail of twelfth century London, in particularly involving Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Although the main characters are in their late teens, younger teenagers can also enjoy<i> Into The Dim</i>. There is the occasional reference to mature content, but this is within the context of a historical period, in which younger readers should probably be aware of already from their school history lessons. If you love this book, look out for the sequel next year!
  
P(
Passenger (Passenger, #1)
8
6.4 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
My very first taste of Alexandra Bracken's works didn't go bad after all (which means I don't have to mope or panic about wasting 99 cents on the first two books in her other series).

<i>Passenger</i> was a little hard for me to get into, at least in terms of characters – everything else is on good terms with me. The traveler world is a delight to read about – Bracken reveals some tidbits from significant events in history I've never actually known about unless I decide to dive into the nit picky details of world/American history or do research for fun on my own. I also love how Bracken integrates music into the traveling world.

Then there are the characters, especially Etta and Nick, who are pretty much the only characters throughout the entire novel. Everyone else appears every so often.

I'm a huge character person – I'm very nit picky about the characters I read about and is unintentionally weighed heavily on whether or not I become fond of the book or my continuation of reading the book. *cough* <i><a title="The Fifth Wave review" href="http://www.bookwyrmingthoughts.com/2015/05/dnf-review-the-5th-wave-by-rick-yancey-so.html"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Fifth Wave</a></i> didn't bode too well, and that's an understatement.

We have Etta, part one of two main characters/views. She's a violin prodigy, a loner (violin is everything after all), acts superior, and pleases her mother even when she doesn't want to.

Problem? Yep. The girl acts quite bratty and thinks she's everything.

Then there's Nick. He's from another time period, bitter, and blames himself for Julian's death constantly.

What a lovely duo to contend with.

But this is when Bracken just introduces Mademoiselle Superior and Monsieur Bitter into the story. Over the course of being a passenger in this wonderful book – the pun is totally intended – that doesn't sound so wonderful as of right now, saying Nick and Etta are horrible characters is a complete understatement.

Etta is not just a violin prodigy thrown in the world of time travel, a loner, and acts like she's better than every other violinist around her. She is also someone who is fierce, stubborn, and has no problem standing up for her beliefs or speaking her mind. Perhaps she's not bratty after all.

And Nick... well... he's secretly sweet among that internal bitterness.

I'm completely fond of the two characters by the time Bracken takes me through several time periods on Nick and Etta's journey to take back the astrolabe her mother hid from the Ironwoods (who is apparently thirsty for power and creating a familial empire through time). <i>Passenger</i> is a power struggle among families and a revenge rolled into time travel adventure and romance – it's going to be interesting to see where Bracken takes the series in future novels.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-passenger-by-alexandra-bracken/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
Perhaps it's my love of lighthouses and lighthouse culture, perhaps it's my overwhelming nostalga for the original televised story Horror Of Fang Rock, perhaps it's just the amazing talent that is Andy Frankham-Allen. Perhaps all three. Whatever it is, Beast Of Fang Rock is a return to form for the Lethbridge-Stewart series. It manages to be a Scooby-Doo style mystery, a classic base under siege story, and an intricate time travel tale simultaneously, not to mention an all-around great yarn. These characters are fully formed and fleshed out, and each brings something marvelous to the party. (And makes one wonder if Frankham-Allen has some sort of inside track to the BBC, what with season 9 episodes turning out to have similar threads!)

My only complaint (and it's a small one) is the Brigadier himself is pushed back so slightly in this one in favor of Anne Travers. But, thats as it should be. This is her story, her time to shine, and Lethbridge-Stewart seems content to back her characterization until he's needed to be the man of action during the thrilling third act. As I said, its a SMALL complaint.

Definitely give this one a read kids!
  
Lost Luggage
Lost Luggage
Wendall Thomas | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cyd’s Dream Vacation Turns Into a Nightmare
Despite working as a travel agent, Cyd Redondo has barely traveled herself. That’s why she is so excited to finally win a promotional trip that sends her to Africa. And if she can check in with some of her clients while she is there, so much the better. At least, that’s what she thinks until she lands and discovers that one couple has been arrest. And there seems to be a rash of lost luggage. What is really going on?

The book took a little bit of time with set up before the story really took off, but once it did, it was a fantastic trip. There were so many twists, I had a hard time putting it down. Cyd is a remarkable, resourceful main character, and it was easy to root for her to overcome the many obstacles in her path. There is plenty of humor to keep things going, as well. There is enough language, sex, and violence (especially against animals done by the bad guys in a couple of scenes) to keep this from being one of the cozies I normally read, but if you know that going in, you’ll be just fine.
  
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