Search

Search only in certain items:

V is for Vengeance (Kinsey Millhone, #22)
V is for Vengeance (Kinsey Millhone, #22)
Sue Grafton | 2011 | Mystery
5
7.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Stumbles at the End
Kinsey Millhone is in the right place and the right time to foil a shoplifter. She is surprised to find that the shoplifter kills herself the next day. But the surprises keep coming when the dead woman’s fiancé hired Kinsey to prove that the woman didn’t kill herself. The fiancé doesn’t think she was a shoplifter either, so he and Kinsey have a contentious relationship from the very start. But can Kinsey figure out what really happened?

This book started out mostly well. There’s a subplot told in third person point of view chapters that really slowed the book down, but the chapters from Kinsey’s point of view were engaging. The further I got into the book, the harder time I had putting it down. Then we came to the climax, which turned out to be pretty weak, with one development I really didn’t like. It’s a shame because I enjoyed spending time with Kinsey and the rest of the regulars as always. This one is for series fans only.
  
Cat and Mouse (Helen Grace #11)
Cat and Mouse (Helen Grace #11)
M.J Arlidge | 2022 | Crime, Thriller
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Oh my goodness ... that was a good book ... had me absolutely hooked from the beginning to the end!

This is the 11th book in the Helen Grace series but if you haven't read any of the others, don't worry, it works quite well as a standalone but I think you will want to go back and read the others after finishing this one if only to put a bit more flesh onto the main characters.

This is an intense read where the short and punchy chapters add to that intensity and keeps the story rolling along very nicely. The plot is engaging and intriguing and the characters are strong and well developed.

Full of action and heart-in-the-mouth scenes of peril, this is one for people who enjoy a great crime thriller/police procedural but, be warned, you will definitely be checking your windows and doors more than once each night!!

Thank you to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read Cat & Mouse and to share my thoughts.
  
TC
The Charity Shop Detective Agency
Peter Boland | 2022 | Crime, Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Every now and again I like to take a break from the usual hard-hitting, dark and gritty crime thrillers I usually read and immerse myself into something a little more sedate and The Charity Shop Detective Agency hit the spot perfectly.

I absolutely fell in love with the three main characters in this story - Fiona, Partial Sue and Daisy ... oh and not forgetting Simon Le Bon! Despite being retired, they have the skills and insight needed to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice. There is a supporting cast of equally excellent characters that all added to and had their place within the story.

The plot is engaging and had some great twists and turns that kept me guessing and on my toes. The pacing was perfect for me and felt right for the story.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy a cozy mystery with believable characters and I can't wait for the next in the series ... sign me up!

Many thanks to Joffe Books and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Charity Shop Detective Agency.
  
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Suzanne Collins | 2020 | Young Adult (YA)
5
7.2 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I read the original Hunger Games trilogy back in the early to mid 2010s, before I saw any of the movies.

I watched the movie of this one first, before reading the book.

And, I have to say, that a prequel for President Snow - as portrayed by Donald Sutherland in the movies - was not my first thought on how Suzanne Collins could expand her world.

But that's pretty much who this centres on, with one whole section of the 3-part novel also set during the 10th annual Hunger Games which, here, are still relatively new and with large parts of the novel concerning how said Games could be made more 'entertaining' for the viewers in the Capitol.

Note I said 'for viewers in the Capitol', as their children are never selected in The Reaping to take place in said Games ...

Personally, I found Cornelius Snow (and Lucy Gray Baird, who he is chosen to mentor) to not be as strong or engaging a protagonist as Katniss Everdeen was. YMMV, of course.
  
A Feast Most Foul
A Feast Most Foul
Sarah E. Burr | 2017 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder in a Neighboring Kingdom
Duchess Jacqueline is making her first official trip after becoming ruler of her kingdom. She’s attending a two-week tournament hosted by her grandfather, a duke in a neighboring kingdom. They have a strained relationship (at best), so she isn’t looking forward to it. But the first night, a knight is killed and the evidence points of Jax’s intended. Can she find more evidence to clear his name?

I enjoyed the first book in the series, so I was really looking forward to this one. I wasn’t disappointed. We are still in the novellas that started this series, so it is a fast read, but it doesn’t skimp on plot with plenty of twists that kept me engaged. I enjoyed watching the relationships grow for the returning characters, and the new cast are just as engaging. If you haven’t read the first book, be aware there are some hints as to what happened in that book. I also am really enjoying the light fantasy setting of the series. I’m looking forward to catching up with Jax again soon.
  
40x40

Lhosae (6 KP) rated Kati Morton in YouTube Channels

Apr 2, 2025 (Updated Apr 2, 2025)  
Kati Morton
Kati Morton
Education, People & Blogs, Science & Technology
Clear, understandable way of speaking. (3 more)
Easy to understand points - provides context and educates where necessary.
Engages with her viewers.
Provides resources and advice.
Kati Morton - Review.
Kati Morton hosts a channel centered around mental health and psychology, aimed at educating those with mental health problems, their loved ones or simply folks who just want to learn.

Kati has a great grasp of the English language, making it easy to understand and connect with her content. She speaks moderately fast - slow enough to be understandable and fast enough to be engaging. Her voice is very soothing, very pleasing to listen to.

When she presents her points, she educates her audience with short snippets of important information. She provides context on many of her points and patiently explains different aspects of mental health, self-care, and psychology to her viewers.

She answers her viewers' questions and frequently responds to comments.

More often than not she provides advice (fantastic example of that is the "Hoq to help someone" playlist) and resources, for free.


I definitely recommend her channel.