A Test of Wills (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #1)
6.5
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The first novel to feature war-damaged Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge, A Test of Wills is the...
Everneath (Everneath, #1)
5.6
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Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath. Now she’s...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Gone for Gouda in Books
Jan 9, 2023 (Updated Jan 9, 2023)
I enjoyed the first book in the series, but this was even stronger. We meet Phoebe long enough to know what a pain she is before she dies, but then we learn even more, opening up the suspect pool. The climax becomes a race to figure things out, and I was along for the twists that kept coming at that point. I was thrilled that the supporting players got a bigger role this time around. They are fantastic, and I enjoyed spending time with all of them. I grew up in Sonoma County, so I have a special connection with the setting even if I did have to move my mental map of the fictional town where most of the action takes place. This book will leave you hungry for cheese, so the three recipes at the end will be welcome. I’m already anxious to see what happens to Willa and the others in the next in the series.
The selected diary entries are interspersed with clearly marked context. The black-and-white pencil drawings are impressive and the sketches that show the horrors of war are respectfully rendered. What impacted me most in the beginning was the innocence of the young man from Toronto going out into the world for the first time.
I appreciated this chance to get to know a little more about World War I from the life of a Canadian soldier. It was a pleasure to get to know Private Rabjohn. I am grateful to him for his commitment to documentation. Historian and author John Wilson did a great job providing context and compiling the information into an engaging and beautifully formatted book. This book can be appreciated by older children and adults.
I received an advanced readers copy from Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Startup CEO: A Field Guide to Scaling Up Your Business + Website
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A definitive book for any CEO first time or otherwise of a high-growth company While big company...
The Monogram Murders
Agatha Christie and Sophie Hannah
6.0
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The new Hercule Poirot novel - another brilliant murder mystery that can only be solved by the...
BookInspector (124 KP) rated Agent Zaiba Investigates - The Poison Plot (Agent Zaiba Investigates, #2) in Books
Sep 24, 2020 (Updated Jan 26, 2021)
The plot of this book is quite interesting and has some really surprising twists and turns. I really liked the parent-child relationships analysed in this book. How parents influence their children without even realising it, I think it is quite an interesting topic. The investigation has its intriguing nuances, but this time the author could not hide the culprit, it was very obvious who it was.
The whole book was set in the school fete, with a very cheery atmosphere, that I thoroughly enjoyed. 🙂 The writing style of this novel is entertaining and easy to read, like in the previous book. The chapters have medium length, but the great illustrations make this book a quite entertaining read. The ending, as I mentioned before was quite predictable. Like in the first book, this book also has great material for young agents, that I think will be useful and fun. 🙂
So, to conclude, it is a great novel with beloved and new characters as well as a plot that has some surprises, and life lessons to teach. This book can be read as stand-alone, but if you read the first part and missed the crew, do give this part a go, it is a very enjoyable read indeed.
Mayfair Witches Collection
8.0
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An enchanting, hypnotic trilogy of witchcraft, adventure, and romance from the beloved author of...
Miss Mary Reporting: The True Story of Sportswriter Mary Garber
9.0
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From beloved author Sue Macy comes an illustrated biography of Mary Garber, one of the first female...
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Surface Scratch (Neon Scars #1) in Books
May 5, 2023
Caleb has had a hard time of it recently. He and his family were in a car accident, leaving him with some major scars. His brother walks out and his mom dies. But then he gets a job at a nightclub and is intrigued by his boss, Marcus. He gets drawn into a world of vampires where, just as with humans, some are "good" and some not so much. There are also hunters who come across more as the bad guys than anything else.
As I said, this is dark. The loving is rough and almost violent (although written incredibly well.) I enjoyed Caleb and Marcus' story but am also looking forward to finding out more from the other characters. Vincent especially made me laugh as every time he called Caleb "Buttercup", I was hearing it said by different characters from The Princess Bride movie!
A great beginning to a series with a fantastic group of characters. Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 5, 2023