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Listening Woman
Listening Woman
Tony Hillerman | 1978 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Solving a Stalled Case
Joe Leaphorn is tackling several cases that have grown cool over the last few months. At the forefront is the case of the double murder or an old man and a teenage girl who were murdered near the man’s hogan. The only witness is the teenager’s aunt, a listening woman, who is blind. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have much she can add to the case, but Joe follows the few pieces she has given him. Will that be enough for him to figure out what really happened?

I wasn’t surprised when the various cases Joe was investigating played into this case, but I did feel like things were a little unfocused early on. Still, everything came together well, and the last third is a page turning thriller. While I like Joe, we still know very little about him or his personal life. Likewise, the rest of the cast isn’t fully developed, but they are real enough given the page time they have. I do appreciate how Joe balances the Navajo myths versus the reality of police work. It’s easy to see why these books are so well loved, and I’m glad I’ve picked them up.
  
Light & Kingdom (Royal & Piper #2)
Light & Kingdom (Royal & Piper #2)
E.L. Tenenbaum | 2023 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
LIGHT & KINGDOM is the second book in the Royal & Piper series and carries on from Book 1, so you really need to read that one first.

Quirin and Cal are on the run from Evalena and intent on reaching Quirin's old homeland where he is sure she will get help. The only problem is that to do this, they need to travel over the top of a mountain, which people stay away from for fear of death.

What a book! Quirin and Cal become closer in this book as they deal with things outside of the extraordinary. They are alone and have to rely upon each other for survival, as well as seeing wondrous sights.

I loved this story and the finale was fantastic! I honestly can't wait to continue with this story. It is rich in detail and intrigue, bringing the story to life as you turn the pages. Absolutely brilliant and HIGHLY 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!
Jan 26, 2024
  
40x40

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated Bait and Swiss in Books

May 14, 2025 (Updated May 14, 2025)  
Bait and Swiss
Bait and Swiss
Korina Moss | 2025 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Chocolate and Cheese Make a Deadly Pairing
Willa Bauer is excited to be celebrating the second anniversary of opening her shop. But her excitement is tampered when her former fiancé and former best friend show up in town to open a new location for their chocolate shop. However, when someone appears to have been poisoned by one of their chocolates, Willa can’t help but poke around. Can she figure out what happened?

I was glad to have this part of Willa’s back story show up in town, and I liked the growth it gave Willa. We also saw a couple characters we haven’t seen in the last two books, which was great. The cast of both old and new characters kept me engaged, as did the story, which had plenty of complications on the way to an ultimately logical climax. I did feel that Willa’s actions at one point early on didn’t really make sense. Once again, we get some delicious sounding recipes at the end. Fans of the series will be delighted. If you enjoy culinary cozies and haven’t started this series yet, you need to fix that today.