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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Stalking The Angel (Elvis Cole, #2) in Books

Mar 9, 2018

PI Elvis Cole is hired to find an ancient Japanese manuscript. The trail leads him to the Japanese mafia and down a path of other crimes, including brutal murder.

Part of my reaction to this book was purely personal – it is darker than I normally read. Still, the bleakness did bother me. Even so, I found the plot uneven, especially when it slowed way down two thirds of the way through for a segment that felt like a lecture. The characters became more real as the book went along, but they started out as stiff types as well. Maybe I’m just expecting too much since I know how popular the series is, but I feel like, my complaints about the darkness of the book aside, it still could have been better.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-stalking-angel-by-robert.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.

Kudos

Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Heart-Shaped Box in Books

Jun 7, 2018

Heart-Shaped Box

Joe Hill | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry

7.0

(13 Ratings)

Book Rating

I couldn't decide whether or not to give this book 3 or 4 stars, so I'm going to give it 3.5 stars.

I thought this was a good read for the most part as I'm a big fan of horror books. I loved that there were a few scary bits in Heart-Shaped Box. I liked the character of Craddock and could actually imagine him to be a real ghost.

Jude, Marybeth and Anna were all believable characters as well.

What I didn't like was the BIG age gap between Jude and the girls he dates. That's just a personal thing though.

I felt that this book was lacking a bit of something although I can't put my finger on it. It's a great idea for a story but there's something else it could've had.

I'd still recommend this book for all fans of the horror genre.

Kudos

Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Hand Made: The Modern Woman's Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living in Books

Jun 18, 2018

Hand Made: The Modern Woman's Guide to Made-from-Scratch Living by Melissa K. Norris is a beautiful book. The book is part memoir and part cook book. The book looks at ways to make things homemade and the wisdom of the Depression era that can help make recipes simpler.

I enjoyed this book because the author shares recipes that had been handed down to her. The recipes were easy and adaptable. There were some good tips on growing herbs and suggestions for kitchen organization. The book also contains recipes for making soap and candles.

I highly recommend this book for those that enjoy making things from scratch or want to learn to do it more often. Melissa Norris includes personal stories and some scripture in some parts of the book that I enjoyed reading as well.

I received this book from Harvest House Publishers via NetGalley.

Kudos

ClareR (5885 KP) rated The Dark Lake in Books

Sep 5, 2018

The Dark Lake

Sarah Bailey | 2017 | Mystery, Thriller

7.3

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

One to watch for.

A debut thriller that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Rosalind Ryan, a local Drama and English teacher, is found dead in the lake at a local nature reserve. Gemma Woodstock, a local Detective Sergeant, is put on the case. Except Gemma has a history with Rosalind, and she has a lot of other personal baggage.
I enjoyed this. They're all very human characters with lots of faults, sometimes unpleasant ones: but I liked that. I liked that the murderer wasn't at all obvious (to me, anyway!) and had me guessing right up to the end, and the whole reason for the murder was a shock, and at the same time, understandable.
I will keep an eye out for future novels by this author, particularly in this series. I really do think that she'll be one to watch out for in the future.