Search
Search results
Lovely little short book that left me wanting more! I haven’t read A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, but I got the feeling from this prequel that it was the murder mystery dinner that ignited the passion in Pip to try and solve the murder that happened in her little town 5 years previously.
The murder mystery dinner was written so well that I felt like I was there and solving the “murder” with the characters. There was also the suspense of the environment around the dinner party with the weird noises and lights going out, which really made me wonder whether there was something sinister going on around them or if everything had a genuine explanation. I think it added to the suspense of the murder mystery part and made you more aware of little things, which I guess is why people like murder mystery parties!
I loved the writing style and how the notes were included as though you were reading them off the slip of paper that had been found, which doesn’t very often happen in books. I thought it was a nice addition and really gave you the feel of being a part of the dinner party. <br/>This has definitely made me want to read on and read the next instalment from Holly Jackson.
The murder mystery dinner was written so well that I felt like I was there and solving the “murder” with the characters. There was also the suspense of the environment around the dinner party with the weird noises and lights going out, which really made me wonder whether there was something sinister going on around them or if everything had a genuine explanation. I think it added to the suspense of the murder mystery part and made you more aware of little things, which I guess is why people like murder mystery parties!
I loved the writing style and how the notes were included as though you were reading them off the slip of paper that had been found, which doesn’t very often happen in books. I thought it was a nice addition and really gave you the feel of being a part of the dinner party. <br/>This has definitely made me want to read on and read the next instalment from Holly Jackson.
ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Spoiled Heart in Books
May 26, 2026
I’ll be honest, I’m not too sure how to explain The Spoiled Heart, but I will say that I can’t understand why Sahota’s books aren’t more widely known and read. This is the second book I’ve read (The China Room being the first), and I will be reading his two earlier novels at some point!
Nayan is a man with a past: he loses his son and mother in a senseless fire (an arson attack), and turns to activism in his local Trade Union after the collapse of his marriage. He’s a caring man who. Looks after his father with dementia, even though they’ve always had a very tense relationship.
When he decides to run as the trade union General Secretary, Megha decides to run against him, even though she has far less experience and comes from a very affluent background. Nayan also starts a relationship with Helen, an old schoolfriend of his sister, who has a teenaged son.
There’s a lot going on in this - more than I could possible tell you in this short review (and why wouldn’t you read it instead?!), so I won’t!
I liked that it was written from the perspective of Sajjan, who is investigating what happened to Nayan and his own family’s involvement. This gripped me from the off. It’s a novel with big topics, big feelings and big reveals!
Nayan is a man with a past: he loses his son and mother in a senseless fire (an arson attack), and turns to activism in his local Trade Union after the collapse of his marriage. He’s a caring man who. Looks after his father with dementia, even though they’ve always had a very tense relationship.
When he decides to run as the trade union General Secretary, Megha decides to run against him, even though she has far less experience and comes from a very affluent background. Nayan also starts a relationship with Helen, an old schoolfriend of his sister, who has a teenaged son.
There’s a lot going on in this - more than I could possible tell you in this short review (and why wouldn’t you read it instead?!), so I won’t!
I liked that it was written from the perspective of Sajjan, who is investigating what happened to Nayan and his own family’s involvement. This gripped me from the off. It’s a novel with big topics, big feelings and big reveals!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2644 KP) rated Welcome to Cozy Town in Books
May 29, 2026 (Updated May 29, 2026)
Pitch Perfect Send Up of Cozies
Violet has just inherited a bed and breakfast from a great-aunt she didn’t know she had in a town she’d never heard of before. But, considering she’s in need of a fresh start, the timing is perfect. However, when her first guest is found murdered in his bed, Violet can’t help but wonder what is going on. Especially since everyone in town seems to be taking it in stride. What kind of town has Violet moved to?
The teaser doesn’t really give you a feel for this cozy short story. It is a giant wink and nod to fans of the genre, filled with humor at the tropes we all know. You can’t help but laugh as you read, especially since it is obvious that this all comes from a love of the genre. The mystery is solid. It might be a little out there, but it also works for this story. My only complaint is that the characters are a little thin, but given the page count, I’m being picky. I read the story in about an hour, so it isn’t super long. And, of course, there’s a recipe at the end. Cozy mystery fans must read this story. They will laugh their way through it.
The teaser doesn’t really give you a feel for this cozy short story. It is a giant wink and nod to fans of the genre, filled with humor at the tropes we all know. You can’t help but laugh as you read, especially since it is obvious that this all comes from a love of the genre. The mystery is solid. It might be a little out there, but it also works for this story. My only complaint is that the characters are a little thin, but given the page count, I’m being picky. I read the story in about an hour, so it isn’t super long. And, of course, there’s a recipe at the end. Cozy mystery fans must read this story. They will laugh their way through it.
David McK (3883 KP) rated Changes (The Dresden Files, #12) in Books
Nov 14, 2021
<2021 update>
Still good!
<original 2011 review>
I'd read the first 11 or so Dresden Files in a (relatively) short space of time, before taking a break and reading some other novelists, interspersed with his Codex Alera series.
Right from the first sentence of this novel, however, it's obvious that this one has been particulary aptly named, and why I found this particular series to be better than his other. It's all happening here: this novel hits the ground running (a weakness I found with the Codex Alera, in that they took a lot longer to get up to speed) and barely pauses for breath right throughout it's 500+ pages! By the end, it's obvious that nothing will be the same again ...
I remember reading somewhere that Jim Butcher had the series planned out to be 20 books: if that's so, we're just slightly over the 1/2 way mark by now, and you can see some of the plot threads introduced in earlier novels begining to move towards their denouement, with one (in particular) tied up in this novel. For that reeason, I probably wouldn't recommend this to be a first read - while technically possible to read them out of sequence, I feel that you would be doing yourself a great dis-service in doing so, especially with the recurring characters, references and themes that continually pop up.
Still good!
<original 2011 review>
I'd read the first 11 or so Dresden Files in a (relatively) short space of time, before taking a break and reading some other novelists, interspersed with his Codex Alera series.
Right from the first sentence of this novel, however, it's obvious that this one has been particulary aptly named, and why I found this particular series to be better than his other. It's all happening here: this novel hits the ground running (a weakness I found with the Codex Alera, in that they took a lot longer to get up to speed) and barely pauses for breath right throughout it's 500+ pages! By the end, it's obvious that nothing will be the same again ...
I remember reading somewhere that Jim Butcher had the series planned out to be 20 books: if that's so, we're just slightly over the 1/2 way mark by now, and you can see some of the plot threads introduced in earlier novels begining to move towards their denouement, with one (in particular) tied up in this novel. For that reeason, I probably wouldn't recommend this to be a first read - while technically possible to read them out of sequence, I feel that you would be doing yourself a great dis-service in doing so, especially with the recurring characters, references and themes that continually pop up.
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder in Books
Apr 29, 2022
I had only read the short prequel, Kill Joy, to this book which I sat and read in one go and this one didn’t disappoint me.
Following Pip trying to prove that Sal Singh didn’t murder his girlfriend Andie Bell five years earlier was thrilling and had me guessing the whole way through. Every time I settled on a suspect, Pip did the same and then I was somehow talked back out of it with fresh evidence and clues that Pip had found. It definitely had my brain working!
I loved the way that it wasn’t just Pip’s story that had all of the focus, I loved that mingled in with the story, we had Pip’s logs, diagrams, messages and emails that gave more and more evidence and also made it exactly like we were having a sneak peek into her project for school.
Holly Jackson’s writing was so easy to read and I love that she didn’t make it obvious who the real killer was and that even towards the end of the book there were a couple of twists that shocked and surprised me. It was a very entertaining book and it didn’t seem like it was a debut novel at all.
I will definitely be continuing on with the series as I can’t wait to find out what happens to Pip!
Following Pip trying to prove that Sal Singh didn’t murder his girlfriend Andie Bell five years earlier was thrilling and had me guessing the whole way through. Every time I settled on a suspect, Pip did the same and then I was somehow talked back out of it with fresh evidence and clues that Pip had found. It definitely had my brain working!
I loved the way that it wasn’t just Pip’s story that had all of the focus, I loved that mingled in with the story, we had Pip’s logs, diagrams, messages and emails that gave more and more evidence and also made it exactly like we were having a sneak peek into her project for school.
Holly Jackson’s writing was so easy to read and I love that she didn’t make it obvious who the real killer was and that even towards the end of the book there were a couple of twists that shocked and surprised me. It was a very entertaining book and it didn’t seem like it was a debut novel at all.
I will definitely be continuing on with the series as I can’t wait to find out what happens to Pip!
Becs (244 KP) rated Too Hot To Touch in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Style: Extensive reading.
Point of View: Third person.
Difficulty Reading: Too Hot To Touch was a pretty easy read. I flew through the book but I also enjoy reading erotic romance books and tend to finish them in a short matter of time.
Promise: Lore Leigh promises a hot and steamy read that involves Breeds (like a shapeshifter) and humans falling in love (eventually…).
Quality: Too Hot To Touch was a quality read and in my book is worth a reread. Maybe not the type of book that you would reread over and over again as your go-to reread. But more of a when your craving a quick steamy romance.
Insights: So when I first received the book, I was like ‘Oh yea! This is going to be something like Twilight werewolves!!’ But as I started reading more and more I realized that it wasn’t. If that’s what you’re looking for, don’t read this. This is more of certain characters having an animal gene that doesn’t turn them into animals but gives them the ability to tap into the hunger and lust that animals get. Don’t get me wrong! It was still a very well written and catchy book. But if you’re not a fan of erotic romances, I would choose a different book.
Ah-Ha Moment: I mean any of the sexy scenes! But other than that not really a moment in the book that actually stood out to me.
Favorite Quote: “Every good girl loved a bad boy. It was a fact of life, a quirk of nature. Opposites attracts, and the badder the boy, the more attractive he was to that good girl who couldn’t help but be drawn to him.” – I mean it’s not wrong.
What will you gain: A well-written erotic romance that will leave you wanting to read Lora Leigh’s other novels.
Aesthetics: The cover was cool but didn’t really seem to go with the book. What I like most was how there were three novellas inside of the one book. Gave me a longer read instead of a simple, 100-page read.
“They were created, they weren’t born. They were trained, they weren’t raised. They were taught to kill, and now they’ll use their training to ensure their freedom.”
Point of View: Third person.
Difficulty Reading: Too Hot To Touch was a pretty easy read. I flew through the book but I also enjoy reading erotic romance books and tend to finish them in a short matter of time.
Promise: Lore Leigh promises a hot and steamy read that involves Breeds (like a shapeshifter) and humans falling in love (eventually…).
Quality: Too Hot To Touch was a quality read and in my book is worth a reread. Maybe not the type of book that you would reread over and over again as your go-to reread. But more of a when your craving a quick steamy romance.
Insights: So when I first received the book, I was like ‘Oh yea! This is going to be something like Twilight werewolves!!’ But as I started reading more and more I realized that it wasn’t. If that’s what you’re looking for, don’t read this. This is more of certain characters having an animal gene that doesn’t turn them into animals but gives them the ability to tap into the hunger and lust that animals get. Don’t get me wrong! It was still a very well written and catchy book. But if you’re not a fan of erotic romances, I would choose a different book.
Ah-Ha Moment: I mean any of the sexy scenes! But other than that not really a moment in the book that actually stood out to me.
Favorite Quote: “Every good girl loved a bad boy. It was a fact of life, a quirk of nature. Opposites attracts, and the badder the boy, the more attractive he was to that good girl who couldn’t help but be drawn to him.” – I mean it’s not wrong.
What will you gain: A well-written erotic romance that will leave you wanting to read Lora Leigh’s other novels.
Aesthetics: The cover was cool but didn’t really seem to go with the book. What I like most was how there were three novellas inside of the one book. Gave me a longer read instead of a simple, 100-page read.
“They were created, they weren’t born. They were trained, they weren’t raised. They were taught to kill, and now they’ll use their training to ensure their freedom.”
*＊✿❀ Maki ❀✿＊* (7 KP) rated The Warrior Heir (The Heir Chronicles, #1) in Books
May 3, 2018
[a:Cinda Williams Chima|125308|Cinda Williams Chima|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1291420167p2/125308.jpg] was my biggest takeaway from [b:The Way of the Wizard|8121665|The Way of the Wizard|John Joseph Adams|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1297656860s/8121665.jpg|12917149]. I absolutely adored the short story of how Linda and Hastings met, and knew that I had to read the actual series.
You can definitely tell that this was written a few years before the short story in The Way of the Wizard. The writing isn't quite on the same level - all of the key elements are still there, but in a rawer form.
That's not a bad thing. I'm not insulting the quality of the writing, at all. It was still a very enjoyable story, and the writing and the editing were solid. And I'm happy to watch the progression of the narrative, as it gets stronger over time.
...but. If I had read The Warrior Heir before I read "The Trader and the Slave", I probably would have enjoyed this book more than I did. Part of me kept waiting for the dark, grittiness that the short story had, and it never really showed up.
Were parts of The Warrior Heir heavy? Sure. There's a lot of double-crossing, morality, and self-sacrifice in there. But it wasn't quite the same.
Sorry for that slight detour there. I felt that, before I started talking about the book itself, I should explain the factors that went towards my final rating.
Because, in general, I loved this book. It was a lot of fun to read. I loved the "world" and the magic system, I loved the history and explanations of why magic works, and where it came from. The dedication to the magic system was very nice, and much appreciated in such an action-based fantasy book.
The main characters all managed to keep me interested in what was going on (even though there wasn't nearly enough Linda and Hastings in there for me), and the antagonists walked a delicate balance of being evil, and just doing what they thought would be best for themselves, or for those around them. Even some of the protagonists walked that line, which was <i>really</i> nice to see.
Morality - it's pretty important to the story.
There weren't really any surprises in the plot department. It was incredibly easy to guess the various "twists" the book had to offer. <spoiler>Especially anything having to do with Ellen.</spoiler> But personally, I was too distracted by the world-building to overly care about how predictable things were.
Because in Maki-land, well-established magic system > plot.
You can definitely tell that this was written a few years before the short story in The Way of the Wizard. The writing isn't quite on the same level - all of the key elements are still there, but in a rawer form.
That's not a bad thing. I'm not insulting the quality of the writing, at all. It was still a very enjoyable story, and the writing and the editing were solid. And I'm happy to watch the progression of the narrative, as it gets stronger over time.
...but. If I had read The Warrior Heir before I read "The Trader and the Slave", I probably would have enjoyed this book more than I did. Part of me kept waiting for the dark, grittiness that the short story had, and it never really showed up.
Were parts of The Warrior Heir heavy? Sure. There's a lot of double-crossing, morality, and self-sacrifice in there. But it wasn't quite the same.
Sorry for that slight detour there. I felt that, before I started talking about the book itself, I should explain the factors that went towards my final rating.
Because, in general, I loved this book. It was a lot of fun to read. I loved the "world" and the magic system, I loved the history and explanations of why magic works, and where it came from. The dedication to the magic system was very nice, and much appreciated in such an action-based fantasy book.
The main characters all managed to keep me interested in what was going on (even though there wasn't nearly enough Linda and Hastings in there for me), and the antagonists walked a delicate balance of being evil, and just doing what they thought would be best for themselves, or for those around them. Even some of the protagonists walked that line, which was <i>really</i> nice to see.
Morality - it's pretty important to the story.
There weren't really any surprises in the plot department. It was incredibly easy to guess the various "twists" the book had to offer. <spoiler>Especially anything having to do with Ellen.</spoiler> But personally, I was too distracted by the world-building to overly care about how predictable things were.
Because in Maki-land, well-established magic system > plot.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Spine Chillers: Krampus in Books
Dec 31, 2018
Just an Okay Read
When I heard about Krampus by Nancy Gray, it sounded like something I would love to read especially since I loved her other novel, Empty Eyes, so much. Unfortunately, Krampus was just an alright read.
The plot for Krampus is based on the central European folklore about a horned half goat, half demon who punishes naughty children during the Christmas season. Nancy Gray does a great job at sticking with the folklore in her book. Although this is a middle grade book, I felt like this would be better for upper middle grade since the subject matter is a bit more scary than Nancy Gray's previous scary novels. There are a few decent plot twists throughout Krampus. The world building is done very well, and at times, I felt like I was right there with Nick, living every moment, both good and bad, with him. Krampus is a short read which is perfect for middle schoolers who may not have the attention span for a longer book.
I had a hard time caring about the characters in Krampus at first, but about halfway through, I found myself worried about what would happen to Nick and wanting everything to turn out alright for him. I especially loved the character of Gretel/Greta. I found her to be the most interesting in the book even if she wasn't in the novel very much. I just loved her no-nonsense, straightforward attitude. I would love to read a Spine Chiller's novel about Greta. That's how much I loved her! The character of the Krampus was done very well, and as I've said before, the Krampus in this novel is very much like the one in folklore.
The pacing is what lets this book down the most in my opinion. During the first half of Krampus, the pacing is a bit all over the place although mostly it's just a bit slow. I found myself growing bored with Krampus and wondering if I should just give up. The action takes a long time to make an appearance, and I kept wondering when something major would happen. Since this is a short novel, I decided to persevere. I'm glad that I kept on reading because the second half is where the pacing picks up, and I found myself immersed in the book. I couldn't wait to learn what Nick's fate would be and what would become of the Krampus. The second half of this book definitely held my attention to the point where I stayed up a little later just to finish it so I could get closure.
Trigger warnings for Krampus include demons, monsters, violence, scary themes, one profanity, bullying, and death. Basically, this is a very dark book.
Overall, Krampus was just an alright read. I felt like it was much darker than the previous Nancy Gray book I had read. The plot is interesting enough, but the pacing during the first half is what makes Krampus just an okay read. However, I would definitely recommend Krampus by Nancy Gray to those aged 13+. The second half of this book makes it worthwhile.
--
(A special thanks to Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Spine Chillers:Krampus by Nancy Gray in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot for Krampus is based on the central European folklore about a horned half goat, half demon who punishes naughty children during the Christmas season. Nancy Gray does a great job at sticking with the folklore in her book. Although this is a middle grade book, I felt like this would be better for upper middle grade since the subject matter is a bit more scary than Nancy Gray's previous scary novels. There are a few decent plot twists throughout Krampus. The world building is done very well, and at times, I felt like I was right there with Nick, living every moment, both good and bad, with him. Krampus is a short read which is perfect for middle schoolers who may not have the attention span for a longer book.
I had a hard time caring about the characters in Krampus at first, but about halfway through, I found myself worried about what would happen to Nick and wanting everything to turn out alright for him. I especially loved the character of Gretel/Greta. I found her to be the most interesting in the book even if she wasn't in the novel very much. I just loved her no-nonsense, straightforward attitude. I would love to read a Spine Chiller's novel about Greta. That's how much I loved her! The character of the Krampus was done very well, and as I've said before, the Krampus in this novel is very much like the one in folklore.
The pacing is what lets this book down the most in my opinion. During the first half of Krampus, the pacing is a bit all over the place although mostly it's just a bit slow. I found myself growing bored with Krampus and wondering if I should just give up. The action takes a long time to make an appearance, and I kept wondering when something major would happen. Since this is a short novel, I decided to persevere. I'm glad that I kept on reading because the second half is where the pacing picks up, and I found myself immersed in the book. I couldn't wait to learn what Nick's fate would be and what would become of the Krampus. The second half of this book definitely held my attention to the point where I stayed up a little later just to finish it so I could get closure.
Trigger warnings for Krampus include demons, monsters, violence, scary themes, one profanity, bullying, and death. Basically, this is a very dark book.
Overall, Krampus was just an alright read. I felt like it was much darker than the previous Nancy Gray book I had read. The plot is interesting enough, but the pacing during the first half is what makes Krampus just an okay read. However, I would definitely recommend Krampus by Nancy Gray to those aged 13+. The second half of this book makes it worthwhile.
--
(A special thanks to Lola's Blog Tours for providing me with an eBook of Spine Chillers:Krampus by Nancy Gray in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Dana (24 KP) rated Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1) in Books
Mar 23, 2018
This was an interesting read for me. I would not say it was my favorite high fantasy novel in the world. That't mainly because this is one of my favorite genres to read, so I have read quite a few as of late.
This book took me a while to get into. There was a lot going on in the beginning, and it being a relatively short beginning of a story, it was hard to follow along. I am not saying I didn't like it, not by a long shot. Overall, it was a generally interesting and fun read. It just took a little longer than I had hoped to get into.
This book has been on my to be read list for over two years now, ever since a classmate of mine told me about it after our French class one day. I thought I would finally give it a read.
I do like Sabriel. She is pretty cool. I think I started liking her more in the second half of the book because she was growing into her role of the Abhorsen. She didn't shy away from her duties or try and get rid of them as she had more in the first half of the book. I like that she started taking charge of the situation.
Touchstone is interesting because I don't know how I feel about him. Honestly, I have no opinion of him at all, which is weird. We spend almost three hundred pages with him, and I can't find a connection with him. I do love the cat though. He's a demon, in cat form. So, a cat. (Don't get me wrong, cats are one of my favorite animals.) I am just not sure about Touchstone.
I still don't quite know what happened at the end of the book. It felt like it was wrapped up really fast and I didn't have time to process it.
I hope that if I get the next book, I will have a better understanding of how I feel about the characters and the story than I do right now.
This book took me a while to get into. There was a lot going on in the beginning, and it being a relatively short beginning of a story, it was hard to follow along. I am not saying I didn't like it, not by a long shot. Overall, it was a generally interesting and fun read. It just took a little longer than I had hoped to get into.
This book has been on my to be read list for over two years now, ever since a classmate of mine told me about it after our French class one day. I thought I would finally give it a read.
I do like Sabriel. She is pretty cool. I think I started liking her more in the second half of the book because she was growing into her role of the Abhorsen. She didn't shy away from her duties or try and get rid of them as she had more in the first half of the book. I like that she started taking charge of the situation.
Touchstone is interesting because I don't know how I feel about him. Honestly, I have no opinion of him at all, which is weird. We spend almost three hundred pages with him, and I can't find a connection with him. I do love the cat though. He's a demon, in cat form. So, a cat. (Don't get me wrong, cats are one of my favorite animals.) I am just not sure about Touchstone.
I still don't quite know what happened at the end of the book. It felt like it was wrapped up really fast and I didn't have time to process it.
I hope that if I get the next book, I will have a better understanding of how I feel about the characters and the story than I do right now.
Kristy H (1252 KP) Mar 29, 2021
Laura Doe (1350 KP) Mar 29, 2021