The Candy Shop Wars

The Candy Shop War has been on my radar since I finished Fablehaven. Seeing the library had it available I quickly checked it out. My husband had a root canal that took over five hours today so I had plenty of time to read.

Nate is dreading the new town his family moved to. Missing his friends and things that are familiar Nate reluctantly goes outside to meet some local children at the urging of his parents. After a little hesitation Nate quickly becomes friends with Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon. The four kids start school together and are excited to see a new candy shop open up. Upon entering the shop they quickly become friends with the owner Mrs. White who wastes no time getting them hooked on her candy.

The writing was smooth and easy to understand. Despite the book being geared towards middle school age I felt like the story was engaging and even threw in a word at times that most middle school students would have to look up. The only that confuses me this is part of a series yet the story tied up nicely in the end so I fail to see how it will continue.

Sold

Sold has been on my radar for awhile and when I saw the library had no waiting list for it I quickly checked it out. Yes the story was vile, horrible, and made me question humanity but I am a strong believer if you are not aware of what is going on in the world you cannot make anything change.

Lakshmi is a thirteen year old girl who lives in a poor mountain village in Nepal and knows hardship. With a cruel and drunken step father Lakshmi is used to him not providing for her mother, younger brother, and herself. Determined to help her family in any way possible Lakshmi is beyond excited when she learns she is to go work in a city as a maid. Thinking she will help her family with the money she is earning Lakshmi eagerly goes with the woman who buys her for a small sum. However none of that is true instead Lakshmi is sold into the sex slave trade and soon true horror is known to the young girl.

The story was written like a diary, all chapters were short and some only one paragraph. However McCormick did not need a lot of words to get the story across. I continue to hope with more education, awareness, and people learning not to take advantage of others crimes that involve children will stop. 

The Cowboy's Christmas Bride

I believe The Cowboy's Christmas was a Free Friday book at one point. Once again I was looking for a Christmas story and found this in my Nook library.

Cassidy is looking for some peace and quiet to recover after a surgery. Deciding her childhood home with her Grandpa is the best place for her Cassidy is shocked when she hits the truck of her ex-boyfriend. Determined to keep things professional while she finishes healing Cassidy does her best to build a wall around her heart locking out Ryder and his little girl Molly.

Ryder never got over Cassidy and when she left to become a music star it broke his heart. Determined to protect his little girl he refuses to get close to Cassidy as she recovers at her family's house. In over his head with little girl duties Ryder focuses on being the best dad he can to Molly.

I tried really hard to read The Cowboy's Christmas Bride but I just did not like it. At around the forty percent mark I just started skimming it. The story was dull to me and too slow of a pace. The writing was average and none of the characters stuck with me.

Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing was in a big box of books given to me by a friend. The story started out a bit slow but I am glad I continued with it.

Kya has never known anything but the marsh to bring her safety. With a drunk and abusive father she learns to hide in the marsh to keep him for hurting her. Abandoned by her mother and eventually siblings Kya learns to take care of herself. Using the marsh for food and eventually learning to trade at the local shanty town for things like gas and grits Kya scratches out a small existence. Life is good until a local man is found dead.

The second half of the story was defiantly fast paced compared to the first half. I could not put down Where the Crawdads Sing about about the 60% mark and just read straight though. The writing was smooth and transitioned easily even when jumping between two time periods. I did get a bit bored with all the poetry that seemed randomly inserted and eventually just skipped reading the poems.

The Wishmakers

I have been wanting to a read a fun story for awhile but have been putting off checking out a middle school book since I have no children and feel a bit out of place reading middle school stories. However The Wishmakers was flat out a fun story.

Ace is shocked beyond belief when he opens up a peanut butter jar and a kid pops out. After gathering his wits about him Ace learns the kid is a genie and going to grant him wishes. Even better Ace is not limited to three wishes he gets as many as he wants for a whole week as long as he accepts the consequences of the wish. Ace and the Genie, Ridge, develop a friendship and both want each other to succeed. I enjoyed reading about their relationship and seeing the two working together to accomplish things. The consequences for a wish was a great twist with the story, some were hilarious and some really made Ace think about things. Ace grew a good deal as the story progressed and learned to balance out his wishes and choices far more carefully as the plot progressed.

The writing was fun, witty, entertaining, and well done. I am already on the waiting list for The Wishbreaker and hope it will not be a long wait. 

Cooking Spirits

If Cooking Spirits had not opened with a murder it is not a book I would have finished. I did not understand the characters, the overall plot of the characters relationships, and the humor was mild at best.

Angie is getting married in a few months and neither of them have housing that works for two. Determined to find the perfect place to live Angie goes house hunting with her realtor sister. After hours of looking Angie sees a listing for the perfect house and quickly convinces her sister to take her there. Oddly enough the house is perfect and the little things like the candy jar moving can be ignored. Soon Angie finds herself enthralled with the house's history while her fiance works to solve a double homicide.

After I finished Cooking Spirits I found out it is a spin off series with the main series having fourteen books which is most likely why I struggled to understand things in Cooking Spirits. Since the writing came off as average with no real character I feel in love with I wont be pursuing the next book or the books in the previous series.

Stay at Home Dead

Stay at Home Dead is a mystery but I would not classify it as a cozy mystery. What intrigued me about Stay at Home Dead is the main character is a male and I have not read a mystery with a male lead before.

Deuce Winters was an interesting character and I did wish for a few more humorous moments. Some of the humor was clearly pushed a bit too much. Being a stay at home dad for his three year old daughter is a dream for Deuce since his wife makes ample money being an attorney. Getting to do pony tails is the hardest part of his day until he find a dead man in his van after a local grocery store trip. Determined to keep his head down becomes impossible for Deuce when it suddenly seems everyone in town is out to get him for every wrong he has committed since senior year of high school. Unsure who to trust and running out of ways to stay out of trouble Deuce comes to the conclusion he will have to solve things himself.

While I liked the change of pace with a male lead I am not sure Stay at home Dead was overall a genre I would read more of. I guess I relate to the humor of things happening to females more. All in all Stay at Home Dead was a fast and easy read.

All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt

All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt is the second book in the Haunted Vintage Mystery Series. I am really glad I gave the second book in the series a chance since Cookie really grew on me.

Having solved a murder mystery and gotten cozy with a local detective Cookie is happy her life is back on track. Eager to continue promoting her vintage clothing store Cookie is beyond excited when a movie being produced locally asked her to provide the costumes Cookie is over the moon. All that is well and great and until the main actress shows up dead in one of Cookie's vintage dresses. Pulled into yet another mystery Cookie has at least learned a few tricks on how to stay out of trouble but get things done.

Roe Pressey's writing really evolved and I felt All Dressed Up and No Place to Haunt read a lot smoother then If You've Got It, Haunt It. I do plan on continuing with the series and since I am still in the mood for the cozy mystery genre I am hoping the library has Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore.

Sit! Stay! Speak!

Due to the cover and the story having a dog as a main part of the story I have been putting off sit! stay! speak! since it reminds me too much of my dog I had to put down earlier this year. Thankfully it did not get to me since Felix did not play as big a role as I thought he would.

Addie has inherited her Aunt's house and it eager for a change of pace since her life has been a bit depressing lately. Going for a walk along the river she finds a bag with a badly injured dog inside. Frantic to save the dogs life she rushes him to the vet and decides to adopt the dog when the vet informs her that the human society will tell him to put the dog down.

I am fairly sure this is a debut novel since the writing lacked a polished finish. Transitions were bad and nonexistent. It took a lot of focus to read the story since it jumped around with no notice at all. Also I did not realize the genre of the book until the last couple of chapters which is not the best way to write a story. Addie was totally clueless and everyone wanted to protect her which drove me crazy, she needed to learn to protect herself in some ways. While the part about Addie's bond with Felix was cute I will not seek out this type of story again.

If You've Got It, Haunt It

I was really wanting a nice cozy mystery so I choose If You've Got It, Flaunt It from the library homepage a few nights ago. It was an alright read, I prefer cozy mysteries that have a food focus instead of clothing focus.

Cookie was a fun character though I would have loved to learn why a ghost was choosing to haunt her. That was never explained but it might be later in the series. Just looking for some good deals on clothes for her vintage clothing shop Cookie got more then she bargained for when she picked up a ghost a rummage sale. Not wanting anything to do with Charlotte the recently murdered real estate agent Cookie does her best to ignore her which does not work. Things get more chaotic when a lovely white cat decides its new favorite spot is in Cookie's clothing shop.

For once it was nice to read about a believable main character in a cozy mystery, instead of being eager to solve the murder Cookie just wants to be left alone. In no way shape or form does Cookie want to snoop, ask people questions, search for clues, or even talk to Charlotte. Even though it was not my preferred style I liked If You've Got It, Haunt It enough to download the second book in the series last night.

Scourged

Scourged is the ninth and final book in the Iron Druid series. I am glad I waited to start the Iron Druid after the whole series was released, I prefer to read long series all at once so I do not forget anything. Sadly I did not care for Scourged or for the overall ending of the series.

Atticus knows Loki is coming and most likely coming for him. Out of time and places to run Attiucs starts helping prepare for the battle to determine the fate of the world. Wanting to keep the world safe, his apprentice, archdruid, and all the young druid apprentices Atticus works on calling in favors and balancing things out as well as he can.

I never liked Granuaile, she drove me crazy with her desire for vengeance and ability to not make diplomatic mistakes unlike Atticus who made them every time he opened his mouth. 

I did like Owen and wished it would have touched on Atticus training to be a druid in his memories more since it sounded like lots of stories happened. 

Kevin Hearne did mention writing about the young apprentices possibly but I do not think I will pursue that since I did not care for the overall ending of the series. I am a bit burnt out on fantasy due to the Iron Druid so I intend to find a light hearted read just to relax with. 

The Hideaway

The Hideaway was in a large box of books a friend passed one to me. I loved the inviting cover and the idea that an overworked woman would rediscover her childhood roots.

With the death of her grandmother Sara inherits an old house that use to be a grand bed and breakfast. Torn from her life in New Orleans where she runs a posh furniture shop Sara returns home to fulfill her grandmother's dying wish restore the old house. Reluctantly Sara starts to work on the house and as the layers of paint are peeled back she beings to fall in love with the house and becomes unsure what to do about her life's direction.

The Hideaway was a believable, every day life story. Sara was a normal person struggling to figure out her life and thinking she had it all until a wrench was thrown into things. The writing was average and the story did drag at points. Not the normal type of book I would have chosen to read but it was nice for a light moment or two to read a few pages.


Personal Note
Last year something went wrong with my right hand and affected the ability to move my fingers. After several months doctors provided the rare diagnosis of a nerve disease that I have been actively doing physical therapy to reverse. It is slow going and due to that my left hand has been making up for my right hand which caused my left hand to become sprained and thus with limited use of both hands I had to slow down on my reading since holding a book open was not working well. Thankfully my left hand is now fully recovered so I should be able to go back to reading a bit more.

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir was recommended by a friend. Neither the cover nor the short description from my friend really made me want to try it but I figured I would go for it.

One thing interesting about The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is that the story was told entirely from writings, letters between family and friends, journals, telegrams, and newspapers. This did make it hard for me to connect with some of the characters. Plus I had a really hard time believing some of the letters, it just felt too much like someone was writing a formal story in the letters.

I did enjoy all the ladies and the different ways they saw life. Each one was unique in their own way so I did not feel like I was reading a story about a town full of the same person. A couple of the characters drove me crazy like Kitty. She was suppose to be thirteen but she acted far younger in my opinion more like she was eight or nine. I like the drama that went on between some of the women and how one of the meeker women of the town evolved into a force to be reckoned with.

While I would never seek out another story along these lines I would not say no to it.

Hunted

Hunted is the sixth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles. Sometimes I wonder why I am continuing with the series since I dislike Granuaile so much but then awesome things happen leaving me wondering what will happen next. I have mixed feelings on Hunted, it did provide some awesome new lore and gave a few fun chapters with just Atticus. The drawback Granuaile started to have chapters from her point of view. It still has not warmed me up to liking her any.

One of my favorite parts of the series is Atticus and Oberon's dialogue. It is  full of humor and many references to movies and Shakespeare which is just great. I never get tired of their scenes. Some of the writing was a bit lacking for moving the story forward. Since the group is being hunted across Europe things felt boring at times just them running and more running. I tended to skim this part of the story until the more important scenes appeared.

Despite dislike Granuaile I will continue with the series since Hunted ended on such a wonderful cliffhanger. 

Trapped

Trapped is the fifth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and I finally figured out why I am not enjoying the series as much as I did Hounded. Granuaile drives me crazy, I am not fond of the chemistry between Granualie and Atticus at all. 

Atticus has finally trained Granualie and is ready to bond her as a new druid. Anxious to get on with the ceremony he is eagerly searching the perfect place. However all that changes when he finds out he can no longer shift to Europe except for the area around Mt. Olympus which is a problem since the Gods of Olympus are not overly fond of Atticus. 

It did not really feel like twelve years passed since Tricked. I did not see much change or growth with Atticus and Granualie, they just seem to be more tense with each other over the standing of their relationship. Despite disliking Granualie I do plan on continuing with the series. 

Tricked

Tricked is the fourth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles. I had really hoped it would pull me back into the series since Coyote is a fun character. Sadly I am not enjoying the story as much as I did in Hunted.

Atticus has debt to pay and Coyote intends to collect. Being a trickster Atticus should have been on guard for Coyote going for more then he was owed. Atticus is still mostly the same and continues to play the hero and while he does not always play the hero well he gets the job done. Just wanting to be left alone Atticus does his best to avoid overpaying on his debt, staying out of vampire affairs, and just focusing on training his apprentice. 

While I am not as interested in the story I do plan on continuing. I already have Trapped downloaded and ready for the weekend. 

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko was not what I expected at all. The story is written completely by Ivan and it is clear he had no problem sharing the high and low points of his childhood at Mazyr Hospital for Gravely Ill Children.

Born with no legs, no right arm, a thumb and two fingers on his right hand along with facial muscles that do not work correctly Ivan is used to being shunned. However the other residents do not seem to mind his appearance since most of them are trapped in their minds. All that changes for Ivan when a teenage girl named Polina arrives hoping the hospital will treat her leukemia. A strange and fascinating friendships starts to develop between the two teens as they explore what it means to live and ultimately die. 

The whole story pulled at my heart strings. I felt the pain that was clearly throughout the halls of the hospital and the pain everyone went through including the nurses. The translation from Russian to English did not bother me at all, it was wonderfully translated and the occasional Russian word or phrase thrown in did not deter from the story at all. 

Hammered

Hammered it the third book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and I really wanted to love it. Finally the story of why so many people want to kill Thor but it was a huge let down.

Atticus is forced to pay on a debt for help he received from his friend Lief. Not eager to go to the Norse plane where Thor dwells Atticus agrees to take Lief and five others who have a serious grievance with Thor. Once again risking his life Atticus does all he can to keep his loved ones safe while keeping his own skin intact.

I am not really sure why I did not enjoy Hammered. The battle with Thor was a huge let down as was some of the reasons people wanted to do him in. I guess I expected a more intricately told story however the set up for Tricked was amazing and I am eager to start on it.

The Stars are Fire

The Stars are Fire is another recommendation and I must say while I could not stop reading everything about The Stars are Fire was extraordinarily ordinary.

Grace is an average seeming character, nothing about her really stands out. Unhappy in her marriage she grins and bears it while doing her best to care for her two young children and her husband. Life is mediocre and boring until the weather changes bringing a fire right for the little house Grace and her family lives in. Determined to save her children Grace hurries them to the ocean and lets the waves protect them all as the wall of flames destroys everything she knows.

I kept waiting for the story to pick up. While it was not bad it was not exciting or thrilling in any way. The biggest thing that kept me reading was what happened to Grace's husband. The last thirty or so pages of The Stars are Fire was the best part of the whole story. Most likely just not my style of book but once I start a book with a mystery I have to know how it ends.

Hexed

Hexed is the second book in the Iron Druid Chronicles and it was just as full of action as Hounded.

Atticus just wants to live a quiet life running his bookstore and playing fetch with his dog. That does not seem possible though, having slain a God Atticus is now on every God's radar and they all want him for something. Minding his own business Atticus is pulled into yet another issue when someone tries to burn him alive if not for his special amulet he would not have survived. Forced into a new battle Atticus must call upon new and old allies as he learns even more about what it means to be known.

Everything so far about the Iron Druid series is action and I love it, each chapter is packed full of adventure. While I do not know much about the Gods and Goddesses that Atticus deals with Hearne does a wonderful job providing information on them and also provides a handy pronunciation guide that usually mentions who the person is. My only complaint about Hexed is that it sort of felt like two stories in one with a hint of a third story starting. I was able to keep things straight but with so much lore in the story I did get concerned about mixing things up. I have Hammered downloaded on my Nook and ready to read tonight. 

Where the Light Falls

I have always loved history and it is fun to read about different historical periods even if the characters are made up characters. Where the Light Falls was beautifully researched and clearly well done for a collaboration between two authors.


While the description speaks of four main characters I really only connected with two. The dashing captain Andre and the upcoming lawyer Jean-Luc. Both men have their own battles to face as their fates become intertwined. 

Andre came off as a strong man with a determination to protect everyone around him through force. Fresh off his victory for France's liberation Andre is riding on cloud nine until the chaos of the revolution hits close to home.

Jean-Luc dream of justice and the revolution allows him to provide justice to the countless people the wealthy took advantage of. Known for taking any case even if pay is not possible Jean-Luc has a kind heard and a strong sense of what is right. 

While I liked the overall story the writing at times was too much. Too much detail, too much fluff, I wanted more hard core plot to move the story along. While I do not want to read another story about the French revolution I would consider reading another book by the authors as long as it was another historical event.

Janie Face to Face

Janie Face to Face is the fifth and final book in the Janie Johnson series. Like a lot of book series I read the story just went downhill quickly. The part that intrigued me was Hannah's point of view. I have always wondered what she was thinking when she took tiny Janie from the shopping mall.

Janie finally has her life in order and is attending college. Happy to be away from people who do not know her as the "milk carton" girl she is living life as a normal person until she meets a boy who wants to know her past. Determined now to share anything she shuts him down each and every time he asks questions about her family. The story was repetitive and felt overly done as the book progressed.

Without a doubt the most interesting part was the story from Hannah's point of view. It is clear she has some sort of mental disorder and that part was written splendidly. I found myself skimming the chapters that dealt with Janie to just get to the Hannah part.

The writing sort of went downhill. I was bored with a lot of the story and just wanted it to end. The transitions were not smooth at all between the different characters. One moment it is Janie and the next it is a sibling and I was like whoa what is going on. All in all the series just drug on way too long. A novella would have been a better solution for Hannah's point of view and  a quick epilogue to sum up the part about Janie and Reeve.

Hounded

Despite a dozen people or more recommending The Iron Druid Chronicles over the years I had been putting it off. Finally I saw the library had a copy of Hounded in and finally grabbed it. I should have immediately signed up to be on the waiting list the moment I received the first recommendation.

Atticusis the last of the druids and has lived far past his time. Enjoying his quiet life of pruning the widow down the street's tree and running his bookstore Atticusis is happy to go on living in his quiet bubble of happiness. That bubble is about to break though, an old enemy has found his location and if playing for keeps. Determined to stay alive and keep everyone he cares about safe Atticusis walks a fine line as he draws upon his ancient knowledge and power. 

Despite Atticusis being the main character I felt like everyone in the story had a clear voice and wonderfully rich personality. The research was well done and despite the different language barriers among some of the mythical creatures and old Gods the writing was flawlessly woven together. I cannot wait to see what other adventures and mishaps await Atticusis and his mythical team of friends. I already have Hexed downloaded on my Nook and ready to go for this evening.

Gimmy Moon

Ginny Moon was a story recommended by a friend. Finally a recommendation I enjoyed

Ginny is an autistic child who has found her forever family or so she thinks. Determined to get back to her abusive mother, Gloria, Ginny causes more problems fro her adoptive family then they can seem to handle. Constantly worried about her "baby doll" Ginny is frustrated that no one can understand or seems to want to understand that she needs to take care of her "baby doll." Pleas from her adoptive parents to but her a new doll fall on deaf ears or send her into a fit. With no one listening Ginny has to take things into her own hands.

The writing was well done, smooth, and while different I could see the autistic parts come into the writing well. I enjoyed the story and it pulled at my heart strings along with making me annoyed and frustrated at times just like Ginny. I would gladly read another story by Benjamin Ludwig.

Geisha, A Life

Geisha, A Life was put on my to read list after I saw it while browsing the library and wanting to read about more modern Japanese traditions. I really do not know what to say about Geisha, the writing style was a bit odd. Sometimes it read like a story and other times more like a report.

Mineko Iwasaki certainly had an interesting life and was clearly determined to live her life her own way. While I liked Iwasaki I also felt like I did not really see her despite reading her biography. Taking into account that Japanese people would understand the culture Iwasaki is a bit naive in approaching other cultures. I constantly got traditional words and names mixed up. Even with the word having a definition the first time it appeared a glossary was sorely needed. Despite the flaws I did enjoy Geisha and was happy for more insight into Japanese culture.

The Orphan's Tale

I have been wanting to read The Orphan's Tale ever since I first saw the book sitting on the shelf of my local bookstore. Turns out the story was as painstakingly beautiful as I imagined.

Noa was a written so vividly that I felt like I was standing with her in the cold as she snatched a baby from the frozen boxcar. The pain in Astrid as her husband presented the divorce papers to her painted a picture of a defeated couple in love so delicately that I feared reading Astrid would break into a thousand pieces.

While both Noa and Astrid were different in everything from their ages to their heritage yet the girls felt like close sisters and both learned how to become wise beyond their years. I loved the writing and it was refreshing to read an author who can switch between two points of view perfectly. Never once did I struggle with what was going on or trying to figure out why things suddenly changed.

The writing fit the story perfectly and while it had touches of historical moments everything flowed together well into a glorious tale of hardship, heartbreak, love, and loss. I would happily read another story by Pam Jenoff in an instant.

The Archietect's Apprentice

The Architect's Apprentice was one of the books in the box my friend lent me. When I saw Elif Shafak was the author I almost passed on it but I am glad I did not.

Jahan was an interesting character, without a father and a step father he resents he is happy to accompany the white elephant he has named Chota to Istanbul and the Sultan's menagerie. With luck and hit wits Jahan works hard to survive in the palace, far too honest for the palace games Jahan struggles to fit in properly. Finally offered a proper education at the palace school Jahan begins to excel at his passion drawing. Unable to draw the likeness of anyone he funnels his efforts into drawing blueprints of building.

Oddly enough I really enjoyed the writing style and character development. Since I disliked a previous book by Elif Shafak I had sort of written the author off my to read list, I may have to rethink that decision.

Starflight

Starflight was a lucky find. I was tired one night but unable to sleep so I picked up my nook. After browsing several pages of the library I was finding nothing so I went into my wish list and happened to see Starflight. I do not even recall putting it on my wish list.


Solara is an interesting character, while she carries the marks of a felon on her knuckles I in no way saw her as a felon. Though I was dying to find out her charges until it was finally revealed. Given up by her parents to an orphanage ran by nuns Solara has not known an easy or a kind life. Instead of letting it tear her down she decides to learn all she can about being a mechanic and thus improving her life through her skills and knowledge. While this is a beautiful picture in her head Solara has to face reality as she comes face to face with her tormentor from school.

Doran has the perfect life, money, fame, athletic, and a hot girlfriend. In a moment of judgement her decides to take Solara, a former classmate, on as his servant. Determined to get his money's worth out of her work Doran is ruthless in the chores he demands of Solara. Snooby, stuck up, and uncaring are the way Doran appears to anyone whom he deems beneath him and Solara is happy to throw anything she can in his face. Everything changes in an instant for Doran, with his DNA at a crime scene he is suddenly the most wanted person in the galaxy. With no where to go he stays with Solara on board a pirate vessel.

Solara and Doran were both interesting characters who clearly had growth while still showing parts of their character that needed to be worked on. Melissa Landers is a wonderful writer, the whole story was action packed with many different plots going on at once but nothing felt crammed in or rushed in any way. I could not wait to read the next chapter every time. I am already on the waiting list for Starfall.

Empty Promises

Empty Promises and other True Case Crimes is part of Ann Rule's Crime Files series. Each book is a stand alone though. I was getting burnt out on reading a bunch of historical novels so I switched to true crime for a while.

I really enjoyed the first half of Empty Promises since it was about one case but after that I lost interest in some of the cases. They were shorter stories and some were interesting while some were not. Ann Rule is a tight writer who clearly does her research and has an extraordinary team of editors. While I am not sure I would ever read another Crime Files book I will continue to read full length stories written by Ann Rule.

Of Blood and Bone

Of Blood and Bone is the second book in the The Chronicles of One. I did not care for it much and while I will read the next book I am only reading it to get closure over what happens to a few key characters.

Fallon is annoying, everything comes so easily for her. She never has to struggle with things or has moments where she gets to realize life is not fair. An average every day Mary Jane that everyone cannot wait to worship.

I would like to know more about some of the side characters, including the animals who befriend Fallon. Along with her teacher Mallick. His story seems promising along with some areas outside of New Hope or the farm where Fallon grew up. It is all well and good to be told over and over how much crime is outside the communities but show the reader that.

Sadly Of Blood and Bone became a chore to read which is why it took me so long to read. I am just glad it is over with so I can move onto a better book.

The City of Brass

I am not even sure where to being with a review for The City of Brass. I have read fantasy and high fantasy for years yet never have I struggled so much with names, religious sects, and nationalities. Half the time I was not sure who I was reading about and I constantly got characters confused, jumping between nick names for people and their full name did not help either. I really should read The City of Brass again to try to understand it more but it was a hard book for me to hold one handed and my right hand still shows no signs of recovery any time soon.

Nahri lives in the slums and makes her money swindling rich people. Happy to steal from the rich to feed herself and save for her dream of moving out of the slums Nahri takes pride in her abilities to get money from wealthy men without having to resort to prostitution. All is going well for Nahri until she gets in a con over her head, struggling to heal a young teen Nahri accidentally summons a djinn. This is where I started to get confused as to who was who.

Ali is the crown prince but knows he will never rule since he is the second son. Happy to be in his brothers shadow he lives his life by the sword. Mastering his skills he fights with a deadly grace and all is going his way until his father summons him back to court to keep a closer eye on him.

Even though I struggled with the world Chakraborty wrote I still liked the story. I do plan on reading City of Copper and hopefully it wont be as much a struggle. Books like this make me wish for a fold out glossary so it is easier to look up terms and names.

White Chrysanthemum

A friend gave me a large box full of books to read and return. White Chrysanthemum was the first one I pulled out of the box. I hesitated when I read the description since I do not tend to like stories that deal with two different people in two different time periods.

Hana loves her life as a haenyeo and the freedom it provides her. All that changes when a Japanese solider shows up on the beach. In order to protect her younger sister, Emi, Hana distracts the solider and is taken thus saving Emi. The journey of Hana as she is sent to be a "comfort woman" for the Japanese soldiers is powerful but sad.

Emi saved by her elder sister struggles with accepting that and blames herself for Hana's capture. Now an elderly lady she continues her quest of finding her sister even after all these years. 

I was surprised this was a debut novel since it was so well written, I see seasoned authors struggle to write with the flow and grace Bracht demonstrated. I was highly interested in the story and learning the history of these tormented women. I cannot wait to see what other treasures are in the box of books.

Baking is Murder

Baking is Murder was a free book I had downloaded at one time on my Nook. I randomly choose it because I was in the mood for cozy mystery. The story was short with no real filler which was nice.

Jessie is recently divorced and between jobs, not sure what to do she decides to head to her Aunt Bee hoping to work at her bakery for awhile. Quickly hired she is enjoying the small town when a murder suddenly occurs. Determined to help Jessie works at finding clues to help her figure out who the real murder is.

The story was corny but I expect that in a cozy mystery. Very little character development just a clear cut story line, short, and a fast read. I am still in the mood for a cozy but since I have a stack of library books that will have to wait for a bit.

Alice + Freda Forever

I have wanted to read Alice + Freda Forever ever since I read a sample several years ago. Sadly it was a huge let down.

The story of a young woman who is obsessed with another young woman so much that she kills to make sure her love does not end up with someone else. The making of a thrilling story that had a lot of potential sadly the writing was choppy and it read more like part of an essay hurriedly thrown together. Not much was done to develop a story line at all it was just facts written in a dry manner. The story was also super short, lots of the book was referencing sources which is good for making it historically accurate but not for reading for pleasure.

Year One

Year One has been on my radar for awhile, I have read more serious stories about disease ravishing civilization but never one by a well known author or one that killed off so many people. The story switches between many points of view and I did have problems keeping up with genders and who was who at times. It does seems that Lana is the main character though.

Lana is a sous chef and loves her job. She cannot believe it when the news starts reporting about the Doom and how it is killing people with no cute. The Doom is mutating as fast as the remaining people can study it. Worried for their safety due to people ravishing New York city Lana and her significant other Max decide to get out of the city while they still can.

I had several problems with Year One beyond the aforementioned. The tone of the overall story could not seem to decide what it was doing, it started out in a foreign country with someone seeming to have a cold. Going on a plane and spreading the cold. Getting home and going to bed next thing they are in the hospital and a bit later deceased. It never really goes into the Doom or scientists studying it. Instead people just run from it and the world falls apart as the story jumps to people suddenly doing magik. I am not sure if the Doom woke this up in people or if people could already do this. Despite the downfalls I do wish to read Of Blood and Bone and am already on the library's waiting list. 

The Good Neighbor

The Good Neighbor the Life and Work of Fred Rogers has been on my radar since I saw it in the bookstore. While I never recall watching Mr. Roger's Neighborhood as a child I was interested in the aspect of Rogers pioneering a new type of television geared towards young children.

I started out enjoying the story it felt like it would go from start to finish of Fred's life highlighting the key points and skimming over the smaller parts. Sadly it did not keep that pace. I soon grew bored with the story and just wanted it to end.

The reading was tedious, repetitive, and whole chapters were not about Fred. The words did not flow off the page and I do not feel like I really learned much about how Fred pioneered children's television which is a huge disappointment. It will be a long time before I am ready to try another biography since this one totally burned me out.

What Janie Found

What Janie Found is the fourth book in the Janie Johnson series. Due to moving recently and in between jobs for the time I have a lot of free time. Well until the new apartment renovations are done then I won't have to sit here all day with the maintenance men and be able to feel out some job locations.

Janie is under stress and struggling to help her parents as best she can. Having had a stroke Mr. Johnson is incapacitated in the hospital. To take the burden off her mother Janie agrees to keep track of the bills along with some household chores. Horrified at finding a folder marked H.J. in the file cabinet with the bills Janie struggles to figure out what to do. Thankfully for Janie Brian her younger brother and Reeve are close by to give her continuous support. 

I was disappointed in What Janie Found. The whole feel of the story was building up this huge reveal and moving towards one thing but it just felt like the story stopped. No real closure or anything. I was under the belief this was the last story in the series but I just saw a novella and another novel listed on Goodreads. I have come this far so I will continue the series.

The Voice on the Radio

The Voice on the Radio is the third book in the Janie Johnson series. I feel that The Voice on the Radio has been the weakest story line in the series so far. It made sense for a follow up with how things went with Janie meeting her biological parents but I sort of had closure, things ended up going well for Janie.

Janie has decided she needs to live with the Johnsons but keep in touch with the Springs. Life is going perfectly for her until Reeve leaves for college. Missing Reeves Janie becomes closer to her biological siblings as she slowly adjusts to dodging the media and trying to figure out her life.

Reeve is struggling at college, having never cared much about academics he looks for a way to fit in and finds that through the college radio station. As a newbie he is given a one hour time slot at 2am in the morning until he starts to tell stories about Janie or as he calls them "Janies." Totally engrossed in filling the time slot Reeve talks and talks without any care in the world. Things get better when he moved to a prime time and given two days a week to tell more "Janies."

The writing stayed consistent as more characters point of views were added in. The story line just felt weak this time and did not seem to focus on Janie much. It felt like more was about Stephen and Jodie dealing with their demons.

Whatever Happened to Janie?

Whatever Happened to Janie is the second book in the Janie Johnson series. With the cliffhanger ending of The Face on the Milk Carton I could not wait to start Whatever Happened to Janie. I was reading while in the chaos of moving and I almost every night I fell asleep with my Nook in my hands.

Janie or Jennie as she is now being called is living with her biological family and trying to adjust to suddenly having four siblings and a new set of parents. Missing all that she knows Janie tries to immerse herself into the role and life of Jennie to make her new family happy. Things do not go well though and Janie struggles between the two identities as her siblings expect her to suddenly become their long lost sister overnight. 

I do not have any siblings so in a way I could understand Janie being suddenly overwhelmed by having several children wanting her to just suddenly become one of the family. Janie's biological parents were bit more understanding with how things were going and willing to give her time. However with the tensions high and everyone wanting something different Janie is struggling to adjust and embrace her new identity. 

While I did not enjoy Whatever Happened to Janie as much as the Face on the Milk Carton I am going to continue on with the series since I want to know if Janie will end up embracing both her sets of parents.

Big Little Lies

I have had Big Little Lies on my radar for awhile. When my old boss said she read it and I would not like it I knew I just had to read it. Happily she was incorrect and I enjoyed the unique writing style.

It did take me a bit to figure out how the writing flowed since the story just jumps right into the police investigation. I do like how small hints and testimony was given throughout each chapter. It was like two stories were being told at once.

Madeline was a fun character with lots of personality. She had no problem saying what was on her mind no matter the consequences and clearly cared deeply for anyone she considered a friend. Unfortunately for Madeline her ex-husband has to be front and center with his new wife rubbing in that he is a better father now making Madeline bitter.

Celeste reminds me of a wall flower, quiet and beautiful. While seemingly having the perfect life she struggles to appear to be happy and composed. Determined to maintain the facade of a everything going well Celeste plays a dangerous game that risks her perfect life.

Jane is young and inexperienced as a mother but she is determined to give her son a fresh start that will lead to a happily ever after for the two of them. However this goes seriously array when her little boy is accused of being a bully. 

These three women seemingly have nothing in common yet everything in common as they deal with life's issues. The writing was fresh and never boring despite talking about mundane things at times. While I did enjoy Big Little Lies and would not mind reading more of Liane Moriarty's work I do need to be in the mood to enjoy this genre.

A Map of Days

A Map of Days was a lucky find. I hurt my back a few days and have been icing it a lot which gives me ample time to read. As I was browsing the elibrary I saw A Map of Days was available for check out. I like the story of the Peculiar Children but I had forgotten the series was to continue on past Library of Souls so it was a nice surprise.

With things calming down after the loop collapsed Jacob has more time to ponder his Grandfather and his mysterious past. Determined to learn why his Grandfather kept the fact he was a peculiar secret Jacob sets out on a journey to find clues to a question he may not want to know the answer to. I really like Jacob his heart is always in the right place and he has clearly learned a lot about the Peculiar world while still being able to inhabit a normal world. I see the struggles Jacob goes through as believable and real.

My one complaint about A Map of Days is the pictures. I love how Mr Riggs took peculiar pictures and wrote a whole world about them. In A Map of Days some of the pictures seemed lacking and none seemed as peculiar as the ones in previous books. I want to see the unexplained photos fit into the story, sure some were wacky and all of them fit the story but they just did not have the same awe factor as before.

Mr. Riggs clearly takes his time writing out a well rounded plot line with strong characters. Each character has their own quirks and personalities. I am eager to read the next story but know it will most likely take another couple years if Mr. Riggs book releases continue in the same way.

The Wishing Spell

I really wanted to like The Wishing Spell since friends have told me they enjoyed it. I think if I had not read The 10th Kingdom I would have enjoyed it more.

Twins Alex and Conner are missing their deceased father terribly. Lost in their grief each one copes in a different way. Conner seems to shut himself off from everything including school and Alex likes to get lost in her world of fairy-tales. All this is well and good until one day a book of fairy-tales from her grandma starts acting odd and Alex and Conner accidentally fall inside the book.

My biggest complaint with The Land of Stories is that things came far too easily for Alex and Conner. They never really got into any bad situation and things were pretty much just handed to them all the time. I wanted to see the twins grow in some way, make big mistakes and learn from them. Maybe later on in the series that will happen. I am not sure I want to take the time to read more of the series.

How to Bake a Murder

How to Bake a Murder was a book I found in the free Nook book section. Since I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and it had an adorable puppy on the cover I went for it. Sadly I was not overly thrilled with the story and found myself skimming parts.

Cookie owns her own bakery and decides to help her daughter out with her stubborn teenage daughter Clarissa. I wanted Cream, the adorable dog, to play a bigger role. He just seemed to show up to bark at the wrong or right moment depending on how you looked at things. The overall mystery was pretty generic and no real twists or turns I saw. While it fixed me hunger for a cozy mystery I have no intention of reading more of the series. 

The Islands at the End of the World

One morning when I was in a hurry to get to work I randomly pulled a book off my shelf and got The Islands at the End of the World. I have no idea where it came from. Even though I enjoyed the story it is a very odd story.

Leilani is plagued with seizures due to epilepsy. Wanting to live a normal life Lei agrees to be part of a test group with a new drug to help treat epilepsy. Traveling with her father to a smaller Hawaiian Island she beings the test on the new drug. However things start to go wrong quickly with no power on the island and many mechanical devices fried the medical center has no way to continue the tests and thus tells Lei and her father they are free to return home.

The writing was average and I did not see much along the way of character building. I did get tired of reading constantly about Lei talking about her epilepsy pills and the seizures. It was about the seventy percent mark in the story that things started to get really odd for me. Even though their is a second book I am not sure I will read it.

The Destiny Code

The Destiny Code is the first book in the Daughter's of Empire series. Everything from the lovely cover with the delicate coloring and elegant font fits perfectly for The Destiny Code. Without a doubt Suzette Hollingsworth has done it again! 

 Miss Alita Stanton is a refreshing presence in the world of historical romance. Unique, believable, interesting, and entertaining Alita is happy to beat to her own drum. Blessed or perhaps curses with the ability to "see" Alita does her best to keep her gift from society. Not even her close friends knows until Alita accidentally slips up upon receiving some shocking news. Unfortunately it gets worse for Alita, at her presentation ball she once again has a vision and all of London now knows her secret. Cast out in shame her Grandmother comes up with the solution of travel abroad to give time for things to be forgotten.

Enter Lord Captain Ravensdale, the Black Panther from Alita's vision. Tormented by having killed a friend on the battlefield the Captain has shut off his heart. Seeing an English woman who appears to need help the Captain rushes to her aid only to be bewildered by her presentation. Unsure how to handle Alita the Captain flounders around a good deal which is highly entertaining. Mesmerized by Alita but terrified of her demeanor Lord Ravensdale works at keeping his distance with little luck.

Even the side characters played a nice role in the story. Alita's grandmother came off as secure about who she is but also a bit too traditional. The barkeeper the Captain confides in also has a distinct personality and offered insight into how the local Egyptians think. Despite only having a small part Alita's distant family makes a strong impression, I fell in love with them immediately and wanted more of their story.

Mrs. Hollingsworth has an elegant writing style with a talent for providing ample amounts of detail without it being overbearing. A clear picture of the setting is painted perfectly each and every time. I never once wondered which character was talking, presenting themselves, or where the characters were. The story line progressed smoothly with plenty of humorous moments added in along with some bits of action. Overall a perfect blend of romance, clairvoyance, humor, history, and action. It is always a delight and pleasure to read Mrs. Hollingsworth work.

The Release

The Release is the third and final book in The Prey trilogy. Without a doubt Tom Isbell is one of the most consistent writers I have read. He keeps the tone and pacing the same throughout the trilogy.

Even though the story is split between Hope and Book I still feel like Book was more of the main character. I had hoped for more growth for Book he remained the same in a lot of ways, he continued to trust people no matter what and always seemed to come up with last minute plans that miraculously saved everyone. I wanted Book to fail and learn from his failure but that never seemed to happen on a large scale. Also the love triangle aspect had too easy of an ending.

Hope never really opened up, she could never come to terms with the death of Faith or her mother. She seemed to accept the death of her father a little better but maybe that was due to him dying from natural causes. Overall I was more disappointed in Hope's development then Books.

Since the writing was so consistent I never really felt like I went from one book to another, it just seemed one big book I was reading. I adore that about Tom Isbell since that is not easy to do. Not sure I would read more of Tom Isbell's work since I was not a huge fan of how the series ended.

The Capture

The Capture is the second book in The Prey trilogy. I am happy to say that The Capture did not suffer from what I call second book syndrome.*

Having made it to the next territory everything is golden for Book, Hope and the rest of the survivors that is until Book decides he has to go back for the rest of the LTs in Camp Liberty. Along with some other LTs and Sisters Book works on leading the group back into the hostile territory doing his best to avoid traps and the danger that lurks all around them.

Hope did not seem to want to go back to rescue anyone so I am a bit surprised she agreed to go along with the group. Even though part of The Capture is told from her point of view I still feel like I do not really have a good feel for who Hope is. Maybe it is because she is just empty from Faith being murdered and let her emotions go numb.

I am not really sure why I am so adsorbed in The Prey series it is not my usual type of story, too gritty, yet once I start reading I struggle to put down the book and do something else. The writing is alright and the character development a bit weak at times. Maybe it is because so many bad things keep happening to the group of survivors that I just need to read to finally see something good happen to them. No matter what is going on I already have the third and final book, The Release, checked out.


*Second book syndrome is a term I use to describe a trilogy that starts out with an awesome page turning first book and the second book totally goes downhill. I only finish the trilogy to find out what happens because something was left unanswered from the first book.

Legendary

I have eagerly awaited Legendary since finishing the last page of Caraval. I wasted no time in per-ordering it (something I never do) and quickly forgot the day it was released since my husband had surgery that day. It was when flipping through my Nook library that I saw it and suddenly recalled it had been released.

I was afraid Tella would be a lot like Scarlette but both sisters are very different with clear personalities, faults, quirks, and ideas about life. Tella is extremely well written with such life in her that I could feel like she is a friend I would go visit any time I could. Clearly torn on which paths are the correct paths Tella walks a dangerous line as she tip toes around until plunging fully into her choices. Even when her choices are not the best Tella still moves forward and keeps doing her best to correct the mistakes she makes.

The writing was a lot slower then Caraval and way less magical. I did like the game in Caraval better, Legendary felt more like a love story then anything else. With some twists and turns the story did drag on a bit too much in places and I wanted more action. I do hope that Finale will showcase both Scar and Tella equally while bringing the story whole circle.

The Watchmaker's Daughter

The Watchemaker's Daughter was never a book on my radar. While ill with the flu and stuck in my husbands truck I picked up his tablet and browsed his books, The Watchmaker's Daughter looked like the only one I would read out of what he had downloaded.

India is in a predicament, with her father deceased and her fiance calling off the engagement she has no where to go and no money to her name. Scammed out of her family's shop she is desperate and determined to do what she can to support herself. It is her determination that leads her to meeting Mr. Glass a mysterious American who is desperately searching for an elderly clock maker to repair his pocket-watch. Caught up in the mystery India faces mystery everywhere she looks and grows into her own as she beings to learn how to survive in the world without a man to protect her.

The writing was alright, not some of the best I have read but it was clear and concise. I did enjoy the characters and their quirks. I do hope for some perspective from Mr. Glass at some point in the series. While I do plan on continuing on with the series it is not a high priority at this time.

The Remedy

The Remedy is a companion book to The Program series. It had all new characters and a whole new story line. I am not one hundred percent sure but I believe the events took place before The Program.

Quinlan is a Closer, a highly disliked job among normal people. To let families heal and move past their grief Quin takes the persona of the girl who has died so the family can say goodbye. It is not an easy job and Closers constantly fear losing themselves into the persona of the people they are portraying. Considered one of the best at her job Quin takes pride in helping people move beyond their grief and get back to a normal life. All that changes when Quin is given a very unusual request, instead of the standard day or two she is to take on an assignment that requires her to be a deceased girl for two weeks. An unheard amount of time, as Quin struggles to remember who she is and keep up the persona for the family dark secrets start to emerge.

Again I was sick with a fever while reading The Remedy so my opinion might be due to that but I did like the story. I found it creative and original. I have not previously read any story line similiar. I do want to read The Epidemic.