Three Days Missing

 

I got woken up one night around three am and could not go back to sleep I saw Three Days Missing on the first page of the library ebooks so I randomly checked it out hoping it would lure me back to sleep.

Ethan is super excited to go camping with his school and hopes that it will finally help him fit in. All those hopes are dashed when Kat (Ethan's mother) gets a rude awakening to a plain clothes detective telling her that her son has gone missing while on the camping trip. 

Shortly after Ethan goes missing Stephanie, the mayor's wife, gets a call that her son has been kidnapped. Terrified Stephanie quickly rushes to the campsite only to realize it was Kat's son who was taken and not hers.

In a way two stories were woven together but neither story felt substantial enough to hold it's own alone. I did read the first half of the story quickly but I had to drag myself through the second half where things really started to slow down. Overall a good concept but badly executed. I had problems with some of the events that occurred and the write contradicted herself at times to make time lines fit. 

The Woman in Cabin 10

 

I had heard about The Woman in Cabin 10 so when I saw it in the local free library I grabbed it. 

Right away the story starts out with a bang and I was instantly hooked. I think that is why it was disappointing when the story turned and got painfully every day boring. Nothing really happened but then again little tidbits of things that could be wrong would pop up and keep me reading. It was the last fifty pages or so that the story really picked up the pace again to the point I could not put the book down. 

The writing was smooth and well edited. Character development did not really happen but the story took place over a small amount of time, right around two weeks so I would not expect people to change that much. I have been really into faster paced stories lately and since I felt the middle was slow I do not see myself seeking out more books by Ruth Ware.

Thanksgiving

 

I happened to see Thanksgiving while browsing random ebooks on the library website. Since I like Janet Evanovich and it was a few days before Thanksgiving I checked it out. 

Megan was a pretty flat character, she returns a rabbit to the new dr in town and instantly falls for his good looks. It is not long after she decides he is cute that she is goes more towards falling in love with him. Patrick is a new dr in town and just wants to get his practice set up but all that changes for him when a cute red head returns his escape artist rabbit.  

I could tell this was early work by Mrs. Evanovich, the character development needed some work and parts of the story did not flow smoothly. However despite that it had good bones and I did laugh out loud a few times during the story more so for the last couple of chapters. It also focused a lot on the intimate part of life and I felt like Mrs. Evanovich was not sure how to write a love story without physical needs taking over which was a bit of a let down. 

Confessions of a Shopaholic

 

Confessions of a Shopaholic was in the local free little library so I grabbed it since I saw the movie years ago and vaguely recalled it was amusing. Even better my memory was correct and I laughed my way through the story.

Becky is not a fan of his boring job at a financial magazine at all but she likes the paycheck which pays for her shopping sprees. Happy with her life of splurging on anything her heart desires Becky ignores all the financial advice she writes about as she happily hands over her visa card every time her debt account is empty. Not really caring how much she is spending Becky has a bit of a break down upon receiving her bill and decides it is time to turn her life around.

I really have very vague memories of the movie but I recall liking it which was the case with the book until I got to the very end. It just stopped, horrible way to end a book. I understand that it is a series but some sort of transition needs to occur between books, I was looking to see if someone had torn pages out of the book but alas that was not the case. While I would like to know what happens further with Becky I am not sure I will continue with the series since the ending was so abrupt. 

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

 

I grabbed The Travelling Cat Chronicles out of a local Little Free Library. It took me two tries to really get into the story but I am glad I did not give up on it. 

A stray cat who is happy to be a stray cat has its life change when hit by a car. Unsure what to do and in terrible pain the cat approaches a man who feeds him. Quickly the man takes the cat to the vet and cares for the cat while he is healing. During this time the two start to form a bond and soon the cat is named Nana and Satoru is a proud owner. 

All of a sudden life is turned upside down when Satoru takes Nana on a journey across Japan to find him a new home for some unknown reason. Along the way the two meet up with various people from Satoru's past as he searches for the perfect home for Nana. 

I have never read a story told from a cat's point of view before. Hiro Arikawa made Nana seem so real that often I forget he was a cat. The story was vivid with lots of moments that pulled at your heartstrings. Bits of humor were added in and I like how the story had a epilogue that answered all my questions. 

Fashions Fade, Haunted Is Eternal

 

Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal is the last book in the A Haunted Vintage Mystery series and I am so sad the story is over. 

Excited over the chance to consult on a fashion shoot with vintage clothing Cookie ignores the shoot being held in a creepy cemetery. 

Still friends with Charlotte and working hard at keeping her vintage clothing store going Cookie is disturbed at having another murder occur in her vicinity. Once again a different ghost shows up and tells Cookie they cannot recall how they died but want her help. Stuck figuring out a murder, dealing with the every day craziness of life, and determined to keep crime out of her home town Cookie ignores her boyfriends advice and starts investigating. 

I really enjoyed the story, it had a lot more action compared to earlier stories while keeping the fun humor that was throughout the whole series. What I did not like was the end too much, it felt rushed to end such a strong series. An epilogue would have been nice or just a another chapter tying up things a bit more. 

No Exit

 

No Exit came up as a recommendation on Goodreads from another book I had read. Bored on day I read the description and just could not get it out of my mind, thankfully the library had it available for check out.

I cannot recall the last time I could not put a book down, I was struggling to keep my eyes open as I kept whispering to myself just one more chapter. The start of No Exit is literally the slowest part of the whole story, once things take off they take off and the suspense never stops. With that said it is super hard to really say much about the story without giving anything away since every turn of the page seemed to bring a new problem for Darby to deal with. 

The writing was fast paced, action packed, and smooth sailing. It does get gory at times but even though I dislike gore I was able to stomach it since that part was not the focus of the story. While I would not say no to another story by Taylor Adams I think I need some a bit more mellow after reading such an intense story. 

A Pasion for Haunted Fashion

 

A Passion for Haunted Fashion is the sixth book in the Haunted Vintage series. 

Having fixed the problems for several ghosts Cookie is not at all shocked when a new ghost appears to her as she searching a trunk in a theater for costumes. Determined to help the young lady out with solving her murder Cookie is working on getting information from Peggy when she hears a scream. Forgoing the questioning of Peggy Cookie rushes out of the basement to see what the commotion is. To her horror her best friend Heather is standing over a deceased man covered in blood. Despite Heather's claims she did not kill him the police have little to work with and keep going back to Heather. Knowing her friend is not a killer Cookie once again has two murder mysteries to solve. 

Charlotte and Cookie and feel like old friends, their personalities are so vibrant and lifelike. While I am eager to read Fashions Fade, Haunted is Eternal I also do not want to end the series since I have enjoyed every book. 

The Chain

 

I cannot recall the last time I bought a new book but last weekend I went to the bookstore and The Chain happened to be the first book I looked at the in the bookstore. An hour later I walked out with it, the idea of the story was so engaging I could not focus on other books I looked at.

Everything is going right for Rachel, her cancer is gone, her divorce with her ex-husband final, and she has her daughter to be her guiding light. All that changes in an instant when a phone call comes in saying they have her daughter and in order to free her she must pay a ransom. That is not even the worse part of it, once the ransom is paid Rachel must kidnap another child. Horrified and sickened at the thought of someone having Kylie and knowing the only way to free her daughter is to steal another child has Rachel out of sorts to say the least. A mother's love knows no bounds though and Rachel is determined to not just be another link on the chain.

Fast paced, full of character development, and gets your heart racing at times. The Chain is one of the freshest stories I have read in a long time. Unlike most suspense stories I have read this one did not have corny make you jump out of your skin moments and it was utterly believable in a lot of ways. Everything about The Chain caught my attention from the start and kept it. I would gladly read more work by Adrian McKinty and I am actually looking up recommendations for other stories with a similar pacing and theme. 

The Orchardist

 

The Orchardist was given to me by a friend since I am struggling to find reading material with the library closed. 

The story was strange, sad, and not really to my liking. The part I did like is being familiar with the locations in the story. That helped me paint a more vivid picture of the surroundings which played an important role in the story. 

Talmadge is happy living a quiet life on his orchard tending to the trees and selling his harvest for a fair sum in town. His life is turned upside down when two young pregnant girls steal his fruit. Feeling like they need someone to watch out for them Talmadge starts feeding the girls and looking out for them. What develops is an odd friendship where neither side really trusts the other. 

If I had not been so desperate for reading material I would have abandoned The Orchardist, it just was not my style of book at all. The writing was fine and well edited but the pace did not work out for my taste. I also did not like the manner in which characters were jumped from but I must say it was one of the better jobs of making clear that a new character was being spoken about. 

If the Haunting Fits, Wear It

 

If the Haunting Fits, Wear It is the fifth book in the Haunted Vintage Mystery Series. This time two ghosts attach themselves to Cookie demanding they solve their murder. I was really looking forward to two mysteries in one but was a bit disappointed overall. Overall this has been my least favorite of the series and parts felt a bit off.

Cookie is excited to be providing wardrobe information to a new client and eagerly packs up to travel to the Kentucky Derby. Upon arriving she runs into a ghost of a woman who is not happy she is digging through her vintage clothing. Annoyed the woman demands Cookie solves her murder and just when she is coming to terms with finding a new wayward spirit Cookie runs into a dead jockey. Now the jockey is insisting his murder gets solved as well. 

Overall the story felt a bit weak. The owner of the bed and breakfast Cookie stayed at was the most interesting character by far. I also was not a fan of the weak love triangle going on. Even though I struggled with If the Haunting Fits, Wear It I do plan on continuing the series. 

Deadly Gamble

 

Deadly Gamble is the first book in the Charlie Parker mystery series. I did not realize it was a series when I started it. A few days ago the library was having problems checking out ebooks so I just searched what I had downloaded and randomly choose Deadly Gamble. My guess it is a Free Friday grab from ages ago.

Charlie is perfectly happy with her life as an accountant where she works with her brother who is a private investigator. One day while her brother is out of town an old friend shows up begging for help. Not wanting to say no to a friend Charlie reluctantly agrees to help out. Soon the case goes from recovering a missing watch to a murder mystery. Determined to figure out what is going on Charlie continues to search for clues.

This was a fast read that focused on the story and I really appreciated it was just mystery focused. No love triangle and no sex scenes. Parts of it were really hard to believe at times and some of the research seemed a bit rushed at times. Maybe the series gets a bit more real feel to it as it continues but it is not one I am actively going to seek out. 

Capturing the Devil

 

Capturing the Devil is the final book in the Stalking the Jack the Ripper series. I really struggled with the series conclusion. It seemed like love was the focus and less about solving who solving Jack the Ripper was until around the sixty percent mark.

Having hoped they left the horrors of Jack the Ripper behind them Audrey Rose and Thomas look forward to their time in America as they hope to learn more about their studies and each other. Having worked up the courage to finally propose Audrey Rose is thrilled and overjoyed at the thought of spending her life with the man she is in love with. However a lurking shadow will not let Audrey or Thomas forget that a murder is on the loose and no one is safe until he is captured.

Overall the mystery made very little sense to me. That could be because it was a long between reading the books since the library had such a massive waiting list for every volume. However I did not enjoy the series enough to gather them up all to do a re-read. 

Engaged in Danger

 

Engaged in Danger is the fourth book in the Jamie Quinn cozy mystery series. I received a copy in exchanged for an honest review. 

Jamie finally thinks things are going right in her life when her serious boyfriend Kip suddenly tells her that he is going to go to Australia for three months to work with endangered species. Devastated Jamie manages to wish Kip well as he sets off on his adventure. Thinking she will have plenty of time to sulk over Kip leaving Jamie is totally wrong. Soon the well known wife of one of the wealthiest men around walks in asking Jamie to be her divorce attorney. Before long problem after problem begins to pile up for Jamie as she tries to figure out what exactly is going on with everyone in her life.

Out of the series I have read so far Engaged in Danger is my favorite. I love how Mrs. Venkataraman made it appear effortless as she wove many intricate and believable story lines together. Everything made sense in the end and blended into a well rounded story. I was also a major fan of Mr. Paws getting a bit more story time, usually the animal is my favorite part of any cozy mystery. 

The Complication

 

The Complication is the sixth and final book in The Program series. 2020 was the year I was hoping to finish up a bunch of series. I was doing well until the library closed down and then it got super hard to get ebooks as well. That is why I am happy I can finally say I have finished The Program series. 

Tatum's whole life is a lie and she cannot figure out who is telling her the truth, half truth, lies, or even wants her alive. Drowning in lies, suspicions, broken hearts, and danger Tatum searches for the cure to the Program and to the stop the epidemic of suicides. 

Overall I really struggled with two the way the series was set up. I did not care for the time line nor did I really care for how the story jumped around between main characters. The story line was new and while sad hope was offered which was remarkable. I really would have liked an epilogue for all the characters but only two were chosen for some reason. 

The Adjustment

 

The Adjustment is the fifth book in The Program series. I am much happier with the placement this time it makes sense. 

Tatum is devastated when her boyfriend Weston is taken by the program and made to forget her. Living in a daze while waiting for him to return Tatum clings to her best friend Nathan. Finally Weston walks into class one day and looks right over her like she is just another face. Determined not to give up Tatum befriends Weston and tries to help him remember his life before the program erased it. 

Weston is lost and does not really seem to know how to react to being erased. When a pretty girl approaches him saying they use to date he is happy to cling to her memories. Falling farther from reality every day Weston agrees to let Tatum donate her memories to him. He is desperate to fill in the gaps even if it means going too far.

A lot of twists and turns occurred but I did figure out almost all of them. I enjoyed seeing characters from earlier books even though they did not take center stage. Despite this being the third couple Young has written about I still found Tatum and Weston unique and their own persons. I am eager to read the final book The Complication. 

The Epidemic

 

I really wish I had read The Remedy and The Epidemic before The Program and The Treatment. The time line was majorly messed up and this really ruined my enjoyment of the series. It just makes sense to myself to explain how the the clusters of suicide started then go into the treatment for the problem. 

Quinn's whole life has fallen apart as she tries to figure out who she is and what is going on around her. Scared, alone, unsure who to trust, and determined to find out who she is Quinn embarks on a journey with fellow closers to learn about who they all are and how bad things actually are for the teens in Oregon. 

All the teens in the story seemed really real and like they were struggling with themselves and what they did for a living. They make mistakes, react with emotion, and continue to lean on old relationships despite knowing they are toxic. 

If I did not have so many books I was wanting read I would re-read The Program and The Treatment now that I have the timeline down a bit better. However that will have to wait until I get some other books finished. 

The Cheerleaders

 

The Cheerleaders has been on my to read list for awhile so when I saw it was available to check out I quickly nabbed it. 

Five girls dead in a short span of time and a rumor that the cheer-leading team is cursed. Not wanting to promote bad karma the school disbands the cheerleaders and moves to a dance team instead. 

Monica is the younger sister of the last girl who died from the group. Saddened by the loss of her sister and how much it has changed her mother Monica wants to leave the past in the past until she starts to find clues that maybe the killer of the girls is walking free. Determined to find the answers Monica befriends a quiet girl at school and together the two work at solving a five year old mystery. 

My only issue was all the character names, I kept getting them mixed up. I am not sure why but some of them sounded similar so I think that was part of it. The ending was not super satisfying, I did not really get closure with the characters and how their lives went on. An epilogue would have been nice. Overall I did enjoy the story and the writing style so I would be open to reading more of Kara Thomas's work. 

The 19th Wife

Since I am a huge history buff I am always interested in reading about historical figures especially women and I do not always like the heavy textbook format. The 19th Wife is two main stories in one with lots of smaller side stories. I really wanted to love the story but with so much going on it got super confusing at times and jumped around so much I got lost in parts.

The historical story is about Ann Eliza Young, the woman who divorced the prophet and managed to bring about laws outlaws polygamy. 

The story taking place in modern day is about a 19th wife accused of killing her husband and her exiled son coming back to the town to try to help prove his mother is innocent. 

Everything moved along at a snails pace and while it was not bad it was not really exciting either. I just really think the writing style of jumping around so much turned me off from the story. Despite that I did learn a lot about Ann Eliza and the strides she made to better the world according to her points of view. It would have taken a great amount of courage to stand against the church as a divorced woman who two young children to support. 

Peril in the Park

I received Peril in the Park for free in exchange for an honest review. The third book in the Jamie Quinn mystery series things take a bit of a different turn. Instead of a person being accused of murder Jamie is now being targeted by a stalker trying to get to her boyfriend Kip.

Once again it has been several months since the last book and I like how things are spaced out making it more believable. I really wanted Jamie's cat to scare her in some way, have her think it was the stalker which would have been a great moment for a laugh, sadly that did not happen. Busy with trying to secure citizenship for her father and spending all the free time she can with her boyfriend Kip Jamie is living a great life until someone starts threatening her to get to Kip.

Jamie has really come into her own as a character and I like how she is not so sad over her mother anymore, time has passed, she is busy with her father, and having  fun with Kip. It felt like a natural transition. I also enjoy how all the books are approximately the same length and not full of useless fluff.

The Leaving

The cover of The Leaving caught my attention so I read the back and it sounded interesting. Sadly I ended up being highly disappointed.

It starts out with five kids who disappeared eleven years ago being left in the middle of no where in the middle of the night. The only thing they know is their name and each one has a map in their pocket. Right away the kids figure out the map must be to their home and all follow the way home. Despite five kids being returned you only have the point of view of two of the five returned teens is crazy. For some odd reason the child who did not return has a younger sister who has points of view as well.

Nothing is ever really explained just a jumble of thoughts and possibilities. I kept waiting for the actual plot line of the story to start but it never seemed to happen. I am not even sure what was really going on with the kids even after the big reveal. Key aspects were left out and all in all it felt like a badly kept journal the three kids were keeping.

I also did not like the formatting. It made no sense, random things were thrown in such as / and large gaps like the character was thinking but not. The book was broken down into days which was an interesting concept but then the kids points of views jumped around so much I had trouble keeping up, I would have preferred anything but the system that was used to indicate a new kids point of view was occurring.  Bold name, an indent, an underline, just something easier on the eyes to make the transition smoother between points of view. Since I did not care at all for the writing style I will not be pursing more work by Tara Altebrando.

The Case of the Killer Divorce

I was given a copy of The Case of the Killer Divorce in exchange for an honest review.

Having gotten to know Jamie in the first book set up a good base for The Case of the Killer Divorce. I really enjoyed how some time had passed since the first book, Death by Didgeridoo. It makes the story seem far more believable. Jamie is feeling a bit more like her life is normal since her mom passed and has made the hard decision to look up her father. With the help of the private eye Duke Jamie embarks on a journey to discover more about her past.

Mrs. Venkataraman did a wonderful job portraying deep feelings that Jamie was feeling as she struggled with figuring out to do about the search for her father. While Death by Didgeridoo had a bit more humor The Case of the Killer Divorce was all about emotion and using that to make choices in life. I would like to see a bit more of the cat in the story, I really enjoy having animals doing some mishaps in cozy mysteries. 

Lobster Boy: The Bizarre Life and Brutal Death of Grady Stiles Jr.

I am not really sure what I expected when I read Lobster Boy but it was not what I got.

Grady Stiles Jr grew up in the world of freak shows, born with no legs and hand that ended in claw like items gave him the sideshow name Lobster Boy. Sadly his life was not all lights and glitz outside of the sideshow. Cruel to his family and wanting to pass on his genetic disorder Grady was happiest when drinking. All that changed when Grady was shot in the back of the head sitting in his own house. With plenty of suspects the police, a jury, and judge have to find out who killed Lobster Boy.

The story was just strange and I am not sure I really disliked it but it was not a story I had to keep reading. I do enjoy true crime  but this was just so far out I had trouble believing it was based on a true story even. 

The Couple Next Door

I grabbed The Couple Next Door from a a second hand store while browsing one day. Since I was without my tablet I was looking for something entertaining but not a heavy read.

After attending a dinner party at the next door neighbors Anne and Marco come home to discover their six month old daughter, Cora, is gone. Horrified that they left their baby while at the duplex next door the couple calls the police and a whirlwind of an investigation begins. With almost no leads and no suspects the police have their work cut out for them.

The mother, Anne, is clearly distraught and so out of it that it is hard to see her as a grieving mother. Instead of being proactive in finding Cora Anne prefers to sit around tearing herself up for leaving Cora alone while at the dinner party.

Marco is the calmer of the two parents and far more proactive in trying to find out what happened to Cora and where she is. It does start to feel like Marco goes in circles and runs into more problems then solutions as he searches for Cora.

I love how the story started off with a bang and really caught my attention right away. A couple parts were on the slower side but I never got to a point where I did not want to stop reading the story. The only reason I did not give five stars is that I was not overly fond of the ending. It was too open and feels like it could have set up for another story despite the story clearly being done.

Countdown to Danger: Alive After New Year\New Year's Target

Countdown to Danger is two novellas in one book format.

The first story Alive After New Year is the longer of the two and was my least favorite of the two stories. Parts drug and yet it was short so I feel like certain parts should have been kept to a minimum to make more way for the actual mystery.

New Year's Target was short but to the point for the most part. An actual mystery with different possibilities happened.

It is really hard to say anything about either story since I do not want to ruin the mystery and both stories were right around a hundred pages.

The Gaint's House

I got The Giant's House out of a free little library and high hopes for it. Sadly I was disappointed. I really fail to see how this can be classified as a romance.

Despite the story being about James and the fact he does not stop growing nothing is told from James point of view. The whole story is told from the local librarians point of  view who has an odd take on how James faces the world. It is just so hard to write about a book that did not feel like it was a full story more like random thoughts from Peggy and later on how her odd friendship with James gave her purpose.

Honestly if I had something else to have read at the time I would have read it.

Spook's Dark Assassin

The Spook's Dark Assassin is the final book in the Starblade Chronicles. I sort of regret reading the trilogy since it did not have the magic The Last Apprentice had.

Tom is doing his best to keep fighting the advancing threat of Kobalos who want to destroy all human males and enslave all human females. The story jumps around a lot between Tom, Alice, and Grimaklin. I got pretty bored fairly quickly since the story would get good and jump to someone else it left me frustrated and wanting answers for what was going on. The ending was a bit odd and did not really fit the story well. I just overall was not impressed with the trilogy beyond A New Darkness. I am not sure if I will read anymore of Delaney's work or not. 

Death By Digeridoo

I received a copy of Death by Didgeridoo from Mrs. Venkataraman in exchange for an honest review. Death by Didgeridoo is a delightful debut cozy mystery and I instantly fell in love with Jamie. Despite having lost her mother recently Jamie was not willing to sit down and forget to live, instead surrounding herself with her sister and nephew has helped her overcome her grief. However all that changes when Adam, Jamie's nephew, is accused of murder. One of my absolute favorite things about Jamie is that she is an attorney so it makes sense for her to get involved in murder investigations. I do hope to get to see more of Jamie's personalty and development as the series continues. While I did see a couple typos and grammar issues it did not deter from the interest I had in the story. The plot line was clear and the mystery made sense. Nothing went in circles which is a problem I often encounter with cozy mysteries. Nor where any of the characters cookie cutter in any way, each held their own and were unique to the story. I also love the title it is fun and has a nice ring to it.

Haunted is Always in Fashion

Haunted is Always in Fashion is the fourth book in the Haunt Vintage Mystery Series.

Once again a ghost has attached herself to Cookie Channel. While on her way to meet with a young woman who is writing about vintage clothing Cookie sees the police surrounding a car. Shockingly the woman, Juliana, has been shot and wants her murder solved. Urged on by the ever faithful Charlotte Cookie once again finds herself in over her head as she attempts to catch a dangerous murderer.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much Rose Pressey's writing has evolved it reads far smoother and the mystery fit together better then previous ones.  It is always entertaining to have Cookie explain why she is talking to herself since no one else can see the ghosts around her. The teaser for If the Haunting Fits, Wear It has me wanting to continue on with the series.

Explosive Alliance

Explosive Alliance was passed to me by a friend who said it was alright. Normally I like the Love Inspired Suspense stories since they are a fast read with a fun mystery. Sadly this was the weakest of the few I have read over the years.

Krista just wants to forget everything bad that happened and having spend four years away from her beloved Opa who is fighting cancer. Hoping changing her name will be enough Krista decides to return home. While at a sporting event with her Opa Krista notices that a man in a hoodie leaves behind a backpack. Fear fills her when she finds a bomb inside. With the bomber knowing who Krista is she has to look over her shoulder constantly to make sure she will not be the next victim.

The story was just okay, I was able to put the book down which has not happened with others in this genre before. I did not figure out the mystery but I also feel like no evidence was really given to let you figure out the mystery which was a let down. It is a fast read though and kept me occupied for a couple hours.

Ten Days in a Mad-House

Ten Days in a Madhouse was a free book I found through the Nook app. I was in the mood for something historical that I had not read before.

The year is 1887 and Nellie Bly is accepting a task from a publisher who wants to know what it is really like inside an insane asylum. The rumors of the horrors of Blackwell's Island cruelty were not exaggerated. Given inedible food, forced to deal with extreme cold in the building and ice bathes along with nurses who did not care if patients lived or died Nellie faced true horror for ten days.

Ten Days in a Mad-House is a short read and to the point. No fluff is provided nor is it an easy read emotionally. Nellie left out no details of the treatment of the patients nor did she stop trying to get the poor women help.

The One-in-a-Million Boy

The One in a Million Boy was in a box of books from a friend and I liked the cover. It sounded interesting and different from other stories I have read. The story moved super slow and jumped around a lot. I did get bored with parts and skim a few areas.

This is not an easy review to write since the story is different from what I have ever read before. I knew right away the boy was different (he is never named) and that he had some sort of un-diagnosed medical disorder but I could not help but like the kid. Ona was an awesome character full of life despite her age and I loved how she was having things her way. The boys father, Quinn, has no idea how to deal with the death of his son nor did he know how to deal with the child when he was alive. Belle, the boy's mother, is just broke and seems to not exist. Even though she was not a focus of the story she did come across as overly believable to me. I am not sure I would seek out another book by Monica Wood since the writing style is so unique and I did not overly care for it.

The Dark Army

The Dark Army is the second book in The Starblade Chronicles.

Thomas Ward is the local spook since his master died and having taken on an apprentice he is determined to protect the country from the dark. All the changes when he dies though and then is risen from the dead by his former friend Alice and her ally the dark Mage. Even though the end of A New Darkness left me desperate to know what was happening I did not rush into reading The Dark Army when it came out. That is mostly due to Jenny, Tom's apprentice, Jenny drives me wacky. She is whinny, annoying, and seems to care little to do Spook's work. I had hoped she would grow up some as the story progressed but I have yet to see that. I do plan on reading The Spook's Assassin but I am in no hurry to get to it.

The Golden Son

The Golden Son was another gift in the giant box of books I got from a friend. I choose one at random. I almost gave up after a couple chapters but I am glad I did not.

Anil is the favorite son of his father and treated like a golden boy. Provided with best education growing up it is clear Anil will become a doctor who studies in America. Honored and blessed to have the chance to study in America Anil is beyond excited to start this new journey in his life. Used to being the top student from medical school in India Anil is in for a shock when it becomes clear he is not a favorite in America or even really noticed. Struggling with learning to live in a foreign country while keeping his heritage from India Anil learns to walk a fine line as he progresses in his education.

A really slow start into the story, it takes time to build up the characters and to get to know the plot line. Once I had a feel for the characters I really started to enjoy them and immerse myself into their lives. Never having living in a different country it was interesting to see the point of view for Anil as he adjusted to America's pace of life and imagine how he felt when he decided he did not belong in India or America at several points in the story. While I would not actively seek out another book by Shilpi Somaya Gowda I would not say no if one happened to come my way.

Paper Towns

Paper Towns has been on my to read list for ages and when I saw it had no wait at the library I quickly checked it out. The start quickly drew me but I lost interest right around part two. Since I wanted to know the answer to the mystery I did keep reading. 

Quentin has always loved the girl next door, Margo may have liked him at one time but ever since they found a deceased person their relationship as friends disintegrated. Now the most popular girl in high school Quentin watches Margo from a distance until one night she shows up at his window demanding his help. After a wild night of supposedly random occurrences Margo disappears. Determined to find his friend Quentin goes on a journey to piece together the clues left behind.


The writing was alright, part of it just dragged and seemed to go in circles which drove me crazy. Overall I just did not care for the story and was highly disappointed. Guess it was not my style of book. 

Castle in the Air

Castle in the Air is the second book in the Howl's Moving Castle trilogy. It took me a long time to even start reading the story but once I read a couple chapters I was hooked. For several chapters I was confused on how the story tied into Howl's story but I was glad when things finally came together.

Abdullah is a carpet seller who was disliked by his later father. Unable to inherit his family business Abudllah makes his own way and is fairly successful with his carpet business. All that changes when a mysterious stranger shows up and offers to sell Abudllah a magic carpet. Unable to believe his good luck after a quick test of the carpets power Abudllah barters for the carpet. Little does he know the carpet will be the start of a great adventure for him. 

I like how parts of the story seemed familiar but with a new twist. I did have several moments of shock and other moments of I figured that was what was happening. The third book, House of Many Ways is check out from the library but I am on the waiting list.  

Starbreak

Strabreak is the second book in the duologoy of Starglass. I did not really like Starglass but I wanted to know how things ended.

Terra is heading to the planet to hopefully save her sister in law and meet the boy that haunts her dreams. Escaping the riots happening in the dome Terra rounds up a handful of people and convinces them to head down to the planet with her.

It is so hard to write reviews for books I am not overly fond of. The story did not move very quickly and it focused more on an intimate relationship between Terra and an alien. I found myself skimming large parts of the story where it felt repetitive and just boring. With average writing and flat characters I will not find myself searching for more of Phoebe North's work.

The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala

The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala is the third book in the Book Club Mystery series and I am not sure if it is the last. It did come out in 2016 and no word of any other in the series coming out since.

Amy-Faye with her party planning company is back for another mystery. Having arranged a charity auction and costume party with famous authors Amy is happy all is going well until an unknown man turns up dead in an office that was suppose to be off limits to the party goers. In the middle of another mystery Amy is determined to find out what happened, who the man is, why he was killed, and avoid the deadly killer who seems determined to get away no matter the cost.

I really could not connect to the murder. The last one was so personal for Amy when her brother was charged and this one just seemed to affirm to people that Amy attracts dead bodies. I am not sure what I will read next but I think I am burnt out on mysteries for a bit since I struggled to stay interested throughout the whole story.

The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle

The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle is the second book in the Book Club mystery series. I have been meaning to read it for some time.

Once again Amy-Faye is in the middle of a mystery but this time it involves her brother, Derek. With the grand opening of Derek's pub a huge success until Derek's partner Gordon is murdered Amy-Faye thinks noting else can get worse. Wrong Derek is arrested for the murder of Gordon. Knowing her brother is not capable of murder Amy-Faye decides to investigate and find the truth behind the murder.

I will admit it has been years since I read the first book. I vaguely recall loving the first story in the Book Club mystery series but this one did not catch my attention as much. While I am not 100% sure I believe the series is only three books and I do have The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala already downloaded on my tablet. 

The Life She Was Given

The Life She Was Given did not turn out like I expected at all. I thought it would be the story of a girl adjusting to living in the outside world after having been a captive all her life along with some information about early circuses. It was nothing like that.

Lilly's parents have kept her in the attic all her life ashamed of how she looks. Determined not to let that bother her Lilly lives the best life she can in the tiny room using her imagination to make the long hours pass until one day mother tells her to get dressed and come with her. Freedom at last but it is nothing like Lilly expects instead of being accepted by her family for who she is Lilly is sold to the circus to be an act in the freak side show. Terrified, uncertain of what to do, and fearing people around her will hurt her Lilly continues to fight back all her life.

Julia has never had a good relationship with her parents and as soon as she turned eighteen she was gone. Stuck in an abusive relationship with a job that does not pay nearly enough Julia is shocked when she learns she has inherited her parent's estate. Unable to do anything but go home Julia starts digging into the secrets of the manor each discovery becomes more horrifying then the last.

I am not a huge fan of stories that switch between points of view and time periods. I feel it throws my reading pace off too much. I did prefer Lilly's story to Julia's story. At parts it seemed like Julia's story was repeating the same events while Lilly's showed some growth and development. I am horribly at figuring out mysteries I always have been but I figured out this one so I am guessing most people will figure out the mystery easily. This was not a lighthearted read either, it goes into a lot issues such as abuse, animal cruelty, and slavery to name a few.

The Rise of Magicks

The Rise of Magicks is the third book in the Chronicles of the One trilogy. Honestly I only read it to see how the trilogy ended and I ended up skimming the parts that were too long out and boring in my opinion.

I have never really seen a trilogy that worked the way The Chronicles of the One did. Year One starts out with Lana and how a virus is rapidly killing people. I thought that would be the focus but no instead people start developing powers and fighting back, some people suddenly become elves, other fairies, and some turn dark. Then Of Blood and Bone takes a different turn and introduces Lana's daughter Fallon as the savior of the whole world.

Fallon is a hard character to like she is perfect in all she does, everyone instantly loves her, and she never seems to make a big mistake that causes problem. I saw almost no growth in Fallon and kept hoping something horrible would happen to see how she would react. At the end everything just seemed too convenient. Maybe Nora Roberts just does not have a writing style I like but I will not actively seek out her book again.

The Dutch Wife

I would so have buyer's remorse if I had purchased The Dutch Wife. Lately I have read several interesting and well written stories about World War II and was eager to give another a try.

Marijke de Graaf is arrested along with her husband for being supports of the resistance. Separated she is taken to a camp and after a few weeks offered a chance to have a slightly better life working in a prisoner's brothel. The thought of food and being in the same camp as her husband is the deciding factor in here agreeing.

 Karl Müller is a young Nazi officer who secured the position through his father. Disgusted by the brutal condition of the camp and having to give orders to treat the prisoners badly Karl turns to the brothel but not the officers brothel he goes to the prisoners brothel. After meeting Marijke he quickly becomes enticed by her spirit and beauty. 

Luciano Wagner is in Argentina and it is a different time period. Arrested for being part of the Resistance Luciano deals with being tortured, abused mentally, and starved. Not understanding what is happening his story is him mainly writing letters to his Papa in his head.

I really wanted to like The Dutch Wife but the story just did not work. Things did not flow, it was odd having Luciano thrown into the story. Transitions were not smooth between chapters and I was constantly confused as to what had happened. The worst part is the ending it just stopped, nothing really came together nor did the story feel complete. Just was not a story that was withing my preference.

The Carnelian Crow

The Carnelian Crow is the fourth book in the Stoker and Holmes series. I had forgotten how good the series is and hoping the last book in the series does not have a long waiting list at the library.

I really love how Mina and Eva are two different people but clearly masters of their art form. Mina is desperate for something to entertain and challenge her mind. With the Ankh having escaped yet again a new mystery appears in Mina's lap when a crow delivers an oddly shaped pin to her window in the middle of the night. Eva is happy for a break from hunting the Ankh and determined to go back to hunting vampires until her sister in law informs her she must marry to save the family from becoming bankrupt. With each girl facing their own problems and the Ankh reading the next step of her plan action is not lacking with each turn of the page.

The duo has grown a lot from the time when they hated each other and could barely work as a team to becoming friends. With so many cliffhangers at the end of The Carnelian Crow I cannot wait to start on The Zeppelin Deception which is sadly the last book in the series.

Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore

Haunt Couture and Ghosts Galore is the third book in the Haunted Vintage Mystery series. No real reason I choose it other then I am working on finishing up series before starting new ones this year.

Always interested in promoting her vintage clothing store Cookie jumps on the chance to let models use some vintage clothing articles in a local fashion show. Everything is going great with the show until Cookie finds the manager dead with a model standing over her. To make matters worse a new ghost shows up demanding Cookie retrieves his 1950s fedora for him. Once again surrounded by ghosts Cookie must solve a murder, with the help of the original ghost Charlotte, fedora loving private eye Sam, Cookie's best friend Heather, and the ever mysterious Wind Song the cat Cookie must use all the skills she has learned to solve the deadliest murder mystery to date.

Rose Pressey's writing is getting crisper and showing a better balance between describing vintage clothing but not forgetting the story line. I like how Cookie is evolving as a sleuth and learning she cannot do everything on her own. I did read a teaser for the next book in the series, Haunted is Always in Fashion, but it is checked out at the library. I hope to continue the series soon.

Outcast

Outcast is the story of how Quinn and Willow were cast from their village. It is a short prequel story to the Defiance series. Since I liked Quinn in the story I wanted to read a story from his point of view. It is very short, just ten chapters that comes out to about eighty pages. It was fun to see an earlier story about the world and I am glad I took the time to read Outcast.

I am Number Four The Lost Files Nine's Legacy

I am Number Four The Lost Files Nine's Legacy is a companion book to the I am Number Four series.

The story focuses on Nine and his Cepan. It is very short and just adds a bit of back information adding in more about how legacies develop. It also showed the human side of Nine as he fumbled his way with talking to a girl and eventually going out on a date.

I mainly read it since I am working on finishing up series and extra stories before I start more new series.

Starfall

Since I loved Starflight I wanted to read Starfall. Sadly I was highly disappointed.

First off the characters of Starflight became side characters that were barley in the story at all. Side characters from Starfall took center stage.

Cassia fled her home planet when she was being forced into an arranged marriage with a man who wanted to kill her and take the throne. With her best friend Kane at her side Cassia knows she cannot avoid going home forever however that decision is changed for her when she is captured by intergalactic bounty hunters.

My biggest issue with Starfall was how many times the story went in circles, it felt like I kept reading the same story over and over until about the 85% mark. Then the story got exciting and original. I wish that the first part had been left out totally and just the last fifteen percent or so of the story had been expanded upon and been the plot line. Sadly everything was predictable and I had many things figured out before Cassia did. It seems like Starfall is the last book in the Starflight series which is good since I do not want to continue on with the series.

The Fever Code

The Fever Code is another prequel to The Maze Runner however since it contains a ton of spoilers I feel it should not be read until after the original trilogy is read.

Thomas has been with WICKED a long time, they took him as a young child because he is immune to the Flare and it is in his DNA that they hope to find a cure. His days are full of blood tests, medical examinations, and schooling. WICKED seems obsessed with training his brain and will go through any length to uncover the secrets it holds.

Even though I enjoyed The Maze Runner I had problems with The Fever Code, it was odd reading about characters who died in the main series. Also I wanted to know more about the inner works of WICKED but since Thomas did not really learn much the reader did not learn much. Sadly it felt like most of The Fever Code was fluff with few new discoveries and information tidbits.

The Other Woman

My library card had quit working so I went into the library to see why after the librarian looked at it she did something then asked me to try to check out a book and The Other Woman was my choice. I hate to say it what drew me to the story was the fact that Emily did not have a good relationship with her mother-in-law and sadly I can relate.

Emily is pleasantly surprised when she meets Adam and realizes he is perfect for her. Totally devoted to each other things quickly grow dark when Adam takes Emily to meet his mother. It is clear to Emily that Adam worships his mother and the ground she walks on. This would not be a problem except Pamela has major problems with Emily. Every remark out of Pamela's mouth is directed at belittling Emily in some way. Determined not to be chased off Emily gets drawn into vicious game with Pamela determined to come out the winner.

The writing was smooth and transitioned easily. Only once did I get confused on a time jump but I quickly realized what was going on. The Other Woman was a fast read that had me turning pages quickly to find out what was going on. My biggest complaint was the ending seemed a bit vague like the plot was set up perfectly and wham it ends on a weak note. I am not sure I will seek out another Sandie Jones story but if one falls in my lap I would not say no to it.

Resist

Resist is the conclusion to the Breathe duology. Like Breathe the story was fast paced and never slowed down for a single moment.

Along with Bea, Quinn, and Alina a new point of view is added with Ronan who is a solider for the government. I feel like Ronan did not really have a part in the story and was unnecessary except to make everything sort of fit. It sort of felt like a weak love triangle was going on between Ronan, Quinn, and Bea which just seemed out of place and messy. Since I enjoyed Breathe I really wanted to like Resist as well but it felt like a rushed story with too many loose ends.

The writing was sloppier then in Breathe and with so much action and characters point of views things quickly became muddled. It almost felt like two plot lines that were fighting to take control and only one plot line was resolved. While I like the idea of shorter series I also dislike how many things were left for the reader to wonder about.