Hotel Magnifique

 

I had no intention of finishing Hotel Magnifique so quickly or read the majority of the story in one day however circumstances changed and it was it was the only thing I had to do while sitting in the ER for five hours. 

Jani is an interesting character, fiercely loyal to her sister she dreams of a better life for the both of them. One of the more endearing things for me about Jani is she never ever stopped asking questions or demanding answers even when she should not have. Since I am information driven I loved that aspect of Jani and could easily relate to her always opening her mouth to demand an answer. 

The writing was smooth and transitioned easily between aspects of the hotel. I loved the word building and the magical aspects of the hotel described. Despite enjoying that part I do feel like a huge hole was in the plot of the story and that more could have been done with the enchantments of the hotel. While a stand alone that did finish nicely I want more of the story. I want to see Jani with Bel more, maybe a novella with them. 

Sometimes I Lie

 

I have read another book by Alice Feeney and enjoyed it so I figured I would give Sometimes I Lie a chance. 

Normally I do not like books that jump around from different point of time, I tend to get lost in the story. This is now the case with Sometimes I Lie, every transition was clear and concise. I like how each chapter had a date and time so I clearly knew what was being happening and when. Amber despite being in a coma still came across as as strong character with quirks, feelings, and regrets. I loved that about her, it made her feel so real. Like the other story I read the mystery started out slow but then wham the twists and turns kept coming nonstop. I was not able to figure out everything coming and that made me enjoy the story all the more. 

The End of Her

 

I have not felt like searching for books to read so I keep going back to familiar authors. Shari Lapena has been keeping me entertained with several of her books lately. Sadly I could not get into The End of Her. While I did finish the story I found it repetitive and it ended on another mystery which was frustrating. 

Stephanie has a happy life with her young twins and devoted husband. All that changes when a woman from her husband's past shows up declaring he killed his first wife and unborn child. Refusing to give into her demands of money Stephanie tries to navigate the confusing mess her life has become.

As I said before the story is super repetitive it, it goes on and on about how sleep deprived Stephanie is and the other characters constantly repeat their actions. It got tedious and boring quickly. I did finish the story hoping for a great ending but it was mediocre at best. 

The Lipstick Bureau

 

I do not recall where I got The Lipstick Bureau from but I have liked other stories loosely based on history previously so I figured I would give it a try. 

While the story jumps between several points of view I feel like the story was mainly told from Niki's point of view and she is the one I felt had the most sense of completion with her story. Since Niki is based loosely on a real woman it is really hard to critique any actions she made because it was a real person's choice but I do not feel that Mrs. Gable convened who Niki was as a person overly well. Despite being a fan of breaking the rules constantly and enjoying smoking Niki did not come off as a strong character who was well rounded and developed. 

I did managed to finish the book without skimming so I will say it is a fair read. I do appreciate the consistency in the chapter length, saying whose point of view it was at the start of the chapter, and being clear when transitions were being made between time periods. 

Everyone Here is Lying

 

With all that is going on in my life I need a good distraction and Shari Lapena is providing that. Everyone Here is Lying had me reading way past my bedtime most nights.

Avery is a difficult child and tries both her parents patience but when her father gets so mad at her he strikes her so hard she hits the floor people start to suspect he may have done more. Avery is missing and the quiet town is horrified to learn a nine year girl was snatched off the street in her middle class neighborhood. Unsure who is telling the truth and who is lying the detective on the case are determined to find Avery no matter what. 

Once again I had no clue who was responsible for making Avery disappear, the twists and turns kept me guessing along with all the detectives. I do wish that the characters were more fleshed out though lost of them and I felt like I knew none of them. 

Not A Happy Family

 

Not a Happy Family is by an author I have enjoyed in the past so I stuck with the story to the end. I did not care for this story at all, I kept waiting for hints about the investigation but seemed to never get any. I literally had no clue who the killer was until it was revealed. Personally not enough closure to the mystery was provided at the end for me either. 

Murdered and rich with angry kids and a housekeeper who loves the kids more then herself leaves detectives with a perplexing case. Who killed the Mr. and Mrs. Merton? With every suspect having a motive and every one of them willing to lie the story contains plenty of twists and turns leaving the reader guessing.

Personally I did not enjoy Not A Happy Family, the writing style was not to my taste. However the mystery was solved with a solid reason why things occurred the way they did. 

Seduction of a Highlands Lass

 

I do not know where I got Seduction of a Highland Lass just that it was in my old bedroom at my grandparents house when I was visiting and I had nothing else to read. 

If you are looking for a steamy romance where the men tell the women what to do this is that. While it does try to show that women have some say in the matters of their lives it is very little. Lots of steamy scenes and not a book I would say is for anyone under 18 years of age. 

The history was sketchy at times but overall I did like the story and it took my mind off the many stresses I have in my life at the moment.