What Are We Reading and Reviewing in March 2021?

What are your reading plans for March?

📌 - ★
Carol Plans to Have Lots of Fun Reading in March

📌Lying Next To Me – Gregg Olsen - (Pick A Winner ) 4.5–★
📌Leonard: (My Life As A Cat - Carlie Sorosiak - 5+★ (Early Reviewers)
📌Some Can See – J.R. Erickson - 4★
📌You are Invited a Ghost Story – Sarah Denzel –3★
📌The Last Laugh – Michelle Dorey –5★
📌Within The Shadows – Brandon Massey –5★
📌Dark Corner – Brandon Massey –5★
📌The House – Paul Carro – 3★
📌Ghost Camera - Darcy Coates - 5★
📌Wolf at the Door – Charlie Adhara - 5★
📌Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing- Charlie Adahara – 3★
📌The Novel Art of Murder – V.M. Burns – ★
📌The Downstairs Neighbor – Helen Cooper –4.5★
📌Faithless in Death – J.D. Robb – 5★
📌The Bride's Curse - Rayne Hall - 4★
📌39 Steps - John Buchan - 4★
📌Nana - Brandon Massey - 5★
📌Common Goal - Rachel Reid - 4★
📌Wanted, a Gentleman -K.J. Charles - 2.5★
📌Crafty Cat Crimes - Stefan Dziemianowicz - 4.5★
📌Plan B - Emily Barr - 2★
📌Best Laid Plans - Roan Parrish - 4.5★
📌The Wolf At Bay - Charlie Adhara - 5★
📌Thrown To The Wolves - Charlie Adhara 5★
📌Covenant - Brandon Massey - 5★
📌The Royal Street Heist - Scotty Cade - 4.5★
📌Veiled Loyalties - Scotty Cade - 5★
📌Cry Wolf - Charlie Adhara - 5+★
📌Tick Tock - Dean Koontz - 4.5★
📌Fire and Flint - Andrew Grey - 5★

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing - Charlie Adhara - (Washington D.C./North Carolina}
Big Bad Wolf series Book #4
5★
Agent Cooper Dayton and his partner, Oliver Park, are going undercover—at a retreat for couples who need counseling. They do say the best cover story is one that’s close to the truth…
Agent Cooper Dayton is almost relieved to get a phone call from his former boss at the Bureau of Special Investigations. It means a temporary reprieve from tensions created by house hunting with Oliver Park, his partner both in work and in life. Living together in a forever home is exactly what Cooper wants. He’s just not keen on working out the details. With a former alpha werewolf missing, Cooper and Park are loaned to the BSI to conduct the search at a secluded mountain retreat. The agents will travel to the resort undercover…as a couple in need of counseling.
The resort is picturesque, the grounds are stunning and the staff members are all suspicious as hell. With a long list of suspects and danger lurking around every cabin, Cooper should be focusing on the case. But he’s always been anxious about the power dynamics in his relationship with Park, and participating in the couples’ activities at the retreat brings it all to the surface. A storm is brewing, though, and Cooper and Park must rush to solve the case before the weather turns. Or before any more guests—or the agents themselves—end up dead.

As much as I love a good ghost story, I’m not a huge fan of vampires and werewolves. This book was in the box that my friends left for me…so I thought okay…a gay werewolf…and a dominate human that is as human as anyone could possibly be. As improbable as a hot, sexy, heartwarming hysterically funny romance between a cranky, cantankerous, loner Alpha human with anxiety and PTSD to boot… and the almost equally Alpha, dry-witted, generally Zen-like emotionally controlled, former enforcer of one of the most powerful werewolf packs in existence seems…it really works. Even their cat loves them equally. They are so cute together…well…as cute as a gay werewolf with his ability to grow fur anytime he wants… can be. The story doesn’t portray him as what we think of topically being a werewolf.. Here werewolves are just people… man or woman that can shift into wolf form, but most don’t go around killing anything that moves. I’m looking forward to finding out through the other books what other similarities these wolves possess with ordinary people. This book is nearly at the end of the series… #4 of 5. My two friends have promised they will order the first 3 and the last one as a favor to me. What a great two guys they are!!! It’s a really well written story with mystery and suspense throughout the book and never a single boring moment and comical remarks from Cooper. UPDATE NOTE: YEAH! My friends just brought me books #1 and #2…The Wolf At The Door & The Wolf At Bay. Think I’m going to keep them :)…My friends that is.

Nana - Brandon Massey - (Georgia)
5★
Monica Stephens never knew her birth mother. Raised by a strict but loving adoptive parent, she blossomed into a woman with a thriving career as a pediatrician and a family of her own. But sometimes, she wondered about her origins…especially her biological mother…until Grace arrives.

This is a new author for me and I absolutely loved this first book that I’ve read by him. He writes a well formed, story with great characters that are all endowed with completely, believable human faults. It’s his non-human characters that you have to watch out for. They will take you on one long, wild ride and scare you beyond belief. I don’t scare easily but the character of Grace gave be goose-bumps almost from the first. You know there is something very, very, very wrong. If you’ve read much of the horror genre you almost know what it is…but not how far it has, or will, go. You’ll have to wait until almost the very last page to learn it’s true depth and nature. Nana is a truly terrifying tale with a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter. I am certainly going to be finding more of Brandon Massey’s stories.

Common Goal - Rachel Reid – (New York)
Game Changer series Book #4
4★
Veteran goaltender Eric Bennett has faced down some of the toughest shooters on the ice, but nothing prepared him for his latest challenge—life after hockey. It’s time to make some big changes, starting with finally dating men for the first time. Graduate student Kyle Swift moved to New York nursing a broken heart. He’d sworn to find someone his own age to crush on (for once). Until he meets a gorgeous, distinguished silver fox hockey player. Despite their intense physical attraction, Kyle has no intention of getting emotionally involved. He’ll teach Eric a few tricks, have some mutually consensual fun, then walk away. Eric is more than happy to learn anything Kyle brings to the table. And Kyle never expected their friends-with-benefits arrangement to leave him wanting more. Happily-ever-after might be staring them in the face, but it won’t happen if they’re too stubborn to come clean about their feelings. Everything they both want is within reach… They just have to be brave enough to grab it.

Eric…the above mentioned “Silver Fox”… is 41 years old and this is his last season…he’s retiring….thinks he’s “over the hill”. I’m not a big hockey fan but it was in the box of books…and I see I had read another one in this series last year. Eric is a bit narrow minded thinking that the energetic 25 year old bartender that he’s crazy about is too young for him to place his romantic hopes retirement on. Eric spent way too much time worrying the age difference to death. Kyle showed him in everyway possible that he was equally crazy about him…but Eric just couldn’t let it go…and frankly he was the only one that cared. I liked the characters and how the story developed…but what a stubborn guy!!! I wanted to hit him up side the head with his hockey stick. It needed much less of time picking apart the relationship and looking for excuses and more time just listening to what his heart was telling him.

The House - Paul Carro – (Maine)
3★
The day began when Sheriff Frank Watkins found two bodies and three heads. Then things got strange. Paranormal TV host Charlie "Thunder" Raines has spent a lifetime seeking answers to the unexplained. When he spots a woman no one else on his crew can see, it appears he will finally receive his answers but at what cost? Yoga instructor Suzy Pottle thought she left her past behind by moving cross country and changing her identity. When a door that previously did not exist creaks open in her studio, she discovers the past can never truly die. Before the day is over more doors will open before slamming close, trapping residents of Tether Falls, Maine in a place seemingly existing between two worlds. The mysterious event brings together nine strangers with nine secrets so dark they plan to take them to their graves, with one house willing to accommodate them all.

I liked the story and loved the picture of the creepy old house that graces the cover and drew me to take it and demanded that I give it a home with its millions of brothers and sisters that already reside there. Also the reference to the two bodies and three heads was a “must know where the third head belonged” for me. It would have been nice if Mr. Carro had told us all little more abut the house, made at least some of the characters a little more likeable. The ending was…well… “The End”….I even checked to see if pages were missing. Nope...just “That’s All Folks!” I know that some readers love it if a budding romance or a steamy sex scene can possibly break out in a story. This one tried to produce one of those… however for a romance or sex… steamy or otherwise…to rear it’s head during all this bloodshed seem completely ludicrous and highly unlikely at the most. I just have SOOO much fun with these stories.

Daughter of Time / Sarah Woodbury
3.75 stars

Meg has a toddler daughter, Anna, and just recently buried her abusive husband, who she’d been trying to leave. When Meg and Anna are driving one night, an accident spins their vehicle, but when they wake up, Meg thinks someone is playing a prank. They have woken up in the 13th century, and the man taking care of her is the Prince of Wales (when Wales was still its own country). At this time, the Prince, Llywelyn, has made a tentative peace with the Prince (King?) of England, but still has people coming after him, including his own traitorous brother, Dafydd.

I quite enjoyed this time travel/historical fiction/romance. The chapters alternated points of view between Meg and Llywelyn. I did prefer the chapters from Meg’s POV, likely due to a. being a woman, and b. being able to “picture” how one might react shifting in time from present day to the 13th century! I liked the pronunciation guide (for Welsh) at the start of the book. Apparently this is a prequel to a series, but I haven’t (yet) read any of the rest of the series (though I plan to continue now!)

Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret – Judy Blume
3***

First published in 1970, this has become a staple of children’s literature, as well as a frequently challenged book.

Eleven-going-on-Twelve-year-old Margaret Simon has moved to a new town and navigates the social pitfalls of a new school, new friends, secret clubs, boy/girl parties and the changes of puberty. She learns that first impressions are not always accurate, and that some people’s word cannot be trusted. She also has to deal with her “lack of religion” – how can she know if she should join the Y or the Community Center?

I think if I had read this at a young age I would have easily identified with Margaret. I certainly recognize some of my own anxieties about growing up, though my situation was very different from Margaret’s.

Linda Hamilton does a fine job performing the audio version. I thought she was believable as a 12-year-old girl.

Some Can See - J. R. Erickson (Michigan)
A book in the Northern Michigan Asylum series

STEP INTO THE NORTHERN MICHIGAN ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE: Twenty years after Sophia discovers Rosemary’s body, she finds herself trapped in the sprawling and eerily beautiful, Northern Michigan Asylum for the Insane, in the hands of a malevolent doctor who preys on patients who exhibit paranormal abilities. SOMETIMES THE DEAD DON’T REST: In present day 1965, Hattie, much like her mother, thirty years before, is led by a ghost. A newspaper hidden in an attic reveals a secret that has shaped the lives of Hattie and her siblings. Hattie with her sister, Jude, embarks on a crusade to remedy the wrongs of the past and discover the tale of deception that stole their mother a decade before. Hattie and Jude are in a race against time to discover a murderer and save their mother from a horrific fate.

This is a diffidently character driven story. It’s not just a book about some seeing the dead. It is a story of a life stolen, children mourning the loss of childhood and a spiteful sick grandmother. This is a book that lingers in my mind and I can't wait for the next one. It’s a stand alone story… I believe all 8 books are standalones…so no cliffhangers. But it hints that there are other stories to be told from this northern Michigan asylum.

Wolf At The Door - Charlie Adahra (Maryland/Maine)
Big Bad Wolf series Book #1
5★
An ex-FBI agent is partnered with the enemy in this suspenseful first installment of Charlie Adhara’s Big Bad Wolf series. Hunting for big bad wolves was never part of agent Cooper Dayton’s plan, but a werewolf attack lands him in the carefully guarded Bureau of Special Investigations. A new case comes with a new partner: ruggedly sexy werewolf Oliver Park. Park is an agent of The Trust, a werewolf oversight organization working to ease escalating tensions with the BSI. But as far as Cooper’s concerned, it’s failing. As they investigate a series of mysterious deaths unlike anything they’ve seen, every bone in Cooper’s body is suspicious of his new partner—even when Park proves himself as competent as he is utterly captivating. When more people vanish, pressure to solve the case skyrockets. And though he’d resolved to keep things professional, Cooper’s friction with Park soon erupts...into a physical need that can’t be contained or controlled. But with a body count that’s rising by the day, werewolves and humans are in equal danger. If Cooper and Park don’t catch the killer soon, one—or both—of them could be the next to go.

As is a norm for me…I read the #4 book before the #1 book…IT WASN”T MY FAULT!!! Book #4 was in my box from my friends who didn’t realize it was a series until I threatened them with great bodily harm unless they found the rest of them. I now have book #1…thank you Connor and Luke! If I hadn’t read book #4 first I probably wouldn’t have ever picked the series up on my own as I’m not a fan of werewolves or vampires. I can truthfully say that I am now a big fan of this werewolf :) The books can be easily described. They are great adventure…thriller… mystery stories with m/m romance as a parallel storyline. The main characters are estranged from their families to varying degrees, and the murder victims are not mourned much nor missed by anyone. Loneliness is a constant theme echoing throughout...showing how you can choose it at some point in life and then get stuck in it. Conner is so completely likable and constantly makes funny remarks about his view on life and almost everything else. Park is hot…for lack of a better word… but we don't know much about what makes him tick or how he thinks. So far he hasn’t eaten anyone and that’s a good thing. I have book 2 and waiting on book #3 & #5. Hope they find their way here soon.

The Last Laugh – Michelle Dorey (Connecticut)
The Haunting of Kingston series Book #6
5★
There are some secrets that should have stayed buried. Finding the century home in the idyllic lakeside town of Westport was the best thing that could have happened to Sharon. She’d turn it into a B&B and finally run her own business. Who said that it was all downhill at fifty? This is a change of life all right—a change for the better. She and Peter could slide right into being empty nesters. Except…the Victorian era place isn’t quite as vacant as they thought. It begins with puzzling events like a TV set turning on by itself…then some flickering lights…nothing big; just new house jitters, right? The house was just a new home Sharon would get used to. They’d get an electrician in, and that would be that. Or is it something else? Years ago, Liam Gallagher, a hard working man who loved practical jokes and pranks died in a tragic accident. Or was it an accident? As Sharon tries to uncover these long buried secrets, her own bizarre past comes back to haunt her. As a young child, she had a ‘gift’ of an otherworldly nature. She could find lost items, know peoples’ secrets and even have foretelling of dangerous events. It faded when she matured, and she never spoke of it. But it’s back now…with a vengeance. Rage and long past hatreds are resurrected. Sharon and her family aren’t just in the way. They’re the newest victims. It’s time for one last laugh.

The “Ghost Story Junkie” loves a good haunted house tale… and this is a really great one. It’s based on what is believed to be a true story. How much truth there is in that will totally depend on the views of the reader. Many people are said to have seen the ghost, or at least his effects in the house. Real or not …Liam…the ghost… disrupts the whole family and gives the reader enough chills to last a lifetime. I really liked how the author set the story in motion with lots of twists & turns with the goal to be how to deal with the spirit. It does seem that Liam is not especially dangerous…just mischievous… perhaps lonely and not really liking his “dead state”. I don’t think I would want Liam occupying my house but then these people were occupying his. This is the first book I've read of this author but it defiantly won't be the last.

The Escape Room / Megan Goldin
4.25 stars

When four co-workers are brought together last-minute on a Friday night, no one expects this. They are meant to do an escape room – is this team building? No one really knows why they were asked to come, but the prestigious financial firm where they work has been laying people off, so Vincent (team lead), Jules, Sylvie, and Sam don’t feel that they can decline. Their escape room has them locked in an elevator, solving clues. But they don’t seem to be able to get out no matter what they do…

I’ve done a lot of escape rooms and they are fun, but this is terrifying! In a real elevator, not having the safety features of a set-up room, and not even knowing who set it all up. None of the characters are especially likable. The chapters actually alternate between the four in the elevator, and backing up in time to another character, Sara Hall, who once worked with them, so her chapters go over her time at the firm. Despite disliking the characters, I certainly wanted to keep reading!

Covenant - Brandon Massey – (Georgia)
5★
On a golden summer morning, fifteen-year-old Anthony Thorne is on a fishing boat with his father, rods cast into the lake, when the crack of a rifle shatters the silence. His father slumps forward, blood leaking from his chest. Horrified, Anthony spins in the direction of the gunfire, and sees a shadowy figure race away from the shore and vanish in the cover of the trees--a vision that will haunt him for years to come Fifteen years later: a happily married Marine veteran and author of a bestselling series of crime novels, Anthony has achieved a measure of success. However…the past still haunts him…and in spite of his eyewitness testimony, his father’s murder was declared a hunting accident, and no one was ever brought to justice. On the anniversary of his father’s death, a mysterious message arrives from an unknown sender that promises to lead Anthony to the truth

Question: What would you do if your every move…every aspect of your life could be and was, being controlled by your church… of all things? The abilities this church processes and uses are beyond terrifying in that the possibility in reality DOES absolutely exist with all the technology available in today’s world. This story brings this entire scenario alive and up close and personal. Covenant is an action packed suspense thriller that reads like an action packed movie from the beginning until the very last page. Every year on the anniversary of his fathers unsolved murder Anthony goes into a frenzy to have the murder revisited, to see if any new evidence has been uncovered. Finally he receives a mysterious note with details that contains details and facts that are so accurate that it can’t be a prank. I thought that Anthony was a fool for meeting this perfect stranger… and even crazier to go off with his wife on a quest that you just know is not going to end well. Sit back and enter a world where the wages of sin is indeed death.

A Bookshop In Berlin– Françoise Frenkel
Digital audiobook narrated by Jilly Bond
4****

Subtitle: The Rediscovered Memoir of One Woman’s Harrowing Escape From the Nazis
In 1921 Frankel – a Jewish woman from Poland – opened La Maison du Livre, Berlin’s first French bookshop. It was popular with artists and diplomats, celebrities and poets. But by 1935 the city was in the grip of the Nazis – first came bureaucratic hurdles, then police inspections and book confiscations. In November 1938 came Kristallnacht, when hundreds of Jewish shops and businesses were destroyed. Frankel fled to Paris. But she was hardly safe for long.

Originally titled No Place To Lay One’s Head this has been re-issued with the popular “bookshop” title – certainly a marketing strategy. There’s virtually nothing in the memoir about the bookshop, and little about Berlin.

This is not to say that Frankel’s memoir isn’t worth reading. I was engaged, interested and riveted by her tale. The many near misses and constant uncertainty would break many. I marveled at her tenacity, determination and sheer will to survive.

Jilly Bond does an excellent job of narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and has very clear diction. I don’t speak French, so am not certain, but her French pronunciation sounds authentic to me.

The text version includes numerous notes at the end, including copies of correspondence and a review of Frankel’s original memoir. I was surprised to learn from these appendices that she was married; her husband is never mentioned in the book.

Leonard (My Life As A Cat) – Carlie Sorosiak – (South Carolina/Arizona)
5+★
The cat that Olive rescues from a flood has a secret: he’s not really a cat at all, but an alien who crashed to Earth on a beam of light. The cat, whom Olive names Leonard, was prepared to visit the planet as a human—but something went badly, terribly, horribly wrong

In a galaxy far, far away, beings are immortal. Each being, to celebrate one’s 300th birthday, is allowed to visit Earth for one month. The being can take on any form it likes… penguin, elephant, or human etc…and spend that month experiencing life on Earth in the chosen form. The beings study life on Earth by watching things like I Love Lucy shows. One of these aliens has been planning his trip to Earth for quite a while, and he is ready to take his place as a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park. He has dreamed of his month on Earth. Leonard says, “I’d … carry many useful things in my pockets: a Swiss Army knife, a butterfly net, a variety of pens for writing. Humor is a valued trait among humans, so for an entire year, I exclusively prepared jokes.” He wants to hold an umbrella in his hands, and he really can’t wait to have hands. But sometimes excitement overcomes one and one loses focus. This is what happens to our little alien. He loses focus on his way to Yellowstone, and instead of becoming a park ranger there for the month; he becomes a cat in South Carolina, rescued from a storm by an eleven-year-old girl named Olive. I absolutely loved every word of this book. It made me laugh out loud, it had lots of tension to keep the pages turning, and it brought me to tears. The story concept is unique, the characters are all believable and interesting, there is lots of humor, and the writing is spectacular. Every human that is or was ever owned by a cat…or an alien…should read this little treasure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own.

Veiled Loyalties - Scotty Cade – (Louisiana)
Bussonet & Cruz Investigations Book #2
5★
Halloween is Beau Bissonet’s favorite holiday, from carving pumpkins to decorating his yard to donning a costume and scaring the neighborhood kids. But this year his Halloween is about to take a different turn, one that will challenge his skills as a detective and his commitment to his partner in work and love. A year since Beau and Tollison solved The Royal Street Heist, found love, and formed Bissonet & Cruz Investigations, they are thriving personally and professionally. That is until Tollison’s ex, Bastien Andros, shows up out of the blue. Naturally, Beau’s suspicious, but two days after Bastien’s arrival, he goes missing, and Tollison worries his past may catch up to him. A mysterious package makes clear who has Bastien and what’s at stake. With both Bastien and Beau’s lives now at risk, Tollison has only one option: travel to Zurich, Switzerland, secure and deliver the ransom, keep both men safe, and stay true to himself at the same time.

Book #2 of this trilogy is a fast-moving, plot driven, action adventure which begins with Tollison's ex-lover, Bastian, casually dropping into his and Beau's new detective agency, and then proceeds through a series of harrowing episodes in which Beau and Tollison are forced to steal a masterpiece in order to save Bastian's life. The detail that Scotty Cade put into the heist is absolutely outstanding. What aids in making this one a solid “keeper”, is that Bruce and Auggie…Beau’s friends and partner and ex from book one…has a part to play in the story. Good to see them all getting along. Now I am really interested to see more of Bruce and Bastien to see where that goes. Good one Mr. Cade.

Lying Next To Me - Gregg Olsen (Washington)
4.5★
No matter what you see, no matter what you’ve heard, assume nothing. Adam and Sophie Warner and their three-year-old daughter are vacationing in Washington State’s Hood Canal for Memorial Day weekend. It’s the perfect getaway to unplug—and to calm an uneasy marriage. But on Adam’s first day out on the water, he sees Sophie abducted by a stranger. A hundred yards from shore, Adam can’t save her. And Sophie disappears. In a nearby cabin is another couple, Kristen and Connor Moss. Unfortunately, beyond what they’ve heard in the news, they’re in the dark when it comes to Sophie’s disappearance. For Adam, at least there’s comfort in knowing that Mason County detective Lee Husemann is an old friend of his. She’ll do everything she can to help. She must. But as Adam’s paranoia about his missing wife escalates, Lee puts together the pieces of a puzzle. The lives of the two couples are converging in unpredictable ways, and the picture is unsettling. Lee suspects that not everyone is telling the truth about what they know—or they have yet to reveal all the lies they’ve hidden from the strangers they married.

This is a slow moving mystery and thriller that takes it’s time wrapping you up. It will convince you that you know the truth about the characters, only to realize you’ve been lied to…again. After all half the fun of reading mysteries is trying to figure out “whodunit” before the author reveals it. One of the other things that makes this a great mystery is the author fills the story with well-developed, unreliable narrators who lie to your face to throw you off the trail. That’s exactly what happens in this one. There is not one character in this book who can tell the truth. I usually like to have at least one character that I can depend on to not lead me down the wrong path but I didn’t get a single one here. These people are simply all really horrible people and any one of them could have committed the murder. I do like to be made to wonder “what the heck is happening” now and “why did he/she do that”…so I am happy to say Gregg Olsen did an outstanding job of doing that. So he gets 4.5 stars for his efforts.

Ghost Camera- Darcy Coates (Washington)
5★
When Jennie finds an abandoned camera in a lighthouse, she takes a photo for fun. But there's something very, very wrong with the picture: it contains ghosts. Jenine and her best friend, Bree, realize the camera is capable of capturing the dead. But with each new photo taken, the specters become more aware and more alert, and begin following the friends. Desperate, Jenine seeks the help of a paranormal researcher. He only has bad news, though: they've meddled with something far beyond their control, and the ghosts won't stop... not until Jenine and Bree are dead.

Darcy Coates is one of my favorite authors of really chilling ghost stories. The main characters are likeable and relatable, which allow the reader to feel empathy for them when they find themselves in a situation they cannot control, and which you know is headed for a really unfavorable outcome. These are young people and they did something that kids that age would do and this helps to reminds us that if this bore any resemblance of reality, it could potentially happen to anyone. The storyline is unpredictable. All in all, this is a goose bump producing, don’t want it to end… good read.

The Richest Woman in America / Janet Wallach
2 stars

Hetty Green was born in 1834 and, despite being a girl, learned about money and investments from her father (hmm, on reading the blurb, this may not have been where she learned this – at least not directly). She also seemed quite litigious and took offense when inheritances she thought should go to her didn’t. She was a very wealthy woman.

I listened to the audio, and though the narrator didn’t appear to have an accent, she did pronounce some vowels oddly, which distracted me. Combine that with really being kind of boring and I wasn’t impressed. Because of being somewhat boring, I may not have the summary exactly right, as I wasn’t paying attention to parts of the book. And I didn’t particularly like Hetty. In some ways, she was obviously before her time.

Strange but True
John Searles
4/5 stars
The Chases have had a hard life, their son Ronnie was killed in an automobile accident which severely injured his date/girlfriend Melissa. One night Melissa shows up on their door step claiming she is pregnant with Ronnie’s baby though Ronnie has been dead for 5 years. So begins this very interesting mystery about a family wracked with grief, trying to get through life and absorbing this new information. Is the baby really Ronnie’s? Is Melissa trying to scam them?

Thrown To The Wolves – Charlie Adhara - (Canada)
Big Bad Wolf series Book #3
5★
Agent Cooper Dayton is going to meet his boyfriend’s werewolf family. Unarmed…On their turf…and he’s bringing his cat. When Agent Cooper Dayton agreed to attend the funeral for Oliver Park’s grandfather, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Turns out, the deceased was the alpha of the most powerful werewolf pack on the eastern seaboard. And his death is highly suspicious. Regardless, Cooper is determined to love and support Park the way Park has been there for him. But Park left him woefully unprepared for the wolf pack politics and etiquette. Rival packs...the seating order at the dinner table…a mysterious figure named the Shepherd? The worst is that Park didn’t tell his family one key thing about Cooper. Cooper feels two steps behind, and reticent Park is no help.

You’ve heard the saying “You can’t go home”. No one actually puts much stock in it, but poor Cooper should have been giving it second thoughts. He so wanted to make Oliver Park proud of him and have Park’s family feel that he was worthy of their Oliver. Nothing went right from the start, The car broke down and Oliver left Cooper with the cat while he walked into town but Cooper was visited by an over friendly wolf that could open car doors and even smirk while licking his face. He is then "rescued by a research team that is collecting data about wolves that "act strangely”. To say Oliver Park’s family is dysfunctional would be like calling The Titanic a rowboat. They treated Cooper with about as much disdain as they could possibly offer a human...which was the one main piece of information that Oliver had failed to give them about Cooper. Might have been useful and important when introducing your human boyfriend to your family of werewolves. I have so very much enjoyed this series and love these two characters. I wish there was more books in the series or that there might be a chance of there ever being even one more. I do have the last one in the series that I intend to devour shortly. Things will definitely be changing for both Cooper and Park - I can't wait to see what's in store for them next.

Olive Kitteridge – Elizabeth Strout
4****

This is really a collection of short stories about the people who live in a small coastal Maine town. Virtually all the stories mention Olive Kitteridge, and we learn a little tidbit about her in each one. Olive is a hard woman to know and even harder to like. She is quick to judge, slow to forgive. She is not really in touch with her emotions at all (but then, most everyone is town has the same flaw). You really have all the elements of life in this little town – weddings, babies, death, divorce, affairs, surly children, inattentive spouses, the vulnerable, the lonely. In some of the stories the characters wake up to their dysfunction and take action to change, but we never really learn the result.

Update Oct 2020: After my F2F book club chose to discuss the sequel, Olive, Again, I decided to revisit the original. I’m glad I re-read it. For this experience I chose to read slowly, one story (chapter) every few days. I found myself thinking over some of the things I now know about Olive from reading the sequel and can clearly see her growth as a character. I’m more sympathetic to her, even though she is still hard to like. There are times when her experience as a teacher over many years shines through in the way she notices small clues to other people’s distress. Olive doesn’t always say or do the right thing – heck, she rarely says or does the right thing – but she takes note and in her own way she tries to let others know that they are not alone.

Nightmares & Dreamscapes / Stephen King
3.25 stars

I’ve had this book since university and I can’t remember if I read it back then or not. I decided to (re)read. As with all short story collections, I liked some better than others. There were a few I really liked in the first half and I was debating about rating this higher than other short story collections I’ve read in the past, but some of the stories in the second half brought my rating down a bit.

I think something I’m not crazy about with short stories is the energy it takes to move from one to the other so quickly. I always knew that I often didn’t like how short they were because I’d just be “getting’ into the story, when it would end and move on to the next. It was reading this that it occurred to me it takes “energy” to start with a new story so often – you have to get to know new characters and a new plot.

Some of the stories I really liked included Dolce’s Cadillac, Chattery Teeth, You Know They Got a Hell of a Band (if I hadn’t read this one before, I had definitely heard about it), Rainy Season, Sorry Right Number (this was more of a screenplay, but I quite liked it). His last “story” was more of a diary/journal (nonfiction) about his son’s Little League baseball team and a successful season they had. He included an interesting note at the end with a bit of information behind some of the stories.

Best Laid Plans - Roan Parrish –(Wyoming)
Garnet’s Run Book #2
4.5★
A man who’s been moving his whole life finally finds a reason to stay put. Charlie Matheson has spent his life taking care of things. When his parents died two days before his eighteenth birthday, he took care of his younger brother, even though that meant putting his own dreams on hold. He took care of his father’s hardware store, building it into something known several towns over. He took care of the cat he found in the woods…so now he has a cat. When a stranger with epic tattoos and a glare to match starts coming into Matheson’s Hardware, buying things seemingly at random and lugging them off in a car so beat-up Charlie feels bad for it, his instinct is to help. When the man comes in for the fifth time in a week, Charlie can’t resist intervening. Rye Janssen has spent his life breaking things…promise…his parents’ hearts…leases. He isn’t used to people wanting to put things back together—not the crumbling house he just inherited, not his future and certainly not him. But the longer he stays in Garnet Run, the more he can see himself belonging there. And the more time he spends with Charlie, the more he can see himself falling asleep in Charlie’s arms…and waking up in them. Is this what it feels like to have a home…and someone to share it with?

Perfect is diffidently not the word you would use when describing Charlie and Rye. Both men have trauma from their pasts…and although they are in vastly different circumstances…they discover they not only have chemistry, but actually complement one another. I was impatient and wasn’t feeling much love or compassion for Rye to start with since he acted worse than a spoiled, angry 8 year old when Charlie was only trying to help him. Their acceptance for one another did finally begin to mesh and there began to be hope for a relationship once Charlie and Rye both started to let go of their fears. It was beautiful to watch them both finally seeing that they were worthwhile as human beings and would be absolutely perfect with each other… each being exactly what the other one needed. The two cats…Jane and Marmot… only added the final perfection to the story...along with all the other "fur babies" that they provided homes for. The events were nicely paced and the story unfolded smoothly once Rye’s temper tantrum was over. It’s another good story by Roan Parrish. Charlie and Rye complete each other and I loved their story. Of course there was a book #1 that I completely missed. What else is new?:)

The Wolf At Bay - Charlie Adahara (Michigan/Maryland)
Big Bad Wolf series Book #2
5★
Solve the crime or fix the relationship—Cooper Dayton can’t seem to do both. Going home digs up bad memories, so it’s something Bureau of Special Investigations agent Cooper Dayton tries to avoid. When he’s guilted into a visit, Cooper brings along Oliver Park, his hot new werewolf partner, in the hopes the trip will help clarify their status as a couple…or not. When Park’s keen shifter nose uncovers a body in the yard and Cooper’s father is the prime suspect, Cooper knows they’re on their own. Familial involvement means no sanctioned investigation. They’ll need to go rogue and solve the mystery quietly or risk seeing Cooper’s dad put behind bars. The case may be cold, but Park and Cooper’s relationship heats up as they work.

It’s been four months since Cooper and Park worked the case that brought them to together as work partners as well as romantic partners. The BSI and The Trust have moved forward with partnering humans with werewolves and Cooper and Park are negotiating being permanent partners both on and off the job. It all blends together to some extent…but of course it’s still a bit complicated and messy as they’re each dragging several,well loaded suitcases, of doubt and personal turmoil behind them. Too further complicate things…Cooper now gets to introduce Park to his dysfunctional family. Things are actually lightened up a bit when the dead body arrives on the scene. This is another well done adventure with these two wonderful characters that all fans of the series are rooting for.

You Are Invited: A Ghost Story - Sarah Denzel (Romania)
3★
When Cath receives her invitation to The Event--a monetized retreat for social media influencers--she can't believe her luck. Irene Jobert is the most famous influencer in the world, and now Cath will be one of the five participants chosen to stay with Irene in a renovated Transylvanian monastery. The catch? Their every move will be live-streamed to millions of people around the world. Patrons pay for constant access to their favorite social media stars: Irene, the model; Nathan, the gamer; Jules, the blogger; Daniel, the fitness guru; and Cath, the writer. Nestled halfway up a mountain, the five are isolated, with nothing but the internet to connect them to the world. That is, until eagle-eyed live-stream followers all around the globe notice a sixth participant…a dark figure lurking in the background.

I saw this book on the website of one of my favorite ghost story writers…Darcey Coates. While it wasn’t necessarily recommended by Ms, Coates herself…she did give a blurb about the book that sounded intriguing. I thought the book started out rather slow and it took some time to actually pick up where something was happening besides the other participants meeting and assessing one another. I actually thought the story to be slightly muddled for lack of a better word. It seemed the author couldn’t quiet decide in which direction she wanted the story to go. I know that this author can write a well told tale and her writing style is easy to read…but not so much on this one. The idea of combining a traditional ghost story in a remote Romanian nunnery, long deserted after the nuns were all murdered....along with wolves....maybe even a vampire...blend with the ultra-modern world of Internet influence and technology and you have a good story that could have worked well...but this one just didn’t do it for me they way I had hoped. The best part was when the 6th uninvited participant appeared.. I’ll give it 3 stars just because I feel it may have been more me than the story itself that felt "off".

Diary of a Mad Housewife
Sue Kaufman
4/5 stars
Set in the 60’s, Bettina Balser is a stay at home mom, the norm for that generation dealing with child and husband issues. One of her outlets is a diary to vent all her feelings as she deals with her issues, fears and everything going around her including an affair of hers with a writer. Well written and still holds up today!

Crafty Cat Crimes - Stefan Dziemianowicz (and 43 others) – (Scotland)
4★
The game is afoot, and the four footed are its most cunning players in Crafty Cat Crimes. In one hundred cagey cat-tale mysteries, the largest literary litter of kitty crime-stoppers ever convened in one volume prowl the mean streets in pursuit of feline felons, justice, just desserts--and the occasional pat on the head. You don't have to be a cat lover to enjoy these stories of crime and intrigue. You just have to like challenging mysteries where a twist in the tale comes naturally. There is virtually no crime these cats don't put the paw on. Whether confronted with cat burglary, catnapping, or murder most foul, they work through seemingly insoluble puzzles with a stealth, feline finickiest, and silent grace that are the envy of their two-footed counterparts.

This is a 613 page anthology of very short mystery stories, all featuring cats in one way or another. Cats being mysteries themselves are very good at solving mysteries created by we imperfect humans:) Each of the 100 little stories here, by different authors, take only minutes to read and all feature cats either as the good guys… or in some cases the bad. Of course everyone who is, or has ever been, owned by a cat knows that there is no such thing as a “bad” cat...simply misunderstood. Some of the stories are deadly serious while others are absolutely hilarious. Even if you are a “dog” person you will find these little stories delightfully entertaining…and for “cat” people…they are diffidently recommended by your cat.

39 Steps - John Buchan - (Scotland)
4★
A self-described "ordinary fellow" stumbles upon a plot involving not only espionage and murder but also the future of Britain itself. Richard Hannay arrives in London on the eve of World War I, where he encounters an American agent seeking help in preventing a political assassination. Before long, Hannay finds himself in possession of a little black book that holds the key to the conspiracy — and on the run from both the police and members of a mysterious organization that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets hidden.

Though it takes place before World War I… it offers insight into the view of what was happening at that time making the tale timeless. With some minor changes, it could easily be a thrilling espionage adventure told in modern day. All books deserve, and should be judged, for their context…. and while most do…we all know that some don't. The fact that this one has a solid four-star average after hundreds of reviews…easily says how much fun this was to read. The book differs from Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptation in that there is no love interest for Hannay here… because it simply isn’t needed.

Lethal Mistake – Scotty Cade - (Louisiana)
Bussonet & Cruz Investigations Book #3
5★
Beau Bissonet and Tollison Cruz are back, along with Bruce, Auggie, and now Bastien, Tollison’s ex-partner. From the initial spark between them in Zurich, Bruce and Bastien’s attraction has flared, and Bastien has come to the Big Easy to explore what lies ahead for them. It’s Mardi Gras, and New Orleans is alive and festive, teeming with excited tourists and locals alike. The first few parades go off without a hitch. And then a man is targeted, shot, and killed right in the middle of a crowded street. Auggie and Bruce are called in to investigate, but before they even get started, more deaths occur, one at each of the next two parades. Auggie realizes he’s dealing with a serial killer and jumps into action. Beau and Tollison join the investigation and stumble upon some similarities in the murders that are too strong to ignore. But before they can unravel the perpetrator’s motives and get ahead of him, he fires another shot that affects the tightly knit group of friends in a way none of them could have ever imagined. Together they must all come up with a plan to stop the killing and serve justice in the process.

Beau and Tollison with Bruce and Sebastian, sort out a few more last grievances with their ex boyfriends together.. I loved Beau and Tollison's funny banter throughout the book. I’ve read many of this author’s books so can say with conviction that Scotty Cade has a clear and precise writing style that makes it easy to become engrossed in the story. It seems that once you start reading his books you can't put them down. I just wish that there would be more than only 3 books in any of his series. You just get to love the characters and then they’re off hiding in the pages…but there are always new ones to take their place. I think he should have one huge reunion with every character from every book he has written to date. Now that would surly be worth reading. I have never been disappointed in any of his books.

The Dutch House – Ann Patchett
Digital audiobook performed by Tom Hanks.
4****

Patchett uses the youngest member of the Conroy family, Danny, to tell this decades-long story of the family’s fortunes. Dad, Cyril, builds a real-estate empire in the years following WW 2, and presents his wife with a surprise – a palatial mansion the family knows as the Dutch House. But his wife is not pleased and eventually she leaves the family. Danny and his older sister Maeve cling to one another, especially after their father remarries.

I love Patchett’s writing. I love the way she reveals her characters in what they say and do. We see Danny grow from a young child to a middle-aged man with children of his own. And we watch Maeve take on the mantle of responsibility for her younger brother, encouraging and pushing him to succeed, to prove that they can thrive without the legacy they expected. We watch as their relationship stalls and eventually grows. And we watch as the next generation of Conroys begin to repeat some of those same patterns.

Tom Hanks does a marvelous job of performing the audiobook. He was completely believable as Danny – whether as an eight-year-old or a middle-aged father. Bravo!

The Dreams of Ada / Robert Mayer
4 stars

In 1984, in the “town” of Ada, Oklahoma, Denice Haraway left her job at a convenience store/gas station with a man (they simply looked like a couple). When the people who saw them leave went inside, the clerk (Denice) was no where to be found. It appeared that the place had also been robbed. It was only later that they realized the woman they saw leaving was the clerk.

When composite sketches brought Tommy Ward and Karl Fontenot to the attention of the police, they were brought in and questioned. When both confessed on camera, that pretty much sealed the deal. It wasn’t long before they recanted – said they thought their confessions (given under pressure) would easily be exposed as lies. But, despite a LOT of inconsistencies in those confessions, the two were arrested and charged.

I didn’t know the outcome of this. I may have when I heard about the book, but by the time of reading it now, I didn’t remember. I don’t want to say too much if anyone wants to read the book to see what happened and not find out things ahead of time. Even behind my spoiler tag, I haven’t specifically said, but I expect one might be able to figure it out, so you are warned!

Wow, I couldn’t believe it! Wow, I’m appalled! And to this day… Ugh! There were parts in the book that were a little more dry – sections that included things written by Tommy (he’s not very literate), and other legal details – but overall, it was interesting, particularly once they had the private investigator on the case. And suspenseful during the trials. This was originally published in 1987, but a new edition (with a new afterword) was published in 2006; the 2006 is the one I read.

Plan B- Emily Barr – (England/France)
2★
Emma adores living in Brighton, but she loves Matt more. When he suggests they buy the perfect farmhouse in France, she reluctantly agrees, even though he continues commuting to London while she looks after their daughter and the builders. But France is not the idyll he promised, and when she discovers the true reason he spends half his time in London the foundations on which Emma has built her life start to crumble.

The storyline is good with lots of twists and a few surprises… but believe me when I say that it dragged on longer than was necessary complete with extended descriptions composed of vivid details that soon became so tedious and B-O-R-I-N-G. These included just about everything from the neighbor visits to shopping trips, to the dust on the furniture…adding absolutely nothing to the story line. By the book cover’s description you believe that you know what is happening and most of us will start to feel very sorry for Emma…the main character and will begin planning anatomy rearrangement for Matt. The only reason you will finish it is to see what Matt is up to…but you can skip pages by the dozens and not miss is a single, solitary thing.

Summer Of the Monkeys – Wilson Rawls
4****

At the end of the 19th century, Jay Berry Lee lives with his parents and twin sister on a farm in Oklahoma. Money is tight but life is good. Yes, he has farm chores but much of his time is his own, and Jay Berry roams the area with his faithful hound, Rowdy. A railway accident involving a circus train results in a group of monkeys (plus one chimpanzee) escaping into the river bottom near the Lee farm. These are trained circus performers, and the reward motivates Jay Berry to capture the animals so he can finally get the pony and gun he’s longed for.

This was just a delightful boy-and-his dog adventure tale. I loved the relationship between Jay Berry and his grandpa, as well as the way he interacted with his parents and sister. But the real joy in the book is the way he goes about trying to capture the monkeys. Every fail-safe idea he has results in some disaster or another, some with rather hilarious consequences. But he’s determined, and his heart is in the right place.

I could not help but think of my father and my brothers while reading this. When growing up we spent many hours in the woods, exploring, “hunting,” fishing and just observing nature. I loved those long days outdoors (and some nights as well).

A Piece of the World / Christina Baker Kline
2.5 stars

I listened to the audio and missed much of the first half of the book, so the summary will be sparse. Christina was born with some kind of deformity in her legs, and as she gets older it’s harder and harder to walk. Oh, she grows up on a farm in Maine. That’s all I’ve got!

The book flips back and forth in time from when she is a child in the early 1900s to the mid-1900s as an adult, but the earlier storyline catches up with the later one. I finally did get some interest towards the end of the book, but by then, I didn’t know who some of the characters were – Sam? At one point, I thought he was a brother, but I’m not sure. Learned toward the end that Al is a brother. I also got mixed up with an early love interest, as I thought he was a later-on artist who used Christina as a model, but apparently they were two different people/characters.

Oh, and surprise (to me)! As I peruse some of the other reviews, I had no idea this was based on a real painting by a real artist, so presumably the artist in the story goes by the real artist’s name? Since I thought the love interest and the artist were the same person (other reviews reminded me his name – the love interest – was Walton), obviously I have no idea who this artist is, though it finally did occur to me that they were two different people when I realized, later on that the artist’s name started with an A (but after finishing the book, I can’t remember – apparently it’s Andrew). You can see I’m not much into art! Throughout most of the book, I was considering rating it 2 stars, but as I did finally get interested at the end, I upped it to 2.5.

Within The Shadows – Brandon Massey (Georgia)
5★
At just thirty-one, Andrew Wilson has it all: close friends, a great house in an Atlanta suburb, and a successful career as a mystery writer. Only one thing is missing--a special woman to share it with. Then one day he meets someone new, a woman who seems almost too good to be true. Beautiful, smart, and sophisticated, Mika Woods is everything that Andrew has ever wanted and more…at first. After one night of passion, soon Andrew discovers that Mika isn't quite who she appears to be. Or even, what she appears to be. But it's too late to turn back. Mika has been waiting a lifetime for a man like Andrew. And what she wants, what she desires, she will have…no matter who has to die.

It’s a really good story with a great surprise twist at the end. I would technically call it a horror/paranormal novel as it has supernatural elements…but it’s also very much a suspense novel. The characters are very likable… except for Mika. No more said about her. You’ll have to find out for yourself. There is quite a bit of semi-explicit sex and less-explicit violence…but unless the reader is very sensitive to either of these things…it shouldn’t distract from the story. This is the second book I’ve read by Brandon Massey, and I have to say that he writes a book that is creepy s well as having just the right amount of horror…ans is more than capable of giving plenty of scares.

The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling
Digital audiobook performed by Ralph Cosham
3.5***

Of course I was familiar with Mowgli, Shere Khan, and Baloo, but I had never read the stories that make up this classic of children’s literature.

This edition had Mowgli’s tale, but also included three bonus stories: Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (the mongoose who battles the cobras), Toomai (who watches the elephants dance), and Kotick (the white seal who leads his herd to a safe haven). They are marvelous adventure stories with a few life lessons included. The exotic nature of the setting appeals to the imagination as well.

I remember a children’s book I had as a child that had a one of the Jungle Book stories in it. I loved when my Daddy would read it because he of the voices he used for the different animals. Well, sorry, Daddy, but Ralph Cosham does an even better job when performing the audio. His underlying sibilant hiss for the cobras was just chilling. And his deeply sinister voice for Shere Khan would make anyone afraid. It was an absolute delight to listen to him read this classic.

Cry Wolf – Charlie Adhara (Washington D.C.)
Big Bad Wolf series Book #5
5+★
Agent Cooper Dayton never thought anything could be harder than solving murders…until he had to plan a wedding. After taking down an old adversary, Agent Cooper Dayton of the Bureau of Special Investigations has earned a break. Not that planning a wedding to his sexy shifter partner, Oliver Park, is necessarily stress free, but it’s better than worrying about the ominous warning, delivered months ago, that Cooper’s life is in danger. When he’s dragged to an event by his family, Cooper braces for an awkward evening, but instead finds himself in the middle of an ugly feud between Park’s ex and a rebel pack leader. What was supposed to be a quick outing turns into a full-blown murder investigation after the pack leader ends up dead, Park’s ex goes missing, and Cooper and Park are sent a series of disturbing wedding gifts that are somehow connected to it all. The list of potential suspects is long, and with the bodies piling up, Cooper must turn to the one person he trusts the least: the villain he’s already put behind bars once and who has nothing to lose by lying and everything to gain if Cooper is out of the picture for good.

Hey Ms. Adhara….I DON’T WANT THIS TO BE THE LAST ONE !!!! I did everything possible to stretch it out…but the end came eventually:( I don’t believe I have yet to find a series in the box of books from my friends that I have loved more than this one…and I have found some real close seconds. Somehow, it seems that this author is teasing us with the possibility since she definitely left things only semi settled but also open to maybe be more?? I can reread the series if I find I need a Cooper and Park fix… and that may be sooner rather than later. These aren’t just same sex couple romance stories. They are really good mysteries with page turning suspense. Good thing my friends only wanted a few of the books back…cause they aren’t getting these!

The Downstairs Neighbor - Helen Cooper - (England)
4.5★
From her downstairs apartment in suburban London, Emma has often overheard the everyday life of the seemingly perfect family upstairs--Steph, Paul and teenage daughter Freya--but has never got to know them. Until one day, she hears something that seizes her attention: Freya has vanished and the police are questioning Steph and Paul about their life. The effects of Freya's disappearance ripple outward, affecting not just her parents, but everyone who lives in the building, including Emma and local driving instructor Chris, who was the last person to see the teenager before she went missing. Each character's life is thrown into sharp focus as devastating mistakes and long-held secrets are picked apart and other crimes come to light--including a child gone missing twenty-five years earlier, and a shocking murder--that make clear that the past never stays where we leave it, and that homes can be built on foundations of lies.

This is Helen Cooper’s debut novel…and I really can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. It was very well-plotted plus it had believable characters. Emma, didn’t mean to hear her upstairs neighbors, but once she heard a little she became enthralled…and very worried. All of the tenants, including Emma, had secrets. All of the inhabitants of this house had made many mistakes. Not malicious, but mistakes born from misunderstandings, guilt, and misguided, life-altering decisions. Some mistakes just keep growing and soon take on a life of their own…including another missing child from 25 years ago. The story is filled with deceptions…family secrets….sacrifices… and choices that turned disastrous. It a really excellent read by this new author.

Sizzling Sixteen – Janet Evanovich
Digital audiobook performed by Lorelei King
3***

The Stephanie Plum series continues with Steph still seemingly undecided between Ranger and Morelli, still working for her cousin Vinnie’s Bail Bondsman business, still (in)capably assisted by Lula and Connie, and still having car troubles.

This time out Vinnie has gotten into trouble with gambling debts and the girls are determined to rescue him from his bad behavior; Vinnie may be a scum bag but he’s their scum bag, and they need their jobs.

The books are fast reads, full of action and improbable scenarios that just plain tickle my funny bone. Grandma Mazur is a hoot, and she gets a few scenes in this outing. There are also a variety of eccentric characters that make regular appearances, as well as the fool criminals Stephanie is after. And, of course, we have many opportunities for a run to the donut shop or Cluck a Bucket fried chicken.

Lorelei King does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobooks. She sets a good pace and I love her voice for Lula!

Wanted, A Gentleman – K.J. Charles –(England)
2.5★
Theodore Swann is a jobbing writer, proprietor of the Matrimonial Advertiser lonely hearts gazette, and all-round weasel. He’s the very last man that Martin St. Vincent would choose to rely on…and the only one who can help. Martin is a wealthy merchant who finds himself obliged to put a stop to a young heiress’s romantic correspondence in the Matrimonial Advertiser. When she and her swain make a dash for Gretna Green, Martin drags Theo on a breakneck chase up the country to catch the runaway lovers before it’s too late. Theo guards his secrets. Martin guards his heart. But as the two of them are thrown irresistibly together, entanglements, deceptions, and revelations come thick and fast.

I didn’t care much for the story or the characters. They were “stuffy” and “snobbish “as well as predictable. Actually the entire story was predictable. It’s a good thing I needed a book with a 50% brown cover for a challenge or it would have gone back in the box.

The Figgs / Ali Bryan
3.5 stars

June has just retired, but with her and Randy’s three adult children still living at home (though they’ve been trying to get rid of them for a while!), there’s not much time to relax. When she is trying to get her kids to help her clean the basement, her youngest son, Derek, gets a phone call. He needs to go to the hospital because Marissa is having her baby. Who is Marissa, June wonders, but they pile in the car to be there with Derek. Soon, Derek is home with a baby he’d only found out a week or so earlier that he was the father of. Daughter Vanessa seems to have a much older girlfriend – who new Vanessa was a lesbian!? Not June, nor Randy. Both June and Randy also have their own family issues going on at the same time…

This was a whirlwind! I liked it, but I’m sure happy to live alone. All that activity was crazy and would drive me insane! I like my quiet life. There was humour mixed in here and there, as well. This is a local author to me, so it’s always fun to read about places I know in my city.

Dark Corner – Brandon Massey (Mississippi)
5★
A terrifying novel about a town besieged by evil . . . and the one man who is determined to fight the darkness . . . When renowned author Richard Hunter dies in a boating accident, his son David travels to Mason's Corner, Mississippi, to find out more about the father he never really knew. At first, Mason's Corner seems friendly and unassuming-–the perfect small town. But after a newcomer moves into the old-–and supposedly haunted-–mansion on the hill, everything changes . . .People begin to disappear. Dogs viciously attack. And soon David discovers that the terror consuming this place has its roots in his own family tree . . . For something has risen in Mason's Corner. Something with bloody ties to the town’s past….something undead…and hungering for vengeance.

Give the book about 5 or 6 chapters to really get started. It will hold you a willing captive from then on. The story is told from several points of view and I don’t believe it will take you long to figure out exactly what the evil is that is encasing this delta town…but it will take you and the towns people longer to figure out how to get rid of it…if that is even possible. All of the Brandon Massey books that I've read so far are filled with suspense and generous doses of horror. I will admit this particular horror wasn’t my favorite type but it was well done with a good plotline that Mr. Massey carried out beautifully.

The Bride’s Curse - Rayne Hall - (Bulgaria)
4★
The tales in this book belong to the ‘quiet’ horror category – more creepy than gory, rich in atmosphere and suspense. Instead of throwing you into a whirl of violent action, I’ll take you on a gentle visit to experience Bulgaria – the wealth of her nature, her economic poverty, her legends and traditions, her creepy abandoned homes and her timeless beauty – all from the safety of your armchair. The stories are personal, arising from my perceptions and imagination. Still, I hope you’ll gain a ‘feel’ for the country. After each story, I’ll tell you a little about the genesis of that tale, the sources of my inspiration. Bulgarian artist Savina Mantovska from Sofia has created beautiful illustrations, enriching each story with her vision. Come and join me under the grape arbor while the sinking sun streaks the mountains with crimson and purple. Sip a blood-red pomegranate juice or a fiery rakia, and enjoy my creepy tales.

Rayne Hall puts her unique spin on its people, customs and life, in her adopted Bulgaria…giving us its sights, smells and tastes in stories where the unknown and the dread slowly build, reminding me a great deal of Shirley Jackson. Be prepared also not to experience a “happily ever after” ending in any of these stories. Each story is different, but the writing is consistently atmospheric and spellbinding. The author manages to blend suspense into every line with descriptions that makes you feel that you are actually there…along with some very interesting characters that you would NEVER wish to ever encounter. I am a big fan of the paranormal but not so much of the horror genre…but I found that this collection is more on the creepy side than they are gory.

Airs Above the Ground
Mary Stewart
4/5 stars
Vanessa, whose husband is missing, sees him in a newsreel from Vienna though he was supposed to be on a business trip to Stockholm. Worried she takes off to Vienna and encounters on the plane her friend’s son Timothy on a trip without telling his parents. They bond and decide to travel together to find out what has happened to her husband Lewis but they also get caught up in investigating a mysterious circus fire. Are the two connected? Very enjoyable!

The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History
John M. Barry
4/5 stars
This is a historical comprehensive look at the 1918 flu/influenza epidemic. Barry discusses the epidemic, the scientists who went about researching influenza and their attempts to find a vaccine for it and he includes information about previous epidemics. He also writes about the time period and what was going on during the flu in the USA and other countries. Detailed but very readable.

The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw /Christopher Healy
3.5 stars

This is the third (and final – sniff!) installment of the “Hero’s Guide” series, which follows the “League of Princes”. The League of Princes consists of four Princes Charming (which is not the real name of any of them!): Duncan, Liam, Frederic, and Gustav. Although the princesses (Snow, Rapunzel, (Cinder)Ella) have been involved in all adventures in the series, in addition, this time around, they (as well as an additional character Val Jeanval, and Lila, Liam’s younger sister) give themselves a name (which Snow shortens to ffff… though I can’t remember what exactly it stands for! But I liked Snow’s shortened version!).

Anyway, in this one, all our heros are “WANTED” for the murder of Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty), though they don’t even realize it initially! There are bounty hunters on their tail, looking for the “untold riches” that are promised to those who bring them back alive.

As usual, this was fun! I listened to the first two on audio, which I think added to the “ambiance”, though I do recall that I did occasionally lose interest, but Bronson Pinchot was the narrator and with all the accents and voices he can do, what fun! With the ebook this time around (the library did not have the audio for this one), I do think I was able to keep more focus, though I did miss those voices and accents! I am sad that the series is finished.

The Last Rhinos – Lawrence Anthony & Graham Spence
Book on CD narrated by Simon Vance
3.5***

Subtitle: My Battle to Save One of the World's Greatest Creatures
Alternate Subtitle: The Powerful Story of One Man's Battle to Save a Species

Lawrence Anthony has been called the Indiana Jones of conservationism. He certainly lives up to that moniker in this memoir of his efforts to save the last remaining Northern White Rhinos in the wild.

Anthony went to great lengths to plan a rescue of these magnificent beasts. But he was up against a growing market for the illegally gotten rhino horns (which are nothing more than keratin … the same basic material that makes up our fingernails), the increasingly military-style training and equipped poachers, the inane bureaucratic hoops he had to jump through (repeatedly), and a civil war with one of the most feared, ruthless rebel groups, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). Still, he would not give up. The stories of his meetings with official leaders, and then with LRA generals are fascinating.

Of course, he also writes about the animals … from rhinos to elephants to bushbabies to spitting cobras. No living creature will be killed by man on his reserve, Thula Thula in Zululand, South Africa. I only wish that more of the book was focused on the animals rather than on the negotiations with government officials and rebel group leaders.

Simon Vance does a wonderful job of narrating the audiobook. He really brings this memoir to life; I felt as if Anthony, himself, were telling me about his adventures.

Uncommon Grounds – Sandra Balzo
2.5**

Maggy Thorsen has left her career as a PR executive, and, following a traumatic divorce, has decided to open a gourmet coffee shop in her suburban Wisconsin village, along with two of her best friends. But on opening day, Patricia Harper, is found dead – electrocuted by a hot-wired espresso machine. Maggy is a suspect, as she seems to have been the last person in the shop with an opportunity to sabotage the machine. So, she’s determined to find out who killed her friend and partner.

This has all the tropes of a successful cozy mystery series: an amateur detective with a food-related business, dueling law enforcement agencies (police chief vs sheriff), a cadre of good friends who will help Maggy investigate, a charming village setting, and enough suspects to keep even a dedicated mystery reader guessing. Unfortunately, I found the lead character a total ditz. This woman is just too stupid to live. She runs around like a chicken with her head cut off. And goes into dangerous situations without much thought to possible consequences, requiring that she be rescued (one of my pet peeves).

Well, it was a fast read, and it IS set in my home state, so I may read another in the series. But I’m in no hurry to do so.

>48 BookConcierge: I liked this one a little better than you did, though I did also mention in my review that I was surprised at the amount of politics in the book.

Fire and Flint – Andrew Grey – (Pennsylvania)
Carlisle Deputies serried Book #1
5★
Jordan Erichsohn suspects something is rotten about his boss, Judge Crawford. Unfortunately he has nowhere to turn and doubts anyone will believe his claims--least of all the handsome deputy, Pierre Ravelle, who has been assigned to protect the judge after he received threatening letters. The judge has a long reach, and if he finds out Jordan's turned on him, he might impede Jordan adopting his son, Jeremiah. When Jordan can no longer stay silent, he gathers his courage and tells Pierre what he knows. To his surprise and relief, Pierre believes him, and Jordan finds an ally... and maybe more. Pierre vows to do what it takes to protect Jordan and Jeremiah and see justice done. He's willing to fight for the man he's growing to love and the family he's starting to think of as his own. But Crawford is a powerful and dangerous enemy, and he's not above ripping apart everything Jordan and Pierre are trying to build in order to save himself.

I read all the Carlisle Cops series and love each and every one. What made them especially special was we didn’t loose the characters we had grown so fond of from any of the books. They all made reappearances…even if only minor in each of the following books. Here we again have a special story complete with a sweet, lovely romance. This one, like all the previous ones… has a little bit of everything. Andrew Grey is one of my book supplying friends favorite authors so I have lots of these books to look forward to…but I always hate to see the last page come. Whether this author writes only one more or one hundred more…I will look forward to reading them all.

Bloody Jack / L.A. Meyer
3.75 stars

At the end of the 18th century, Mary thinks she was about 8 years old or so when her parents died and she was literally put out on the street and left to fend for herself. She managed to join up with some other homeless kids and they begged and stole and did what they could for money and food. When she was a few years older, Mary decided to dress like a boy and she managed to get on a ship as a ship’s boy. But no one knew she was really girl as they went about their adventures on the sea.

I listened to the audio and loved the accent. I think it was a Cockney accent (had to look that up!). I quite enjoyed this and it gets the extra ¼ star for the audio. The story was fun, too. It’s odd, but whether I listen to or read adventure, I tend to not pay as much attention to the adventure parts. Odd, I know. But I still quite liked the story and I will be continuing the series.

Dead Man’s Switch – Tammy Kaehler
Digital audiobook read by Nicole Vilencia
3***

From the book jacket: Aspiring race-car driver Kate Reilly goes looking for a full-time ride in the American Le Mans Series – and stumbles over a dead driver. When she takes that driver’s job just hours later, she also takes pole position on the list of suspects in his murder. Suddenly she’s in the hot seat with little time to clear her name or get ready to race a Corvette at lime Rock Park. … Kate finds exhilaration and hazards exist on – and off – the track as she throttles up both the Corvette’s V8 and a murder investigation…

My reactions:
This was a fun, fast read that taught me a bit about racing.

I liked Kate as a lead character. She’s intelligent, prepared, determined, skilled and strong. I liked the way she thought through the scraps of information she collected to arrive at her conclusions. I also really liked her focus on the job at hand – driving that Corvette as part of a team. I’m not likely to continue the series, as the basic premise just doesn’t interest me that much.

However, I was tickled when Road America was mentioned, as I’ve visited that track about an hour north of Milwaukee, to watch the races a few times. (One of my husband’s friends races his Porsche there.)

Faithless In Death – J.D. Robb – (New York)
Eve Dallas (In Death) series Book #52
5★
The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wineglasses by the bed, music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don’t add up. Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant; comforted by her handsome fiancé as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the body…but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things? As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder.

52 of these wonderful books with these bigger than life, adorable characters and J.D. Robb still manages to come up with fresh and believable plots. Every one of these books will hold the readers interests from the first page to the last and always bring new as well as seasoned readers back again and again for more. I don’t want to give anything away here but I couldn’t help but notice that when this book was being written in 2020 Ms. Robb used many of the “isms” that we are facing in our society at this same time…the cops of that future time (late 2050,- early 2060) dismissed as being incapable of happening…racism, sexism and homophobia to name but a few. There is a little less of the “home life” that have always made these books....”homey’…but we see the murder worked…the bad guys sent “off planet”…and Eve and that “Hunky Irishman” are still in love. What more could you ask for?

Woman in the Mists / Farley Mowat
4.5 stars

Dian Fossey was chosen by Louis Leakey (the same man who sent Jane Goodall to study chimpanzees) to study gorillas. Dian did not have a degree in a related field, though she loved animals. She started in the 1960s until she was murdered in her cabin in 1986. She fell hard for some men (though she never married), but she also did not get along with a lot of people, including some of the students who came to work with her. There was a lot of friction as different people had different ideas about how Karisoke (where she ultimately ended up studying the gorillas in the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda) should run.

The gorillas (and other animals there) were often targeted by poachers and the area also had farmers who allowed their cows into what was supposed to be a protected park area. Dian took it upon herself, in order to save the gorillas, to do (and train others to help… plus she used her own money to pay people since the park rangers didn’t appear to do anything to help) what she called “active conservation”. That is, destroying the snares/traps, rescuing as many animals caught in those traps and by poachers as possible, and catching the poachers. She didn’t agree with bringing tourists to visit the habituated gorillas, though she later relented as long as they were small groups, but she still wasn’t overly happy about it.

Farley Mowat took much of this book from Dian’s own journals/writings, and changes the font in the book to indicate when/where he is using Dian’s words. He fills in the rest. I read “Gorillas in the Mist” years ago. It focuses more on the gorillas themselves, whereas this (though it includes some of the gorillas) focuses more on Dian and the politics and relations with the various people involved. I also read a book by two of Dian’s former students who she didn’t get along with, but I don’t recall all the animosity (but it was so long ago, I may not be remembering, or maybe they left out some of the political issues). In any case, it would be a dream for me to study wild animals in the wild! So, I really enjoyed this. Frustrating at the people who weren’t helping Dian more with her “active” conservation, though I’m not sure I would be brave enough to confront poachers with guns and machetes, either!

Three To Get Deadly – Janet Evanovich
Book on CD read by Lori Petty

3***

Book three in the Stephanie Plum series features “Uncle Max” – the proprietor of a storied candy shop / soda fountain who has gone missing. Stephanie needs to find him because he’d skipped his court appearance on a traffic warrant, but the closer she gets to finding him the more elusive he seems to be, and the more bodies Stephanie comes across.

I first read this long before I joined either Shelfari or Goodreads, so the first date read is a bit of a guess. This is a hugely entertaining series that continues to delight and make me chuckle even on re-reading.

The success of the series is due in part to the likeable Stephanie, and her romantic conflict between Joe Morelli and Ranger. But the supporting characters are also marvelous: her long-suffering mother, who almost always has a pot roast just about ready; her Grandma Mazur, whose chief hobby is attending funerals (and there had better be an open casket!); and Lula, the former whore turned file clerk at the bonds office, and who frequently accompanies Stephanie on her adventures.

Lori Petty does a great job of reading the abridged audio version of this book. Having read the book previously, I didn’t feel I was missing much by the listening to the abridged version. Petty sets a good pace and I loved the voices she used for both Stephanie and Lula.

Hot Six – Janet Evanovich
Book on CD read by Debi Mazar 4****

Episode Six in the Stephanie Plum series has our charmingly inept bounty hunter on the trail of her mentor, and man of hot dreams, Ranger. But Ranger is mixed up in a pretty dicey situation and two thugs are on Steph’s trail, hoping she’ll lead them to Ranger. Bad enough, but Grandma Mazur has moved in, and Steph’s been saddled with the dog from hell, Bob.

This is possibly the funniest of the books in the series that I’ve read. I first read this in about March 2003, and I remember clearly reading in the cafeteria during my lunch break and bursting out in laughter loud enough to have people several tables away look up to see what was going on. It’s the scene where Bob is kidnapped by the two thugs … just after he’s eaten two boxes of Grandma Mazur’s prunes (box and contents). Good Boy, Bob!

I’m re-reading many of these now for a team challenge. But they’re also a great distraction from the serious issues facing our country right now.

Debi Mazar does a great job of reading the abridged audio version of this book. Having read the book previously, I really missed the episode of Bob in the car of the bad guys, after he’d eaten two entire boxes of prunes (box and contents). I was glad I had the text handy, so I could read that again.

In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash
Jean Shepherd
5/5 stars
This book was the basis for the wonderful film A Christmas Story and is a fictional account of Shepard’s life as a child in Indiana. It starts out with Ralph returning to his hometown and hooking up with his friend Flick, now a bartender at his own bar and relating their childhood /adolescent escapades. Some of the stories that were included in the film were altered and a few of the stories were not covered in the film but it was a great read and hard to put down. Highly recommended!

Uprooted / Naomi Novik
4 stars

Every 10 years, the Dragon comes to the valley to select a 17-year old girl to go with him. She is not seen again for the next 10 years. The people allow this because the Dragon makes sure the evil in the Wood that surrounds them stays at bay. Growing up, Agnieszka (and everyone else) always knew it would be her smart, beautiful best friend, Kasia, who is chosen. Possible spoiler, though it happens in the first couple of chapters: But, it’s not Kasia who is chosen. It’s Agnieszka.

I really enjoyed this. This one has (Baba) Jaga mentioned – she’s not a character, as she is long-dead, but she is mentioned and her effects are felt. Many know that I am not always a fantasy fan (depends on the type of fantasy), but I do like fairy tales. This one had a lot going on – not all at once, but one thing after another. Lots of adventure in this one.

When Eight Bells Toll
Alistair MacLean
4/5 stars
This is the suspenseful fictional tale of the British Secret Service. Philip Calvert, agent, is called upon by his superior chief, Rear Admiral Sir Arthur Arnford-Jones to assist in a mission to find the Nantesville, a ship which has gone missing with eight millions pounds of gold. But this is not the first ship to go missing; but it was the first ship that was equipped with a transmitter and 2 secret servicemen aboard. Can Calvert find the ship without getting killed and just who could he trust? I have never read MacLean before but I found his writing compelling.

How To Train Your Dragon – Cressida Cowell
Digital audiobook performed by David Tennant
4****

A delightful children’s fantasy book about dragons and Vikings and young people who rise to the occasion. The names of the characters (SnotLout, Fishlegs, Dogsbreath…etc) will appeal to tween boys as well.

I’ve never seen the movie, and I don’t have children, so really didn’t know what to expect. But I was completely charmed by this outrageous story. It’s fantastical, but relatable. Kids deal with bullies, with adults who don’t’ listen to them, with fear and courage and friends they can rely on. They worry about looking foolish, or appearing scared. They support their friends and stand up for what’s right. They’re smart, inventive, resilient and tenacious.

David Tennant does a marvelous job of narrating the audio version. The voices he uses for the Green Death Dragon and for Toothless, the heroic mini-dragon are wonderful.

White Fragility – Robin DiAngelo
Book on CD read by Amy Landon
3***

Subtitle: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

I’m not sure what to think about this book. I am a person of color. And this book is written by a white woman, trying to explain why it is so difficult for white people to have meaningful conversations – and, more importantly, change behaviors – about racism.

I agree with some of her perspectives and applaud her efforts at calling out racism in a tactful manner that is more likely to engender conversation and less likely to result in aggressive push-back. Not that her tactic always works.

I think I’ll wait to write more until after my F2F book club meeting in November. It should be interesting … I am one of two POC in the group, and I think the other will not be available for the meeting.

I listened to the audio because it was the version that arrived first and I needed to get this read for the book club meeting. (At this writing, though I requested the book in JULY, I am still # 21 on the hold list. Anyway … Amy Landon’s delivery was slow and deliberate, needed for the listener to absorb some of the information. Still, I think this is a book best read in text format.

What's a Dog For? / John Homans
4 stars

In this book, the author looks at various aspects of the history of dogs and dog-human relationships. Some of the topics include evolution, dog behaviour (also compared to other animals), breeds, rescues, etc.

I quite liked this. Despite being an audio book, I was kept interested (though apparently, I don’t have much to mention in my review!).

Madame Tussaud: A Life in Wax / Kate Berridge
3 stars

Madame Tussaud was taught by her “uncle”(? Not sure if he was really her uncle, or just the man her mother worked for) to form wax models. She also turned out to be a pretty good marketer and businesswoman. She lived through the French Revolution, then took her wax figures with her to England. From there, she travelled through Scotland and Ireland. Meanwhile, her husband and one son (the other son was with her) stayed in France (until the younger son was in his early 20s, at which time he joined his mother and brother). A man she had gone into business with when she went to England and her husband took advantage of her brilliant head for business (and the money that came from it).

Most of what people know of the early part of Marie Grosholtz’s (Madame Tussaud’s) life came from her own autobiography. This author tries to verify (but has a hard time doing so) much of what Marie wrote about her own life. It seems that there may have been a lot of exaggeration, particularly during the French Revolution, when she created wax figures out of decapitated heads during the “Terror”. It was easier to verify her life (as she became more well-known) once she moved to England.

The book was ok, but a few too many parts of it were kind of dry reading. All I knew about her was from Michelle Moran’s book, but her book pretty much ended when Marie moved to England. I hadn’t realized she had done as much travelling as she had – to promote her show and her wax models. She really does seem to have had a good head for business, but much of her money was taken by a bad deal with the man she went into business with in England (until she untangled herself from him) and her dud of a husband in France.

Deception's Princess by Esther Friesner
2**

Maeve, Princess of Connacht, was born with her fists clenched. The youngest of six daughters, she is her father's favorite because of her spirit and courage. But once her father becomes the High King, powerful men begin to circle--it's easy to love the girl who brings her husband a kingdom. Her beauty and rich dowry soon make her the most desired girl in all Ireland.

Oh. Oh my. I really think this book and its successor fell waaaay short of what it could have been.

It is a meandering tale of young Maeve of Connacht, about whom the historical record is sketchy, as she grows up in her father's household, he being the High King of Ireland and she his "spark." She is the youngest of the daughters and early on gained a lot of bardic tales when she managed to escape from her father's prized black bull. As she grows and her sisters go into fosterage, she becomes a prize to be won for any young man as she will inherit a worthy dowry.

It sounds like it would be a great book for young women, as Maeve rules her own kingdom according to "The Castle Raid of Cooley" written by early Christian monks. And I liked Esther Friesner's treatment of Helen of Troy in two previous books I read of hers. And maybe it is for women whose male relatives let them down repeatedly? Or keep them under a constant, watchful eye whilst making promises only to undo them in devious ways? Maybe that was the audience? But if so, why does not Maeve learn from her experiences; why is this learning not part of the teaching tool of YA lit for this book?

This tale contains far too many events to try to prove a point, rather than tell a tale, causing it to be extremely scattered and unfocused. And there is one incident towards the end of the book that is horrendously cruel and could have been re-worked with similar results; the characters would wind up going on their separate journeys without such needless destruction.

Any author can make her characters' actions different, and I wish Friesner had done so with her dominant characters, and created a more substantial plotline.

Deception's Pawn by Esther Friesner
2 1/2 **

Maeve, princess of Connacht, seems to have won her freedom. Her father, the High King, is finally allowing her to explore the world beyond his castle. But Maeve soon discovers that being the High King's daughter doesn't protect her from bullying or the attention of unwelcome suitors.

Picking up with Maeve now living in fosterage, she must navigate the petty jealousies of the young women also living in the castle. And she is no longer under her father's eye and the eyes of all the young men who came to pay their respects to the High King. She is still living with other people's expectations of her and it is a burden.

Still, I found Maeve's scattered nature one that I don't really enjoy in the heroines, of adult and young adult literature both. I had to continually ask myself how she is going to manage her own kingdom and its machinations. Several of the plotlines are resolved from the previous book, and its depiction of the times and customs are probably valid.

A Perfect Spy by John le Carre
5*****

He is Magnus Pym, charming, enigmatic, a star player in "The Great Game" of British intelligence. He is a man of spectacular gifts whose sudden, mysterious disappearance devastates his family, friends and colleagues, while shattering the fragile foundations of covert spy networks on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

I never in my life would have thought I would enjoy this book as much as I did. It is a classic of spy literature and rightfully so. And it's also not so much the cloak and dagger type of thing, the "I saw my contact across the street with a newspaper and we had a conversation about such-and-such country" but rather what it takes for someone to become a perfect spy.

The events happen and are explained, and then referred back to again and again until the entire narrative and its missing parts come together. The mastery of writing that this takes is not to be overestimated; I've recently left reviews of books that seem to jump all over the place without a firm plotline. But this book is different.

It starts with the grandfather, a notable MP, then Rick the father establishing himself as a good talker, and Pym taking in the adoration of his father while painting a fuller picture of a con-man. What is another constant theme are the people who get caught up in plots and cons and who really pays the price.

Pym's life is haphazard at best, teaching him that nothing is stable and to believe no one. His first love, Lippsie, is one of Rick's chief assistants and probably his mistress, who is his bright and shining light in Pym's horrible boarding school. Through overheard conversations between her and Rick, Pym begins to learn that words like "thief" belong to his dad.

While I wanted to results of the central investigation that are the central plot of this book to play out differently, le Carre creates a shattered soul who reaches out to a kindred spirit. The human costs of con artists become front and center with Pym and Axel and the countries they serve.

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
3***

Harry Dresden's faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago area phone book. But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anythign like this: the spirit world's gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble--and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety.

I really, really wish I liked this book better. I know the Dresden Files get a lot of stars and Jim Butcher is a very popular author. I love me some supernatural mystery urban fantasy, but this book seems to fall short. Maybe it's all the explanation as an action or plotline gets started? Maybe it's Harry Dresden's haplessness no matter what? I dunno. But at least I've read him and can say as much.