Review: A Bucket of Ashes

A Bucket of Ashes by P.B. Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A satisfying end to the series.  I'm a marshmallow and love that HEA.

Life can never be simple and straightforward for my girl, Nell.  She is still in love with Will, and dealing with the consequences from the end of book 5.  Her past comes up to stare her straight in the face: Duncan, Dr. Greaves, and her estranged brother, Jamie.  The mystery isn't a particularly mysterious one, but we do get most things tied up in a bow and I am satsified that my favorite governess will go on to live happily ever after.  Girl, you deserve it after all you have been through in life.  

Sad to see this series end, but happy with the epilogue and the hope for the future.  4 stars.

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Review: Endless Night

Endless Night by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought I owned and had read every Agatha Christie book, but somehow I missed this one. It's quite unlike her other work. The first 3/4 of the book is about the main character's relationship, courtship, and marriage, then boom! Typically Christie plot twist. All of the pieces fell together. She really was the master of mystery.

This is seriously one of her most WTF books. Well played, Agatha. I'm still thinking about this one.

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Review: Changeless

Changeless by Gail Carriger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lord and Lady Maccon continue their odd life of paranormal bliss. But something is causing the pack to stop changing, and it isn't Alexia for a change. More sass, more bickering, and suddenly Alexia is off to Scotland in a dirigible to track down her husband at his ancestral home.

We get the expected steampunk elements tied neatly to the paranormal. Good stuff! Danger, deception, and plot twists abound. And we get a surprise ending that will get you to move book 3 up your TBR list, so well played, Carriger, well played. 3.5 stars because I didn't love it quite as much as book 1, but still very enjoyable.

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Review: The Duke and I

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Why yes, I will have a little cheese with my romance. Thank you. Give me a double-helping. I'm a marshmallow. Crusty on the outside, and gooey and warm inside.

Julia Quinn writes great historical romances. I accidentally started with book 2 in the series, and have worked my way back to book 1. I will definitely continue my journey with the Bridgertons. They are fun. You know there will be troubles. Misunderstandings, tears. Family meddling where they shouldn't be. But lots of love, and always my HEA. I gotta have that. This one is the eldest daughter, Daphne. Pretty, but in a regular person way. Smart. Outspoken. A little flawed. My favorite kind of heroine! Simon is a little bossy, smart, funny, and flawed as well. My favorite kind of hero. Add up all the historical romance tropes and you have this book, but in the best possible way.

If I wrote historical romances, I would hope they would turn out like this. 4 stars.

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Review: Named of the Dragon

Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I typically love Susanna Kearsley, but this one fell a bit flat for me. Maybe it's because I listened to it on audio. I just didn't get pulled into the story like I usually do.

I didn't like the characters. Any of them. They were all bad people, self-absorbed, ridiculous, and a bit vapid. The cheesy ending was actually what nudged it from 2.5 stars back to 3, because you know I am a sucker for that HEA.

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Review: Dumb Witness

Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Agatha, you've done it again. I was WAY off on this one. I guessed 3 times and was wrong for all of them. But not to worry, my friend Poirot was right on target, as usual. I feel a bit like Hastings, in the dark all of the time.

This one involves Poirot and Hastings coming to the case after the crime occurs. A letter delay, the criminal almost off without punishment, until Poirot catches the scent. And like the dog in the book, he doesn't let go.

Good plot (as usual) and some fun twists and turns. 3 stars.

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Review: Forevermore

Forevermore by Lauren Royal
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cameron Leslie, I love you. Clarice is one lucky lady.  I love this series.  Stop judging me.

Sweet, short novella told from Clarice and Cameron's point of view after Cait and Jason's wedding. I want more of their story, but this will have to do.  Are you expecting a HEA?  Yes, you are.  Are you going to sigh a little at the end?  Yes, you are.

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Review: Mrs. McGinty's Dead

Mrs. McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Poirot, my friend. Together we exercise our little gray cells and solve the case. Always a pleasure. And as usual, you get to the solution before me.

Another Christie mystery where I point the finger in my mind at all of the wrong people. I think I solve the crime over and over, only to be wrong at the end. But luckily for all of us, Poirot was there and saw what we did not.

Mrs. McGinty is dead. Her lodger is accused of the crime, but several other suspects seem to have the big three: motive, means, and opportunity. Can you guess the answer before Poirot? You can't, but don't feel bad, because he's the best. Three stars.

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Review: Two Bronze Pennies

Two Bronze Pennies: A Police Procedural Set in Late 19th Century England by Chris Nickson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Started on book 2 because I needed it for a challenge. Interesting enough that I will go back and read book 1 as well.

DI Tom Harper is an engaging enough chap. Newly married and in love, he's a bit of the everyman good fellow you really want to win in the end. Plus, you get historical mystery with an interesting religious storyline that will make you think.

Definitely a good one for historical mystery lovers, and a pleasant way to pass the afternoon.

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Review: Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not my favorite Christie, but still an interesting story. I thought I had puzzled it out a couple of times, but she gave the classic twists and turns you expect so I was partially correct, but way off base on the other parts.

Bobby Jones stumbles upon a gravely injured man who utters a cryptic question as his last words: "Why didn't they ask Evans?" And we are off to the races. Bobby and his childhood friend, Lady Francis, investigate and cook up the most ridiculous plans, putting themselves in danger literally the entire book. But it's all good in the end, and I quite enjoyed the wrap-up.

Not her best, but even a mediocre Christie is better than most others. Enjoy!

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Review: Career of Evil

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I adore this series! It's so good. Cormoran is smart and flawed. Love smart, flawed characters. Robin is also smart and flawed. And I desperately want her to leave Matthew and have lots of little PI babies with Cormoran, because I am secretly a marshmallow inside. Shut up.

JK continues to showcase her ability to write strong, complicated characters and she weaves a good mystery as well. I am anxiously awaiting the next installment, so get to writing, Jo. 4 stars.

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Review: A Knight in Central Park

A Knight in Central Park by Theresa Ragan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Time travel. Romance. This book should be better, but it's not.

I'm going to save you a couple of hours and tell you the plot is disjointed, the hero is a terribly unlikeable jerk with daddy issues, and the heroine is shallow and weak.

Read it if it's free, you REALLY enjoy time travel romances, and you have nothing better to do.

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Review: Reflex

Reflex by Dick Francis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another winner by Dick Francis. This time Philip, our everyman hero, is an amateur jockey and amateur photographer. I'm giving the edge to his photography, because hey, you can't be a jockey forever. That job has a shelf life.

We've got revenge, blackmail, murder, romance, and horses, all things you expect from Francis. But he also wrote family complexities very well. This one has the added drama of a drug-addled mother who abandoned Philip and flitted from place to place. He's estranged from his grandmother and I found this side plot as interesting as the main one.

You can't go wrong with Dick Francis. 3 solid stars.

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Review: The Girl with All the Gifts

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Totally not what I was expecting! I don't want to spoil you, because the book blurb is deliciously vague. Just enjoy your journey with Melanie, said Girl with All the Gifts, and let the story unfold.

It hits all of the good ingredients for me. Dystopian / post apocalyptic tale of survival, with a mysterious build-up and a VERY satisfying ending. I know some of you will disagree, but I liked it. 3 1/2 stars, and I think it would make a cool movie.



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Review: The Secret of Chimneys

The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great mystery from my girl Agatha. This one introduces us to Superintendent Battle, a level-headed bloke who isn't easily fooled. I like him quite a bit. You know who else I like? Anthony Cade, good-hearted free-spirit, traveling the globe and helping out damsels in distress. He's great.

You get some great Christie twists in this one. She really was the best. Sit back and enjoy the ride, because she will fool you at every turn, and you get a satisfying ending, as usual. 4 stars

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Review: Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What a miserable collection of terrible people. Just simply the worst. Rarely am I so glad to get to the end of a book. I need at least one redeemable character, so I slogged on until the end, to be left wanting.

Glad to cross this classic off my list and move on to happier things! Well written but not enjoyable. 2 stars for longevity. No stars awarded for entertainment value.

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Review: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm of two-minds about this book. I mean, it's time travel / reincarnation. I like that. Part spy thriller, part historical fiction, part mystery. All sci-fi. But the pace! Way too little happens for a book that spans lifetimes. If you go in with managed expectations, you should enjoy the ride.

But an interesting premise and I loved the ending. The ending saved it for me. Three stars.

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Review: Rise of the Wraiths: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale

Rise of the Wraiths: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale by Matthew Eliot
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Call me a masochist, because here I am reading book 2 after giving book 1 one star. You can yell at me later.

A charlatan comes to town claiming to heal the wraiths affected by the meteor storm. But can he? Probably not, otherwise we wouldn't have a book three (which I will not be reading). And we still have the dude stuck in NORAD-lite. And the dumb kids, and the faithless priest. It's very predictable and I have nothing good to say about it or myself for reading it.

The end. Here's to hoping another storm comes and finishes the whole lot off.

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Review: IMPACT: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale

IMPACT: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale by Matthew Eliot
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

When will I learn to not get book 2 until I have read book 1? Never, apparently.

Continuing my post-apocalyptic, survival story jam I have going, I picked up books 1 and 2 in the IMPACT series. You see, a meteor storm has pummeled the earth and now there are wraiths roaming around, causing havoc. It's like they are zombies, but they aren't. It's a little confusing and the world building isn't the best. Anyway...

We have three distinct storylines happening. We have our friends in a NORAD type installation. We have a priest struggling to retain his faith in a world gone out of control, and we have two young kids who are really written poorly. In some scenes they act like they are 25 and in others they act like they are 10. Uneven writing all-around, really, but Alice and Adrian drove me nuts the most.

Not so much survival as doom and gloom. Not worth the time. Unless you are a dummy like me and get book 2 when you get book one and are a glutton for punishment.

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Review: Hot Money

Hot Money by Dick Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another fantastic everyman mystery by my boy Dick Francis. Man, I just loved him so much.

This one focuses of family, the heavy burden of being wealthy, and how your upbringing can mess you up, big time. Malcolm Pembroke collects wives and kids like he does money--that is to say he has a lot of all three. And they are dysfunctional, natch, like you would expect. Enter everyman good bloke and amateur jockey, Ian. Son number 3 (I think) out of nine. He's honest, and forthright, and saves the day like I expected him to, because that's what Francis wrote best.

This is a really good one for family dynamics, a twisted plot, and unexpected results. 4 stars and a thumbs up to old Dick.


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