Review: Dance Hall of the Dead

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hillerman never disappoints. Leaphorn is such a good egg. I love those western lawmen.

Joe is investigating another murder, but this time in Zuni territory. He's steady, smart, and reliable, as alwasy. And he lets his moral compass guide him to do the right thing, even if he has to blur the lines of the letter of the law. Such a great series, in a beautiful setting, with interesting cultural details and rich characters. Makes me miss living there.



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Review: One Minute to Love

One Minute to Love by Barbara Cartland
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Dame Barbara, you have outdone yourself on this one. A new low.

Take a girl who can see the future, but somehow keeps running into trouble. Take a dashing prince who is in danger of being dethroned. Enter them into a deceptive fake relationship, have them stumble blindly into true love always. Add in a healthy dose of editing typos and you will want to throw this book in the trash.

Rife with the stuttering, ridiculous heroine you would expect. Classic Cartland.

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Review: Death at La Fenice

Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ah, Venice. City of canals. City of murder. But Commissario Brunetti will get his man in the end.

I like stand-up, moral guys who do the right thing, and Brunetti is the Italian version of my favorite lawman, Walt Longmire. Lawful good is my jam, folks. He solves the crime despite his superiors, red herrings, and roadblocks. I was way off on my assumptions, and I liked the resolution. Well plotted and I enjoyed the details.

New series for me. I like Commissario Brunetti and will definitely continue solving crimes with him.

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Review: The Seven Dials Mystery

The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A Christie I haven't read. What a delight! Secret societies, social mores, and intrigue. Good stuff.

We get not nearly enough Superintendent Battle, but we get plenty of Bundle, which is fun. I have to admit, I was completely shocked by the end but as I look back, I guess I shouldn't be. That classic Christie twist will get you every time.

A very different feel than Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. Superintendent Battle may be my favorite, or at least a close second to Poirot. 3.5 stars.

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Review: The Unheards: Memories never die

The Unheards: Memories never die by Akash Bansal
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This was quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. Poor plot, high-school level writing. Exposition and purple prose spilling off the page. Do not read this book. Just don't. It's simply awful.

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Review: Dead Frozen: A Necrose Series Story

Dead Frozen: A Necrose Series Story by Tim Moon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Needed something short for a challenge, and dropped into a zombie world apocalypse. That's a Thursday night for you!

Nothing spectacular here. Some awkward dialogue. An couple of unlikeable characters, but if it launches more about surviving a zombie apocalypse in Alaska, I'll be back. Sounds like book one is different characters, different location (Hawaii, I believe) but same world disaster. I might be back if it fits a challenge.

2.5 stars.

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Review: Cut & Run

Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I waited WAY too long to start this series. I am sometimes a silly girl.

Ty and Zane. Zane and Ty. Love, love, love them. What's not to love? Smart, witty banter. Two hot guys. FBI protectors with scars both inside and out. And a clever case to solve. I have to admit, I was onto the bad guy, and I still have questions about the motivations, but since Zane is impulsive and rash we will never know.

So glad I read this. Great action, hot romance. Definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but I loved it. 4 stars.

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Review: The Restorer

The Restorer by Amanda Stevens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A new series. Definitely good enough to continue, although I may not go the audio route next time. The narrator kind of drove me nuts--I felt like the accent was forced.

A lot of the book spent time establishing the characters and their backstory, as you would expect. There is foundation built, but questions still remain for future books. We get to understand Amelia. A bit less about Devlin, but since it isn't from his point of view you would expect that. We were left hanging about the two of them, just a taste to get you to pick up the next book in series. I'm ok with that.

I have to admit a couple of the plot twists took me by surprise, but I was listening to the audio so sometimes I miss details in that format. A good dose of paranormal, and a moderate amount of romance. 3 stars.

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Review: The Siren

The Siren by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn't realize this was her first novel. I went in wanting The Selection and was left disappointed. If you go in knowing this was her first unpublished novel, I think you will enjoy it more.

The story is ok. Sirens. Fantasy. Mythology. All interesting things. But the characters are not fleshed out enough for me, and it felt like a first attempt too often. Which is unfair, because it was her first attempt. The dialogue was off somehow. Amateurish and it pulled me away from the story. But the part that really bugged me was Akinli's name. The spelling, the oddness of it. Every time I saw his name my brain made me stop and sound it out to remind me how to say it. Hey, weird names do that to me. I feel like she would have made a different choice now that her writing has matured, but maybe not.

The story was fine and there is the HEA you would expect. 2.5 stars.

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Review: History of a Suicide: My Sister's Unfinished Life

History of a Suicide: My Sister's Unfinished Life by Jill Bialosky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I saw this book at Barnes & Noble on a feature table years ago and added it to my TBR shelf. I finally picked up a copy and got into the sad headspace of grief, loss, and the unthinkable end of suicide.

I am a generally content person. I have a good life. I am good at looking at the glass and finding it half full, and not worrying how it will be refilled (it will, I just take it on faith). So suicide confuses me. I want to better understand how someone can see that not only as an option, but THE option. The way out. I really want to understand the darkness so I can possibly help others. Books like this one give me a partial glimpse into a different perspective. Plus, and if you know me at all you know how true this is, I love a good cry.

I wish I could help everyone who has ever contemplated suicide see how life is precious and precarious enough without ending it early. And that you are all loved. But I can't, so instead I seek to better understand. Much like the survivors left behind, some questions can never be answered. 3 stars.

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