Defending the Galaxy by Maria V. Snyder and The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken

 

Defending the Galaxy, the final book in the Sentinels of the Galaxy trilogy by Maria V. Snyder, offers another fun and exciting adventure.  Snyder is able to take a pretty odd and fantastical premise  involving the terra cotta warriors and turn it into a multi-planet  space conspiracy full of suspense.  

Begin with Navigating the Stars, then try Chasing the Shadows so you have all the characters and the background. 

Likable characters, the Q-net, and a courageous attempt to save the galaxy. :)

Purchased.

YA/Science Fiction.  Dec. 2, 2020.  Print length:  407 pages.

Funny, bawdy, farcical, with a lot of bloody incidents,  The Blacksmith Queen is...well, I'm not entirely sure how to classify it.  Parody/Fantasy?  Fun!

Keely is a big, strong woman who loves her hammer, her forge, and  her family.  She has a sunny personality and likes and gets along with everyone--with the exception of her sister Gemma, who ran off and became a nun.  

The humor of this brawny woman blacksmith and her sister the nun (with a secret) and their constant arguments, their strange family, the Centaurs, dwarves, and demon wolves--kept me grinning.  Oh, and there's an evil sister whose machinations endanger everyone.

It is a fantasy that has danger and suspense, and yet is full of rude humor, arguing siblings, and strange allies.  The Blacksmith Queen seems intent on overturning many of the fantasy tropes, retaining the sense of danger in spite of all the silliness.

This is a love it or hate it book.  The first chapter made me think I would abandon it, but I'm so glad I didn't.  All the brawling, messy, ridiculousness I would have missed!  Definitely over-the-top, but I had a great time reading it.

Kindle Unlimited

Fantasy/Parody/Camp.  2019.  Print length:  304 pages.

Navigating the Stars by Maria V. Snyder and The Preserve by Ariel S. Winte

 

I was surprised to hear that Maria V. Snyder was writing science fiction.  I've read Snyder's Study novels which begin with Poison Study and are exciting fantasy with compelling, memorable characters and great world building.  

When I saw Ashley's review of the third book in Snyder's Sentinels of the Galaxy series, I barely skimmed it because I wanted to begin with the first book.  Snyder and YA science fiction--a combination I didn't want to miss.

In Navigating the Stars, Seventeen-year-old Lyra has had a disjointed childhood as her archaeologist parents have moved from planet to planet investigating the secrets behind the Terra Cotta Warriors found on different planets throughout the galaxy.  

The characters are likable, and the relationship between Lyra and her parents is believable.  Lyra resents the moves that uproot her life, but the parental relationship is strong and supportive.

The world-building is, for the most part, limited to the interactions of the characters on the base itself, with some development of the archaeological dig site.  The planet is a desert with sandstorms that can interrupt the work, but doesn't require further detail.

The science takes in the conundrum of space dilation--and the difficulty of adjusting to the phenomenon of a few months in space travel for a crew and passengers becomes decades for those on the planet they just left.  Snyder invented the Q-net to make communications possible, and Lyra is a talented hacker, who "worms" her way through the Q-net with skill and often impactful results.  

Navigating the Stars differs from Snyder's other novels, aimed as it is toward a YA audience, but it was a fun and exciting experience.  Could have done without some of the YA romance, but I can't wait to get to book two!

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From description:  Decimated by plague, the human population is now a minority. Robots—complex AIs almost indistinguishable from humans—are the ruling majority. Nine months ago, in a controversial move, the robot government opened a series of preserves, designated areas where humans can choose to live without robot interference. Now the preserves face their first challenge: someone has been murdered

An intriguing concept that, for me, was not fully realized.  The Preserve is a dystopian murder mystery with many elements of contemporary problems transformed by shifting the power from human to AI.  It is interesting that the author refers to "robots" rather than AI, and that the most likable character is Kir, the robot partner of the Preserve police chief Jesse Laughton.  

Because the robots are so human in their character flaws of prejudice and addiction, it is difficult to think of them as "not human."  

Although an interesting police procedural, perhaps the most provocative aspect for me is...what is left out.  The book jumps into a situation with no background or history. A little historical explanation would have been nice, if not at the beginning, at least at some point. 

 Kir's mechanical body blends with humans, and his brain has all of the complex, moral, and empathetic qualities we would hope for (and are often missing from) genuine humans.   The only real difference between humans and AI, as presented in the novel, is that their bodies don't bleed.  The movements and abilities are the same and function physically as efficiently as humans. Their "brains" also function much as in humans--with good or bad opinions and intentions.  

I had all kinds of questions as I read, more questions than answers.  Sometimes, however, raising questions is enough to make a book worthwhile.  

NetGalley/Atria Books

Dystopian/Police Procedural.  Nov. 3, 2020.  Print length:  256 pages.

The Eagle Catcher by Margaret Coel, Chaos on Catnet by Naomi Kritzer, and What My Husband Did by Kerry Wilkinson

 

Mysteries that take place in the West appeal to me.  Favorite authors include Tony Hillerman, Craig Johnson, Cormac McCarthy, and R. Allen Chappell.

I've added Margaret Coel to that list, after reading The Eagle Catcher, set on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.  (Thanks, Cathy!)  

Father John O'Malley,  Jesuit priest and recovering alcoholic works with  Vicki Holden, an Arapaho lawyer in an attempt to find the killer of a tribal chairman and make sure his nephew is not convicted of the murder.

Injustice is a theme, both historical and present day, as hidden crimes from past and present come to light.  Social and culture prejudices are thematic, as well, and blended easily into the mystery plot.

The Eagle Catcher is the first book in the series, so I have more to read!  Since some of my latest books have been abandoned for lack of interest or for mediocre writing, I'm doubly grateful for a new series to enjoy.

Purchased. 

Although I haven't read the first book (Catfishing on Catnet), I did find this YA novel intriguing.  

from description:  "When a mysterious entity starts hacking into social networks and chat rooms to instigate paranoia and violence in the real world, it’s up to Steph and her new friend, Nell, to find a way to stop it—with the help of their benevolent AI friend, CheshireCat."

Chaos on Catnet is a YA thriller with some genuine considerations about social media/the internet and its ability to influence hundreds of thousands of people.  As I was reading it, we were all watching social media and news media as the election approached, and even now, in the aftermath of the election, we see the influence of the media for manipulating emotions.

Pretty scary the way those with an agenda can influence hundreds of thousands of people to violence.  In the book and in real life, this happens.

At the same time, the internet does have many positive benefits.  Friendships with people you may never meet in person, inspiration concerning hobbies and interests, and finding acceptance and support among like-minded people.  Steph has this support among her friends.

An AI with human qualities is still a long way in the future, if ever; but the ability of people to use the internet and social media in a destructive fashion has been troublesome for a long time.  Even more so during all the problems 2020 has presented.

Because I think the novel is of current interest, I'm reviewing it now rather than scheduling it for later.

NetGalley/MacMillan-Tor/Forge

YA/Thriller/Science, Tech.  April 27, 2021.  Print length:  304 pages. 

I like Kerry Wilkinson a lot, but this was not my favorite.  However, looking at Goodreads reviews, Almost everyone else, loved it.  So...there you go.  

from description: "A little girl has been left for dead. And now my husband is missing."

Things aren't looking good for Maddy's husband Richard, and in a village that knows everything that happens and closes ranks, things aren't looking good for Maddy either.  

I realize the cutting back and forth to Maddy's childhood serves a purpose, but I found it distracting.  Much simpler to give a brief background concerning Maddy's father having been convicted of a crime he didn't commit.

Maddy, as she tries to puzzle out the situation of her husband's absence, also has to face some of the elements of their marriage.  

NetGalley/Bookoutre

Mystery.  Nov. 17, 2020.  Print length:  360 pages.

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Today is my birthday, and my daughter texted that she gave me a new president!  Couldn't be happier!

Hush by Dylan Farrow, Dead Wicked by Helen H. Durrant, and Trust No one by Debra Webb

From description: In the land of Montane, language is literal magic to the select few who possess the gift of Telling. This power is reserved for the Bards, and, as everyone knows, the Bards have almost always been men.

Seventeen-year-old Shae has lived her entire life in awe of the Bards—and afraid of the Blot, a deadly disease spread by ink, which took the life of her younger brother five years ago. Ever since, Shae fears she’s cursed. But when tragedy strikes again, and her mother is found murdered with a golden dagger—a weapon used only by the Bards—Shae is forced to act.

Language as a curse and a weapon sounded fascinating!  Unfortunately, the book doesn't live up to the concept. It feels as if the author rushed through to get to a certain point, but by rushing, failed to establish ample world-building, character development, and motivation.

I won't be looking for the next book.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Fantasy/YA.  Oct. 6, 2020.  Print length:  364 pages.  

Dead Wicked is the 10th book in this series by Helen Durrant, and I have not read any of the previous books.

From description:  DETECTIVES CALLADINE AND BAYLISS HUNT FOR A VICIOUS KILLER

The fist victim is found on waste ground. His tongue has been cut out and stuffed down his throat.

Then another body is found dumped in a lake up in the hills. The same gruesome murder method is used.

And guess who the detectives’ new boss is? The incredibly difficult Stephen Greco.

A TWISTED KILLER . . . AND A WICKED TWIST

Meanwhile Ruth Bayliss’s personal life is falling part and someone is targeting local businesses with ransomware.

The prime suspect is a criminal Calladine thought he’d seen the last of.

WHO’S THE SERIAL KILLER AND WHO’S NEXT ON THE LIST?

I think not having read the previous books kept me from enjoying this one as much as some other readers.  I didn't have the feeling of reconnecting with various characters which is often a crucial element of liking a series book.  

This isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, I did like the characters.  The villain was fairly easy to spot early on, and eventually DI Calladine's suspicions prove true.  Predictable, but if I'd had a relationship built on previous books, I might have liked it better.

NetGalley/Joffe Books
Police Procedural.  July 2, 2020.  

Trust No One by Debra Webb  is a complicated case of revenge and secrets.  It is also the beginning of a series featuring Detectives Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco.

from description:  A double homicide and a missing woman lead a detective to unearth disturbing secrets in this gripping thriller from USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

It’s the worst possible time for Detective Kerri Devlin to be involved in an all-consuming double-homicide case. She’s locked in a bitter struggle with her ex-husband and teenage daughter, and her reckless new partner is anything but trustworthy. 

Although I did not like the prologue, the book eventually pulled me in.  There are a few things the reader knows from the very beginning, thanks to the voice of the missing wife which appears every so often, but keeping track of all the connections that branched out with every interview the two detectives conducted kept me deeply involved as I read.  

While it is a contrived plot, especially the way connections also lead to Devlin's family, it was certainly an engrossing labyrinth of an experience.  I look forward to more of Devilin and Falco.

Kindle Unlimited/Thomas & Mercer
Police Procedural/Thriller.  August 1, 2020.  Print length:  427 pages.

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It is hot here, and I'm still staying home.  Reading.  A lot.  Reviewing.  Not so much. 

A lot of the books I've been reading won't be published for months, but I'll tell you that I loved the new Jane Casey, Sherry Thomas, Val McDermid, and M.R. Carey books!

Underneath the bird feeders, I've been leaving the sprouting sunflower seeds. I even like the buds, but best are the blooms. :) 

Hunting November by Adriana Mather and Starting Over at Acorn Cottage by Kate Forster

Hunting November by Adriana Mather.

from description: After surviving a crash course in espionage at the mysterious Academy Absconditi, November has only one purpose: finding her missing father. Along with fellow student (and heartthrob) Ash, November follows the clues that her father left, embarking on the deadliest treasure hunt of her life.

 I hoped the second book would provide a little more depth, but it stayed surface and action oriented.  The clues and their locations were amazingly difficult and dangerous, and I found it difficult to believe a loving father would put his daughter in such situations.  My ability to suspend belief in the first book was difficult, but in this one...impossible.  Not that I was tempted to abandon it--I wanted to know what happened.

That said, the reviews on Goodreads are extremely high.

NetGalley/Random House Children's
YA/Suspense.  May 5, 2020.  Print length:  368 pages.

Oops!  Clara Maxwell discovers her boyfriend and her best friend are actually a couple.  They weren't quite ready to own up to this when Clara finds out.

In the midst of her shock, anger, and sadness, Clara buys a cottage in a remote village.  Sight unseen.  There you have it. One emotional upset followed by a financial one when Clara actually sees the cottage for the first time.

Some interesting characters, several characters with problems that need solving, and the happy ending you would expect.   

Kindle Unlimited
English Village Cozy.  March 28.   



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An interesting article on The Bystander Effect by Catherine Sanderson.

According to Catherine A Sanderson, a psychology professor at Amherst College in Massachusetts and the author of The Bystander Effect, myriad complex factors make some of us bystanders and some of us heroes. These range from our self-identity to the pressure of social norms. 

Sanderson says she was inspired to write the book by both “personal and global” events: Harvey Weinstein’s sex offences, the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal, and the fact that a student at her son’s college died just two weeks into his very first semester. The student had been drinking heavily and had fallen and hit his head. Although fellow students watched over him, they didn’t call emergency services for nearly 20 hours. By which time it was too late to save him. Her book answers the question at the heart of this incident: why?

 The article encouraged my interest in the book.  It doesn't mention in the article about what happened in Germany during the rise of Hitler, but I'm sure the book covers that situation which led to normal people accepting evil behavior.

I checked with Amazon, but the book was "not available." ??? That only piqued my interest.

Killing November by Adriana Mathers and Other Stuff

I received Hunting November, a YA novel, from NetGalley.  Since it was the second novel in a series, I decided to get the first one and read it before beginning Hunting November.

Adriana Mather's Killing November is the first in the series.  When November Adley's aunt's house is broken into, her father sends her to a boarding school to keep her safe while he deals with the situation.

Academy Abscondititi is an eye-opening experience for November, not least because it appears that someone wants her dead.  It is also off the grid in what appears to be a medieval castle that has no electricity and a curriculum that focuses on physical skills like archery, poisons, knife throwing.

We all know the boarding school trope, and watching November trying to navigate this unusual and dangerous academy kept me reasonably entertained.  November needs to avoid being killed, avoid being held responsible for the murder of one of the students, and she needs to find out who she really is and why someone wants to kill her.

Now, I will proceed to Hunting November, my download from NetGalley to find out what happens next.  Right now, I'm not up to much other than a lot of  escapism.












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These were the last postcards and letters I sent in early March, before we all got worried about mail transmitting the virus.

Now, it has been weeks since I've mailed anything other than a bill or two.  I miss letters--both the sending and the receiving (which has also become very occasional).   All mail entering the house receives the same treatment as packages or groceries.  I'm cautious, but grateful for those who deliver the mail, the medicines, the online necessities.  How are you feeling about mail?

Remember the Plague Doctors?

and a more DIY version

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean and The Starlight Claim

Billed as something for fans of Craig Johnson, I couldn't help but have high hopes for this one.  In the end, though, the book didn't suit me...or I didn't suit the book. 

See That My Grave Is Kept Clean (tentative connection to content) featuring Iraqi War veteran Tommy Smith is the third book in the series.  A missing ten-year-old girl, a corpse of a missing embezzler, and a sinister owner of a "titty bar" and abuser of women and underage girls, an ineffectual sheriff, and plenty of dead folks.  

Although not a book that I wanted to abandon, I had trouble connecting with the characters on more than a superficial basis and had little confidence in the plot.  

There are a lot of admirers of this series, but ultimately, it wasn't a good fit for me.

Read in May; blog review scheduled for Aug. 31, 2019

NetGalley/ Skyhorse Publishing
Crime.  Sept. 17, 2019.  Print length:  288 pages.

The Starlight Claim was an exciting survival adventure.  Nate didn't intend to make the trip to the cabin alone, but when his friend is grounded,  he decides not to back out.  But a blizzard sets in and in subzero temperatures, Nate must not only survive the weather, but must outwit escapees from a maximum security prison who have taken refuge in his family's cabin.  Thanks to his father, Nate is not without resources, both physical and mental.

from description:  Four months after his best friend, Dodge, disappeared near their families’ camp in a boat accident, Nate is still haunted by nightmares. He’d been planning to make the treacherous trek to the remote campsite with a friend — his first time in winter without his survival-savvy father. But when his friend gets grounded, Nate secretly decides to brave the trip solo in a journey that’s half pilgrimage, half desperate hope he will find his missing friend when no one else could. What he doesn’t expect to find is the door to the cabin flung open and the camp occupied by strangers: three men he’s horrified to realize have escaped from a maximum-security prison. Snowed in by a blizzard and with no cell signal, Nate is confronted with troubling memories of Dodge and a stunning family secret, and realizes that his survival now depends on his wits as much as his wilderness skills. As things spiral out of control, Nate finds himself dealing with questions even bigger than who gets to leave the camp alive.

Nate discovers an unexpected ally, but not a benevolent or selfless one.  

Although the main character is a teenager, I didn't realize at first that this was a YA novel; however, as with any good book,  The Starlight Claim will grab your interest and hold it throughout.

Read in May;  blog review scheduled for Aug. 31, 2019

NetGalley/Candlewick Press
YA/Suspense.  Sept. 10, 2019.  Print length:  240 pages

Save Me From Dangerous Men, Old Bones, and The Merciful Crow

The opening chapter of Save Me from Dangerous Men was very much old-fashioned Noir, which is not my thing, but by the end of the first chapter, I was intrigued.

The style changed, and I was hooked on Nikki , private investigator, bookstore owner, and vigilante.  Now, although I believe a woman can be a physical threat in the right circumstances, Nikki does go a bit overboard.  Regardless of how skilled a woman might be, men are typically at an advantage physically--so although Nikki prevails in the book, it isn't a logical outcome for most women to depend on strength and technique against a male opponent.    

Nikki becomes something of the graphic novel hero in that regard.  Not that we aren't delighted with the outcomes, but maybe less Lisbeth Salander and more Jessica Jones.  :) 

I hope the next book has more input from the characters in the Zebras, the bookclub that meets at Nikki's bookstore.  This could easily become a series I want to follow, but I'd like more character-driven stories and much more about the bookstore and the book club members. 

Read in June. 

NetGalley/Flatiron Books
PI/Suspense.  March 19, 2019.  Print length:  326 pages.

Although I can never resist a Preston & Childs book, Old Bones takes a somewhat different path.  This is the first book in a series featuring Norah Kelly, a character in several of the Agent Pendergast books.

from description:The first in the groundbreaking Nora Kelly series from #1 bestselling authors Preston & Child blends the legend of the Donner party with a riveting suspense tale, taking the dynamic duo's work to new heights.

I actually liked rookie Agent Corrine Swanson, who also has appeared in an earlier book, better than Norah--which was a little surprising.

So...the book was...a little slow and didn't engage me the way some of the previous books have.  Special Agent Pendergast makes only  a cameo appearance at the end, and I was disappointed with the lack of weirdness he usually brings to these novels.  Because Pendergast IS the reason I gobble up these strange, silly, supernatural books!  

Read in June.

NetGalley/Grand Central Publishing
Thriller?  Aug. 20, 2019.  Print length:  384 pages.

OK, first sentence:  "Pa was taking too long to cut the boys' throats."

The Merciful Crows are the mercy killers of those dying of an excruciating plague.  When a village seeks their help, they send for the Crows to end the suffering of the infected and to dispose of the bodies before the plague spreads.  

In a world of castes, the Crows--despite their uses--are pariahs and preyed upon by other castes.  The book opens with the Merciful Crows called upon to end the suffering of a royal and dispose of the body by ritual burning, but there are two victims instead of one.  And neither one has the plague.

Since the Crows are immune to the plague, they play an important role in the safety of the kingdom, but are still despised.  Fie, sixteen-year-old daughter of the Crow chief is full of personality and grit and sees a desperate chance to improve the lot of her fellow Crows.

Spanish cover

There is a wicked queen who wants the Crown Prince and his body double dead; a group of night marauders from the Oleander Gentry; a troupe of misfit Crows, and lots of suspenseful moments.  

It took me a couple of chapters to get a fix on the magic system, but once I had that, I was engrossed with the characters and their adventures.  Like the best of YA fiction, the only thing that separates it from other books in the fantasy genre is the age of the important characters.

Read in June.

NetGalley/Henry Holt
YA/Fantasy.  July 30, 2019.  Print length:  384 pages.  

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and The Scholar by Dervla McTierney

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is a new author for me.  Have any of you read her books?  She is evidently a prolific YA author (The Fixer and The Naturals are most mentioned).

The Lovely and the Lost may be the start of a new series.

from description:  Kira Bennett’s earliest memories are of living alone and wild in the woods. She has no idea how long she was on her own or what she had to do to survive, but she remembers the moment that Cady Bennett and one of her search-and-rescue dogs found her perfectly. Adopted into the Bennett family, Kira still struggles with human interaction years later, but she excels at the family business: search-and-rescue. Along with Cady’s son, Jude, and their neighbor, Free, Kira works alongside Cady to train the world’s most elite search-and-rescue dogs. Someday, all three teenagers hope to put their skills to use, finding the lost and bringing them home.

Both the idea of a child who lived wild before being adopted and the search and rescue dogs intrigued me.  I liked all three quirky adolescents as well.   Kira's struggle to overcome her past and to blend in to society are aided by  Cady Bennett, the woman who found and adopted Kira; Jude, Cady's son and Kira's adoptive brother; and Free, her eccentric friend.  

I enjoyed the book, and I'm interested in The Naturals series.   

Read in March.  Blog review scheduled for April 28, 2019.

NetGalley/Disney Book Group
YA Mystery.   May 7, 2019.  Print length:  336 pages.

The Scholar (Cormac Reilly #2) by Dervla McTiernan.

I missed McTiernan's The Ruin, but hope to pick it up at some point.  

Detective Cormac Reilly's partner Dr. Emma Sweeney stumbles across the body of Carline Darcy, heir  to a powerful pharmaceutical company.  Emma calls Cormac, and he arrives first on the scene.  In spite of possible conflicts of interest, Cormac takes over the case.

Pressured to keep the investigation quiet, Cormac continues digging--eventually questioning his decision to take the lead in the case as evidence that Emma may know more than she has revealed emerges.  Emma may be more than a key witness.

Compelling and twisty, the novel reveals some problems with the research at the Darcy laboratories, the callousness and corruption of Carline's rich and powerful grandfather, and the grief of a fifteen-year-old boy who is searching for his missing sister.

Read in March.  Blog review scheduled for April 28, 2019.

NetGalley/Penguin Group
Crime/Police Procedural.  May 14, 2019.  Print length:  377 pages.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Descendant of the Crane is as fascinating as the cover.  A fantasy set in a fictional Asian world with a complex plot and characters that captivate with their flaws and their strengths.  

The world-building has both a historical and modern perspective with complicated political contrivances.  The relationships among the characters are particularly interesting with secrets and agendas that are not always shared.  

When Princess Hesina's father dies, she is elevated from princess to queen of a large kingdom with plenty of problems.  Hesina also has questions about her father's death.  She is certain he was murdered, but by whom?  

In desperation, Hesina visits a soothsayer, a treasonous act, but one that may give her the means of having her father's death investigated.  

I thoroughly enjoyed Descendant of the Crane and found the characters complex and sometimes surprising and the writing vivid, weaving the threads of family, tradition, myth, and politics a little at a time so that the reader sees the intricate pattern gradually.  

Listed as YA, the book is certainly appropriate for that age group, but as with all good stories Descendant of the Crane appeals to anyone who wants a well-written tale about intriguing characters in perplexing situations.  Hesina's determination will reveal truths she doesn't like, and she is forced to take side-steps and to make concessions, but nothing will prevent her in her ultimate goal.

Read in December, blog review scheduled for March 12, 2019.

NetGalley/Albert Whitman & Co

Fantasy/YA.  April 2, 2019.  Print length:  400 pages.

The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker

I'm a fan of Kerry Wilkinson's Jessica Daniel series and have enjoyed several of his standalone novels.  The Death and Life of Eleanor Parker is the latest standalone to be released, merging mystery, YA, and paranormal.  It feels different from the other standalone novels by Wilkinson, but the premise hooked me from the beginning.

Eleanor wakes up and drags herself from a river.  Her memory of how she got there is a blank, but she is aware that someone held her under the water, drowning her.  She has bruises on her neck and chest marking the efforts of her killer.  

Eleanor can interact with people who see her and talk to her, but she doesn't eat, doesn't sleep, and doesn't feel pain.  She attempts to find out what happened at the party she attended before waking up in the river, trying to discover who was responsible for drowning her.  

A year previously, her brother's girlfriend Sarah was found in the same river.  Her brother Ollie went through a difficult time with the loss of the girl he loved and with the accusations, whispers, and rumors blaming him for Sarah's murder.  Even as Eleanor searches for her own killer, another young girl goes missing, and once again Ollie is under suspicion.

You have to be willing to accept the implausible and just let yourself be entertained.  The "suspension of disbelief" is required for a great deal of fiction, and although I questioned, I continued to enjoy this novel.  

Blog review scheduled for July 10.

NetGalley/Bookoutre

Mystery/YA/Paranormal.  June 26, 2018.   

Catching Up

All of the books below, except for The Naturalist, were read in September. I read 4-5 books a week, and not all of them are going to be winners.  The following books kept me interested enough to finish them, but weren't books that would make me pursue the author or the series.  Books are a matter of taste, and each of the following books has had some 5 star reviews on Goodreads, so...my opinions should be taken with a grain of salt.  Always.  You might love one or more of them.

My best friend and I disagree on books all the time.  She will recommend a book that leaves me cold and will hate a book that I love.

The Naturalist started off exceptionally well.  Dr. Theo Cray is returning to his hotel room only to discover a swat team a swat storming the hotel.  He takes cover, but when told to return to his room, he remains watching the scene.

Because he can't return to his room--it is his room being stormed.

It turns out that a former student of his has been doing research in the area and has been found dead.  Theo is taken in for questioning, but is released when it is determined that the young woman died from a bear attack.

His curiosity and a sense of guilt cause Theo to do a little more investigation and what he discovers makes him believe that a man has disguised not only this murder, but many more murders; some were listed as animal attacks, but many were never reported at all.  As Theo uses his computer to investigate missing persons in the area, he begins to locate bodies.

I really enjoyed the first portion, but  the novel became a combination of  too far-fetched and too clever and lost its initial focus.  Talk about character transformation--Theo Cray started off as an intriguingly nerdy character, but ended up as a standard action hero.  

NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer

Crime/Suspense.  Oct. 1, 2017.  Print length:  382 pages.

I didn't realize that I had read the previous novel in this series when I requested Hide and Seek (Helen Grace #6) from NetGalley, but as I began reading I recognized some of the events that led up to this installment.  

In Little Boy Blue, a killer has laid the groundwork to destroy DI Helen Grace's career.  Hide and Seek finds Helen Grace in prison for crimes she didn't commit.  

When the bizarre murders of inmates in prison begin, Helen Grace finds her detective mindset kicking in, even as she fears for her own life.

Both books are suspenseful and violent.  The series is very popular and the reviews are extremely positive, but the book falls into that abyss of depending on multiple grotesque murders to create suspense.  Not my favorite plot line.  Nevertheless, M.J. Arlidge has a committed contingent of fans, and we are all different in what we look for in our crime/mystery/detective fiction.  

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing

Crime/Suspense.  Oct. 10, 2017.  Print length:  409 pages.

Although I had hoped Wolves and Roses would be a fun YA fantasy, the book didn't actually deliver.  Simplistic romance with fairies, werewolves, and witches--supposedly following fairy tale templates.

I always enjoy YA books by Sarah J. Maas, Megan Whalen Turner, Maggie Stiefvater, and Kelly Armstrong, but all of the preceding have great character development, excellent writing, and exciting plots.  Wolves and Roses failed on all three.  Others liked it much better than I did.

NetGalley/Monster House Books, LLC

YA/Fantasy.  Oct. 31, 2017.  Print length:  292 pages.





Beacon Hill by Colin Campbell follows the Resurrection Man series featuring former British cop Jim Grant, who now works for the Boston PD.

Jim Grant's character feels like a "wannabe" Jack Reacher. 
(The Jack Reacher from Lee Child's books, not the one from the films which I wouldn't see because of miscasting). Lots of action and an unusual premise make Beacon Hill interesting, and yet more surface than depth.  

One incident that was, I guess, supposed to add some dark humor involves a dog.  The reference to the dog appears again and again, and what was not funny to begin became more and more irritating.  Spoiler:  More time and emphasis was given to the unfunny squashed dog than to the death of the girlfriend.

NetGalley/Wildblue Press

Suspense/Police Procedural/Crime.  Sept. 13, 2017.  Print length:  315 pages.