Denise

Kill the Next One

Kill the Next One - Frederico Axat

The description for this book seemed very interesting and something that I'd like to read. Unfortunately the events that are described in the description are actually a very small part of the book and end up not being the main focus of the book. Ultimately the book turns into something completely different than what I was expecting and even though I did stay interested in the story that was unfolding I would have liked the book to have been what I perceived it to have been based on the description.

 

Ted McKay has decided to kill himself and is about to do so until a stranger shows up at his door with a strange proposition for him. The stranger tells him that if he just kills two men that someone will kill him to spare his family from his suicide. Once Ted starts to go along with what the stranger asks of him he starts to realize these men and events are oddly familiar to him.

 

This story is way more than just about the murders that Ted must commit in order for someone to kill him. That was what really drew me to this book. I went along with this book when it started to turn into something else because I wanted to see where it was going. I did enjoy some of the twists and turns of this book but ultimately didn't really see why there was so much build-up in this book for a reveal that I didn't seem to care about. All this time I felt like we would find something big out about Ted and it was about someone else that I didn't care about one bit. I was just disappointed by the ending.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Red Queen Rules

The Red Queen Rules (A Red Solaris Mystery Book 3) - Bourne Morris

It's nice to see Red back again. But this time not only is she dealing with drama on campus but she is also dealing with Joe going undercover in a sec trafficking ring to find the missing cousin of one of her students. With another giant surprise midway through Red is under a ton of stress.

 

I liked that this one had the two storylines between the hateful speaker that was going to speak on campus and Joe going to find Rosie's cousin. They were both interesting storylines to me and I like how they merged towards the end.

 

Red gets some big news while Joe was away and I was so excited about it. I cannot wait to see how that affects her life.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Swiss Vendetta

Swiss Vendetta (Agnes Luthi Mysteries) - Tracee de Hahn

After her husband's death Agnes transfers from the Financial Crimes division to the Violent Crime division. She needs to have a change in her life. Her first case in the division is a murder at the chateau of a long rich family. With the snow storm of the century trapping her at the chateau she might just find herself in over her head.

 

I have to admit that most of the time I was more interested in finding out what happened to Agnes' husband, George, then who killed Felicity. Agnes was still grieving over what happened with George and kept dwelling on it that my interest shifted towards that. Once she finds out a secret about her husband she then realizes why it happened. 

 

In regards to the mystery as to who killed Felicity I was a bit annoyed at how drawn out it felt. There are a couple other mysteries in this book and they really slowed down the plot for me. Little did I know that everything would be connected at the end but I still thought certain parts were unnecessary.

 

This appears to be the beginning of a series and I would be interested in reading more. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Roanoke Girls

The Roanoke Girls: A Novel - Amy Engel

This book is not for everyone. There is a dark and disgusting secret in the Roanoke family and it completely takes over this book. From the start you can pretty much guess what the secret is but it is confirmed not that far into the book. I would have been able to get past that secret had the rest of the story and the characters interested me. I didn't like the main character, Lane, so it made it hard for me to want to read about her. Ultimately I felt like this book was so much about the shock that the plot and character development lacked.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Always

Always: A Novel - Sarah Jio

I've been a fan of Sarah Jio's books for a while but I have  admit that I was a bit wary to read this book as I really didn't enjoy her last book. I had no need to worry though as this book did have some of the same magic that I've loved from her previous books.

 

This book alternates between the present and the past. The past shows Kailey's relationship with Cade, from the day they met to the day his mysteriously disappeared. The present follows Kailey when she discovers a homeless Cade after going to dinner with her current fiance Ryan. Cade doesn't seem to remember the past and is confused in a way that has Kailey very concerned. She knows that she has to help the man that she once considered the love of her life.

 

I loved reading about Kailey and Cade's relationship. They were so in love that you couldn't help but wonder what drove them apart. At the same time I did also like her with Ryan. She was different with Ryan than she was with Cade. When she first found Cade you could tell she still had some sort of feeling for him as she felt such a need to help him.

 

I was very curious throughout the book to see what happened to Cade that he ended up homeless. After reading a bit about the past events I could basically piece together what had happened. I really enjoyed the choices that Kailey made towards the end and where those choices led each of the characters to end up. I look forward to reading more from Sarah Jio.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Skydive

Skydive - Susan O'Brien

Even though this is only the third book in the series it feels like we've come a long way from the first book that I had loved so much. This installment just fell flat for me. Maybe that is because I was so frustrated with Nicki and how she insisted on putting herself and her best friend Kenna in danger (Kenna was a willing participant in the investigation). Towards the end of the book Nicki and Kenna were in way over their heads and instead of letting someone more experienced or able to help take care of things Nicki insisted on putting herself in danger. Nicki just irked me throughout the book. I am happy at what happened between her and Dean at the end but cannot honestly see myself continuing on with this series.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Henery Press for the galley.

The Chillbury Ladies' Choir

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir: A Novel - Jennifer Ryan

Once I picked up this book it was very hard for me to put down. I could not get enough of reading about the people of Chillbury. While this book is about how certain women of the village start up an all women choir (as most of the men have gone off to fight in the war) it also shows how those women all grow and become stronger.

 

Normally I would have been annoyed that this was written as journal entries and letters but for some reason that really enhanced the story for me. I enjoyed getting to read from multiple points of view. While certain characters did annoy me from time to time (Kitty and Miss Paltry) getting to read about their growth made me end up liking them in the end.

 

After reading this book I would be interested in reading more from this author.

 

[I received this book from a Librarything Early Reviewers giveaway. My review is not affected by that in any way.]

Last Ride

Last Ride (Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club) - Chantal Fernando

Sin and Faye are one of my favorite couples from this series (I really think that they are my favorite). We started off this series reading their story and they have shown up throughout the series. I was so excited that they were finally front and center once again.

 

Things are changing for the Wind Dragons. Both Talon and Ranger (members of a rival MC) have joined the Wind Dragons. They unknowingly bring with them a threat to the Wind Dragons. Faye finds herself in danger and Sin must race to save her.

 

Even though this was pretty short that has to be one of my favorite installments of this series. I really just can't get enough of Faye and Sin. Their chemistry is amazing and Faye is just hysterical. Mix that in with some great danger, suspense, and twists and you an amazing story that ends too soon. The only thing I had a problem with was that the person who was the mole in the Wild Men MC was ridiculously easy to figure out (I can't believe they were blindsided by it). 

 

I really look forward to reading the next in the series (which follows Ranger).

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Wolf's Mate

Wolf's Mate - Chantal Fernando

Vinnie has been one of my favorite secondary characters throughout this series so I was really happy to finally get to read his story. For the most part he was the same Vinnie that I loved from the other books. There were parts though that he became super cold and kind of a jerk and that is not how Vinnie was previously. As far as Shayla goes I did like her. I loved th banter between Vinnie and Shayla in the beginning but once they started to open up to each other I felt like the special spark between them dimmed some. Yes they still had some pretty steamy scenes but it just wasn't the same.

 

This series is very formulaic when it comes to the plot and this one is no different. Usually the girl lead is in danger and the guy comes to protect and save her. Once that danger is averted there is something (usually a misunderstanding or some sort of fight) that tears the couple apart and then they get back together again. This one definitely followed that and I felt it also threw in some romance cliches. The first half of this book was definitely what I liked the most.

 

Up next in this series are Faye and Sin (again!). I  definitely looking forward to reading that one.

Send in the Clowns

Send in the Clowns (The Country Club Murders) (Volume 4) - Julie Mulhern

This series has become my favorite Henery Press series. I've always enjoyed reading about Ellison. While I do love this series, this latest installment had me feeling a bit letdown. Ellison still had her great sense of humor but even her humor couldn't save parts of this. 

 

Ellison has repeatedly told both Hunter and Anarchy that she isn't ready for a relationship but neither will listen to her. They both kept pushing her and it became really annoying when other characters kept telling her to choose. Why can't Ellison just be on her own for a little bit?

 

The mystery as to who was behind Brooks' murder didn't seem all that compelling to me. There were a few suspects but honestly no one seemed all that interesting (even Brooks' trashy wife Stormy). When the murderer was finally revealed I was only a bit surprised and didn't care all that much.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and Henery Press for the galley.

 

 

Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil

Tell the Truth, Shame the Devil - Melina Marchetta

When I requested this book on Netgalley I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did. From the first page I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. This story follows Bish, a suspended police officer, who ends up investigating the bombing of his daughter's bus when she was on a trip to France. The investigation threatens up when they find out that one of the students on the bus is the granddaughter of a man that set a bomb of in a supermarket. Her mother is currently in jail for making the bomb.

 

I really liked Bish throughout this book. Even with the problems he was dealing with in his life I felt that he was the most likeable throughout the book. I didn't like his weird attraction to Noor though. I found myself a bit annoyed with the teenage characters as they seemed to hide things and lie for stupid reasons only they could understand.

 

When it was revealed who was behind the bombing and why they did it I did feel a teeny bit letdown but Bish's actions did kind of make up for that. Ultimately I did enjoy the ending and where each character ended up.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

The Queen's Accomplice

The Queen's Accomplice: A Maggie Hope Mystery - Susan Elia MacNeal

For the past couple of years this series has been one of my favorites. I've loved reading about Maggie Hope and her latest adventures. While Maggie is still her same feisty self this installment felt a bit too predictable.

 

Maggie is back and she is thrown into the investigation into the murders of young women joining the SOE. Paired with an investigator with the Scotland Yard she will delve deep into the mind of a man recreating Jack the Ripper's murders. Little does she know that she just might become the murderers latest target.

 

Maggie is just as feisty and intelligent in this installment as the previous ones. I loved her working relationship (which turns personal) with DCI Durgin. To her the investigation becomes personal.

 

To me it was completely obvious as to who the murderer was. It was so disappointing that Maggie never figures it out until the murderer confronts her. All the red herrings in the plot just couldn't distract me from the real killer.

 

I still eagerly await Maggie's next adventure. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Pumpkins in Paradise

Pumpkins in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery) (Volume 1) - Kathi Daley

When I saw this book on Netgalley I didn't immediately request it but took some time to decide whether or not to read it. Ultimately I decided to read it because I thought it would be another cozy mystery series that I would enjoy. While I did enjoy this book overall I don't know whether I will be continuing on with this series.

 

TJ seemed to be a pretty weak main character. I didn't love her nor did I hate her. She opened up about her past (especially with her mother) but I don't think that was enough to get me to connect with her. There were times when I felt she was pretty slow with her investigation into Zachary's murder. I mean there were some things that you could see coming from a mile and she still remained clueless about them through most of the book.

 

I wasn't satisifed at all with who the murderer turned out to be. We never really get an explanation as to why they killed Zachary. I did enjoy how the characters came together at the end though.

 

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

Rogue Heroes

Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War - Ben Macintyre

I am always interested in reading about WWII and I can't get enough from Ben Macintyre so I knew that this would be a book that I would really enjoy. Ben Macintyre's writing is never dry and boring. He always manages to introduce readers to such fascinating people. That was definitely the case here. I haven't read much at all about the SAS so it was nice to get to read something new. I would definitely recommend this for anyone interested in WWII.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - J.K. Rowling, John Kerr Tiffany, Jack Thorne

I tried going in to reading this with no expectations but quite frankly I knew I wasn't going to like this. I was all for keeping this series as it was and not adding any prequels, sequels, or spinoffs. The fact that this play isn't even written by J.K. Rowling but based on a story she wrote with a couple of people rubs me the wrong way as well.

 

Initially when I first started reading this I was horrified at how repulsive I found it to be. It did not have the same magic of the series (I do not consider this whatsoever to be the eighth part of the series) and I was just baffled at how the characters were acting. This felt like a Harry Potter fan fiction that was turned into a play. 

 

I do admit the more that I read it the less horrified and disgusted I was. The story does get a little better but still does have its outlandish moments. I don't want to give any spoilers away for you brave souls who want to read this. Maybe if I hadn't have loved the series as much as I did I may have actually enjoyed this more. As you can see from my review all this managed to do was turn me into a raving lunatic.

Reading progress update: I've read 18%.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - J.K. Rowling, John Kerr Tiffany, Jack Thorne

So I started reading this immediately after it downloaded on my Kindle. I wasn't as excited for this as other people were and pre-ordered it only just yesterday. As I am reading this, keeping in mind that it is a play, I am already regretting this purchase. The series in my eyes was amazing and I saw no need to expand on it with any prequels or sequels. I just want to tell J.K. Rowling to stop it already. This is definitely not helping at all as I don't know what to make of this. It feels like some weird fan fiction.