Rachel Kovaciny's Blog, page 75

"Island of the Mad" by Laurie R. King

You know I've been a fan of Laurie R. King's Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series for many years now.  I've written a lot of posts about them.  They're my favorite non-canonical Holmes stories, and I love some of them dearly.

Just not this one.

Actually, I liked much of the story.  It was fascinating, mysterious, and held some nice twists.  Russell's university friend Veronica's aunt has been in and out of mental institutions for the last decade or so, and then she sudd...

Top Ten Tuesday: This Year's Best, So Far

The year is a little more than half over, and I've already read so many amazing books!  Which is good, because this week's TTT prompt from That Artsy Reader Girl is "The best books I've read in 2018 (so far)."  Here are my ten, with titles linked to my reviews.  

And for something different and fun, I've included a favorite line or passage from each of them so you can have a little taste of what they're like!


A Flame in the Dark  by Sarah Baughman (PG-13) ...

Mailbox Monday: I Won Books!

Back in June, I entered a giveaway hosted by Waterbrook & Multnomah Fiction on their Facebook page.  A giveaway for seven of their Christian fiction titles.  AND I WON!!!  I got an email informing me that I won about a week ago, and my books came in the mail today.  Looky:

Can you believe I've never read any of these authors?  Not even Kim Vogel Sawyer, though people keep recommending her books to me.  Well, hers is the first one of these I'll try!


I enter book...

"Death at Thorburn Hall" by Julianna Deering

Even though I've been reading them all out of order, I am thoroughly enjoying this series.  Drew Farthering is a likable, believable gentleman.  I really enjoy spending time with him, his wife Madeline, his best friend Nick Dennison, and Madeline's friend Carrie.  They're sweet, fun, kind people, and I like them.

In this sixth book of the series, the four of them are invited to Thorburn Hall, home of Drew's cousin, Lady Louisa Rainsby, and her family.  They're all going to...

"Imperfect Justice" by Cara Putman

One of my favorite things about this book was how perfectly it nailed what the ruthless life of Washington D.C. is like.  I live outside the Beltway, but I know plenty of people who live in the glittering, grungy world that attorney Emilie Wesley inhabits.  It's a place where everyone is trying to make an impression, to win some competition or other, to edge just a little bit ahead in their own personal race.  

Emile Wesley works for a no-profit that helps abused women esca...

"A Flame in the Dark" by Sarah Baughman

This is one of the best books I've read so far this year.  Actually, it's one of the best books I've EVER read.  It's filled with such rich character development and meaty discussions of how God's words apply to our lives.  I talk a lot about how important characters are to me when it comes to enjoying a book or coming to love it -- these characters were so real and wonderful, I actually worried about what was happening to them whenever I wasn't actively reading the book. ...

"Portrait of Vengeance" by Carrie Stuart Parks

What a thrill ride this book was!

Seriously, it grabbed hold of me within the first couple of pages and I inhaled it in just over a day. 

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey takes on a gruesome murder case that closely resembles memories from her past that she's been running from for decades.  But this fresh crime occurred in a Nez Perce community, and Marcey is seen as an interloper sticking her nose in where it's not needed.

One of the few people who welcomes her help is  Seth Kus, chie...

"Portrait of Justice" by Carrie Stuart Parks

What a thrill ride this book was!

Seriously, it grabbed hold of me within the first couple of pages and I inhaled it in just over a day. 

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey takes on a gruesome murder case that closely resembles memories from her past that she's been running from for decades.  But this fresh crime occurred in a Nez Perce community, and Marcey is seen as an interloper sticking her nose in where it's not needed.

One of the few people who welcomes her help is  Seth Kus, chie...

"Smoke" by Stanley Wheeler

This was an amusing and entertaining mystery.  It's kind of a send-up of hardboiled detective fiction like the stuff written by Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.  Set in the late 1940s, its main character is a WWII vet.  He's also a bookstore owner, which is always a fun profession for a book character.  

For reasons I've forgotten, a woman who wanders into his store one day mistakes him for a slightly famous detective who died recently.  She's beautiful, so...

Did You See This?

My friend Eva of Coffee, Classics, and Craziness is hosting a read-along of The Outsiders next month!  Click here for full details.

I haven't 100% decided if I'm going to read it with her, but I'll definitely be joining the discussions.  If you've never read this book, or if you've read it over and over like me, you don't want to miss this!  

And if you want to know more of my thoughts about this book, my review is here.  (Spoiler alert:  I ADORE IT.)