Michelle’s Comments (group member since Dec 08, 2021)

Michelle’s comments from the On The Same Page group.

Three to Get Deadly Complete!

Stephanie has to bring in the neighborhood's beloved candy store owner, Uncle Mo. But maybe there is more to Uncle Mo than everyone believes. Stephanie pursues dragging Lula along for the ride, uncovering bodies at every turn. With Morelli to keep her out of jail and the occasional assist from Ranger, Stephanie will get her man.

I don't know how I put this series off so long but I'm glad I finally started it. I love Stephanie Plum and her neighborhood full of zany characters. It's a perfect antidote to the winter doldrums. This is an incredibly long series, but I actually love knowing that there is plenty more out there when I need a good laugh and a light read. I also weirdly love that the number of the book in the series is actually in the title. Saves a lot of time. Can't wait for number four.

4 girl from the neighborhood stars.

Favorite Quotes:

“I may not be the most patient woman in the world, or the most glamorous, or the most athletic, but I'm right up there at the top of the line when it comes to resiliency.”
― Janet Evanovich, Three to Get Deadly

“I rolled my eyes so far into the top of my head I almost fell over backward.”
― Janet Evanovich, Three to Get Deadly

I hope you enjoy it Martha. I should have added above that it ends on a positive note. Well worth reading .

Lea wrote: "Oh, good. I'm so glad you liked Hell Bent. I'm really hoping to squeeze that in this year. You're picking some good books and making me rearrange my TBR, and that's a good thing!"

I think I liked Hell Bent better than the first one. Maybe it will come to the top on your TBR shuffle.

Ioana wrote: "Michelle wrote: "Checking off The Lincoln Lawyer

Mickey Haller, defense attorney, cruises the streets in his office/Lincoln, doing his part f..."

I really did enjoy it Ioana. Bosch never seems to appeal to me as much but after this one I may have to check that series out too.

#13 Hell Bent Leigh Bardugo outdoes herself in this second book in the Alex Stern series. This book goes deeper into the characters. Some of the world building might be a bit vague but the characters and the action are spot on in this series. I enjoy the play of real world against fantasy. 4 stars. Audiobook. Fantasy.

#14 The Lincoln Lawyer. My first dip into this series and Michael Connelly did not disappoint. This one was chock full of great characters including the larger-than-life Mickey Haller. Nice plot too. I couldn't wait to see how he got out of that mess. A new series for me no doubt. 4 stars. Audiobook. Legal Thriller.

#15 Someone Else's Shoes A mix up at the gym creates trouble and shakes up the lives of two middle aged women. I struggled to rate this one. The first half or so of the book was depressing but not at all uninteresting. The last half was less depressing and more action oriented. The final chapters I couldn't put it down. So, 4 couture stars. Audiobook. Contemporary Fiction/Chick Lit

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 3
4 stars - 8
3 stars - 3
2 stars - 1

Currently:
A Suitable Boy ebook. Always.
Three to Get Deadly paperback. I'm just feeling like paperback is the way to read Stephanie Plum. It really takes me back to the 80's. It makes me want to get out my mousse, hot rollers, lip gloss, and shoulder pads.
Sandy Hook ebook. Wow! I can't stop listening. I had no idea.

Checking off The Lincoln Lawyer

Mickey Haller, defense attorney, cruises the streets in his office/Lincoln, doing his part for the justice system, looking for that one big case that will pay the bills. But will he want it when it falls into his lap?

What a cast of characters! Not the least of which is Haller himself. His clients need him, his ex-wives love him, and he can't keep himself out of trouble for long. In the meantime Earl drives the Lincoln and Mickey tries to make everything come out O.K. I really enjoyed this first episode of the Lincoln Lawyer. I don't know when but I will be checking out more from this series.

4 get out of jail free stars

Favorite Quotes:

“You're a sleazy defense lawyer with two ex-wifes and an eight-year-old daughter and we all love you.”
― Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer

“The law was not about truth. It was about negotiation, amelioration, manipulation.”
― Michael Connelly, The Lincoln Lawyer

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Bill wrote: "My review of by Margaret Atwood 3.5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Next in line is my first book for my Feb..."


I really enjoyed Crossover Bill. I have since read several by this author. I hope your experience is as good as mine.

Bill wrote: "Michelle wrote: "#10 Hunt the Stars A bounty hunter and her crew are hired by an alien enemy to recover a stolen item. Romance ensues. As a romanc..."

Just finished it Bill. I think I enjoyed it even more than the first one. Both are good. Loved that the real-world stuff really exists it just isn't all part of a magical society. Well hopefully it isn't. Happy reading.

It wasn't horrible just enter with caution.

Do try Vanish. It covers a lot of interesting topics. Yes I read the River. Glad you liked it enough to recommend it. I love Peter Heller's writing. There's a sequel you should definitely check it out.

#10 Hunt the Stars A bounty hunter and her crew are hired by an alien enemy to recover a stolen item. Romance ensues. As a romance book this was fine as SciFi it was a waste. Good ideas but too much time spent pairing everybody off and thinking about how hot everyone is. Surely there are better things to do on a spaceship but then again maybe not. 3 stars. Audiobook. Romance/SciFi (I'm beginning to think those do not go together).

#11 The Cold Vanish: Seeking the Missing in North America's Wildlands Really fascinating nonfiction. The author uses the search for one missing person to explore the phenomena of people who go missing in the wild. This book covers everything from types of search and search and rescue dogs to cults and bigfoot legend. Really interesting. I highly recommend it to those of you who enjoy true crime reading. 4 Sasquatch stars. Audiobook. Nonfiction.

#12 Fallen 13th in the Kate Burkholder series. This one is probably one of the ones I enjoyed most. Quick, straight-forward and entertaining. One thing though, I don't know if Painters Mill, Ohio is a real place but if it is don't go there. The crime rate has to be off the charts. 4 stars. Audiobook. Mystery/Thriller.

Star Tally 2023
5 stars - 3
4 stars - 5
3 stars - 3
2 stars - 1

Currently:
Hell Bent ebook. Enjoying this one.
A Suitable Boy ebook. Virtually no progress.
The Lincoln Lawyer audiobook. Checking it off the list.

Started The Lincoln Lawyer

Finished Fallen by Linda Castillo.

In the 13th book in the series Chief Burkholder has to solve the brutal murder of a young formerly Amish woman who returned to Painters Mill for a visit. Solving the case means exploring the victim's past and exposing many secrets. At least one person wants those secrets to be left alone.

Painters Mill has to be the Amish murder capital of the world and Kate Burkholder has way too many violent encounters for me to vote for her for sheriff. In spite of that, I do enjoy the characters in this series and the mystery thriller formula this author uses. Adding in the Amish factor just makes them irresistible. This was actually one of the more enjoyable books in the series for me. Quick, striaght-forward and entertaining.

4 Plain stars

Favorite Quote:
Life is a river that never stops flowing. You can dam it, you can harness its power, you can poison it, but you can’t stop it. A river never ends. It changes course and cuts through the land. It floods and damages and kills. It can be weakened by drought. But it never stops. It is the fundamental giver of life.”
― Linda Castillo, Fallen

Learning about revolution in Romania with I Must Betray You.

Picking up New Hampshire with Mad Honey and swinging over to New Jersey with Lights Out in Lincolnwood.

I went off list for a while but now I'm getting back on track with Fallen A Novel of Suspense: by Linda Castillo.

Ioana wrote: "Iron Lake is the 1st in a very long series by William Kent Krueger. I loved his stand-alones This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace but this one was just ..."


Sorry to hear that. Iron Lake is on my challenge list. I also read This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace. Liked both but loved Ordinary Grace. I also read Lightning Strike which is a prequel to the series. I liked it but it was written long after Iron Lake so I don't know.

Glad to see you enjoyed Guncle. I liked that one so much and, despite the theme of grief, I think sweet is exactly the right word.

Hunt the Stars Over-rated! No doubt.

A bounty hunter and her crew are hired by a leading general from the army of their former alien enemies to find a mysterious item which has been stolen. So many secrets on both sides. What will happen when all is revealed?

This was OK romance. It was terrible SciFi. Unfortunately, it was a goodreads choice nominee for Science Fiction. Good SciFi IMO should mention spaceships and space more times than it mentions the protagonists body parts. Repeated use of the word hot should at least some of the time refer to stars or other astrological phenomena. Just sayin. I normally like genre blending fiction but somehow when it mixes my beloved SciFi/Fantasy with mediocre romance, I just can't get on board. The fact that all romance novels are pretty much fantasy doesn't seem to matter to me. I just feel like something is missing from the story. Many times, these writers have a pretty good premise to base the story on. I guess that is the heart of the problem for me. They had a good idea but didn't flesh it out (yes, pun intended) they just spent pages and pages exploring the sexual tension. In spite of my rant and my contention that this was in no way SciFi even if the setting was a spaceship, I will admit this was a fun and sometimes steamy romance. Well done on that score.

3 sexy alien stars.

Favorite quote:

“logic wasn’t necessary for conspiracy theorists.”
― Jessie Mihalik, Hunt the Stars