Shomeret's June Reading Journey 2/2

[Shomeret]

5)Land of the Flowers by Mary Anna Evans (mystery short story) Source: Amazon purchase Started: 6/24 Finished: 6/25

Why Read: I had no time for mystery novels in June. So I thought that I'd try to fit in a couple of short stories by favorite writers. This is a stand alone environmental story with an MC who is an environmental engineer. Since Mary Anna Evans has an engineering background, I thought this might be very good.

Comments: I liked the concept, but it fell kind of flat with me. There weren't any interesting characters. I gave it a C+

6)War of Mist by Helen Scheuerer (YA epic fantasy)
Source: Author via Book Funnel Started: 6/25 Finished: 6/29

Why Read: This is the third in the trilogy that I signed up to review for the blog tour.

Comments: It had more action than the previous two books and some moving character scenes. I gave it a B+ See my blog tour post at https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...

7)The Face in the Mirror by Rhys Bowen (historical mystery short story) 53 pages Source: Amazon purchase Started: 6/30 Finished: 6/30

Why Read: I chose this one because it's a Molly Murphy short story. She's the only MC that Rhys Bowen writes that I like. Also this story deals with suffragettes.

Comments: There Molly is lying to her husband as usual in order to do something he doesn't like. In this case, it was attending a suffragette meeting. The mystery didn't turn out to be that interesting and the final scene was extremely predictable. I did like reading about Molly and her friends though so I gave it a B.

8)"Articulated Restraint" by Mary Robinette Kowal (alternate history science fiction) 26 pages. Source: Amazon purchase Started: 6/30 Finished: 6/30

Why Read: This is a story that takes place between The Calculating Stars and the second Lady Astronaut novel, The Fated Sky. Since I read and loved the first novel recently, I thought I'd like the short story that precedes the second book.

Comments: It was about a female astronaut who was pulled from a mission. It's trying to be a character story, but there isn't enough substance. I gave it a C.

9)The Dancing Girl: An "All the Tomorrows" Short Story by Nillu Nasser (contemporary short story) 56 pages. Source: Prolific Works, I think. Started: 6/30 Finished: 6/30

Why Read: It takes place in India. I thought it could be interesting because of the dance aspect.

Comments: Ruhi's horrible uncle is a gangster who just got out of prison. She offered to dance for him if he'd leave the rest of the family alone. I thought that this couldn't end well, but then nothing happened because it just ended. I gave it a B- I expected more.

So my reading journey ended with an anti-climax. Fortunately, I've already read a mystery novel in July. Yes, I reviewed it today for the other blog tour that was scheduled today. I'm also hoping to get to a thriller that Wiley sent me this month. We'll see.