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Book Reviews
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Books You’re on the Fence About - 2024
Started out the week with a non-mystery book for a change
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of Dominoes, Danzón, and Death by Raquel V. Reyes
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Rose Code – Kate Quinn – 3.5***
Quinn uses her talent for historical fiction to explore the women (and men) who worked at Bletchley Park during WWII, and who were credited with breaking the German Enigma code. She focuses on three women who would never have met were it not for the war work they undertook. I really liked how Quinn showed how the friendship between these three developed. And how their loyalty to one another, though severely tested, became central to the conclusion of the story.
LINK to my full review
Libby Lost and Found
was heartwarming, but also somewhat lacking for me. My three star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Queen City Detective Agency
had some really positive things going for it, but in the end was mildly unsatisfying. My 3.5 star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Trespasses – Louise Kennedy – 3.5***
A novel of one woman’s longing for a positive, peaceful life, in Belfast during the Troubles. Kennedy packs a lot into a slim volume. Cushla is a marvelous character. She’s caring and passionate about her teaching. She longs for a steady life on her own. She does her best to help her students navigate this troubling time. She wants to live her life without strife and terror. The novel made me think of how often I want to just hide from what is happening around me and be left in peace to live my life, rather than to face the issues head on and DO something.
LINK to my full review
I started out the week with
We Three Queens, the latest Royal Spyness Mystery from Rhys Bowen.https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Christmas Belles: A Belles of Blueberry Lane Novella by Mel Hammondhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Secrets We Kept – Lara Prescott – 3.5***
Prescott’s debut is a literary espionage novel told from the perspectives of three different women and revolving around the publication of Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago . Although I have gotten tired of the multiple-narrators device, I have to admit that Prescott did a good job of it in this novel of intrigue and manipulation. Sally and Irina, in particular, each had information that the other lacked, and their push/pull relationship had to be affected by this.
LINK to my full review
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my review
The Unbearable Lightness of Scones – Alexander McCall Smith – 3***
Book number five in the 44 Scotland Street series, featuring the residents of a particular apartment building in Edinburgh, as well as a few of their neighbors. I really enjoy reading these books. It’s like visiting with old friends. The story bounces around from character to character, so the reader gets a glimpse of Bertie, then of Domenica, then of Matthew, etc. It’s the same way we frequently experience our friendships. You don’t learn someone’s entire life story in one sitting but get snippets here and there before you eventually truly feel you know him or her.
LINK to my full review
I kicked off the week with
Wedding Bride and Doom by Mary Karnes https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Lido – Libby Page – 3.5***
Also titled “Mornings With Rosemary.” A young journalist with anxiety disorder befriends and elderly woman who wants to save the public swimming pool. Their friendship helps them both deal with various issues and I really grew to love these characters. This is Page’s debut work and I’ll be watching for what she writes next.
LINK to my full review
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We Solve Murdershttps://www.goodreads.com/review/edit..."
Bad link Suzanne.
Here is my 3.21 rounded to 3 stars review of Booked for Murder by P.J. Nelson:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Southern Cozy Mystery
Debut / First in the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries Series
Unique Characters, Atmospheric, Uneven Pacing, Predictable
An outlier on
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman. Here’s my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Encore Provence – Peter Mayle – 3***
Subtitle: New Adventures in the South of France. Gosh, but I love Peter Mayle’s memoirs of his move to and life in Provence! This is the third in the series and he writes with his usual humor.
LINK to my full review
Heavy Are the Stones by J.D. Barker & Christine Daigle is a fast paced thriller featuring serial killers, social media & VR technology. Didn't quite convince me but many reviewers loved it.review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Widow's Husband's Secret Lie by Freida McFaddenMy review 3⭐
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dropseed: The Story of Three Sad Women by Nettie Magnan
The writing style wasn't for me, though the plot structure of this literary fiction was great.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Why Me? – Donald E Westlake – 3***
This is book # 5 in the Dortmunder series, featuring a “professional “ burglar with a gang of inept misfits. I love this series. Dortmunder is a pretty good guy – for a thief. He does have his standards, and his crew of accomplices is laughably inept. Except for his lady companion – May. What a woman! Unflappable, loyal, assertive … she is not to be messed with and she doesn’t take any guff from anyone.
LINK to my full review
How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley possibly appeals to readers as it rides the current wave of lighthearted stories about canny oldies using their natural invisibility to go unnoticed so they can get away with things - not murder, I hasten to add. 
My review of How To Age Disgracefully
Seeing The Light - E. C. Bell - (Canada)
Marie Jenner Series Book #1
Genera: Mystery& Suspense/Paranormal
3.5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Beautiful Ugly
is getting lots of positive buzz but the ending ruined it for me. Just way too OTT. My three star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is deemed a classic.
. To me it was slightly overwrought. My 3.5 star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review of How Sondheim Can Change Your Life by Richard Schochhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I listened to
The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Harlem Rhapsody
fell a little flat for me with its over emphasis on an affair. My three star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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my review
The Secret Life of Sunflowers
had a great premise. But the second storyline spoiled it for me. My three star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
To Say Nothing To The Dog - Connie Willis - (England)
Genera: Sci-Fi, Time Travel
3★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
What Waits in The Woods - Terri Parlato - (Massachusetts)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense, Thriller
3★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Trouble With Christmas – Debbie Mason – 2.5**
If you’ve seen one Hallmark Christmas movie, you’ve seen them all. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy these sappy films and the books that inspire or are inspired by the movies. But they aren’t really memorable. Here you have a big city real estate developer sent to a small Colorado town to calm the residents after the developer’s plans have been leaked. It’s a fast read and the snowy setting helped keep me cool during the heat of summer.
LINK to my full review
Fluff Me - R.A. Frick
Bear-4-U series
Genera: M/M Romance/Transgender
3★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here is my 3.44 rounded to 3 stars review of The Antique Store Detective and the May Day Murder: A totally gripping cozy murder mystery by Clare Chase:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2nd book in the Bella Winter Cozy Mystery series
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Friends Sharing Book Love
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Nnedi Okorafor (other topics)Iris Johansen (other topics)
Alexis Daria (other topics)
Fredrik Backman (other topics)
P.D. James (other topics)
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