Elle Hartford
All the usual great things about this series, this time with a seance, too! The addition of Ursula (a psychic) was really interesting. The mystery itself was tough to guess (at least reasonably) until the end, but it came together pretty well. Overall it was a fun read with some great new characters!
A worthy sequel to the first two in the series!! I really enjoyed the characters' relationships (and the way they evolved). The added element of the nature conservancy and the swamp give it a sense of adventure. It's neat seeing Katie come into her own power, and I can't wait to dive into the next book!
I really enjoyed getting to know Moss Haven and the pixies! And I've always loved fairy tales and folklore, so the fae felt familiar, and I appreciated seeing this new take on them. Though I'll definitely be going on to read the next in the series, I think this story could stand alone, too, if you prefer shorter works.
I love all the detail and world-building in this book! I wasn't prepared for how young the narrator is, though. For most of the book, he's a fourteen year old relating events from the past two years or so of his life. His voice is totally believable and funny, too, but he goes on lots of tangents and throws in tons of details. Which on one hand makes it more believable, but on the other, made it a bit tough to focus on. The underlying themes of family and motherly love were wonderful, but I did find myself skimming through it sometimes.
I enjoyed this sequel even more than the first in the series (which is saying something!). It's really fun to see Katie develop as a character, along with the people around her. The book ends with a revelation, too – not a cliffhanger, but a tidbit that definitely left me wanting the third book. The mystery was intriguing and really reflected the shortcomings of the characters surrounding the murder. I'd recommend it, but it's worth your time to check out Brownies and Broomsticks first. :)
A very fun and fast read! Those who have watched the BBC series will recognize elements of the story from season three, episode “Right Ho, Jeeves,” though the book includes more characters (and therefore more complicated affairs of the heart!). For the sheer variety of trials – not to mention the many reflections on aunts – this is one of my favorite of the Jeeves & Wooster novels.
Really enjoyed this cozy! The main character is spunky and her friends – particularly the cat Simon! – are very fun. The mystery itself was satisfying; it was better than I expected. The blurb on the back of the book confused me a little by making it sound like the mc was randomly a victim of attacks, but the truth is she witnesses someone running from a scene (and hitting her car as they do so). Everything after that falls into place!
A very fun, smart adventure through the Irish countryside! The real highlights of the book were the characters and the setting. The mystery itself was intricate, but I was able to guess it (perhaps a sign I read too many cozies . . . !). And of course, the theme of music throughout was so fun – I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys orchestra, teaching, or Ireland. On top of mysteries and ghosts, of course! :)
I was instantly drawn to this book because of the cover. I read it in one sitting and loved it!! The premise, that fairy tale characters are semi self-aware and that journal-keeping is forbidden, was a really fun twist on the familiar tale. Plus, Beauty's relationship with the Beast and with other side characters makes it much more real. My one complaint – a very minor one – is that halfway through, I think Ashcroft (the butler) becomes Hobbs. But honestly it was so neat that he was there at all that I didn't mind that much :)
How to Write a Mystery: A Handbook from Mystery Writers of America
This book was an absolute pleasure to read, and I don't say that lightly of an instruction “handbook.” I've read a number of writing how-tos and most end up being a bit dense – not in a bad way, but all the information in them starts to feel heavy. This book doesn't have that problem at all. It's still super informative, but each essay moves right along, and interspersed are succinct, useful quotes from authors regarding writing.
The essays also cover a number of topics, from groundrules of mystery and descriptions of subgenres to outlining and setting to building an online community. I'm particularly interested in cozy, so the medical/thriller stuff wasn't as relevant to me, but that was only a few essays. Overall the book was still well worth it – I must have bookmarked at least half the articles for reference later, and I know I'll be coming back to it in the future!
Wonderful, as always! If you've seen the BBC series, then the plot will be familiar (I forget which episodes, but I think they did a two-parter following the novel). On Goodreads they make it clear that it's #7 but a lot of the editions out in the world don't necessarily say that; still, Bertie (the narrator) does his best to catch you up with everything that came before if you haven't read the other books & stories.
A nice translation with notes and a helpful glossary. I enjoyed it, but the stories are a bit dense (aka pretty typical for their original time period, the 12th century!). I wouldn't recommend this as a starting point for someone unfamiliar with Arthurian stories, but it's interesting reading for someone who's read other versions of the myths and wants to go more in-depth!
I love Lucas! One of the reviews printed in the book called this “the arthurian legend Wodehouse never got around to writing,” and I feel like that sums it up very well. The plot is a wild ride, so you have to hang in there at certain points, but the ending wraps everything up quite neatly. My two criticisms – mild spoilers!! – are that, despite the plethora of knights running around, there are precisely three women in the story (one inactive queen, one understated love interest, and one evil villain, aside from a very minor character or two); and that Arthur doesn't come across at his best, or even as very likable. But, to be fair, all of those issues are in the original legends too. If you're familiar with the Arthurian legends, you can see the references the author makes, and it will help you keep track of the knights' drama.
Bottom line is, I enjoyed the book and I liked seeing things from Lucas' point of view. This is a very fun, funny adventure through a variety of old legends and one I will definitely reread in the future. :)
This is a fun continuation of the first book, Parnassus on Wheels. However, it was first written over a hundred years ago, and it does show its age (anti-German sentiment particularly). That aside, this was a more complex adventure than the first book, with some new characters and a mystery to solve. Another fun evening of reading!
I read this as part of a broad research project on the history of alchemy. My review is in two parts:
With my historian hat on, I would say that the book is generalizing and overly reductive, and has a hand-wavey approach to dates that made my head hurt (“no no no,” I whispered while reading, banging my forehead on the pages, “why are we now centuries ahead of where we were in the last paragraph? Is he being misleading on purpose??”). The author is clearly widely read, but this book is in no way an authoritative history: it's more narrative than fact. That isn't necessarily a bad thing if you know to expect it, but it needs to be said. Also, the author struck me as a bit cruel in his descriptions of the scientists & philosophers in his story, which makes the text feel more like gossip than anything else.
With my pop culture mystery-lovers hat on, I would say that the book brings up some interesting points, but must be approached with a GRAIN OF SALT. Many grains, in fact. It's more an exercise in critical thinking than the tell-all “theory of life, the universe, and everything” that it may appear to be.
Let me start by saying I loved the main character! And I admire the way her work and the mystery intertwined. It was refreshing to read a cozy from an older perspective (the sleuth is retired), too. The story came together naturally, but – that is a good thing and also the one drawback, for me. The story felt a little slow to really start, and I'd hoped for more from Tiffany's book (that the historic crime would have more detail: not necessarily violence-wise, but character-wise).
This book is a charming, slice-of-life type exploration of several very different characters' lives – the many difference between them being that some are no longer alive at all. I found Rebeck and the other living characters (even the raven) very sympathetic, and I rooted for them throughout the book. I didn't especially care for Michael or Laura at first, but they grew on me. The plot is quiet and philosophical for the most part up until some interesting twists at the end. Knowing Peter Beagle (I adore his other books), I expected that and was happily along for the ride. To a friend I would probably recommend Beagle's other stories first (especially In Calabria and, of course, The Last Unicorn), but this book is a lovely reflection on life, especially for someone who prefers less fantasy and unicorns in their magical realism/fairy tales. :)
I loved this world! I think I may have read this once before a long time ago, because the mystery itself felt a little familiar. But that didn't matter because I had so much fun exploring the setting and being envious of the main character, haha. I'll definitely be looking for the other titles in the series – can't wait to see how all the characters develop!
I will say, it helps to read (or re-read) Dracula before you read this book; even though everything is explained and you could follow along without having read Dracula at all, they do get into the nitty-gritty of some of the accounts in Dracula. In some ways, this book reads a bit like someone picking apart the superhero (or supervillain, I suppose, in Dracula's case?) movie while leaving the theater. But that isn't a bad thing in this case, because all those small points do come together to make for a good story! I enjoyed the book and above all appreciated the fact that the author's love & respect for not only Holmes but Watson as well comes through in the details.
I loved it (of course!). The imagery is wonderful and the character insights are great. My only problem was that I tend to read right before I go to bed, and sometimes in the middle of the long, flowing sections, I'd notice myself getting lost or looking for a place to pause. But that's a minor thing. I will definitely be looking for The Rules of Magic now!