Elle Hartford
I'm writing this review to figure out my rating. XD I picked this up specifically because I was curious about Holly Black, but I knew that some of her adult books cross lines that I don't want to read (I'm full up on betrayal, lol).
And as a fairy tale-loving drama-fearing weenie, I . . . was interested. I liked the ending and I loved the way the characters came together. The setting was stuffed full enough of atmosphere to burst. The folklore was wide-ranging and fun to see used in a modern tale.
However, for the first half of the book, I didn't care too much for the characters. I had a little trouble keeping some of them straight, and I didn't see enough emotion (other than angst) to really hold on to as a reader. It was almost as if, perhaps, the story started in the wrong place. I wonder if I might have felt more invested had there been a prologue containing one particularly important scene, and then more character discussion rather than flashbacks. Perhaps that might have been contrary to the author's style, though.
Suffice it to say, this was a good travel read and the ending was satisfying. If you're soft-hearted like me, you may find yourself a bit turned off by parts of the beginning and skimming a few bits at the end, but other than that you can get a great feel for how the folklore is brought into the modern world and some sweet proclamations of love.
I picked this up secondhand without having read the rest of the series first. I have, however, read other books by sort-of the same author (the wife of this husband/wife team). I found that it was easy to pick the book up–what backstory I needed, I got–and I did really enjoy the interpretation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as a character.
However, this book is written in a close third-person where the perspective shifts between several characters with each chapter. It's easy to follow, but personally, the style isn't for me; it prevents me from feeling that strong attachment to one or just a few characters, which I love. The narrative is naturally a bit decentralized. I'm in awe of the authors for being able to keep track of all their characters (and who knew what when!) but it's not my favorite way to read a mystery, I've realized.
I enjoyed seeing how Luke, our sleuth, went about his investigation and his thought processes about the murders! Very methodical, but also fairly fast-paced. The murderer did actually take me by surprise–probably because I was spending too much time trying to out-think the plot! ;) And (slight spoiler) the romantic subplot was well-done! At times I found it a little frustrating, but it ended up happily.
Not cozy. I know it's Sherlock Holmes and therefore you might not think “cozy” in the first place, but a lot of my friends are cozy readers, so I just wanted to be clear. ;)
As a pastiche–a new Sherlock novel written like it's a long-lost old one–it is very careful and clearly thoughtfully-crafted. I must admit personally it wasn't my favorite pastiche, but it does treat the characters with a lot of sympathetic depth!
The mystery itself was more suspense than puzzle; much of the actual information-gathering happens behind the scenes, in part because Mycroft is involved. There are serious elements that heighten the tension, including child endangerment, abuse, torture, and lawlessness/”the bad guys have bought the law” situations. Oh, and a French associate with dubious motives. He was frustrating at first, but was soon the least of Holmes' and Watson's problems!
I am a soft heart and I prefer my cozies these days, though I have an enduring love for Sherlock and will inevitably read any pastiche I come across. If you're like me, you'll probably be interested by the author's twists and additions, and appreciate this very human presentation of both Watson and Holmes. Just know you may be skimming several pages near the end!
I enjoyed this magical pie shop mystery very much! Seeing the shop come together was so fun, and the cast of characters supporting our sleuth is adorable. The mystery itself has some intriguing twists and details. And the end definitely left me wanting more!
[Slight spoilers ahead]
Really the only reason I didn't give five stars is there's a very unlikable foil character who doesn't get her comeuppance (lol) and there are the makings of a love triangle. I don't mind either factor very much in principle, but together they did leave me a bit frustrated. Overall, though, I still really enjoy the book and look forward to the next one!
An excellent sequel, even better than the first! We get to find out more about the over-arching mystery of Josie's grandfather, and see her relationships deepen. Plus, I love all the talk of Valentine's treats and pet love! <3
The mystery itself took on a very puzzle-y, almost noir feel at times. It was very intriguing, and Josie's quick deductions kept it moving along. It was very satisfying to unravel the pattern with her and her friends, and of course the conclusion was full of suspense!
Overall, I had a great time diving into this book, and I'm more curious than ever about what the next one has in store. If you like paranormal cozies, vampires, quick banter, and twisty mysteries, definitely check out this series!
I read this in one evening, when I needed an atmospheric break. ;) I loved the historical mystery and added element of the ghost ship. There is some child endangerment/kidnapping involved, though (I have friends who feel very strongly about that sort of thing, understandably!). Overall, as tense and serendipitous an adventure as ever!
Like The Inimitable Jeeves (book 2, according to Goodreads, haha), this one reads as a collection of stories that follow each other in a sensible manner (and many of those stories also appear in the show/in other collections, in my experience). The final story, “Bertie Changes His Mind,” is from Jeeves' perspective. Honestly, that alone is worth reading the book! ;)
If you've read a collection of Jeeves & Wooster short stories, or seen the show, you'll probably probably recognize scenes here. Many of the chapters read like short stories, but they come together into one narrative based loosely around Bingo's, erm, afflictions, hahaha. This book includes one of my absolute favorite stories, “The Metropolitan Touch.” Never fails to make me laugh out loud!
I read & reviewed this book for my nonfiction research blog! As an author with an interest in folklore and magic, I came at this book from a different angle than most. However, the historian in me very much appreciated the context in the introduction (I read the 2010 second edition) and the quality of the citations/handling of historical data. The section on healing in the Middle Ages, which was my primary interest, was concise and clear. It's a quick read overall, so if you have a copy nearby, why not read it? ;)
A more detailed review at~
https://ellehartford.com/witches-midwives-nurses/
A very compelling mystery, diving into the world of “fakeup” and furthering the development of Alara's powers and her family history!
I love the way the different elements of the story here intertwined. On its own, each storyline was intriguing–but then the way they come together at the end was very satisfying! It also left me on the edge of my seat thinking about the next book in the series, haha. There's some new characters in the cast who are really rewarding to get to know, and of course it's so sweet seeing how Alara's relationship has grown. <3 In fact, all of Alara's relationships with her friends are very supportive and a joy to read–which is good, because she'll need all that support to tackle this mystery. ;)
Overall, I would absolutely recommend this to cozy/paranormal mystery readers, especially those who love a strong, modern heroine. And if you haven't read the previous books in the series, go do so now! (Technically, you don't have to in order to understand the plot of this one . . . but they're worth going back to read!)
I really enjoyed this modern, urban take on a cozy mystery. The relationship between Yale and Celine was really sweet to see unfold!
I have to admit I had some reservations about Yale as a main character at first, because she comes across as very technology-averse in the first chapter, and I think in the past I've had bad experiences with MCs who were kind of holier-than-thou about technology use (or reliance, haha). But readers learn later that that's not at all where Yale is coming from, and she's actually a very endearing sleuth.
The mystery itself was a great puzzle, and the investigations definitely made me hungry for all kinds of tasty snacks! ;) Overall, a fascinating read great for a quiet afternoon.
I really enjoyed this; in my experience, it's a very unique way to tell history (framed as a travellogue). Moving downriver along the Nile and stopping at all ancient Egypt's major sites along the way dovetailed very well with piecing together the history and mythology, and it helped me frame everything in my mind. A very enjoyable read!
So, I picked this one up entirely because of the eye-catching cover and my interest in Ancient Egypt. I hadn't read the first in the series (Reawakened, I believe) but I was able to follow along well enough. This was perhaps a 3.5 for me overall: I enjoyed the adventure and the imagining of Egyptian gods, but the drama felt a little unnecessary at times–of course, my drama threshold is low, so grain of salt there. ;) Also–SPOILER–the ending is not satisfactory, not in a romantic sense. I haven't looked into it, but from the epilogue it seems clear that the series is meant to go on.
I dropped in mid-series to read this book, because the title intrigued me. I found it easy to catch up, and took an immediate liking to Lady Emily. Overall it was very atmospheric and fascinating, and a great mystery for fans of both Barbera Peters and Agatha Christie!
I will say though–I did call the solution to the murder. ;) It was very well done and all the pieces fit together, so it was satisfying anyway!
I also loved the historic storyline. That was the really twisty plot, I think, and it was so interesting to guess how it would contribute to the more modern one!
