Elle Hartford

So . . . personally, this was more of a 3.5 for me. Not my favorite Poirot, I have to say. But it was still a very atmospheric and engaging mystery!

[slight spoilers ahead!] My big issue with the mystery is that I called the twist, partially–and I liked my explanation better, haha. (Perhaps I've read too many mysteries? xD) I had the murderer right, but was wrong on the motive. And, perhaps because I was so fixed on my version of events, the motive presented in the book didn't entirely make sense to me. It was the timing especially that gave me trouble.

In any case, I did like how the side characters' stories wrapped up, and I did very much enjoy the setting. It was worth reading, definitely, and probably my own lack of concentration that led to my concerns with the plot! ;)

A lovely book! The design and illustrations are beautiful. I was instantly drawn in by the variety of stories–each one seemed more magical than the last! And the fact that it supports such a worthy cause is the icing on the cake. I'll be looking into more of the collections in this series, for sure!

A captivating, enchanting, and thrilling story!

I loved the previous series (the Door to Door mysteries)–BUT I love this book even more, and that's saying something. :D

It's not a cozy, and Lucie deals with some dark themes and experiences on her journey to becoming a stronger witch. However, that's exactly what makes her so compelling. She's dedicated to her goals, and she is extremely brave. We'll forgive her for being a little indecisive during the first part of the book . . . she does have a lot going on, after all. ;)

And while I loved Lucie and her friends, I have to say, one of my favorite parts of the story was the continued world-building (everything from the past series is explained, so you can easily jump in with this book). The use of fairy tales, poetry, and prophecy is so intriguing, and for that alone I know I'll be back for book 2!! I also was fascinated by some of the new types of magic/magical roles introduced in this book, and can't wait to learn more about them.

All in all, this book completely absorbed me, and I have no regrets! It's a wonderful continuation of the larger story (and P.S.—-slight spoiler for the Door to Door series!!!—-Emily as a bride-to-be is adorable!). :)

I really loved the premise of this story, and the clever way the fairy tale has been retold!

I picked this up for light afternoon reading as an atmospheric period piece, and it is . . . kind of that. xD The story's beginning is extremely long, and the middle and end are very short. There was lots of people telling the main character long stories, and I admittedly lost some interest in keeping track of the names. Plus, the whole relationship between the main character and the man running the orphanage was . . . so unnecessary. It's very much a book of its era!

[slight spoilers] This was more of a 3.5 or less for me because of the way it ended, but I didn't want do penalize it because it's just not the book for me.

I admire the way this was written, and I thought the different narrators were interesting (though you do have to pay attention to whose name heads the chapter). It was a quick read, too, and definitely immersive in the time period.

But . . . I was attracted to this story because of the tapestries, and it ended up reminding me why I often avoid historical fiction.

Sherlock Holmes meets World War One, through the eyes of a feminist nurse. There was so much I loved about this book!

To be honest, I picked this up and read it purely because of Holmes–I never usually seek out fiction set during the world wars; I prefer my history a bit older. :) But this book was very well done–the history felt very realistic and very respectful, and scary without ever being too terribly awful (I'm a wimp, so that was important, haha). The narrator was pretty awesome, and though her colleagues at the hospital were kind of the worst, I did like the way things came together in that regard.

The only reason I didn't give this five stars–THIS IS A SLIGHT SPOILER: the mystery itself was pretty straightforward. It was satisfying, but I was able to call the one big twist, and the characters themselves repeatedly said “hum, what if it's xxx?” and then they ended up being right/very close to right, without any other real suspect having been provided.

But that said, I did still enjoy the book! :)

A very detailed travelogue–not quite what I'd been expecting, but still a compelling story! I was particularly interested in the natural history of the saola and its discovery.

I really enjoyed the interweaving narratives, which were more complex than the book blurb had led me to believe. I also loved the setting, of course! But even more than that, it was really sweet to see the way the characters came together. A lovely rainy afternoon read.

I loved the little moments with Mrs Oliver, and her approach to solving crime. However–

slight spoilers ahead–

I was hoping for another twist at the end. I saw the main twist coming, and I was actually expecting the plot to go one step further. In the end, there were several threads left open that could have really gone together, and it felt like they'd been neglected.

I'm definitely not the first reviewer to say that, and it's totally understandable given how late in Christie's career this came out. I still had fun with it as a character study, so my advice is just be along for the ride and don't put too much stress on the puzzle! :)

This book moves fast because it's structured like a series of blog posts, and it goes back and forth between “real life” and a fantasy adventure. I enjoyed the way the two interplayed!

I really enjoyed this book. It's clearly very well researched, and the characters were very interesting to get to know. Plus the setting was so much fun (says a girl who grew up in the PNW, haha)!

If I had to pick a “could be improved” aspect, I will say that sometimes the editing gave me pause. But it wasn't a big deal, and honestly I'm picky about stuff like that, so that's on me!

On the whole this was an extremely enjoyable world to get lost in. I'm looking forward to the next one!

Up front: I received a free audio book in exchange for an honest review. And I'm happy I did!

I was familiar with some of the characters from Instagram challenges (definitely check out Helen Garraway's social media feeds!) and very excited to learn more about their story. Sentinals Awaken brought to life a wonderful world to escape to, and fascinating characters (human and animal alike!).

The plot moved along quickly, and I could easily picture it all in my head as I followed along. Also–and this is really important to me in fantasy–the wry touches of humor really brought the dialogue to life!

Though the entire book was fun, I must say my favorite part was the interplay of past and present. I'm a total sucker for mysteries of the past in fantasy stories, plus it really makes for great worldbuilding!

Overall, I would absolutely recommend this to fantasy and D&D lovers. I raced through it as quick as I could!

Also, I loved the narration. I thought it was perfect!

I had a lot of fun reading this book! I did have to focus to keep track of the POV switches, especially since we see what's going on with the antagonist too. But I adored the dogs and I got a lot of good laughs out of it!

A very worthy sequel, full of interesting characters and a twisty mystery!

I loved getting a better understanding of Alara's family (and her relationship with a certain someone!). It's great to see her support network in action, and to learn some answers about her past! And I have to be honest, I was totally rooting for Todd too–despite his mishaps, he's a very endearing character.

From start to finish, this story was relatable, intriguing, and fun! I'm already looking forward to the next one. :)

A really interesting (I'm a mystery writer, I swear!) book. True crime and history of science junkies would find value in it too! Each chapter tells the tale of a different poisonous substance. It goes pretty quick!

I read this as part of a research project, and it is a nice survey for that purpose–but you have to bear in mind that this book is now over twenty years old. It gives interesting perspective, but that perspective doesn't always align with the expectations of today!

I absolutely loved this book–and really needed it. If you're considering it, go for it!!!

I loved how twisty and compelling the actual mystery was! It'd definitely pull in fans of true crime.

That said–there was just a little bit too much tension for me to really think of this as “cozy.” And I have to be honest, the southern culture felt very foreign to me as a native west coaster, haha.

Overall, though, this was a worthy book club pick and I raced through it!

This was a fun, quick read with some good twists and turns! Love the setting, too. :)

This reads like a series of short stories, each mystery mirroring one of the labors of Hercules. I loved it and found them all very clever (but then, I do like mythology too!)! I feel like I say this every time I read a new Poirot mystery, but really, this is one of my favorites. :D

I picked this up over the weekend hoping it would be a relaxing break, and boy, was it! Tons of wily characters, twists and turns, and a really impressive conclusion. One of my favorite Poirot novels so far!

A very enjoyable historical mystery!

I was taken aback at first because the POV switches, but once I knew to expect that, it was fun to see the different perspectives. Lots of colorful characters in the cast, and a classic setting! :)

I enjoyed this story, but I have to say, the real star is the setting (Edinburgh). The mystery is kind of secondary to the setting and the characters. But still, it was a lot of fun, and a great bit of book-travel!

It's a bit dated now, of course, but I enjoyed the thought given to different types of fairy tales and how fairy tales relate to other kinds of stories!