The Irregular by H. B. Lyle - Wiggins is the former head of Sherlock Holme's Baker Street Irregulars. Now it's 1909 and Holmes is retired, Wiggins is out of the army and finding it hard to make ends meet, and England is full of uneasy political undercurrents. Wiggins is approached by Vernon Kell to join his new undercover intelligence network but is uninterested. Until his best friend, a policeman, is killed by possible political agitators. There are quite a few subplots, sometimes confusing. And the author jumps from present to past with little warning. Holmes and Watson make cameo appearances. Could be the start of a promising series.
3 stars
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The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange - a children's book set in 1919, I thought this had a pretty dark theme. Henry (short for Henrietta) and her family have moved to Hope House after a family tragedy. Her mother is ill and her father has to leave on business, leaving her mother in the care of a somewhat dubious doctor. A strange firelight from Nightingale Wood leads Henry to discoveries.
3 stars
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Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch - in the 4th Peter Grant book he has several cases going at once. A murder, a suicide, and a stolen book. Then he and his partner, Leslie, go undercover at a high rise estate and things really get strange. Someone seems to be using the building to collect magic. Actually, not a lot happens until the very end and then there's a shocking betrayal that will of course make me read the next book. And that's what's keeping me going. The relationships, not the mysteries. Although I would like to know what the faceless man is up to.
3 stars
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Dying to Live by Michael Stanley - Assistant Superintendent Kubu is baffled by the findings of his pathologist. An old Bushman found dead near a tourist attraction has the internal organs of a much younger man. And when his body disappears from the morgue, Kubu is even more baffled. The trail leads to witch doctors, smugglers, and more murder. This is book 6 in a new to me series set in Botswana. This book is fine as a stand alone but I'm going to play catch up on this series.
3 stars
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The Mechanical Devil by Kate Ellis - Wesley Peterson is already dealing with the missing daughter of a local politician when there's a double murder near Dartmoor. The victims aren't related in any way and it also looks like there was no reason for their murder. On top of this, a woman who was assaulted during a break-in a few months prior believes the attacker is after her again and only Wesley can handle things. In the meantime, Neil, Wesley's archeological friend, has uncovered an automaton from the 1500's that's causing quite a stir. There's quite a lot going on in the 22nd book of the series, almost too much. Still enjoyable.
3 stars
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Hellbent by Greg Hurwitz - Evan Smoak, aka Orphan X aka the Nowhere Man, answers his phone to hear an unexpected voice - his handler and only father figure. He's on the run from and is eventually killed by Orphan Y. Now Evan is out for revenge and tagging along is an unexpected hindrance, another orphaned teen kicked out of the Orphan program. Lots of action but Evan is gaining a little more humanity along the way.
3.5 stars
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Mar 11 - 17, 2017
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher - a little reminiscing about getting cast in Star Wars and working on set and a stark account of her very short affair with Harrison Ford. I wonder how she would have told the story this year in light of the #MeToo movement. He comes across as pretty much a jerk. The diary portion is really more of a journal with the ramblings and poems of a 19 year old.
1 star
*RHC - a celebrity memoir
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Lightfoot by Nicholas Jennings - an extremely detailed account of Gordon Lightfoot's musical career, with very little revealed about the singer himself. Despite the fact the author interviewed Lightfoot many times over the course of several years, little is revealed. His reticence is much discussed. The first half of the book reads like a list of went there, recorded that. The second half is a little better as it gets a tiny bit more personal. Lightfoot overcame alcoholism and survived an aortic aneurysm which seemed to lighten him up a little. I didn't realize he is so revered in Canada.
2 stars
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Alive in Shape and Color: 17 Paintings by Great Artists and the Stories They Inspired edited by Lawrence Block - unlike last year's book, In Sunlight or in Shadow based on Edward Hopper's paintings, these stories were based on each author's favorite pieces of art. IMO, this led to some rather odd stories. And why do so many short stories not really have an end? My favorite was about a WWII vet turned barber who has some baddies come through his door. Otherwise disappointing.
2 stars
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David Jason: The Autobiography by David Jason - I only know the author from his role as Frost in the detective series a Touch of Frost. I had no idea he had starred in several comedies prior to that. This is his story of growing up in London during the war years and his long effort to become an actor. He doesn't seem shy about telling all and I found his writing amusing. Most interesting to me - he had his first child in his 60's.
3.5 stars
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I'll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck - these two men have been best friends all their lives. As adults their families are close, with the families traveling and vacationing together. Even when Justin was struck with a debilitating neuromuscular disease that left him in a wheelchair. When Justin decided he would like to travel the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile trail through France and Spain, Patrick decided he would be the one to push his wheelchair. This is the story of that journey, their friendship, and the help they learned to accept along the way.
3.5 stars
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Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie - Ariadne Oliver, one of Hercules Poirot's friends, is at a Halloween party where a young girl boasts that she witnessed a murder a few years ago. No one believes her, and yet, some one must have because she is found murdered at the end of the party. Ariadne asks Poirot to investigate. I always associate Christie's books with the 30's and 40's but this was written in 1969 and is not one of her best. Her attempts at being current are not her finest. And every single person blames everything on mental illness compounded by the mentally ill being forced out onto the streets because of overcrowding. The suspects are pretty easy to spot.
2 stars
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Night Moves by Jonathan Kellerman - Alex Delaware, a psychologist who consults for LAPD, is called by his friend Milo Sturgis to the scene of a crime in a well-to-neighborhood. A body missing identifiable features has been found in the family room of a family of four. They don't know the person and he obviously wasn't killed there. Suspicion immediately falls on the oddball neighbor but he's not the only thing odd. There are lots of turns and twists, more theories, and more suspects. This is the 33rd book in the series and padding the story seems to be creeping in but it still kept my attention.
3.5 stars
1 star
*RHC - a celebrity memoir
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Lightfoot by Nicholas Jennings - an extremely detailed account of Gordon Lightfoot's musical career, with very little revealed about the singer himself. Despite the fact the author interviewed Lightfoot many times over the course of several years, little is revealed. His reticence is much discussed. The first half of the book reads like a list of went there, recorded that. The second half is a little better as it gets a tiny bit more personal. Lightfoot overcame alcoholism and survived an aortic aneurysm which seemed to lighten him up a little. I didn't realize he is so revered in Canada.
2 stars
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alive in Shape and Color: 17 Paintings by Great Artists and the Stories They Inspired edited by Lawrence Block - unlike last year's book, In Sunlight or in Shadow based on Edward Hopper's paintings, these stories were based on each author's favorite pieces of art. IMO, this led to some rather odd stories. And why do so many short stories not really have an end? My favorite was about a WWII vet turned barber who has some baddies come through his door. Otherwise disappointing.
2 stars
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David Jason: The Autobiography by David Jason - I only know the author from his role as Frost in the detective series a Touch of Frost. I had no idea he had starred in several comedies prior to that. This is his story of growing up in London during the war years and his long effort to become an actor. He doesn't seem shy about telling all and I found his writing amusing. Most interesting to me - he had his first child in his 60's.
3.5 stars
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I'll Push You: A Journey of 500 Miles, Two Best Friends, and One Wheelchair by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck - these two men have been best friends all their lives. As adults their families are close, with the families traveling and vacationing together. Even when Justin was struck with a debilitating neuromuscular disease that left him in a wheelchair. When Justin decided he would like to travel the Camino de Santiago, a 500 mile trail through France and Spain, Patrick decided he would be the one to push his wheelchair. This is the story of that journey, their friendship, and the help they learned to accept along the way.
3.5 stars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hallowe'en Party by Agatha Christie - Ariadne Oliver, one of Hercules Poirot's friends, is at a Halloween party where a young girl boasts that she witnessed a murder a few years ago. No one believes her, and yet, some one must have because she is found murdered at the end of the party. Ariadne asks Poirot to investigate. I always associate Christie's books with the 30's and 40's but this was written in 1969 and is not one of her best. Her attempts at being current are not her finest. And every single person blames everything on mental illness compounded by the mentally ill being forced out onto the streets because of overcrowding. The suspects are pretty easy to spot.
2 stars
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Moves by Jonathan Kellerman - Alex Delaware, a psychologist who consults for LAPD, is called by his friend Milo Sturgis to the scene of a crime in a well-to-neighborhood. A body missing identifiable features has been found in the family room of a family of four. They don't know the person and he obviously wasn't killed there. Suspicion immediately falls on the oddball neighbor but he's not the only thing odd. There are lots of turns and twists, more theories, and more suspects. This is the 33rd book in the series and padding the story seems to be creeping in but it still kept my attention.
3.5 stars
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Mar 4 - 10, 2018
The Breakdown by B.A. Paris - Cass isn't handling things well since she saw a woman in a stranded car and didn't help her. Because that woman was murdered in that very spot. Then Cass starts getting hang up calls and forgetting many small things. She fears she's being stalked by the murderer and that she has early onset dementia like her mother. But she whines about this all.the.time making her less than likeable. Lots of time spent with her answering the phone to no one there. Had this one figured out almost right away. I only kept reading to see if I was right.
2 stars
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Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch - in the third Peter Grant book he's called to a murder on the underground train tracks. At first, he thinks there's not a magic link, but he finds one in the murder weapon, a piece of pottery. Suddenly, a US Senator, the FBI, and lots of London underground lead him deep under in more ways than one. And he still has his eye out for the dangerous character introduced in the previous book. I found this better than the previous book but I do think the plots get a bit convoluted. Have I mentioned that magic was invented by Isaac Newton in these books? And I think Peter's boss is a little out of the loop on what's happening in the city. I'm ambivalent about this series, I find it irritating and interesting at the same time. No sex scenes this time but some crude language.
3 stars
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And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - ten people are lured by various means to a luxury home on an island and then stranded there. After a recording accuses all of them of being responsible for the death of someone they start being murdered one by one. All according to the methods in an eerie poem hanging in each of the bedrooms. I had read this before but forgot all the important elements so enjoyed it probably more than the first time. It's so enjoyable to go back to a master of the craft.
5 stars
*RHC - a classic of genre fiction
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The Jackaby series by William Ritter - a 4 book YA series set in New England in 1892. Abigail Rook is fresh off the boat and takes a job as the assistant of Jackaby, a very odd man who claims he can see all the magical creatures in the world. After the first book, I had to read the next immediately. I ended up reading all of them over 2 days.
Jackaby - Abigail is plunged into her first case with Jackaby when he hears of a murder with an odd method. She also meets the inhabitants of his house/office that include Jenny, a ghost and the former owner of the house, and Douglas, Jackaby's former assistant who is now a duck due to an unfortunate incident in a previous case. There's also Charlie Cane, a young policeman more inclined to believe in the supernatural than most. The mystery part is pretty easy to figure out but I found myself pretty invested in the people and wanting to know more.
Beastly Bones - dinosaurs, dragons, and shape-shifting creatures star in the second book. Jackaby and Abigail travel to the Gad valley to look into the theft of a dinosaur bone but Jackaby is actually more interested in a death at the bone dig. Abigail is excited to be meeting Charlie again. And it's starting to look like there's a connection between this and there previous case.
Ghostly Echoes - Jenny, the ghost in Jackaby's house is finally ready for him to investigate her murder 10 years previously. Her scientist fiancee disappeared at the same time and has always been a suspect. But now there are some new murders and the disappearance of more scientists. How are they connected? There seems to be a mastermind pulling the strings.
The Dire King - and yes, the mastermind is an evil non human king who wants to destroy the barrier between the human world and the fae world. Almost too much action and not enough plot made this seem a little chaotic. And I'm not sure I liked the ending.
What I liked about these books was the people and the humor. Abigail notices ordinary things that Jackaby misses and helps him become a little more sociable. Jackaby encourages Abigail to learn and expand her mind.What I didn't like, the books are a little heavy-handed in their social injustice/everyone is equal treatment. And by the last book there are so many otherwordly creatures you can't keep track of them. Every mythical world, Norse, Greek, Russian, is included and Christianity is just part of the mix.
4 stars - first two books
3 stars - last two books
2 stars
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Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch - in the third Peter Grant book he's called to a murder on the underground train tracks. At first, he thinks there's not a magic link, but he finds one in the murder weapon, a piece of pottery. Suddenly, a US Senator, the FBI, and lots of London underground lead him deep under in more ways than one. And he still has his eye out for the dangerous character introduced in the previous book. I found this better than the previous book but I do think the plots get a bit convoluted. Have I mentioned that magic was invented by Isaac Newton in these books? And I think Peter's boss is a little out of the loop on what's happening in the city. I'm ambivalent about this series, I find it irritating and interesting at the same time. No sex scenes this time but some crude language.
3 stars
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And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - ten people are lured by various means to a luxury home on an island and then stranded there. After a recording accuses all of them of being responsible for the death of someone they start being murdered one by one. All according to the methods in an eerie poem hanging in each of the bedrooms. I had read this before but forgot all the important elements so enjoyed it probably more than the first time. It's so enjoyable to go back to a master of the craft.
5 stars
*RHC - a classic of genre fiction
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Jackaby series by William Ritter - a 4 book YA series set in New England in 1892. Abigail Rook is fresh off the boat and takes a job as the assistant of Jackaby, a very odd man who claims he can see all the magical creatures in the world. After the first book, I had to read the next immediately. I ended up reading all of them over 2 days.
Jackaby - Abigail is plunged into her first case with Jackaby when he hears of a murder with an odd method. She also meets the inhabitants of his house/office that include Jenny, a ghost and the former owner of the house, and Douglas, Jackaby's former assistant who is now a duck due to an unfortunate incident in a previous case. There's also Charlie Cane, a young policeman more inclined to believe in the supernatural than most. The mystery part is pretty easy to figure out but I found myself pretty invested in the people and wanting to know more.
Beastly Bones - dinosaurs, dragons, and shape-shifting creatures star in the second book. Jackaby and Abigail travel to the Gad valley to look into the theft of a dinosaur bone but Jackaby is actually more interested in a death at the bone dig. Abigail is excited to be meeting Charlie again. And it's starting to look like there's a connection between this and there previous case.
Ghostly Echoes - Jenny, the ghost in Jackaby's house is finally ready for him to investigate her murder 10 years previously. Her scientist fiancee disappeared at the same time and has always been a suspect. But now there are some new murders and the disappearance of more scientists. How are they connected? There seems to be a mastermind pulling the strings.
The Dire King - and yes, the mastermind is an evil non human king who wants to destroy the barrier between the human world and the fae world. Almost too much action and not enough plot made this seem a little chaotic. And I'm not sure I liked the ending.
What I liked about these books was the people and the humor. Abigail notices ordinary things that Jackaby misses and helps him become a little more sociable. Jackaby encourages Abigail to learn and expand her mind.What I didn't like, the books are a little heavy-handed in their social injustice/everyone is equal treatment. And by the last book there are so many otherwordly creatures you can't keep track of them. Every mythical world, Norse, Greek, Russian, is included and Christianity is just part of the mix.
4 stars - first two books
3 stars - last two books
Sunday, March 4, 2018
Feb 25 - Mar 3, 2018
A Sprig of Blossomed Thorn by Patrice Greenwood - the second in the Wisteria Tearoom series - a local matriarch is found dead in one of the tearooms, seemingly of natural causes. But we know that can't be. Ellen Rosings, owner of the tearoom, is also dealing with Goth teenagers hanging out in her flowerbeds, a moody office manager, and the ghost of her building. She also has a problem with her will he be her boyfriend/won't he police detective bringing his gun into her tearoom since she wants to "preserve an air of peace". Although two women have died there in as many months and not killed with guns. The mystery seems secondary and is suddenly solved although the book goes on for awhile longer. I'm not sure I like Ellen, she seems a little priggish. Okay for a cozy mystery.
3 stars
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - very active boy gets in lots of trouble because of his schemes but somehow always gets away with it. This is not the first time I've read this, I read it this time as part of the reading challenge I'm doing. I don't like books with dialects and this time I found it very grating. I didn't like this book 50 years ago and I still don't.
1 star
*RHC - an assigned book you hated or never finished.
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The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey - Helva was born with abnormalities and her parents agree that she will be trained as a brain for a spaceship. When she gets her ship she will be paired with a brawn and they will conduct business for the corporation/government. Helga turns out to be quite intelligent and outfoxes many opponents. The book ends on a supposedly happy note but I felt sorry for Helva. There was too much made up space gobbledygook for me.
2 stars
*RHC - sci-fi with a female protagonist written by a female author
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December's Secrets by A.E.Howe - deputy sheriff Larry Macklin gets a call from his old not quite girlfriend. Her father has seen a murdered man, a man that he knows. He also matches the description of a man seen arguing with the deceased. Larry believes that he's innocent but knows it doesn't look good. When there's another murder Larry hopes he hasn't made a mistake. Humor supplied by Larry's father's dog, a very large Great Dane.
3 stars
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Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery - orphaned Anne is brought by mistake to the farm of brother and sister Matthew and Marilla. They had wanted a boy to help on the farm but decide to take a chance on Anne even though she seems untrained and is very talkative. We see Anne and the Cuthberts change over the next four years, all of them for the better. I've avoided this book for years, for some reason I didn't think I would like it. And at first I found Anne very irritating, she talks a lot. But I really liked the way she developed over the years and learned from her mistakes. I did find it disturbing that children could be ordered from an orphanage like a catalog item.
4.5 stars
*RHC - a children's classic published before 1980.
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The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden - the second book in the Winternight trilogy takes up where the first book ended. Vasya must flee her village or be locked up in a convent or burned as a witch. Disguised as a boy, she flees on her very special horse, Solovony. After saving some children from bandits she is reunited unexpectedly with her brother and the Prince of Moscow. Her brother agrees to continue her deception as a boy and all kinds of problems arise from that. Quite a rousing finish. Lots of historical detail (this takes place in the 14th century) along with old myths and magic.
4 stars
*RHC - a book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China or South Africa)
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The Wanted by Robert Crais - Elvis Cole agrees to look into why teenage Tyson has luxury items and unexplained cash. But the case is much deadlier than he realizes. Something has been stolen that someone desperately wants back. And they've hired the muscle to get it. Pretty soon there's a trail of dead bodies and Tyson has disappeared. Now Elvis has to be the first one to find him.
4 stars
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Cutting Edge by Ward Larsen - the last thing Trey DeBolt remembers is his coast guard helicopter crashing into the Alaskan sea. He comes to in a private home, not a hospital, but his caregiver is a nurse. Then he finds out he's in Maine and that officially he's been declared dead. Before he can ask many questions, intruders kill the nurse and try to kill him. Now he's on the run but he doesn't know why or who's after him. This book was pretty much straight action that kept ratcheting up. A pretty high body count.
4 stars
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Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch - Peter Grant, one of two detectives in the "magic"division of the London police force, is on the case of a jazz musician who dropped dead after a show. There is the distinct odor of vestigia (signs of magic) rising from the body. Peter is soon looking at the unexplained deaths of other jazz musicians while also looking for a gruesome killer on another case. This was a disappointment after the first book, I had trouble tracking his investigations. He seemed to be spinning his wheels quite a lot. Also a few unnecessarily lurid sex scenes. Just when I was thinking I wouldn't continue the series a character was introduced that I want to know more about. I'll give one more book a try.
2 stars
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The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer by Skip Hollandsworth - in the late 1880's, Austin was the scene of several graphic murders of women and the killer was never found. Several politicians lost their careers over the handling of the case. And a few years later it was speculated that the killer had moved to London and became Jack the Ripper. Lots of detail about the city and people but not so much about the crimes.
3 stars
*RCH - a true crime book
* Read Harder Challenge
3 stars
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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - very active boy gets in lots of trouble because of his schemes but somehow always gets away with it. This is not the first time I've read this, I read it this time as part of the reading challenge I'm doing. I don't like books with dialects and this time I found it very grating. I didn't like this book 50 years ago and I still don't.
1 star
*RHC - an assigned book you hated or never finished.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey - Helva was born with abnormalities and her parents agree that she will be trained as a brain for a spaceship. When she gets her ship she will be paired with a brawn and they will conduct business for the corporation/government. Helga turns out to be quite intelligent and outfoxes many opponents. The book ends on a supposedly happy note but I felt sorry for Helva. There was too much made up space gobbledygook for me.
2 stars
*RHC - sci-fi with a female protagonist written by a female author
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
December's Secrets by A.E.Howe - deputy sheriff Larry Macklin gets a call from his old not quite girlfriend. Her father has seen a murdered man, a man that he knows. He also matches the description of a man seen arguing with the deceased. Larry believes that he's innocent but knows it doesn't look good. When there's another murder Larry hopes he hasn't made a mistake. Humor supplied by Larry's father's dog, a very large Great Dane.
3 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery - orphaned Anne is brought by mistake to the farm of brother and sister Matthew and Marilla. They had wanted a boy to help on the farm but decide to take a chance on Anne even though she seems untrained and is very talkative. We see Anne and the Cuthberts change over the next four years, all of them for the better. I've avoided this book for years, for some reason I didn't think I would like it. And at first I found Anne very irritating, she talks a lot. But I really liked the way she developed over the years and learned from her mistakes. I did find it disturbing that children could be ordered from an orphanage like a catalog item.
4.5 stars
*RHC - a children's classic published before 1980.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden - the second book in the Winternight trilogy takes up where the first book ended. Vasya must flee her village or be locked up in a convent or burned as a witch. Disguised as a boy, she flees on her very special horse, Solovony. After saving some children from bandits she is reunited unexpectedly with her brother and the Prince of Moscow. Her brother agrees to continue her deception as a boy and all kinds of problems arise from that. Quite a rousing finish. Lots of historical detail (this takes place in the 14th century) along with old myths and magic.
4 stars
*RHC - a book set in or about one of the five BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China or South Africa)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Wanted by Robert Crais - Elvis Cole agrees to look into why teenage Tyson has luxury items and unexplained cash. But the case is much deadlier than he realizes. Something has been stolen that someone desperately wants back. And they've hired the muscle to get it. Pretty soon there's a trail of dead bodies and Tyson has disappeared. Now Elvis has to be the first one to find him.
4 stars
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Cutting Edge by Ward Larsen - the last thing Trey DeBolt remembers is his coast guard helicopter crashing into the Alaskan sea. He comes to in a private home, not a hospital, but his caregiver is a nurse. Then he finds out he's in Maine and that officially he's been declared dead. Before he can ask many questions, intruders kill the nurse and try to kill him. Now he's on the run but he doesn't know why or who's after him. This book was pretty much straight action that kept ratcheting up. A pretty high body count.
4 stars
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch - Peter Grant, one of two detectives in the "magic"division of the London police force, is on the case of a jazz musician who dropped dead after a show. There is the distinct odor of vestigia (signs of magic) rising from the body. Peter is soon looking at the unexplained deaths of other jazz musicians while also looking for a gruesome killer on another case. This was a disappointment after the first book, I had trouble tracking his investigations. He seemed to be spinning his wheels quite a lot. Also a few unnecessarily lurid sex scenes. Just when I was thinking I wouldn't continue the series a character was introduced that I want to know more about. I'll give one more book a try.
2 stars
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer by Skip Hollandsworth - in the late 1880's, Austin was the scene of several graphic murders of women and the killer was never found. Several politicians lost their careers over the handling of the case. And a few years later it was speculated that the killer had moved to London and became Jack the Ripper. Lots of detail about the city and people but not so much about the crimes.
3 stars
*RCH - a true crime book
* Read Harder Challenge
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