What Are We Reading and Reviewing in June 2021?

What are you planning to read in June?

If I don't move in a couple of hours please call 911.

Carol's June Coma Producing Reads
📌 - ★
Carol's June Bathroom Reads
📌Leave The World Behind - Rumaan Alam - 2★ (Pick A Winner)
📌Under The Bayou Moon - Valerie Fraser Luesse - 4.5★ (Early Reviewers)
📌Untouchable - Robert Innes - (England) - 4 ★
📌If She Wakes - (Maine)- Michael Koryta - 4★
📌Iron House - John Hart - 2★
📌Trial By Fire - (Texas) - Nancy Taylor Rosenberg - 1/2★
📌Boy In the Photo - Nichole Trope - 5★
📌Skin And Bone - TA Moore - 5★
📌Kill Game - Cordelia Kingsbridge - 5★
📌Fish Out of Water - Amy Lane - 5★
📌Bitter Legacy - (England) - Del Maclean - 3★
📌Ocean Prey - (Florida) - John Sandford - 4.5★
📌Bitterroot Lake - Alice Beckman -(Montana) - 4.5★
📌What You Never Knew - Jessica Hamilton - (New York) - 4.5★
📌Red Fish, Dead Fish - Amy Lane -5★
📌Stone Cross - Marc Cameron - (Alaska) - 2.5★
📌Perfect Little Children - Sophie Hannah - (England/Florida) - 4.5★
📌A Few Good Fish - Amy Lane - 5★
📌Three Hours - Rosamund Lupton - 5★
📌Hiding The Moon - Amy Lane - 4.5★
📌The Shadow Box - Luanne Rice - 3.5★
📌Fish on A Bicycle - Amy Lane - 5★
📌Goblin - Josh Malerman - 4★
📌School of Fish - Amy Lane - 5★
📌Shades of Henry - Amy Lane - 5★
📌Trick Roller - Cordelia Kingsbridge - 5★
📌Cash Plays - Cordelia Kingsbridge - 5★
📌One Eyed Royals - Cordelia Kingsbridge - 5★
📌A Chip and A Chair - Cordelia Kingsbridge - 5★
📌Act of Terror - Marc Cameron - 2.5★
📌The Bones Beneath - Mark Billingham - 4★
📌Twisted and Tied - Mary Calmes - 5★
📌Kairos - Mary Calmes - 3.5★
📌Dear Martin - Nic Stone - 5★
📌The Gentleman's Guide To Vice and Virtue - MacKenzi Lee - 4★
📌Fair Game - Josh Lanyon - 5★
📌Fair Play - Josh Lanyon - 5★
📌Fair Chance - Josh Lanyon - 5★
📌Hard Sell - Hudson Lin - 4.5★

>2 Carol420: Love it, Carol! I read most of yesterday, which was an absolute dream. First while getting my pedicure (my second this year), then at lunch where they make the salad for you (because salad bars are from the Before Times), then yesterday afternoon and evening.

Made it from early in Eleanor's and Henry II's marriage, their various tours of their lands, etc., all the way to Thomas a Becket's murder. In two separate biographies. I felt so indulged!

So yes, I'll call 911 if you fall into a reading coma, never fear ;)

>3 threadnsong: Glad you had, what sounds like, a really great day. Thanks also for looking out for me. My husband has always said he thought I needed a "keeper":) Be sure when the paramedics come that they take my load of books with me.

Bluffton – Matt Phelan
4****

Subtitle: My Summers With Buster Keaton

This graphic novel explores the early 20th century era of Vaudeville, and one particular summer resort that catered to many of the era’s Vaudeville stars – including the Keaton family and their talented son, Buster.

It’s 1908 and Henry Harrison, whose father owns the local hardware store, is excited to learn that a troupe of vaudevillians will be taking over a resort near Muskegon, Michigan. Young Henry makes his way there to see the elephant and zebra and tightrope walker! And he meets a couple of teens who join him for a summer of baseball games and swimming in the lake. One of these is Buster Keaton, and Henry begins to dream of following in his footsteps.

What a great way to introduce young readers to a by-gone era. Phelan’s illustrations are marvelously detailed. I love one set of panels that show the day slowly progressing through sunset over the lake and followed by a night sky illuminated by fireworks. And I like how he adroitly shows the passage of time with just a few panels moving from the end of summer through fall, winter and spring and then to the next summer’s adventures when the vaudevillians return.

While the characters of Harry, Sally and the other residents of Muskegon are fictional, there really was an Actor’s Colony at Bluffton on Muskegon Lake from 1908 to 1938. It was founded by Jim Keaton as a place where vaudevillians could gather and rest in their off-season.

Untouchable - Robert Innes (England)
Blake Harte series Book #1
4 ★
Harrison Baxter lives on a farm with his parents, on the outskirts of the village of Harmschapel. It’s picturesque, idyllic and tranquil – but Harrison is far from happy. His parent’s marriage is strained to say the least and on top of that, his boyfriend, Daniel, has been mentally and physically abusing him for years. After he finds himself with one bruise too many, Harrison has had enough. But when he plucks up the courage to finally end his violent relationship, Harrison’s life is changed forever when Daniel is found murdered in the most bizarre circumstances. Detective Sergeant Blake Harte has moved to Harmschapel after his own relationship ended in tatters. But moving to a quiet village after working his way up the ranks in a city brings its own set of problems and Blake soon finds himself at odds with new colleagues who aren’t used to his style of policing. But when he is called upon to investigate the mysterious and impossible murder at Half-Mile Farm, Blake finds himself facing the most challenging case of his career. So how can Daniel have been shot in a locked shed that nobody could possibly have escaped from?

This is the first of Robert Innes’ Blake Harte detective series. The author has created interesting protagonists...but they could be better developed. Perhaps he sees that it leaves opportunities to further develop them in future additions of this series. It’s always good to see good character grow as books progress...so I will give him the benefit of a doubt. The murder that has taken place seems virtually impossible. To make things more complicated, both the murder victim...Daniel Donaldson...and one of the chief suspects...Harrison Baxter...are not very popular with this small village citizens as they both are gay. The majority of the police simply think one probably killed the other...but Harte points out that the door to the shed is still locked and only the body is inside and no one could have left from inside. The story can be a stand-alone... but the town and its people are all set up for repeat performances as the series goes forward. I’ll be interested in seeing how the author brings these people into being neighbors and friends of Harte that actually respect his skills and abilities.

Fish Out of Water - Amy Lane - (California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #1
5 ★
PI Jackson Rivers grew up on the mean streets of Del Paso Heights―and he doesn’t trust cops, even though he was one. When the man he thinks of as his brother is accused of killing a police officer in an obviously doctored crime, Jackson will move heaven and earth to keep Kaden and his family safe. Defense attorney Ellery Cramer grew up with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, but that hasn’t stopped him from crushing on street-smart, swaggering Jackson Rivers for the past six years. But when Jackson asks for his help defending Kaden Cameron, Ellery is out of his depth―and not just with guarded, prickly Jackson. Kaden wasn’t just framed, he was framed by crooked cops, and the conspiracy goes higher than Ellery dares reach―and deep into Jackson’s troubled past. Both men are soon enmeshed in the mystery of who killed the cop in the minimart, and engaged in a race against time to clear Kaden’s name. But when the mystery is solved and the bullets stop flying, they’ll have to deal with their personal complications… and an attraction that’s spiraled out of control.

Jackson and Ellery...two men from two completely different walks of life that collide unexpectedly. From the moment they came together they each knew that deep down neither will walk away. They fight and they tease like cats and dogs...yet they work together like a well-oiled machine. Eventually it turns out that neither can imagine life without the other. Someone is out to get Jackson Rivers. He survived once, but this time it involves his family and the one man who came close enough to see his tortured soul...but loves him anyway...warts and all. They dodge bullets...car crashes...thefts....and dirty cops who will stop at nothing to wreck one family's life. It's a constant roller coaster of ups and downs, wins and losses, safety and danger. Added to the cast is Billy Bob the cat who has a penchant for German shepherds. Pity the German shepherd. There is not a boring minute. I loved every page and am looking forward to book #2.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis
4/5 stars
Lucy finds a wardrobe while visiting a professor and discovers that it leads to the land of Narnia. Her siblings don’t believe her but when they enter the wardrobe they realize she was not lying. While in Narnia, they realize that the White Witch has cast an evil spell on the land and with the help of a lion named Aslan, they attempt to free Narnia from the Witch. Enjoyable!

If She Wakes - Michael Koryta - (Maine)
4.5★
Tara Beckley is a senior at idyllic Hammel College in Maine. As she drives to deliver a visiting professor to a conference, a horrific car accident kills the professor and leaves Tara in a vegetative state. At least, so her doctors think. In fact, she's a prisoner of locked-in syndrome: fully alert but unable to move a muscle. Trapped in her body, she learns that someone powerful wants her dead -- but why? And what can she do, lying in a hospital bed, to stop them? Abby Kaplan, an insurance investigator, is hired by the college to look in to Tara's case. A former stunt driver, Abby returned home after a disaster in Hollywood left an actor dead and her own reputation ...and nerves... shattered. Despite the fog of trauma, she can tell that Tara's car crash was no accident. When she starts asking questions, things quickly spin out of control, leaving Abby on the run and a mysterious young hit man named Dax Blackwell hard on her heels.

It's the human element...the stories of two young women trying to reclaim their lives, that makes the story so compelling and keeps the pages turning. The insurance investigator has a difficult time getting anyone to take her seriously when she says it was NOT an accident. Her experience as a stunt car driver should have helped her cause but she still had a struggle on her hands and a fight that almost cost her life. The characters are interesting...unique... and yes...flawed...but in the most ingenious ways. Allowing them to adapt and grow as the situations grow more and more intense is one of this author’s greatest talents. Don’t be in a rush to get to the finish, just enjoy a remarkable story.

Red Fish, Dead Fish - Amy Lane -(California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #2
5★
They must work together to stop a psychopath - and save each other. Two months ago, Jackson Rivers got shot while trying to save Ellery Cramer’s life. Not only is Jackson still suffering from his wounds, the trigger-man remains at large - and the body count is mounting. Jackson and Ellery have been trying to track down Tim Owens since Jackson got out of the hospital, but Owens' time as a member of the department makes the DA reluctant to turn over any stones. When Owens starts going after people Jackson knows, Ellery’s instincts hit red alert. Hurt in a scuffle with drug-dealing squatters and trying damned hard not to grieve for a childhood spent in hell, Jackson is weak and vulnerable when Owens strikes. Jackson gets away, but the fallout from the encounter might kill him. It’s not doing Ellery any favors either. When a police detective is abducted - and Jackson and Ellery hold the key to finding her - Ellery finds out exactly what he’s made of. He’s not the corporate shark who believes in winning at all costs; he’s the frightened lover trying to keep the man he cares for from self-destructing in his own valor.

Loved these two guys in the first book. Ellery wouldn't take no for an answer and Jackson couldn’t convince him that he wasn’t worthy of Ellery’s time or love. They were absolutely perfect together and I thank Amy Lane for not separating them and subjecting us readers to agonizing pages of waiting for them to get back together. Jackson is all edge. Ellery is a great counterbalance. Ellery deserves a medal in perseverance and sheer stubbornness for his ability to see beyond the surface. He is the type of man that once he loves he will give himself completely. I loved how he knew when to push Jackson and when to back away, when to use humor and deflect and when to be open and true. Their relationship is wrought with obstacles, life debris and ghosts of life past that keep turning up like a bad penny. But they move forward, struggle to get up when they fall and just keep being themselves. It’s not all romance. There is humor and there is also one very good case to solve. Excellent series thus far. I think this is one that it’s going to be hard to see end.

The Winter of Frankie Machine – Don Winslow
Digital audiobook performed by Dennis Boutsikaris.
4****

From the book jacket: Frank Machianno is a late-middle-aged ex-surf bum who runs a bait shack on the San Diego waterfront when he’s not juggling any of his other three part-time jobs or trying to get a quick set in on his longboard. He’s a stand-up businessman, a devoted father to his daughter, and a beloved fixture in the community. Frank’s also a hit man. Specifically: a retired hit man, once known as Frankie Machine. Years ago Frank consigned his Mob ties to the past, which is where he wants them to stay. But a favor being called in now by the local boss is one Frank can’t refuse, and soon he’s sucked back into his former life. Someone from the past wants him dead. He has to figure out who, and why, and he has to do it fast.

My reactions:
Wow, what a ride! The action is fast and furious, and deadly. Frankie is really on his own, with no one to trust. And the reader is pretty much on her own as well. There are more potential suspects than Carter has pills. Frank is a consummate professional, however, and he’s no fool. He may have left his Mob life behind, but he never gave up certain safety measures. He knows how to watch his back, and how to make sure he gets the opposition before they get him. The action is non-stop and there are surprises right up to the ending.

This is the first book by Winslow that I’ve read. It won’t be the last.

Dennis Boutsikaris does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. He has a gift for bringing these characters to life.

Iron House - John Hart - (North Carolina)
2.5★
There was nothing but time at the Iron Mountain Home for Boys, time for two orphans to learn that life is neither painless nor won without a fight. Julian survives only because his older brother, Michael, is both feared and fiercely protective. When an older boy is brutally killed, Michael makes the ultimate sacrifice to protect his brother: He flees the orphanage and takes the blame with him. For two decades, Michael thrives on the streets of New York, eventually clawing his way to a world of wealth, fear and respect. But the life he's fought to build unravels when he meets a woman who knows nothing of his past or sins. He wants a fresh start with Elena, the chance to build a family of his own. But a life in organized crime is not so easily abandoned. With a price on his head and everyone he loves at risk, Michael spirits Elena back to North Carolina, to the brother he'd lost and a thicket of intrigue more dense than he could possibly imagine. In a tour de force narrative of violence, hope and redemption, the brothers must return to the Iron House of their childhood, to the place that almost broke them, the place it all began.

The story takes off with Michael and the only woman he has ever loved running for their lives. The book is filled with evil people and violent death. Michael...whose story this is .. presents us with a life story is that is filled with violence and sadness. He finds true love, and tries to leave the life of crime...but he is unable to do that when the only man and mentor he has ever loved or cared about... dies...leaving him to deal with the vicious men who want him dead. I didn’t care at all for Michael’s love interest...Elena. She came across as weak and idiotic and I soon lost interest in any part of the dialogue between her and Michael. It all seemed unrealistic to me. I have really liked other books by this author so I really put effort into liking this one. I hoped the story would gain some renewed interest when Julian...Michael’s brother... was introduced...but unfortunately that didn't happen. By the end (480 pages later), I really couldn’t work up any interest in any of them. I have read several books by this author and have always enjoyed them. I guess everyone has a bad day sometimes.

This Time Together – Carol Burnett
Book on CD narrated by the author
4****

Subtitle: Laughter and Reflection.

In this memoir Carol Burnett chronicles her show business career, from her early roles in New York, to headlining her incredibly popular variety show and beyond.

I love Carol Burnett. She is truly an American Treasure. She’s a huge star with legions of adoring fans, and yet she can be completely star-struck and awkward when meeting one of HER idols. In performing she gives all her heart to a role and to her audience.

I can’t remember the last time I read a book that had me both howling out loud in uncontrollable laughter (I’m talking my husband coming from the other side of the house to see what’s going on), and crying to the point where I had to put it aside for a moment because I literally could not see the words on the page for my tears. That speaks, I think, to the genuine person Burnett is, and to her generosity of spirit to lay it all out there.

Burnett narrates the audiobook herself. I cannot imagine anyone who could do a better job.

Skin and Bone - TA Moore - (California)
Digging Up Bones series Book #2
5 ★
Cloister Witte and his K-9 partner, Bourneville, find the lost and bring them home. But the job doesn’t always end there. Janet Morrow, a young trans woman, lies in a coma after wandering away from her car during a storm. But just because Cloister found the young tourist doesn’t mean she’s home. What brought her to Plenty, California… and who didn’t want her to leave? With the help of Special Agent Javi Merlo, who continues to deny his growing feelings for the rough-edged deputy, Cloister unearths a ten-year-old conspiracy of silence that taps into Plenty’s history of corruption. Janet Morrow’s old secrets aren’t the only ones coming to light. Javi has tried to put his past behind him, but some people seem determined to pull his skeletons out of the closet. His dark history with a senior agent in Phoenix complicates not just the investigation but his relationship with Cloister...and since when has he cared about that?

A perfect follow up to the first book Bone to Pick where we first met Cloister and his K-9 partner, Bourneville. I’m still trying to sort out why anyone would saddle their kid with a name like “Cloister”. Our two heroes are searching for a missing tourist on a cold, rainy night about two months after the first book ended. Cloister is slightly injured during the search and the victim turns out to be transgender. Enter the FBI in Special Agent Javi Merlo who steps in to investigate the incident calling it a possible hate crime. As it turns out there is much more than either of them first suspected. Javi and Cloister “dance” around one another while Cloister patiently awaits Javi to sort out his feelings and stop the dancing. The mystery here is clever with lots of red herrings to twist your brain up. The ending is really clever. There are things that you will likely figure out long before our heroes do...but the total picture takes a while to come together and that keeps you guessing. Excellent series with wonderful, warm characters...especially the four legged one with fur.

Caddie Woodlawn’s Family – Carol Ryrie Brink
3.5***

This sequel to the popular Caddie Woodlawn book was originally titled “Magical Melons”

Set in the late 1800s, in Western Wisconsin, the books chronicle life in the Woodlawn family, primarily from the perspective of Caddie, who is almost 13 in this episode. She and her five siblings have great fun in and around their farm and the land surrounding it. They enjoy school, visit with neighbors, marvel at the stories told by traveling preachers and peddlers. A rare trip to town fills them with wonder and joy.

There are some vignettes that made me cringe … chiefly dealing with the prejudices against the native Indian tribes in the area. But, like the “Little House on the Prairie” series, these books provide a reasonable look at life in those pioneer days.

The Constant Rabbit / Jasper Fforde
3.25 stars

It was in the late 1960s that the “Event” happened. The Event caused rabbits (and a few other animals...though not nearly as many as the rabbits) to become anthropomorphized. It’s decades later and many people are leporiphobes. Peter Knox (who works for the Rabbit Compliance Taskforce, sort of tracking down specific rabbits, I think) discovers a long-ago college friend (and rabbit) Connie has moved in next door, along with her husband.

My summary might not be exactly right, as I found the first half-ish of the book quite confusing. I ended up quite enjoying the second half, though, once I (kind of) figured out what was going on… though I don’t want to say too much more in my summary so as not to give anything away. So for the first bit of the book, I kept thinking – ok, Fforde is way too smart for me because this is over my head. I did like the second half-ish, though. At that point, there seemed to be more of a plot and things happened, and I understood what was happening. Anyway, this all made me unsure how to rate it, so I went with 3.25, between ok and good. It seems there was a bunch of “deep” satire that went over my head, but once there as a plot, I liked it!

Goblin - Josh Malerman - (Michigan)
4★
Goblin seems like any other ordinary small town. But with the master storyteller Josh Malerman as your tour guide, you’ll discover the secrets that hide behind its closed doors. These six novellas tell the story of a place where the rain is always falling, nighttime is always near, and your darkest fears and desires await. Welcome to Goblin.

A Man in Slices: A man proves his “legendary love” to his girlfriend with a sacrifice even more daring than Vincent van Gogh’s - and sends her more than his heart. 4 stars

Kamp: Walter Kamp is afraid of everything, but most afraid of being scared to death. As he sets traps around his home to catch the ghosts that haunt him, he learns that nothing is more terrifying than fear itself. 4 stars

Happy Birthday, Hunter!: A famed big-game hunter is determined to capture - and kill - the ultimate prey: the mythic Great Owl who lives in Goblin’s dark forests. But this mysterious creature is not the only secret the woods are keeping.
3stars 3 stars

Presto: All Peter wants is to be like his hero, Roman Emperor, the greatest magician in the world. When the famous magician comes to Goblin, Peter discovers that not all magic is just an illusion. 4 stars

A Mix-Up at the Zoo: The new zookeeper feels a mysterious kinship with the animals in his care...and finds that his work is freeing dark forces inside him. 4.5 stars

The Hedges: When his wife dies, a man builds a hedge maze so elaborate no one ever solves it - until a little girl resolves to be the first to find the mysteries that wait at its heart.

First off...let me assure everyone...especially my fellow Michiganders that is NO SUCH PLACE IN MICHIGAN AS GOBLIN!!! I looked to just be sure...so we should all be safe in the dark of our bedrooms tonight. The stories are weirdly entertaining...just enough actuality and possibility to give you a great case of goosebumps and make you check the closets and under your bed for a few weeks to come. I will have to say that I never got it 100% or even 90% right about what was really going to happen next...and I read enough "weird" stuff that I can usually figure out what is in the closet about to jump out. If you like a little difference in your horror you'll probably like at least one of more of these short stories.

My Sister, the Serial Killer / Oyinkan Brathwaite
3.5 stars

Korede is a nurse in Lagos, Nigeria. Her younger sister, Ayoola, has managed to murder each of her last three boyfriends and Korede is always there to help her out. But when Ayoola sets her sights on a doctor Korede works with… a man Korede has a crush on herself, she needs to figure out what to do.

This was good. Short chapters and a short book overall, so fast to read. But I was certainly interested. The book also looks back in time at the sisters’ relationship with their father (who died ten years earlier).

Trial by Fire - Nancy Taylor Rosenberg - (Texas)
½★ and that's being really generous!

Brilliant, hard-driving Stella Cataloni is the star of the Dallas District Attorney's office, with an amazing 100 percent conviction rate. But the conviction she most desperately wants agonizingly eludes her. The fire that years ago killed her parents and scarred her life remains unsolved. When her ex-boyfriend, Tom Randall, who Stella is convinced set the fire, suddenly reappears in Houston, Stella vows revenge. But when Randall is brutally murdered, his death puts the arson case in a new light and gives Houston D.A. Holly Oppenheimer the ruthless opportunity to put Stella behind bars for both crimes. Once Stella's friend, Holly becomes a formidable adversary, willing to use her knowledge of Stella's personal secrets to her own advantage. As headlines scream “BATTLE OF THE WOMEN D.A.'s... and the media circus begins, Stella's key hope of proving her innocence is to do what the police cannot or will not do: find the killer who has mocked the law not once but twice.

I really can’t give an honest rating to this book because I couldn’t bring myself to read past the 12th chapter. This “heroine”...and I use the term loosely...needed a lesson in manners...or perhaps a good hard wallop up the side her head. She flew into screaming, cursing tantrums about everything. Actually, all of the characters, up to chapter 12 were angry and spiteful, even in neutral situations. Needless to say, it got very, very annoying. I think of the thousands of books that I have read this one might have been the worse *If by some chance you are a glutton for punishment and feel that you simply must visit with this book.... please, please BORROW it from the library or fish it out the trash can where the last reader threw it...but don’t spend one red cent of your hard-earned money for it!!!!

Night Boat To Tangier – Kevin Barry
Digital audiobook performed by the author.
2**

From the book jacket: In the dark waiting room of the ferry terminal in the sketchy Spanish port of Algeciras, two aging Irishmen – Maurice Hearne and Charlie Redmond, longtime partners in the lucrative and dangerous enterprise of smuggling drugs – sit, none too patiently. It is the evening of Oct 23, 2018, and they are expecting Maurice’s estranged daughter, Dilly, either to arrive on a boat coming from Tangier or to depart on one heading there. This nocturnal vigil will initiate an extraordinary journey back in time to excavate their shared history of violence, romance, mutual betrayals, and serial exiles.

My reactions
Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2019, I had high hopes for this work. But the dark, bleak tenor of the prose, the underworld inhabited by these characters, their despair and inability to lift themselves out of the mess they’ve made of their lives …. Just not my cup of tea, especially not at this stage of my life .

There were moments when the writing captured my attention. Barry’s ability to put the reader into the time and place his characters inhabit is admirable. But I really didn’t want to go there. So it was clearly the wrong book at this time. I finished it only because it is a selection for one of my F2F book groups.

Kevin Barry narrates the audiobook himself. He does a marvelous job. I’m not sure anyone else could have done better.

An Irish Country Village – Patrick Taylor
Book on CD narrated by John Keating
4****

Book two in the popular Irish Country Doctor series, relating the trials and tribulations of young Dr. Barry Laverty as he begins his practice as a country GP in the mid-1960s in Ballybucklebo, a fictitious community in Northern Ireland full of eccentric and memorable residents.

The entire book takes place over just a few weeks, immediately following the events of book one. Dr Laverty is faced with a possible malpractice suit, damaging his reputation and forcing him to return to apprentice role under senior physician Dr Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly. That’s bad enough but his relationship with Patricia Spence has hit a snag. But their devoted housekeeper, Mrs Kincaid (a/k/a Kinky) assures young Barry that everything will work out.

Taylor has a gift for making his character so alive they fairly jump off the page. Whether the exuberance of a bellowing O’Reilly, or the quiet pleading of the elderly Sonny, I felt I knew these people. I also love the descriptions he gives of the landscape; makes me feels that I’ve actually been to Northern Ireland.

I came late to this party, having only read the first book last year. But I was completely delighted, and I’ll keep reading this series. They lift my heart and bring laughter into my world.

The audiobook is performed by the talented John Keating. Whether voicing O’Reilly, Patricia, Barry, Kinky or any of the many other characters, he brings them to life and gives each a unique voice. Fantastic performance!

Shades of Henry - Amy Lane - (California)
The Flophouse series Book #1
5★
One bootstrap act of integrity cost Henry Worrall everything—military career, family, and the secret boyfriend who kept Henry trapped for eleven years. Desperate, Henry shows up on his brother’s doorstep and is offered a place to live and a job as a handyman in a flophouse for young porn stars. Lance Luna’s past gave him reasons for being in porn, but as he continues his residency at a local hospital, they now feel more like excuses. He’s got the money to move out of the flophouse and live his own life—but who needs privacy when you’re taking care of a bunch of young men . Lance worries Henry won’t fit in, but Henry’s got a soft spot for lost young men and a way of helping them. Just as Lance and Henry find a rhythm as den mothers, a murder and the ghosts of Henry’s abusive past intrude. Lance knows Henry’s not capable of murder, but is he capable of caring for Lance’s heart?

Amy Lane creates such warm and wonderful characters. I was happy to see the guys from Johnnies again and any chance to see my two favorites...Ellery and Jackson from the Fish Out of Water series is a winner anytime. I sincerely hope she writes more with these characters. I liked that the story was told more from Henry's perspective rather than relying on the reader's memory. I also liked that things just fell into place for Henry and Lance....two really deserving characters. Anyway...it’s pretty hard to improve on perfection. Keep them coming Amy!

The Horse and His Boy
C.S. Lewis
3/5 stars
Shasta, a young boy is on the run accompanied by Bree who is a talking horse. They hear of a dangerous plot by the Calormen who want to take over Narnia and they rush to stop the plan. Not my favorite of the three stories of Narnia that I have read so far but not bad.

Zen Pencils: Cartoon Quotes from Inspirational Folks
Gavin Aung Than
4/5 stars
I originally found this comic strip series on Today's Comics but it eventually ended. I was thrilled to find there are different editions of it published in book form and our library system had a copy of one of the editions. The author would take a famous inspirational quote and illustrate a short story around it. I thought it was nicely done!

The Boy in The Photo - Nicole Troup - (Australia)
5★
“She becomes aware of the silence at the other end of the line. A prickling sensation crawls up her arms. Her heart speeds up. ‘Found who?’ she asks, slowly, carefully, deliberately.
“They found Daniel.” Six years ago, Megan waits at the school gates for her six-year-old son, Daniel. As the playground empties, panic bubbles inside her. Daniel is nowhere to be found. Her darling son is missing.”

The author says that she “doesn’t write about what she knows, she writes about what she fears” . . .Everyone knows how tricky relationships can be.... especially after divorce, and when it involves children. The situation Megan finds herself in is entirely believable since we have seen it on newscasts on TV...read it in newspapers...and may even encountered it among family and friends. The story gives you an itchy, prickling feeling while reading that didn’t easily disappear when the book was closed. It puts the reader in the middle and makes you ask yourself what you would do in this situation. The plot is unforgettable. The writing is excellent and engaging...and the characters are all “too human”.

Kill Game - Cordelia Kingsbridge (Nevada)
Seven of Spades series Book #1
5★
Homicide detective Levi Abrams is barely holding his life together. He’s reeling from the fallout of a fatal shooting, and his relationship with his boyfriend is crumbling. The last thing he’s prepared for is a serial killer stalking the streets of Las Vegas. Or how he keeps getting thrown into the path of annoyingly charming bounty hunter Dominic Russo. Dominic likes his life free of complications. That means no tangling with cops—especially prickly, uptight detectives. But when he stumbles across one of the Seven of Spades' horrifying crime scenes, he can’t let go, despite Levi’s warnings to stay away. The Seven of Spades is ruthless and always two moves ahead. Worst of all, they’ve taken a dangerously personal interest in Levi and Dominic. Forced to trust each other, the two men race to discover the killer’s identity, revealing hidden truths along the way and sparking a bond neither man expected. But that may not be enough to protect them. This killer likes to play games, and the deck is not stacked in Levi and Dominic’s favor.

The two men had really good chemistry...even if they didn’t realize it right away. The reader will see that they fit together and complimented one another from the start. The plot and the storyline was very well done. The romance parts were good also and didn’t overshadow what turned out to be a very good detective story. There was romance... where we learned about Dominic and Levi and saw them struggle with problems that had the ability to tear them apart both physically and emotionally. The hunt for the serial killer was always at the forefront and was carefully done as to not give anything away before it was necessary for us to know. I didn’t even try to settle on a suspect. This is definitely a series I have become instantly very fond of. Even though many books that make up a series can be read as standalones...it is almost an imperative that these books be read in order as the story continues to the next one.

A Stab In the Dark – Lawrence Block
Digital audiobook read by William Roberts
3***

Matthew Scudder series, number four. Scudder is a former NYPD detective who now free-lances as a detective on seemingly impossible cases. He doesn’t have an office, or business cards, and takes only those cases that interest him and that he feels he may be able to help. Definitely unconventional

This time out he’s approached by a man who wants answers on his daughter’s murder some nine years previous. Her killing was attributed to the Ice Pick Killer, a serial killer who recently confessed to a series of murders. But he could not possibly have murdered Barbara Ettinger; he was hospitalized at the time of her death. So who did it?

Block writes a tight, fast-moving, noir police-procedural. Scudder is something of a mystery himself. Oh, we know why he left the force and we’re privy to his demons, but he plays his cards close to the vest. Watching him ferret out the truth is engaging and fascinating.

William Roberts does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. He sets a good pace and brings Scudder (and the other characters) to life.

Mudlark: In Search of London's Past Along the River Thames / Lara Maiklem
3 stars

The author is a collector of sorts. “Mudlarking” is collecting items/artifacts that are washed up and found in the mud along the banks of the Thames River, and apparently a lot of people do this. Some of these items are hundreds of years old. Some of the items, she is able to restore herself, and some she sends away for restoration. The chapters are organized by the area, and each will give a bit of history of the area (as this can affect the types of items found there), combined with some of the items she has found and the history of those items.

I found some chapters more interesting than others – the one at Greenwich, which looked at some Tudor history (the Greenwich Castle was one of Henry VIII’s favourite residences), along with animal bones and utensils found (and thus meals and utensils used during Tudor times). Oddly, the other chapter that held my interest more than others was the one of current day garbage. Overall, I’m calling this one ok. I had hoped to like it more – the premise is something I feel like I am interested in – but for some reason, it just couldn’t hold my interest all the way through.

Bitterroot Lake - Alicia Beckman - (Montana)
4★
Twenty-five years ago, during a celebratory weekend at historic Whitetail Lodge, Sarah McCaskill had a vision. When a young man was killed, Sarah's guilt over having ignored the warning in her dreams devastated her. Her friendships with her closest friends, and her sister, fell apart as she worked to build a new life in a new city. But she never stopped loving Whitetail Lodge on the shores of Bitterroot Lake. Now that she's a young widow, her mother urges her to return to the lodge for healing. But when she arrives, she's greeted by an old friend--and by news of a murder that's clearly tied to that tragic day she'll never forget. And the dreams are back, too. What dangers are they warning of this time? As Sarah and her friends dig into the history of the lodge and the McCaskill family, they uncover a legacy of secrets and make a discovery that gives a chilling new meaning to the dreams. Now, they can no longer ignore the ominous portents from the past that point to a danger more present than any of them could know.

The story is a slow-moving mystery with an interesting premise. Sarah is the story’s narrator and she is defensive with a bit of a hair trigger temper. The isolated setting provides a spooky backdrop for the women to try to mend the rifts in their relationships. The busy storyline is occasionally a bit confusing and Lucas’s murder gets lost among the other dramas playing out. With the pacing picking up,. The author does a fantastic job of bringing the mystery to a satisfying conclusion. Mystery & suspense fans will love it as will those that like a bit of the paranormal in their stories.

Prince Caspian
C.S. Lewis
3/5 stars
The siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are returning to boarding school when they are whisked away to go back to Narnia where they find Trumpkin the dwarf who explains to them what is going on in Narnia. King Caspian has been killed by his brother who is now ruling Narnia. The siblings take up Prince Caspian’s cause to be instated as the new King. Not my favorite of the series but it was well written.

My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places
Mary Roach
4/5 stars
Mary Roach is known for her excellent non-fiction books including STIFF: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, and GULP: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, however in this book, she has written short humorous essays on her life and marriage. I thought this was quite funny but too short!

Stone Cross - Marc Cameron - (Alaska)
Arliss Cutter series Book #2
2.5★
In a remote Alaskan village, Deputy U.S. Marshal Arliss Cutter searches for a stone-cold killer amid a hotbed of corruption, lies, and long-buried secrets... Winter comes early to the rural native community of Stone Cross, Alaska--and so does hunting season. Caribou and moose are a major source of food through the long, dark months ahead. But Arliss Cutter has come here for a very different game. A federal judge is receiving death threats and refuses protection. Cutter and his deputy Lola Teariki have been assigned to shadow him on his trip to this icy outland to make sure that he's safe. But they quickly discover that no one is ever really safe in a place like this. And no one is above suspicion...When Cutter and Lola arrive, the village is already gripped with fear. A young couple has disappeared from their fishing lodge, just eight miles upriver. Their handyman has been found dead, next to a crude drawing of a mysterious symbol. To make matters worse, a dense fog has descended on the region, isolating the town from civilization. With the judge's life still at risk, and two people still missing, Cutter and Lola have their work cut out for them. But navigating the small-town customs and blood-bound traditions of this close-knit community won't be easy. When the secrets come out, the deadly hunt is on.

So glad I discovered this series but there is one BIG complaint that I will get to... and anyone else that reads the book and it also bothers can consider that you have been warned. On the plus side....Cameron does his usual great job of taking the reader to unusual locales and making them feel like they were there. Not only does he do this with beautiful descriptions of the terrain but also by providing a deep look into the culture of the area and the people. Most of these characters are damaged in some respect making them not for the faint of heart, I believe the author is trying to say that the world isn’t all rainbows, sunshine, and clear-cut answers. This wonderful author who certainly would have received a 4.5 or 5 stars rating...went and make the biggest mistake that any writer can make. With that said I will now get to why the book received a 2.5-star rating and my warning. Before the book is even half finished...he injures the K-9 dog...you just know from it’s injuries that it is not going to survive... but it takes almost the entire book for the poor dog to die. The thing that he did that was touching but didn't make up in any way for the dead dog...he gave him a hero's send off. The loyal K- 9...Zeus...got a fitting funeral complete with a “Last Call” that I will defy anyone to read with a dry eye and without a box of tissues. Authors can kill anyone they wish in their books but DON’T KILL THE DOG!.

Ocean Prey - John Sandford - (Florida)
Prey Series Book #31
4★
An off-duty Coast Guardsman is fishing with his family when he calls in some suspicious behavior from a nearby boat. It's a snazzy craft, slick and outfitted with extra horsepower, and is zipping along until it slows to pick up a surfaced diver . . . a diver who was apparently alone, without his own boat, in the middle of the ocean. None of it makes sense unless there's something hinky going on, and his hunch is proved right when all three Guardsmen who come out to investigate are shot and killed. They're federal officers killed on the job, which means the case is the FBI's turf. When the FBI's investigation stalls out, they call in Lucas Davenport. And when his case turns lethal, Davenport will need to bring in every asset he can claim, including a detective with a fundamentally criminal mind: Virgil Flowers.

I’ve always been a fan of this author and this series. Over the last couple of years though...the tone of the series has changed. Not a bad thing...but not necessarily a good one either. Like two or three of the books before it, the Marshalls seem to spend more time drinking...eating...and reminiscing than they do investigating or trying to catch anyone or anything. The interaction and obvious friendship and respect from the first time Lucus and Virgil appeared together was always and still is...one of the things that makes me keep coming back. However,...I did like the series much more when there was way less government involvement and more police work. All the books in this series are fun, exciting, well written. We are always reacquainted with old tried and true friends. So... keep up the good work Mr. Sandford....and work hard on #32.

What You Never Knew - Jessica Hamilton - (New York)
4.5★

Idyllic Avril Island, owned by the Bennett family, where their hundred-year-old cottage sat nestled in acres of forest. Forty-year-old June Bennett believed that the island had been sold after the summer of her father's disappearance when she was only twelve years old. It's months after the shocking death of her older sister May in a fatal car accident, that June finds out that the cottage was never sold. Avril Island is still owned by the Bennett family and now it's hers. Still reeling from the grief of losing her sister, June travels back to Avril lsland in search of answers. As she digs, she learns that the townspeople believe her father may in fact have been murdered rather than having abandoned his family in the dead of night, as she was led to believe by her mother. And that's when she begins to notice strange things happening on the island--missing family possessions showing up, doors locking on their own, unexplained noises in the night, shadowy figures disappearing into the woods. It takes June no time at all to realize that her childhood summers at Avril Island were not at all what they had seemed to be.

“To what lengths would you go to protect your family, and what can you do if you’re no longer around?” Good book...and good question for the “ghost story junkie”. A story of love...loss... deep dark secrets...and whether it’s possible to ever truly escape your past; or who you are. It’s atmospheric...intriguing... and downright creepy at times. I was never sure May was actually in the house or if she was only real to June. In several chapters she was very present...others as only a constant memory. I learned this was a debut novel for Jessica Hamilton and I would have to say she has a winner. I’ll be looking for more by this author.

Heartstopper - Alice Oseman
Heartstoppers series Vol. #2
5★
Nick and Charlie are best friends, but one spontaneous kiss has changed everything. In the aftermath, Charlie thinks that he's made a horrible mistake and ruined his friendship with Nick, but Nick is more confused than ever. Love works in surprising ways, and Nick comes to see the world from a new perspective. He discovers all sorts of things about his friends, his family... and himself.

First off...Heartstoppers Vol 2 is a graphic “young adult” novel. It is also a warm, comfortable story of fledgling love and self-discovery. Wonderfully honest and endearing graphic novel about two teenage boys in love and the struggles that come with it. This second book of the Heartstopper series unfolds in a slow but steady pace. I liked that it touches many of the problems that teenagers face when they have to endure peer pressure, first love, and their questions about their own place in a too often judgmental society. I’m not a big fan of graphic novels of any kind... but one of my two “book bringing friends” bought the book for his 15-year-old nephew and thought that I would like to see it and review it on LT and GR for Pride month. I found the drawings to be tasteful, respectful, and absolutely precious and was very impressed at how well they supported the story in the most complimentary way. I smiled through every page.

Leave the World Behind - Rumaan Alam -(New York)
2 ★

Leave the World Behind explores how our closest bonds are reshaped—and unexpected new ones are forged—in moments of crisis. Amanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week. But a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and G. H. are an older couple—it’s their house, and they’ve arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area—with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service—it’s hard to know what to believe. Should Amanda and Clay trust this couple—and vice versa? What happened back in New York? Is the vacation home, isolated from civilization, a truly safe place for their families? And are they safe from one other?

The story clearly illustrates the horror of the unknown. I really expected the story to progress much like Stephen King’s The Mist but despite some really good leads and almost hints...what happened in the outside world that night is never really explained. Was it a nuclear war? A terrorist attacks?... Who knows? Certainly not the reader. I was also disappointed that the book just ended abruptly and in an unsatisfactory manner...not to mention the entire page devoted to what the wife purchased at the grocery store. It could have been a good story. Actually...it could have been a great story but I felt that I was wandering around in the dark for most of it.

Hiding The Moon - Amy Lane -{New Mexico, California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #4
4.5★
Can a hitman and a psychic negotiate a relationship while all hell breaks loose? The world might not know who Lee Burton is, but it needs his black ops division and the work they do to keep it safe. Lee’s spent his life following orders―until he sees a kill jacket on Ernie Caulfield. Ernie isn’t a typical target, and something is very wrong with Burton’s chain of command. Ernie’s life may seem adrift, but his every action helps to shelter his mind from the psychic storm raging within. When Lee Burton shows up to save him from assassins and club bunnies, Ernie seizes his hand and doesn’t look back. Burton is Ernie’s best bet in a tumultuous world, and after one day together, he’s pretty sure Lee knows Ernie is his destiny as well. But when Burton refused Ernie’s contract, he kicked an entire piranha tank of bad guys, and Burton can’t rest until he takes down the rogue military unit that would try to kill a spacey psychic. Ernie’s in love with Burton and Burton’s confused as hell by Ernie―but Ernie’s not changing his mind and Burton can’t stay away. Psychics, assassins, and bad guys―throw them into the desert with a forbidden love affair and what could possibly go wrong?

This is actually the same story line as A Few Good Fish book #3. It’s told from Ernie and Burt’s viewpoint though with Jackson and Ellery making the same appearances they do in book #3. Just with different viewpoints. It features two men that you would never in a million years think would stand a chance of being ever being friends let alone lovers. We see them find that their very difference makes them see only the good in one another and forgive whatever bad there may have been in the past. We see a military Black-Ops operator... discover the young man he has been ordered to kill is so much more and he can’t imagine why a contract is out on him...but he intendeds to find out. In the previous book they befriend and helped PI Jackson Rivers and Defense Attorney Ellery Cramer...but this is Burt and Ernie’s story Yes...you are seeing Sesame Street characters now. I think that was the author’s intention. These two guys are so different yet so perfect for one another. Their story is well worth telling while Jackson and Ellery are busy setting up their new law practice...but that’s a story for the next book.

The Voyage of the Dawn Trader
C.S. Lewis
4/5 stars
King Caspian has built the ship, the Dawn Treader to take his crew to find the End of The World (Aslan’s country). Invited on the voyage is Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace (Peter and Susan are now too old to go on the journey). Caspian is looking for the seven lords that were banished by his uncle. They go to where no other ship has gone. This has to be my favorite book so far in the series and I couldn’t wait to see what happened.

Mrs. Mike / Benedict and Nancy Freedman
3 stars

In the early 1900s, Katherine (Kathy) is sent to Calgary, Alberta to live with her uncle due to her health, where she meets RCMP Mike. Although Kathy is only 16, they get married and move further north – where there aren’t many white women, and life is much more primitive than Kathy is used to.

Apparently this is based on a real person – I only found that out by looking at a few other reviews. I listened to the audio, which wavered in and out on holding my attention (or not). It was ok. Some parts I liked, but overall, ok. Had a hard time with a couple of parts about injured animals. I’m not sure I particularly liked any of the characters. Except for one secondary character (due to the unusual name), I tended to get those secondary characters mixed up. One of the good things, though, were descriptions of hardships encountered: loss, fire...

Bitter Legacy - Dal Maclean –(England)
3★
Detective Sergeant James Henderson's remarkable gut instincts have put him on a three-year fast track to becoming an inspector. But the advancement of his career has come at a cost. Gay, posh and eager to prove himself in the Metropolitan Police, James has allowed himself few chances for romance. But when the murder of barrister Maria Curzon-Whyte lands in his lap, all that changes. His investigation leads him to a circle of irresistibly charming men. And though he knows better, James finds himself enticed into their company. Soon his desire for photographer Ben Morgan challenges him to find a way into the other man's lifestyle of one-night stands and carefree promiscuity. At the same time his single murder case multiplies into a cruel pattern of violence and depravity. But as the bodies pile up and shocking secrets come to light, James finds both his tumultuous private life and coveted career threatened by a bitter legacy.

When seeking a word to describe this debut novel I would have to say “turbulent.” will pretty much do it. Also...because of so much information given about the case and the characters in the first part of the book it weighted the story down. It was an extremely complex investigation with a great many victims... family...suspects... and alias names in the narrative. The scenes flipped between work situations... James's interactions with Ben...with Steggie, the friend, and the scenes in the apartment. By the point the climactic parts of the story came about, I had lost track of who was whom in the investigation and had to keep going back to determine who was being talked about. I didn’t dislike the story by any means but it was difficult to keep it all straight. The cast of characters does include police detectives that are friends...work well together...obviously like one another and at times become a hilarious bunch who are completely besides themselves in trying to solve these grisly mysterious deaths. As I stated I didn’t dislike the book at all and I will diffidently give this author another opportunity.

A Few Good Fish - Amy Lane -(California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #3
5★
A tomcat, a psychopath, and a psychic walk into the desert to rescue the men they love…. Can everybody make it out with their skin intact? PI Jackson Rivers and Defense Attorney Ellery Cramer have barely recovered from last November, when stopping a serial killer nearly destroyed Jackson in both body and spirit. But their previous investigation poked a new danger with a stick, forcing Jackson and Ellery to leave town so they can meet the snake in its den. Jackson Rivers grew up with the mean streets as a classroom and he learned a long time ago not to give a damn about his own life. But he gets a whole new education when the enemy takes Ellery. The man who pulled his shattered pieces from darkness and stitched them back together again is in trouble, and Jackson’s only chance to save him rests in the hands of fragile allies he barely knows. It’s going to take a little bit of luck to get these Few Good Fish out alive!

It was only a regular level of excruciating since Amy Lane writes the tension very well. I do wish that poor Jackson didn’t spend half the first two books in the hospital...it’s becoming his second home. Ellery isn’t going to escape unscathed this time either. Readers of this series will cherish the moments when Jackson feels at peace and trusts what he and Ellery share together. Things aren't necessarily any easier for Jackson and Ellery, so be prepared for a rough ride but also enjoy their developing relationship and wonderful friends including Billy Bob, Jackson's three-legged cat who is now also missing a few other essential parts:)

The ABC Murders / Agatha Christie
(BBC Dramatization)
3 stars

So, when someone is killing people starting with the beginning of the alphabet, they bring Poirot in by sending letters hinting at the next murder to come. So, the first person to die had both initials start with A and the town she was in started with A; then B, then C…

I listened to the BBC Dramatization (though I didn’t grab it on purpose), which is usually better for me than the books. I’ve found that many of these “golden age” (and earlier) mysteries just aren’t my thing. I liked the premise behind it, but this one still (even the dramatization) didn’t hold my attention well enough to follow everything. It may have been better (for me) than reading the actual book, though.

Perfect Little Children - Sophie Hannah - (England/Florida)
4.5★
A woman reunited with an estranged friend discovers that nothing about her has changed in 12 years—including the ages of her children—and can’t rest until she solves the mystery.

I just had to read this from the time I first saw it. Had to find out how in the world this was possible. In the 12 years since Beth had seen her friend and the then 3- and 5-year-old children...they should by now be teenagers...but no... they are the exactly the same ages they were 12 years ago. To further complicate matters...the youngest child, Georgina, isn’t there at all Now tell me that doesn’t puzzle and intrigue you too. Was the family a part of a drug trial that stopped the ageing process? Are these children a part of a second family? Seems strange that if this was true that they would have the same names as their older possible siblings. Something just doesn’t add up. Could the family be living a double life in more ways than one? These all seem impossible possibilities but if you want to find out you’ll have to read the book because you wouldn’t believe it if I told you. The only thing that continues to puzzle me and I just could not wrap my head around, was why Beth felt she was entitled to have every single one of her questions answered by these people she hadn't spoken to in 12 years. Guess it’s part of the mystery. It was a really, really good story and an absorbing thriller in spite of my one question.

Fish on a Bicycle - Amy Lane (California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #5
5★
Jackson Rivers has always bucked the rules—and bucking the rules of recovery is no exception. Now that he and Ellery are starting their own law firm, there’s no reason he can’t rush into trouble and take the same risks as always, right? Maybe not. Their first case is a doozy, involving porn stars, drug empires, and daddy issues, and their client, Henry Worrall, wants to be an active participant in his own defense. As Henry and Jackson fight the bad guys and each other to find out who dumped the porn star in the trash can, Jackson must reexamine his assumptions that four months of rest and a few good conversations have made him all better inside. Jackson keeps crashing his bicycle of self-care and a successful relationship, and Ellery wonders what’s going to give out first—Jackson’s health or Ellery’s patience. Jackson’s body hasn’t forgiven him for past crimes. Can Ellery forgive him for his current sins? And can they keep Henry from going to jail for sleeping with the wrong guy at the wrong time? Being a fish out of water is tough—but if you give a fish a bicycle, how’s he going to swim?

Ellery and Jackson are working on opening their office and while doing that, Jackson was struggling with nightmares and trying to hide his state of mind from Ellery. I really wished that Jackson would get it through his thick skull that Ellery is there for the long haul. We meet Henry, who doesn’t want to admit he his sexuality and has been really nasty to his brother who is married to another man. Henry just doesn’t get it. Henry is being accused of killing a former “Johnnies” boy that was his one-night stand. Not only are Jackson and Ellery trying to keep Henry out of jail...but also find out who the killer really is, and who is behind an influx of drugs. We have a bad guy popping up from the past and an assassin who is their friend that comes to their rescue. I’m really going to miss this series and Jackson and Ellery...but there is one more book after this and I can't wait.

Trick Roller - Cordelia Kingsbridge (Nevada)
Seven of Spades series Book #2
5★

It’s the height of summer in Las Vegas. Everyone believes the serial killer Seven of Spades is dead—except Levi Abrams and Dominic Russo—and it’s back to business as usual. For Levi, that means investigating a suspicious overdose at the Mirage that looks like the work of a high-class call girl, while Dominic pursues a tough internship with a local private investigator. The one bright spot for both of them is their blossoming relationship. But things aren’t so simple. Soon Levi is sucked into a dangerous web of secrets and lies, even as his obsession with the Seven of Spades intensifies. Dominic knows that Levi isn’t crazy. He knows the Seven of Spades is still out there, and he’ll do anything to prove it. But Dominic has his own demons to battle, and he may be fighting a losing war. One thing is certain: the Seven of Spades holds all the cards. It won’t be long before they show their hand.

Book 2 picks up 3 months after Kill Game wraps up. Levi and Domenic stayed true to their word and have been taking it slow... but they are definitely dating when this story opens ...and seem ready to take things to the next level. Domenic is making some life changes of his own by going for his Private Investigator license and giving up the Bounty Hunting. The story follows the investigations of Levi’s official case and Domenic’s assignment on surveilling a suspected cheating husband. It’s interesting to see their very interesting intersection. This author is brilliant at the way she manipulates the story and keeps the reader guessing. I still don’t know who the Seven of Spades is.

School of Fish - Amy Lane -(California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #6
5★
Jackson Rivers has been learning how to take care of himself so he can be there for Ellery Cramer, but after eight weeks of healing, body and soul, he’s itching to get back to work. Finally, Ellery gives him a simple task: pick up a file on a kid who probably didn’t commit murder but who refuses to participate in his own defense. Nothing is ever that easy. A horrifying game of connect-the-dots leads one case to another, to the mob, to the local high school… and a bottomless list of potential suspects and victims. The case has a lot of moving parts, and Jackson and Ellery have to work fast to make sure the machinery of the mob doesn’t mow down everyone they care about—or rip them apart.
After a year of living together, Ellery is learning to accept that Jackson can’t let an injustice stand. Together they fight to keep kids out of jail while the streets of Sacramento threaten to explode. They’d better hope they’ve learned enough about each other to keep it together, because for this case, school is the most dangerous place to be.

So sad to see a good series with wonderful, warm and believable characters seemingly come to an end. There are few authors that will take up a series again with the same characters just because the readers liked them and want more and more of them...but we can hope. I am a long-time reader of Amy Lane's work, so I have high expectations for her. This book lived up to all my expectations. These 6 books can easily be read as standalones but the books work best if read in order as part of the series. That way the reader can truly appreciate Ellery’s and Jackson’s journey and their found family. Two of the most beautiful characters I have ever found.

Three Hours - Rosamund Lupton - ( England)
5★
Three hours is 180 minutes or 10,800 seconds. It is a morning's lessons, a dress rehearsal of Macbeth, a snowy trek through the woods. It is an eternity waiting for news. Or a countdown to something terrible. It is 180 minutes to discover who you will die for and what men will kill for.
In rural Somerset in the middle of a blizzard, the unthinkable happens: a school is under siege. Told from the point of view of the people at the heart of it, from the wounded headmaster in the library, unable to help his trapped pupils and staff, to teenage Hannah in love for the first time, to the parents gathering desperate for news, to the 16 year old Syrian refugee trying to rescue his little brother, to the police psychologist who must identify the gunmen, to the students taking refuge in the school theatre, all experience the most intense hours of their lives, where evil and terror are met by courage, love and redemption.

Be aware that it's about a school shooting in England. It gets to the heart of the matter from so many perspectives...above all else...it's real. You are there...and you don't get to leave until the last page is read and the cover is safely closed. It’s a difficult subject but this author did it so very well drawing together the thoughts and actions of the students...the teachers...the parents...the police...and even the perpetrators. A very atmospheric and heart stopping tale that stays with you long after the final written word.

The Silver Chair
C.S. Lewis
4/5 stars
In this book, the storyline follows Cousin Eustace and Jill Pole and their adventures since the 4 siblings of the previous books are now too old. Eustace and Jill are being pursued by bullies at school and while running away from them they found a locked gate which is now unlocked and the kids are able to escape their bullies. However, they are now on the edge of a precipice and Jill accidentally pushes Eustace over it. She then sees Aslan, the lion and he has a task for her and Eustace. They are to find the missing Prince Rilian who is believed to have been kidnapped! This was good. This is the second to the last book in the series.

Cash Plays - Cordelia Kingsbridge (Nevada)
Seven of Spades series Book #3
5★
The Seven of Spades is back with a vengeance—the vigilante serial killer has resumed their murderous crusade, eluding the police at every turn. But a bloodthirsty killer isn’t the only threat facing Sin City. A devious saboteur is wreaking havoc in Las Vegas’s criminal underworld, and the entire city seems to be barreling toward an all-out gang war. As Detective Levi Abrams is pushed ever closer to his breaking point, his control over his dangerous rage slips further every day. His relationship with PI Dominic Russo should be a source of comfort, but Dominic is secretly locked in his own downward spiral, confronting a nightmare he can’t bear to reveal. Las Vegas is floundering. Levi and Dominic’s bond is cracking along the seams. And the Seven of Spades is still playing to win. How many bad hands can Levi and Dominic survive before it’s game over?

The storyline is intriguing but also at times somewhat predictable. I’m still thinking I know who the killer is...but like Levi...I can’t prove it. Levi and Dominic are both struggling with their “conflicts” and the needless unhappiness that manifests as a result. I’ve read a lot of same sex couple books, and while I do generally really like the stories there just always seems to be so much turmoil that leads to disaster in the relationship of two characters that I really, really like. I want to yell at them,” why can’t you just be happy you fools”. So... what an amazing and difficult read. I think I’m going to just curl up in a ball with Rebel...Dominic's dog... in a corner and wait for them to get over themselves. I'm still routing for them both to have a happy ending.

Under The Bayou Moon - Valerie Fraser Luesse - (Louisiana)
4.5★

"A young, restless Alabama teacher searching for a sense of purpose accepts a position at a tiny Louisiana bayou school, where a lonely Cajun fisherman, a tight-knit community, and a legendary white alligator will change her life forever"--

It was an excellent love story set in the bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana. The characters are believable and for the most part likeable. Raphe Broussard is raising his nephew Remy on his own when Ellie Fields, the town’s new schoolteacher, comes to town from Alabama. She was different than her predecessors. All of them had been more interested erasing the very culture beginning by taking the French language out of students, more than anything else. . She immediately endears herself to the children as well as the town with her respect for their culture and her devotion to her tasks. Ralph is pretty taken with her also. Trouble soon rears its ugly head when a powerful oil company sets its sights on what could be a fortune in oil buried beneath the town. The author sprinkles the tale with lots of bad guys searching for wealth and not caring about what they destroy in resources or human life. Throw in a mythical albino alligator...a “esprit Blanc” that allegedly roams the swamps, and you have a delightful, interesting and engaging story. Those of you that enjoy Southern romances will love this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest opinion. The views expressed by this reviewer are entirely my own

One Eyed Royals - Cordelia Kingsbridge - (Nevada)
Seven of Spades series Book #4
5★
Shattered by their devastating breakup, Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo find themselves at war right when they need each other most. While Dominic is trapped in a vicious cycle of addiction, Levi despairs of ever catching the Seven of Spades. The ruthless vigilante’s body count continues to climb, and it’s all Levi can do to keep up with the carnage. When Levi’s and Dominic’s paths keep crossing in the investigation of a kidnapping ring with a taste for mutilation, it feels like history repeating itself. Thrown together by fate once again, they reluctantly join forces in their hunt for the mastermind behind the abductions. But the Seven of Spades hates sharing the spotlight, and they have an ace in the hole: a new batch of victims with a special connection to Levi. Their murders send shockwaves through Las Vegas and change the rules of the game forever. The Seven of Spades has upped the ante. If Levi and Dominic don’t play their cards right, they’ll end up losing everything.

This was my least favorite of the series....for the events that took place...certainly not for the story or the characters. Levi and Dominic are working together...but they are miles apart in their relationship. I hate it when people that are so right for one another and so good together trample on one another. Hopefully they will realize by the next book that they are being jerks and hardheaded idiots. Okay...had my rant! The Seven of Spades is up to the usual shenanigans. This time they’re taking their infatuation with Detective Levi Abrams to new heights. They’ve decided to give him a birthday to remember! This was a highly emotional read in so many ways. This is such a well-written series that's keeps the reader engaged and always wanting more. I really love both Levi and Dominic and this book sure didn't fail to deliver.

Roots / Alex Haley
3.5 stars

In the mid-18th century, Kunta Kinte grew up in “The” Gambia, Africa. When he is about 17 “rains”, he is kidnapped and taken on a boat across the “big water” and finds himself in a strange new world; he doesn’t even understand the language. He tries to escape multiple times, but the 4th time, he is caught and punished severely. The book follows not only the rest of his life, but the lives of some of his descendants. Next up, his daughter, Kizzy; one of her sons, who later becomes known as “Chicken George”, as he raises and fights roosters; George’s son Tom becomes a blacksmith…

It’s starts of as fiction, but the last few chapters chronicle Alex Haley’s genealogical research and findings. I know there was controversy, but Haley even says himself that the people are real and as many situations as he could find in his research as possible are real; obviously specific conversations, etc. are fictionalized. I’ve added tags for historical fiction and biographical fiction, but also memoir for the last chapters. This had nothing to do with my rating, though.

3.5 stars for me is good. I liked it. It’s also very long. I don’t often rate really long books much higher than 3.5 stars. I think that it’s hard to sustain “really good” in a book over 800+ pages! (And keep in mind, I’m generally a tough rater, anyway.) I admire that this was a groundbreaking book at the time it was published, and it reached a wider audience with the tv mini-series. I only watched the movie as an adult (I was a kid when it would have originally aired on tv). There was a longer section in Africa than I’d expected. I wasn’t crazy about the cockfighting (though, obviously it happened – and sadly, still does). Overall, though, good book. I’m glad I finally read it.

A Chip and A Chair - Cordelia Kingsbridge - (Nevada)
Seven of Spades series Book #5
5★
It's time to lay all the cards on the table. Detective Levi Abrams and PI Dominic Russo are reunited and more committed to each other than ever, but they can’t truly move forward with their lives until the serial killer who’s been tormenting them is behind bars. When a secret burial site is discovered in the desert with the remains of the Seven of Spade's earliest victims, that goal finally seems within reach. But just as the net is tightening, the neo-Nazi militia Utopia launches their master plan with a devastating act of terror that changes the landscape of Las Vegas forever. As Levi and Dominic scramble to prevent the city’s destruction, they’re opposed by treacherous forces that propel them toward catastrophe. In the end, Levi’s fate may rest in the hands of the very killer he’s been hunting. The race to save Sin City is on, and these players are going for broke. No matter how hopeless things seem, as long as they’re together and they’ve got a chip to play and a chair to sit in, they’re still in the game.

Another good series that I really, really hate to see come to an end. Those who have followed Levi and Dominic through the last four books won't be disappointed by the 5th. Dominic and Levi are back together and determined to make it last between them. This final book is like watching a well-made cops and robbers "shoot ‘em" up movie complete with dramatic explosions...huge gun battles...exciting other moments...and even some comic dog relief; Needless to say, it’s thrilling, edgy and suspenseful. All the questions are answered, everything that was a mystery is a mystery no longer. What we have left are people who are trying to survive the loss...the lies...and the guilt. Hope that somehow, there is some way that we can meet Levi and Dominic again. Oh... I was never right about who the seven of Spades was. Never would have guessed it in a thousand years:)

The Shadow Box - Luanne Rice (Connecticut)
3.5★
On the evening of an exhibit featuring her nature-themed shadow boxes, artist Claire Beaudry Chase fails to appear among the assemblage of family, friends, and fans. Her husband, state’s attorney for Easterly County Connecticut and gubernatorial candidate Griffin Chase, is concerned by this uncharacteristic faux pas and leaves the reception early to check for her at their posh, private Catamount Bluff home; he is assisted in this endeavor by Detective Conor Reid There, in the garage, they find evidence of a struggle: blood, splintered wood, and cut rope. Despite this clear evidence of foul play, there’s no body. Just what became of Claire?

Investigators can’t say what exactly happened to her...or even if she survived the encounter, given the amount of blood left behind...but readers know that a badly injured Claire must have escaped into the woods. She is convinced that her husband, Griffin is her would-be-murderer...though a mask prevented her from seeing his face, and his deep connections within law enforcement and the community at large leave her skeptical about who, if anybody, she can trust. She was about to reveal a secret...one that would cost Griffin his political prospects and his freedom. The one that she knew that he’d kill to protect. It’s a captivating read as everyone wants to know the secret. The problem I had with it was it started being told from the “supposedly dead Claire’s” perspective and it became rather difficult to follow... with too many subplots. It was a really good idea for a mystery. I would have liked to see it “carried out” better.

The Last Battle
C.S. Lewis
4/5 stars
This is the last book of the Narnian adventures and follows Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole as they unlock the secret of the fake Aslan (aka the donkey, Puzzle) and his conspirator Shift, an ape that are wreaking havoc to the land including cutting down all the Talking Trees. King Tirian, a descendant of King Caspian X hears the news, he takes off to help prevent the destruction.

The Sleeping Beauty / Mercedes Lackey
4 stars

The godmother of the kingdom Eltaria, Lily, has been the Fairy Godmother there for about 300 years. Rosa is the current princess, and The Tradition is trying to morph Rosa’s life into a fairy tale (and mixing the fairy tales up in the process). When Rosa’s mother dies, Lily convinces Rosa’s father that he and Lily should marry in order to keep the kingdom safe. To keep up appearances for The Tradition, Lily acts as the Evil Stepmother to Rosa, particularly after the King dies.

At this point, in order to protect the small, but rich, kingdom from invaders, Lily (aka Queen Sable) invites princes from the neighbouring kingdoms to come vie for Rosa’s hand. To do this, Lily and Rosa (with the help of Lily’s magic mirror) come up with “trials” for the princes to compete in. One of the princes (in actual fact, a Hero), Siegfried is big and more of a fighter than anything, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. Also competing are Siegfried’s new friend Leopold and the charming and handsome Desmond.

I really enjoyed this, especially from about half-way through (maybe a bit earlier) when the trials began. The trials were fun. I also loved Siegfried, who has a wonderful way with animals. He also added some great humour into the book. Rosa and Lily were strong, tough women, which I also really liked.

Act of Terror - Marc Cameron
Jericho Quinn series Book #2
2.5★

Warning: The next attack on American soil will come from within. From coast to coast, our nation is witnessing a new wave of terror. Suicide bombers incite blind panic and paralyzing fear. A flight attendant tries to crash an airliner. A police officer opens fire on fans in a stadium. And at CIA headquarters, a deputy director goes on a murderous rampage. The perpetrators appear to be American - but they are covert agents in a vast network of terror, selected and trained for one purpose only: the complete annihilation of America. Special Agent Jericho Quinn has seen the warning signs. As a classified "instrument" of the CIA reporting directly to the president, Quinn knows that these random acts of violence pose a clear and present danger. But Quinn may not be able to stop it. The search for terrorists has escalated into an all-out witch hunt. And somehow, Quinn's name is on the list.

I really wanted to like it. What began as an interesting and potentially good story with well done characters became quickly spoiled by way too much detail about motor cycles and not enough on explaining the plot. Too many times it seemed to be going somewhere good only for the chapter to end and a new one to begin with a line saying they were back home and it was all sorted out! Really??? When did that happen? I was...if anything... just confused throughout the majority of it. At least he didn’t kill any dogs or other four-legged furry friends this time.

Twisted and Tied - Mary Calmes - (Illinois)
U.S. Marshall series Book#4
5★
Deputy US Marshal Miro Jones finally has everything he ever wanted. He’s head-over-heels in love and married to the man of his dreams, his partner Ian Doyle, he’s doing well at work, and all his friends are in good places as well. Things are all tied up nicely… until they’re not. Change has never been easy for Miro, and when situations at work force the team, he’s come to depend on to break apart, and worst of all, his and Ian’s individual strengths put them on two separate paths, he’s pretty certain everything just went up in smoke. But before he can even worry about the future, his past comes for a visit, shaking his world up even more. It’s hard to tell what road he should truly be on, but as he learns some paths are forged and others are discovered, it might be that where he's going is the right course after all. If he can navigate all the twists and turns, he and Ian might just get their happily ever after.

I lost track of this series for quite some time. Just too many books and not enough hours in the day I guess. Glad to find the 4th book in my ‘giant tower of books box”. It rather alarmed me to discover right off the bat that Miro and Ian's world are about to be turned upside down... especially when I remembered from the last book that I read that they had just gotten married. We have Ian who really doesn't like Miro's new job. We have Miro who is much better at this new job than he was as a door kicker. So far so good??? Nope ...Ian is promoted to a job that he's perfectly capable of doing but it means changes in the newlyweds lives that neither of them like very much. There have been promotions for the rest of the team... Becker, Ching, Kohn and the Marshals that Miro met when he was in Las Vegas, Of course there is another crime scene credited to Hartley. Miro takes one look and knows this one wasn't Hartley's style of manner at all. An FBI profiler... Kelson....is more than he appears to be. Imagine that! Our Miro Jones and Ian Doyle are busy trying to keep their lives together while also trying their best to figure it all out...do their jobs... and above all just survive. Another good read. Well done Ms. Calmes and thank you

Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted
Suleika Jaouad
4/5 stars
Suleika Jaouad had just finished college and was ready to start her career and life with her boyfriend when she was diagnosed with leukemia. All her plans are dashed and she is thrown into the health care system which will do anything to get rid of her cancer. Well written and very informative on the cancer care she received.

The Bookshop Of the Broken Hearted – Robert Hillman
3.5***

In 1968 in rural Australia, Tom Hope runs his farm, milks his cows, tends his sheep and tries to find a new purpose in his life after his wife, Trudy, left him and took her son, Peter, with her. Then he meets Hannah Babel, a survivor of Auschwitz and some 15 years his senior, who hires him to build bookcases for her new bookshop.

Hannah seems to have recovered from her ordeal during WW2, but she is far from having healed. Her fierce determination and passion for her work hide a deep wound that she refuses to reveal or discuss. Tom is the quintessential good guy. He took Trudy back after she left the first time, and did not condemn or even question her for returning pregnant. And when she left a second time to join a religious community, he raised Peter as his own. He is truly heart-broken when several years later, Trudy demands that the boy come live with her and sever all ties with Tom.

In a way these Tom and Hannah have both lost a child and should be able to understand and comfort one another. But it isn’t quite so easy as that.

I really liked how Hillman drew these broken-hearted people, how he revealed their pain and their efforts to heal and move forward. Yet, I wasn’t sure I understood Hannah all that well. Her story is compelling, but I felt I didn’t fully get to know her. Trudy is even more of an enigma. I never knew why she did anything … from marrying Tom to leaving him the first time to her final desperate act.

Tom’s stoicism and approach to his life (just continuing to move forward despite what happens) are admirable, but make him a bit stand-offish. And yet, the way he treats the boy lets me see the goodness of his heart. I loved Peter … what a great kid! Intelligent and observant, determined and brave. My heart ached for him as he endured.

All told, it was a good story and kept my attention. But I think Hillman might have been trying to include too much.

The Bones Beneath - Mark Billingham (Wales)
Thomas Thorne series Book #12
4★
Thomas Thorne once again must confront Stuart Nicklin, a master manipulator and ruthless murderer. When Nicklin announces that he wishes to reveal the whereabouts of one of his earliest victims and that he wants the cop who caught him to be there when he does it, it becomes clear that Thorne's life is about to become seriously unpleasant. Thorne is forced to accompany Nicklin to a remote island off the Welsh coast which is cut off from the mainland in every sense. Shrouded in myth and legend, it is said to be the resting place of 20,000 saints, and as Thorne and his team search for bones that are somewhat more recent, it becomes clear that Nicklin's motives are darker than could be imagined. The twisted scheme of a dangerous and manipulative psychopath will result in many more victims and will leave Tom Thorne with the most terrible choice he has ever had to make.

It’s been quite some time since I read any of this series. I didn’t really care much for the Thomas Thorne character...but the title of this one intrigued me so thought I give Thomas another try. The story centers around a serial killer, who, while in prison confesses to another murder many years previously. The victim was a young boy whose mother has longed to find his body. I found it a bit unbelievable that a prisoner convicted of murder would have been transported such a great distance by boat and by car and with only one police official and so little security. To make matters worse there was a second prisoner along for the ride. The motive for the kidnapping along with everyone’s identities are carefully concealed giving the reader only brief flashes...but these brief flashes certainly raise very interesting questions about how and why this crime fits into the overall plot. It is not until the very end of the story that everything finally becomes heartbreakingly clear.

Kairos - Mary Calmes - {Illinois)
3.5 ★
Sometimes the best day of your life is the one you never saw coming. Joe Cohen has devoted the past two years of his life to one thing: the care and feeding of Kade Bosa. His partner in their PI business, roommate, and best friend, Kade is everything to Joe, even if their relationship falls short of what Joe desires most. But he won’t push. Kade has suffered a rough road, and Joe’s pretty sure he’s the only thing holding Kade together. Estranged from his own family, Joe knows the value of desperately holding on to someone dear, but he never expected his present and past to collide just as Kade’s is doing the same. Now they’ve stumbled across evidence that could change their lives: the impact of Kade’s tragic past, their job partnership, and any future Joe might allow himself to wish for

I’ve read so many of this authors books and love them. The characters are warm and believable making you want them for your friends and neighbors. However, Joe drove me insane and made me want to shake him the whole first half of the book. Kade wasn’t much better... but since we just got Joe’s point of view...he was the one that was annoying me the most. The secondary characters actually made the story a 4-star read since they were all absolutely wonderful...and not at all annoying. The storyline is similar to this author’s Marshall series...which I absolutely LOVED...but the characters are nowhere near as well developed as Ian and Miro from that series. I’d have to say that the story perhaps needed to be a bit longer and the characters needed to get together sooner considering the length of the book.

I Hunt Killers / Barry Lyga
4 stars

Jasper (aka Jazz) Dent’s father, Billy, is a serial killer (with over 100 murders to his name). His mother disappeared a while ago, and his father is now in jail. Jazz lives with his senile grandmother (Billy’s mother). Although it’s more Jazz taking care of her than the other way around. Jazz is in high school and is afraid, due to how he was raised, that he will turn out like Billy. When there is one murder in town, Jazz is convinced it’s a serial killer, but the police won’t listen because it’s only one and there has to be at least three before they are considered serial. But Jazz not only knows, he is able to predict the next murder… That’s when the police start listening to what Jazz has to say.

I listened to the audio and this was good. Quite a different perspective on a serial killer novel. In addition to the murder mystery aspect of the book, Jazz was dealing with doubts about himself, and not knowing/worrying if/that he might turn out like his dad. I did find it a bit unbelievable that the cop would go to Jazz with details of the murders, but I guess he was hoping Jazz could help. Overall, though, I really liked this; it is a series and I will continue.

Dear Martin - Nic Stone (Georgia)
Dear Martin series Book #1
5 ★
Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out. Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

It’s a YA book, but so important for the times and the society we live in today. The book is 240 pages that you can absolutely finish in one sitting...because you can’t stop reading. I will warn you that no matter what ethnicity you are...it will crush your heart. The characters are so real and 100% awesome. Ordinary people trying to live the best lives they can and be honest, hardworking Americans. The book covers many topics from racial profiling...affirmative action...going along with racist jokes and much more. Not everyone will agree with it...not everyone will like it...but everyone will have to agree that it speaks volumes about where we are headed as a society if we don’t stop and take a deep breath.

The Other Side of the Night: The Carpathia, the Californian and the Night the Titanic Was Lost / Daniel Allen Butler
4.25 stars

This is a book about the sinking of the Titanic, but more from the points of view of two of the closest ships that night. In fact, one of them – the Californian – was within sight distance and saw the distress rockets go up… and the captain, Stanley Lord, didn’t do anything. He was a very authoritarian captain and his subordinates didn’t feel that they could go against him. Further away (unfortunately a full 4 hours or so), was another ship – the Carpathia – whose captain, Arthur Rostron, immediately set sail as fast as the Carpathia had ever gone in her life to get to the Titanic as soon as possible. It was the Carpathia who plucked as many survivors as she could out of the lifeboats to safety.

This was really good. I’m sure I must have read snippets about these other ships in the other Titanic books I’ve read, but I don’t recall details from those books, though I knew the names of the ships. This was very detailed from those points of view. Leading up to the disaster, this also looked at brief biographies of the captains and a bit of history of the ship/cruise and wireless industries. There was also a close look at the inquiries afterward, both in the US and in Britain to get to the bottom of what happened that night

The Gentleman's Guide To Vice and Virtue
4★
A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s. Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

A really charming story about young love and the courage to made life altering decisions. I hated Henry's... (he goes by Monty), father from the first time he "laid out the "rules" of what Monty's life should/would be like. By todays standards Monty and Percy were both adults...but the rules applied more to Henry inheriting his fathers title, estate and his business associates and his larger-than-life... friends, which is what would be expected for a product of English nobility in the 1700's. I loved the character of Percy. He is truly a sweetheart and he truly knew how to deal with Monty. It was amusing most of the time to see how the two boys interacted. I also liked how the author didn’t shy away from race and discrimination during this time period and instead takes these issues head on. Percy’s bi sexuality also adds another dimension to this dark comedy along with Percy’s medical condition providing another topic of discussion. The story itself was amazing. An adventure... A romance.... and it even had pirates...but above all else it's perfect for LGBTQ youth.

Fair Game - Josh Lanyon – (Washington)
All’s Fair series Book #1
5★
A crippling knee injury forced Elliot Mills to trade in his FBI badge for dusty chalkboards and bored college students. Now a history professor at Puget Sound university, the former agent has put his old life behind him—but it seems his old life isn't finished with him. A young man has gone missing from campus—and as a favor to a family friend, Elliot agrees to do a little sniffing around. His investigations bring him face-to-face with his former lover, Tucker Lance, the special agent handling the case. Things ended badly with Tucker, and neither man is ready to back down on the fight that drove them apart. But they have to figure out a way to move beyond their past and work together as more men go missing and Elliot becomes the target in a killer's obsessive game.

I really, really like everything this author writes. She could write an instruction manual for installing toilets and I would read every last word. I have read other m/m romance books... and it seems that just when we think things are going well for the new couple something always breaks them apart for a large part of the book and we spend the next 100 or more pages waiting for them to come to their senses and work it out. This doesn't usually happen with most Josh Lanyon's characters.. but then...here we have Elliott and Tucker trying to figure out how to get back together without either losing their pride and at the same time try to catch what appears to be a serial killer. So...when they finally came to their senses their relationship was like a breath of fresh air...tender, funny, sexy and real. The mystery was outstanding....well presented with several suspects. I didn't get the right one until almost the last page Can't wait too get to the next two books.

Fair Play - Josh Lanyon - (Washington)
All’s Fair series Book #2
5★
When ex-FBI agent Elliot Mills is called out to examine the charred ruins of his childhood home, he quickly identifies the fire for what it is—arson. A knee injury may have forced Elliot out of the Bureau, but it’s not going to stop him from bringing the man who wants his father dead to justice.
Agent Tucker Lance is still working to find the serial killer who’s obsessed with Elliot and can’t bear the thought of his lover putting himself in additional danger. Straight-laced Tucker has never agreed with radical Roland on much—"opposing political viewpoints" is an understatement—but they’re united on this: Elliot needs to leave the case alone. Now Tucker would do nearly anything for the man he loves, but he won’t be used to gain Elliot access to the FBI’s resources. When the past comes back to play and everything both men had known to be true is questioned, their fragile relationship is left hanging in the balance.

I enjoyed it just as much as the first book, Fair Game. The characters of Elliot and Tucker are becoming better defined and their relationship is growing and they’re developing not only love for one another but respect for each other’s differences. It’s shown by Tucker in a quote from the book that pretty much sums it up. "I've got two priorities in life. You and my job. And yes, I will do whatever it takes in the interest of those two things. But as important as my job is to me, if it came down to you or the job, I'd quit tomorrow. And if you don't know that by now, there isn't anything more to say." I say with that that I’m ready for the third book.

The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, The Queen, and the King's Mother / Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin, Michael K. Jones
3 stars

This is a biography of three women during the time of the Wars of the Roses (once called “The Cousins’ War”): Elizabeth Woodville (Edward IV’s wife, and the mother of the two “princes in the tower”), Jacquetta “Rivers”(?) (Elizabeth’s mother), and Margaret Beaufort (Henry VII’s mother). Each author writes about one of the women, plus Philippa Gregory writes an introduction on women and history – why you won’t find as much information about women in history and more.

As mentioned in the (quite interesting, I thought) introduction, it’s hard to find information about historical women. Because of that, it’s hard to write an interesting biography, I think. Jacquetta seemed to have the least amount of information to work with. For all three (but especially Jacquetta), there was more about the war and what the men were doing and the big events than about the women themselves, and I’m not as interested in the wars, the fighting, and the politics. So, I tended to skim over those parts, unfortunately, and that’s why I kept my rating to 3 stars, ok.

I did learn a bit, though. Although I’ve read a little bit about the Wars of the Roses, I couldn’t have told you who Jacquetta was. I also get Margaret Beaufort mixed up with Margaret of Anjou (and I’m still not entirely certain who Margaret of Anjou is, although she was around at the same time and was mentioned in this book).

The Silver Linings Playbook / Matthew Quick
3.5 stars

30-year old (he thinks) Pat has just come home with his mom from the “bad place” – the mental institution – where he has been for a while. He doesn’t (initially) realize it’s been actually been years. Pat is convinced he and his wife Nikki will come together after their “apart time” because he trying really hard to better himself, with exercise and choosing to be kind (instead of being right). He, his father, and his brother are all huge football fans of the Eagles. Pat and his brother bond fairly quickly, with the help of the Eagles games, but Pat’s father is having a harder time connecting with Pat. Pat’s best friend Ronnie introduces Pat to Ronnie’s sister-in-law, Tiffany, but Tiffany is just odd. And Pat still loves Nikki and plans to reconcile with her as soon as possible.

I liked this! There way maybe more football than I liked, but still, overall I liked it. I really liked Pat’s therapist. I did see the movie I-don’t-know-how-many-years-ago and remember liking it, too, but I remembered very little about it. I believe it is why I decided to read the book, though. It is a very quick read.

The Search For Anne Perry
Joanne Drayton
3/5 stars
This is the biography of Anne Perry, prolific writer of mysteries. However, Anne Perry is not her original name but she was actually born as Juliet Hulme. Her name change came about after she was imprisoned for the death of a young girl and became an author. Drayton covers her life but mostly her writing career and offers samples of Anne’s writings from her books throughout the biography. I enjoyed the book but I thought that the book summaries interrupted the flow of the book and the discussion of her life was not linear. The death of the girl was not discussed till later in the book and contained few details about it.

Finding Dorothy – Elizabeth Letts
Book on CD read by Ann Marie Lee
3.5***

Letts mines history to go “behind the scenes” on the making of the 1938 movie that launched Judy Garland’s star - The Wizard of Oz - and, more importantly, the story of how L Frank Baum came to write the series that captured the imaginations of millions of readers.

As has become common in historical fiction, Letts uses a bifurcated time line: 1938, during the filming of the movie; and the late 19th century as Maud Gage, college student, meets and falls in love with actor / impresario Frank Baum. Few authors manage this literary device well, but Letts does a fine job, showing how events in the Baum’s lives were incorporated into the book (and in some cases into the movie without making it into the books at all).

I was engaged and interested from the beginning and felt that I learned much about both the making of the movie and about the people Maud and Frank Baum were. I admit to having never read the original book, and now I feel I may have to remedy that. Although, I, like many children of my generation, was obsessed with the annual showing of the movie, and my mother was about 10 or 11 years old when the movie was originally released and she shared her memories of going to see it in the theater with me.

Ann Marie Lee does a marvelous job of voicing the audiobook. I was never confused when the time frame shifted from 1938 to 1880 and back again.

Fair Chance - Josh Lanyon -(Washington)
All’s Fair Series Book #3
5★
One final game of cat and mouse… Ex FBI agent Elliot Mills thought he was done with the most brutal case of his career. The Sculptor, the serial killer he spent years hunting, is finally in jail. But Elliot's hope dies when he learns the murderer wasn't acting alone. Now everyone is at risk once again... but thanks to a madman determined to finish his partner's gruesome mission. When the lead agent on the case, Special Agent Tucker Lance, goes missing, Elliot knows it's the killer at work. After all, abducting the love of his life is the quickest way to hurt him. The chances of finding Tucker are all but impossible without the help of the Sculptor—but the Sculptor is in no position to talk. Critically injured in a prison fight, he lies comatose and dying while the clock ticks down. Elliot has no choice but to play this killer's twisted game and hope he can find Tucker in time.

I don’t know the reasoning behind almost all m/m romances only being a few books long. I’m sorry to see this series end as I liked the two characters so much. It seemed as if this one laid the groundwork for continuing on...but this one was published 5 years ago and I don’t see any mention of further books in this series. This is a fast-moving...sometimes frightening... mostly hopeful... and occasionally eye-brow raising tale...wrapped up in a love story so strong that you can feel the heat when these two men are together. It takes talent to tell a story so well and keep the suspense strong and the sex stronger. Good job Ms. Lanyon. Before anyone corrects me...yes ...Josh Lanyon is a woman and one very outstanding writer.

Hard Sell - Hudson Lin - (Canada)
Jade Harbor Capital series Book #1
4.5★
One night wasn’t enough. Danny Ip walks into every boardroom with a plan. His plan for struggling tech company WesTec is to acquire it, shut it down, and squeeze the last remaining revenue out of it for his Jade Harbor Capital portfolio. But he didn’t expect his best friend's younger brother...the hottest one-night stand he ever had to be there. Tobin Lok has always thought the world of Danny. He’s funny, warm, attractive...and totally out of Tobin’s league. Now, pitted against Danny at work, Tobin might finally get a chance to prove he’s more than just Wei’s little brother. It takes a lot to get under Danny’s skin, but Tobin is all grown up in a way Danny can’t ignore. Now, with a promising patent on the line and the stakes higher than ever, all he can think about is getting Tobin back into his bed...and into his life for good. If only explaining their relationship to Wei could be so easy.

This is my first book by this author and the start of a series. I will diffidently be reading book 2. I really liked the story once I figured out the direction the author was trying to move the story. From the beginning, there were two plots...one involving competing work issues and one involving family issues. Each plot could have easily become the main plot and had the story advance around it. I became aggravated fairly soon into the book with the attitude of Tobin's brother, Wei. He treated Tobin like a baby and tried to make decisions for him like he was 6 years old...and more aggregating was that Tobin and Danny actually allowed it and tried to base their relationship around it!! I don't know very much about Asian culture but it seemed fairly unreasonable considering that Tobin was 26 years old. Overall it was a good beginning for what I hope will be a longer series than most books of the m/m genera.

Such a Quiet Place / Megan Miranda
4 stars

Set in a close-knit neighbourhood with a pool, and beyond that, woods and a lake, Harper lives alone after her fiance cheated, then left, and her roommate, Ruby, was arrested and put in jail for killing two of the neighbours – the couple next door. All the neighbours have an online chat where they discuss things, then immediately delete. Ruby was in jail for just over a year before she is let out on a technicality and to everyone’s surprise, she comes back and walks into Harper’s house like nothing had happened! To no surprise, this puts everyone on edge. Harper had, at least, testified in Ruby’s defense, but she was never really sure whether or not Ruby had done it.

I thought this was really good. It kept me reading and wanting to continue reading. Everyone has secrets. There were creepy parts. There was a map at the start of the book to show the layout of the neighbourhood and where each of the main “players” lived on the block, which I thought was a nice addition.

The Accidental Tourist – Anne Tyler
4****

Macon Leary makes his living writing travel guides for “accidental tourists,” i.e. business travelers who are forced to leave the comforts of home and find themselves in unfamiliar territory. He gives advice on how to minimize the disturbance to one’s routine, in effect, carrying home with you so you never are lost.

But Macon is seriously lost even at home. He and his wife, Sarah, are unable to come together to process the death of their only child. Macon’s approach is to “keep everything like before” when it can’t possibly be that. Sarah can’t seem to find a way to push him off his home base, and winds up leaving.

But most of this has happened before the novel begins. The catalyst for Macon’s change is their dog, Edward, who has begun to bite and snarl. And so he finds himself at the Meow and Bow and meets the charmingly eccentric Muriel Pritchett, who offers her services as a dog trainer. Slowly, but surely, Muriel inserts herself into Macon’s life, and he slowly awakens, faces his pain and his mistakes, and begins to live again (or maybe for the first time).

Tyler excels at writing character-driven works that give us a glimpse of their lives in all their messy complexity and banal ordinariness. I love the scenes she creates that reveal so much of family dynamics; the Thanksgiving dinner is priceless, as is Rose’s wedding, and Christmas at Muriel’s mother’s house.

I saw the movie back in the late ‘80s, but never read the book. I’m glad I finally got around to it. Tyler has become one of my favorite authors.

The Other Passenger / Louise Candlish
4 stars

Jamie and Clare are Gen Xers and become fast friends with Kit and Melia (in their late 20s/early 30s) in January of 2019. Clare and Melia work together. Kit and Jamie start taking the public transit boat on the Thames together. Just before Christmas, Kit disappears; Jamie was the last person to see him, as far as the police know.

This started off slow, but really picked up about half-way through, then again with about a quarter of the book left. Because of the slow start, I wasn’t sure I’d rate it as highly as I did, but the second half pulled me in more, and there were some good twists! I don’t think any of the characters were particularly likeable, though. The book opens with Kit’s disappearance, then backs up as Jamie tells his story. That first half (while it’s still a bit slow), is mostly snippets of each month leading up to Christmas.

Eleanor of Aquitaine by both Regine Pernoud (1967, trans. 1970) and by Alison Weir
4****

I read both books simultaneously, making the decision when Eleanor's marriage to Louis VII, king of France, is annulled and she runs off as a fabulously rich widow to marry Henry II, king of England. At that point it was obvious that two writers from two different continents and times would approach the subject matter much, much differently, and it was worth my while to read each while the details were fresh in my brain.

And they do approach Eleanor differently, and they both present fascinating insights into the life of this remarkable woman. Pernoud, for example, gives great detail of the sinking of the White Ship that contained the heir to William I (the Conqueror) and his siblings; Weir's biography simply skims over this crucial bit of English history. On the other hand, Weir gives extensive details about Eleanor's lineage through the Blois, Angevin (Anjou), and Aquitaine lines, among others, and how important it was that Eleanor was a great landholder in her own right. At that time. Which was remarkable in and of itself.

When it came to the murder of Thomas a Beckett, again, there are details in Pernoud's work that are not found in Weir's work, but both historians agree that his murder was not technically authorized by Henry II and made Thomas a Beckett into a Saint for England. And it was an unexpected and tragic event.

Pernoud's writing sought to humanize Eleanor and the (more documented) men in her life; to provide Louis VII a background of a would-be cleric who must suddenly become King. In addition, Pernoud includes verses from the Troubadours (Eleanor's grandfather was a famous Troubadour in his own time) and provides many details of the Court of Poitiers when Troubadours flourished in Eleanor's court during those years. She also wrote from the accuracy of the Pipe Rolls, while she also cites the biographies of Eleanor that influenced her own biography.

Weir's writing sought to provide historical background with, again, much delving into the men who were part of Eleanor's family tree because they are much better documented than, say, a woman. And she documented much of Eleanor's sons' warfare/kingdom wresting, especially during and after her imprisonment. Pretty bloody stuff and terrible for the peasants. Still, I was most disturbed? upset? by Weir's off-hand remarks about Eleanor not being the Queen of Courtly Love, based on the writings of one Court Bishop and not the reams of writings over the centuries; some might call this dispersing myths, I call it questionable research. Ditto with attributing Robin Hood to a 16th Century Scottish writer instead of the centuries of mention of this character throughout English history since the 13th Century.

Still, Eleanor of Aquitaine was a remarkable woman, and I feel that I have a much stronger picture of her life and her times than having only read one biography.

(And truly - I finished both books in June! This is my usual disclaimer of "June became busy and I'm only now back on LibraryThing writing my reviews!!")