The Year of the Series - 2 Mini Reviews

 

After the calamity that was 2020 I didn't want to give myself serious reading goals but I did want to do something to help my book stacks get a little more under control.  I've tried getting rid of the ones I want to read but unfortunately I want to read all the books I own.  So I decided to focus on series.  There are so many I have that I abandoned halfway through or came in halfway and never read the first few.  I made a list of ten series and the next book I had to read in them and will be rolling in new books and series as I go along and catch up.  Here are two reviews from that list that I've read recently.

On Borrowed Time (Library Lover's Mystery #5) by Jenn McKinlay - In this mystery librarian Lindsey Norris gets entangled in an international mystery when her brother Jack appears from out of nowhere only to get kidnapped leaving a dead body in his place.  This is part of my focus on series effort for 2021 and I'm so glad I picked this one up!  I'm not surprised I enjoyed this one as this is one of my favorite cozy series but I was surprised by just how MUCH I enjoyed it as it does have a very tiny touch of a love triangle which is my least favorite plot device.  Instead that provided several laugh out loud moments and both men involved - Sully and Robbie are both just so likable.  The mystery was entertaining and intriguing with a shadowy international element.  I also enjoyed getting to know Lindsey's brother Jack a bit better.  This is a great series that you can really jump in anywhere but is best read in order.  My Rating: Really Liked It!

A Treacherous Curse (Veronica Speedwell #3) by Deanna Raybourn - Oh this was fun!  Veronica and Stoker are a bit at loose ends when they are suddenly pulled into a mystery full of mummy's curses, stolen antiques, and the darkest shadows of Stoker's past.  The fact that Stoker's past was rather dark and tumultuous is not new but in this book we get a bit more information and a lot more clarity - all of which makes Stoker rather uncomfortable.  I'm fascinated by Egyptian history and the early days of Egyptology so this book might have been written just for me though I don't think you have to be interested in either to be caught up in the adventures of these two and the mystery that they're trying to solve.  There were several laugh out loud moments thanks to Veronica's rather biting wit and a few nail biter scenes.  And when all was revealed I was completely surprised.  If you enjoy historical mysteries this is a series that shouldn't be missed.  While you could easily jump in here I think this series would be better if read from the beginning.  My Rating:  Really Liked It!