I Wish I Lived In a Library

Saturday, June 13, 2020

A Hodge Podge of Reviews - Cozy Mystery Edition #2

Goodreads: Digging Up the Dirt (Southern Ladies Mystery #3) by Miranda James

Premise: When former most eligible bachelor Hadley Partridge comes home the mystery of just what happened to his brother's wife 40 years ago. Until now, everyone thought she had run off with Hadley but it seems that wasn't the case - especially when a storm turns up a body on the Partridge property.

My Thoughts: When I saw this series centered around two of my absolute favorite characters in the Cat in the Stacks series I couldn't resist picking this one up - especially when I saw the blurb on this one. I do love when a cold case heats up! This one was quite good with all the drama a group of Garden Club ladies can bring. While I enjoyed this one, I didn't feel like it had the charm and warmth that the Cat in the Stacks series has and while I love the Ducote sisters in that series when given their own book they looks a lot of what makes them interesting. As well, the ending felt a bit rushed and I'm still not exactly sure what all happened at the end. Despite that this is a fun mystery an I did enjoy reading it. However, if you're new to Miranda James start with Cat in the Stacks. Rating: Liked It

Goodreads: In Want of a Knife by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli -

My Thoughts: I have thoroughly enjoyed this series about Jenny Wilson, who is in the middle of some life upheaval, her neighbor, writer Zoe Zola, and all of their adventures. This is an interesting community with many reoccurring characters but not so many that it gets overwhelming or hard to keep up with. This mystery involves a dead girl found in odd circumstances, a missing girl and a group of newcomers throwing money around and causing quite a stir. Zoe is front and center in this mystery which I enjoyed as I like seeing how her mind works. The mystery was intriguing and while I did figure out kind of what was going on about halfway through the book I was holding my breath to find out just how it was going to all unravel at the end. This ended up being a thoroughly enjoyable mystery with good level of suspense and nice pacing. I listened to the audio of this book and really enjoyed Marguerite Gavin's narration. My Rating: Really Liked It

Goodreads: Caught Dead Handed (Witch City Mysteries #1) by Carol J. Perry

My Thoughts: I had read the 3rd and 4th books in this series about Lee Barrett, her Aunt Ibby, and the big orange cat O'Ryan and really enjoyed them but had some questions about just how the series got started. I was thrilled when I found the 1st book on audio and couldn't wait to give it a listen. And it didn't disappoint! We meet Lee as she finds out the job she had traveled halfway across the country to interview for was already filled and almost immediately she stumbles upon a dead body. Before she knows it she's a psychic on a late night TV show, discovering she might actually have some kind of psychic powers, dealing with two potential relationships, and caught up in a murder investigation. It's quite a ride but it never feels rushed or over the top. I really enjoyed seeing Lee and Aunt Ibby get used living together again and Lee take the first steps towards building her own life after the death of her husband. The mystery was solid and thoroughly enjoyable even if I did figure out the twist a little before Lee did. I'm so glad I took the time to go back and listen to the first book in the series and I'm really looking forward to continuing with the rest of the series. Rating: Really Liked It!

Friday, June 12, 2020

Friday Fives - Five Books My Library Picked for Me

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different. Michelle over at Because Reading is Better Than Real Life used to do a Five on Fridays that I always enjoyed and I've seen a few other variations on the theme. As well I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd give start making random five lists. Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. I'm also going to start linking up with Kathryn over at Book Date for her Connect Five. In the last few weeks my library has opened for curbside which has been so exciting as I think out of everything I missed my library the most! However, being open for curbside only does prevent those fun wandering trips through the shelves. So to help with that they've started to Grab Bags where you pick the genre and they pick 10 books from that genre. So far I've gotten Grab Bags in adult fiction, mystery, and middle grade. Here are 5 of the books my library picked for me.

1. The Vanishing Box by Elly Griffiths - I've read Elly Griffiths but not from this series and I love the sound of this one. (from the Mystery Grab Bag)

2. Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague - I think I've read something by Marisa de los Santos but am not sure and I don't think I've heard anything about this book. (from the Middle Grade Grab Bag)

3. The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen -I know nothing about this author or this book. It looks pretty dark but interesting. (from the Adult Fiction Grab Bag)

4. When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton - I was super excited when I pulled this out of the bag. I've been wanting to read something by this author and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. (from the Adult Fiction Grab Bag)

5. Sidney Sheldon's The Silent Widow by Tiggy Bagshawe -Apparently this author is writing with permissions from Sidney Sheldon's estate. I'm iffy on who Sheldon is but thought this sounded like it could be a good read. (from the Mystery Grab Bag)

Have you read any of these? Is your library open or doing anything fun during all the closures?

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Books from the Backlog - Headhunters on my Doorstep

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog. I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads: Headhunters On My Doorstep: A True Treasure Island Ghost Story by J. Maarten Troost

Blurb: Headhunters on My Doorstep chronicles Troost’s return to the South Pacific after his struggle with alcoholism and time in rehab left him numb to life. Deciding to retrace the path once traveled by the author of Treasure Island, Troost follows Robert Louis Stevenson to the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, Tahiti, the Gilberts, and Samoa, tumbling from one comic misadventure to another as he confronts his newfound sobriety.
Somewhere en route from the shark-infested waters of Fakarava to the remote islands of Kiribati, Troost gradually awakens to the beauty of life and reconnects with his family and the world. Headhunters on My Doorstep is a funny yet poignant account of one man’s journey to find himself that will captivate travel writing aficionados, Robert Louis Stevenson fans, and anyone who has ever lost his way.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf: I absolutely loved the first book and enjoyed the second book but this one has been on my shelf for awhile. The title really grabbed me but the blurb kind of lost me so I need to give it a try and either read it or DNF it.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

The Wife Who Knew Too Much - Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell

Rating: Liked It!
Source: Publisher

Description: Tabitha Girard had her heart broken years ago by Connor Ford. He was preppy and handsome. She was a pool girl at his country club. Their affair should have been a summer fling. But it meant everything to Tabitha.

Years later, Connor comes back into Tabitha's life—older, richer, and desperately unhappy. He married for money, a wealthy, neurotic, controlling woman whom he never loved. He has always loved Tabitha.

When Connor’s wife Nina takes her own life, he’s free. He can finally be with Tabitha. Nina’s home, Windswept, can be theirs. It seems to be a perfect ending to a fairy tale romance that began so many years ago. But then, Tabitha finds a diary. "I’m writing this to raise an alarm in the event of my untimely death," it begins. “If I die unexpectedly, it was foul play, and Connor was behind it. Connor—and her.”

Who is Connor Ford? Why did he marry Nina? Is Tabitha his true love, or a convenient affair? As the police investigate Nina’s death, is she a convenient suspect?

As Tabitha is drawn deeper into the dark glamour of a life she is ill-prepared for, it becomes clear to her that what a wife knows can kill her.

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book: I thought the premise sounded fascinating and I've enjoyed a previous book by this author.

My Impression: I flew through this read in 2 sittings finishing it up at 3AM without realizing where the hours had gone. I've been in the mood for nothing but cozy mysteries so it was kind of fun to step a bit outside of that and go for something a little darker with a little more tension.

When a book is this fast paced I don't really expect to like the characters but in this case I did really like Tabitha. I don't think she could make a good decision (especially when it came to men) to save her life. She's caught up in the dream and romance and while I don't think she's particularly dumb she doesn't come off as a person who has a huge amount of common sense. This helped keep me from being frustrated when she steps into situations that are clearly not what they seem. Sure the reader knows better then to trust someone or go somewhere but it seems reasonable that Tabitha doesn't. She's just acting on impulse which is very true to who she is.

There's a distinct Rebecca note to part of the book which I very much enjoyed but instead of the terrifying housekeeper there's a rather business-like assistant. As well the suspense element while not overwhelming kept me reading. I wanted to know what happened next and just how everything would unravel. I wasn't disappointed. My only issue is there is a bit of a redemption arc at the very end that I just couldn't believe but that was a minor issue.

If you're looking for a good fast paced read that isn't cozy but not so scary that you'll be double checking locks this is a perfect pick.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely! This was an entertaining read and a nice break from cozies.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like fast paced mysteries with tension and suspense but not so much that you'll be pulling the blankets over your head at every sound this is a good choice.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I've Added to My TBR But Forgotten Why

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists. Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups! Today's topic is Books I've Added to My TBR but Forgotten Why. Now that's a hole with no bottom! Probably 2/3 of my TBR falls under this category but here are 10 that come to mind. These are all books I don't know where I heard about them and know nothing about them but they look too good to remove from the list!

1. Bitter Almonds: Recipes and Recollections from a Sicilian Girlhood by Mary Taylor Simeti

2. Dr. Mutter's Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at Dawn of Modern Medicine by Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

3. Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes

4. Living with Books by Alan Powers

5. Going to Pot by Jill Laurimore

6. Lost and Found in Prague by Kelly Jones

7. The Mysterious Death of Miss Austen by Lindsay Ashford

8. Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan

9. The Secret Rooms: A True Gothic Mystery by Catherine Bailey

10. Phantoms on the Bookshelves by Jacques Bonnet

What books are on your TBR for reasons you can't remember?

Monday, June 8, 2020

The Clutter Corpse - Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett

Rating: Just Okay
Source: NetGalley

Description: Ellen Curtis runs her own business helping people who are running out of space. As a declutterer, she is used to encountering all sorts of weird and wonderful objects in the course of her work. What she has never before encountered is a dead body.

When Ellen stumbles across the body of a young woman in an over-cluttered flat, suspicion immediately falls on the deceased homeowner's son, who has recently absconded from prison. No doubt Nate Ogden is guilty of many things – but is he really the killer? Discovering a link between the victim and her own past, Ellen sets out to uncover the truth. But where has her best friend disappeared to? And is Ellen really prepared for the shocking revelations to follow?

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book: I had read a book by this author in another series and enjoyed it

My Impression: I had picked up another book by this author and enjoyed it. It was kind of fun and quirky and an interesting mystery. I think I was expecting a similar feel in this book just with a different setup and characters and that definitely didn't happen. I had issues with this book so for clarity I'm going to go to list form.

1. The writing style was more telling then showing. The reader isn't going along with Ellen as she finds a body and investigates instead we are being told what she did and what she thought which for me minimized my connection to the story.

2. This was grim. Ellen isn't decluttering overcrowded guest rooms and disorganized offices. She's involved with some serious hoarding situations and seems to work with a lot of public housing offices so these are frequently people in pretty dire situations. She also does follow up appointments (without pay it seems) and the situations just seem to get sadder and sadder. As well, Ellen has a pretty intense backstory that deals with severe clinical depression, suicide, and suicide attempts of loved ones. While it was handled sympathetically it felt like it took up a large chunk of the book and that paired with the mystery plot and the hoarding situations made this a pretty depressing read.

3. The mystery itself. I loved the basic premise of this mystery - dead body found in a jammed full room in a hoarder's house. Who was she, why was she there, and who killed her. I'm on board for all these questions. However, the pacing on the mystery was a bit weird. The discovery of the body took maybe two sentences where whole chapters were devoted to non-mystery related material. As well Ellen seemed to fluctuate between being disconnected and overly involved. There are a few times where she falls into TSTL behavior and there is a pretty sizable coincidence needed to help solve the case.

Overall, this wasn't a great read for me. I did like Ellen and her son Ben. I found the concept interesting and while I didn't love the writing style it did read pretty fast. Maybe in another mood I wouldn't have minded the very grim tone of the book but for now it was a book that left me feeling low with an unsatisfying mystery.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Not in this series but I might try another book in the earlier series.

Would I Recommend this Book? Not really. It had some okay points but I felt like for the most part it just missed the mark.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Sunday, June 7, 2020

This Week in Reading - June 7

It's Sunday Post time! This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Death of a Wandering Wolf by Julia Buckley (NetGalley)

The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell (NetGalley

Currently:

Reading: Lonesome Road by Patricia Wentworth, The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell, and Meet Me in Atlantis by Mark Adams

Listening: A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison

Watching: Not much other then YouTube on occasion.

Off the Blog:

I've been sick all week so there wasn't much happening off the blog except doctor's appointments and the Tornado's school. And now I'm going back to bed.