Twists were obvious, but a fun read

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was tempted to give this a 4 since it kept me reading. But, really overall it is a 3.

The twist in the first part was rather obvious, and most readers will see the connection between Pennsylvania and Kansas fairly quickly. Another twist later on was also obvious, and really anyone would have avoided this person rather readily.

Other aspects weren't terribly believable, so it was leaning towards a 2.

However, I rooted for Ryan and Poppy and wanted to see how their respective stories turned out, so I kept readking and enjoyed their stories.

Finlay has a way of keeping you reading despite easily guessed twists.

Beverage Pairing: A nice cold Pinot Gris

Another great series by McDermid

1979 by Val McDermid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am definitely moving onto 1989. This was a very interesting story with great characters.

The character development was key, thus many might object to a somewhat slow pace of the plot. I was quite sad about the murder as both the victim and the murderer made for a very dismal story.

This novel highlighted the year 1979 beautifully, and it was interesting looking back on many aspects of that time. In many ways we have come far, but in others we haven't.

Beverage Pairing: The novel is a bit long, thus alternating with coffee for daytime reading, and a nice Malbec for the evenings.

Ugh, last Bones book for me

Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had read this series avidly when she was first writing them. At some point I stopped (too many other books on my TBR list? I don't recall).

This book felt like just the surface of the books I remember. Tempe was pretty flat and at times clueless. Too many times someone would say something or give her a look that had her questioning her reaction, or their reaction to her, in these weird little thought "asides" she has.

It was so often that it became irritating.

And, her chapter endings had loads of foreshadowing but not much actually developed from chapter to chapter. The epilogue/update taking place a year later? Pretty ridiculous and then that was followed by another reveal dated 4 months later.

Most of my reading of this series was pre Goodreads, and certainly pre my utilizing Goodreads, but looking back I see I read the 21st book and gave it 2 stars as well.

I think it is incredible that someone could write even one book and get it published, much less 23 in this series and others that Richs has written, but sadly this will be the last Bones book read by me.

Beverage Pairing: A strong cup of coffee

Compelling

Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyed this quite a bit. Well written, great characters, and heart-breaking.

Wonderful ending despite some unbelievable coincidences.

Beverage Pairing: A nice Merlot

2nd book by author, looking forward to the 3rd

I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable thriller/mystery. I enjoyed the writing style and the mysteries depicted. One (or more) aspects are easily figured out, but it was still quite enjoyable.

I think the supporting characters, Alex's friends at the diner specifically, really made the novel work for me.

This is the 2nd book by Maxwell, and I look forward to the third.

Beverage Pairing: A nice cup of coffee or perhaps a lemonade. Any drink you'd have at a diner works.

Just an okay plot

Not a Creature Was Purring by Krista Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an okay part of the series. There was one thing that I thought would be important to the overall plot or possibly solve the killing, and that was what happened to the stocking gifts from Dale?

Maybe I just missed them being passed out. Not sure why it is bugging me, but it is.

Dale's whole family didn't make a lot of sense to me, nor did Holmes being engaged to Norma Jean without her ever having visited until now, and her personality just seemed yucky.

I will read the next one, but if there isn't much character development with at least the main people who are in each of the books, then I might stop the series.

Beverage Pairing: Hot chocolate

Informative and interesting

Everest, Inc.: The Renegades and Rogues Who Built an Industry at the Top of the World by Will Cockrell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed listening to this as it is informative and historically interesting.

I have read many books on Everest and this one intrigued me because of its central premise that guiding companies caused many of the issues.

It was explained that the guides truly enjoyed helping their clients, and weren't there "only for the money" While I totally believe that they really did enjoy assisting people who had this dream of summiting, I would have loved a focus on maybe one or two of those guide/client relationships going into a bit more depth. Did they communicate between attempts, or have a friendship outside of the summit attempts, for example.

Overall the narrator was great, the issues raised were interesting, and the politics between the companies and their approaches to summitting were pretty fascinating.

Beverage Pairing: A strong, hot cup of coffee will pair nicely with the images of peaks and snow that the book conjurs up.

Beautiful

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Simply a beautiful story, masterfully told. I really can't add anything else.

Beverage Pairing: A nice cup of hot chocolate

Good start to a potential series

One Killer Problem by Justine Pucella Winans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great YA mystery; fun characters that I want to read about again (and ending lends itself to a sequel).

I enjoyed the mystery club, the characters' interactions and the various relationships and crushes.

Will read the sequel.

Much of the school life was realistic, and staff was portrayed realisitically as were the students.

Beverage Pairing: A soda of your choice

A quick "who done it"

What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A very quick read, and overall an okay "who done it"

Since this is my go to genre it was quite obvious who had committed the crime. There were decent enough red herrings that at a couple of points I thought I might be wrong.

A few red herrings because there are plenty of creepy evil men out there that fall into the tropes provided in this plot.

I finished though because it is a very quick read. The multiple perspectives worked well for me, except there really wasn't a need to have Diane share anything as a ghost. I had hoped for a bit more from her, or that her perspective would lead somewhere before it did...or maybe some ghostly activity.



Beverage Pairing: A cold glass of Iced Tea. You will finish this book quickly and the iced tea might even remain cold.

Great character development

A Man Downstairs by Nicole Lundrigan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Plot wise this merited a 3 as it wasn't that unusual (person returning to hometown with vague memories of tragedy), however what brings it up to a 4 is the pacing, the reveals, and most importantly the character development.

I felt it was all just extremely well done, and the characters were believable (view spoiler)[ except for the narrative pieces by "Him" as the fantasy life just seemed too intense to be believable (hide spoiler)]

As you get to know the characters, particularly via the Then sections featuring Gil and Edie, the interactions all seem quite well developed and lead to a believable conclusion.

Beverage Pairing: For some reason even though I didn't drink this while reading, a nice hot Chai seems fitting.

Decent start to a series

Color Me Murder by Krista Davis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoy Davis' Paws and Claws series, and have read a few of the Domestic Diva ones. So, I decided to read the first in this series.

The characters were nicely developed, though I didn't think the suspect was as nicely developed nor did I think the red-herrings were totally believable.

But, I am curious what happens next so will read book #2.

Beverage Pairing: A nice cup of coffee with some pastries in honor of one of the characters, Jim.

Great suspense

The Bitter End by Alexa Donne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this novel. Great suspense building, believable red-herrings and an exciting ending.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley; I believe it will be published in October 2024. If you enjoy the And Then There Were None trope, this is definetely one of the better ones.

Beverage Pairing: Definetely hot chocolate

The writing style was very nice

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The writing style grabbed me, but once again I am feeling like it was a bit too long. That's a recent trend and whether it's me and my impatience with middles that drag, or a publishing trend I don't know.

I think the author captured OCD perfectly, and the plot itself was nicely developed. The culprit wasn't too hard to ascertain, but the resolution seemed a tad unlikely.

Nguyen is an author I will read again.

Beverage Pairing: Chamomile tea to suppress the anxiety that you will feel as you read the narrator's OCD symptoms and its affect.

Decent debut

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a decent debut with an interesting premise.

I am not into astrology so loads of the book didn't really resonate or even make sense to me (Mercury rising etc), but I read it for the mystery that seems to connect Rini to her guests.

I do enjoy novels with various points of view, but at times I had to look back to figure out which character's voice I was reading; and I was often confused over which children were Aimie's and which were Farah's.

While the villain wasn't too suprising what the villain had done was surprising and twisted.

The resolution was okay.

Beverage Pairing: A nice Pinot Noir is what came to my mind as I was reading this.