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Orange Is the New Black
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Bleak House (Audiocd)
Don Quixote
The Pillars of the Earth
Drums of Autumn
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
A Charmed Life: Growing Up in Macbeth's Castle
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
I was excited to finally get my hands on this as I really loved the first book. This book was such a disappointment. There were a bunch of little things that bothered me as read this book but three things really ruined the book for me.I found Gallowglass calling Diana Auntie extremely annoying after the 10283rd time. It made him seem like an 8 year-old child.
I was interested in how time travel would be handled, especially when the old Matthew returned after present time Diana and Matthew left. It didn't make any sense. Old Matthew will just pick up where he left off and his friends will make excuses for him not remembering anything that went on the past 6 months. Never mind having to explain his disappearing wife, which he has no memory of.
I also hated how we're repeatedly reminded of how humans would freak out if they knew demons, witches, and vampires were among them. Yet Queen Elizabeth and quite a few other humans are aware of these creatures and seem unfazed by there existence. So only the humans that are tolerant of these beings can know about them?
Not a lot happened in this book. It seemed like filler and maybe all the action moving the story forward will happen in book 3?
I'm working my way through this series and the murders are becoming more gruesome as more and more bodies pile up as the story goes on. I wouldn't classify this as a cozy mystery like I would for the earlier books in the series. Overall I liked the story. It seems like, finally, the focus is shifted off of his will he/won't he love triangle between Hamish, Priscilla, and Elsbeth.
1
Death of a Dreamer (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries)
I never enjoy the book if I've figured out who did it right away. It seemed like there was a flashing neon sign over the murderers head saying I did it.
Hallowe'en Party (Hercule Poirot Mysteries)
Spence, Poirot, and Mrs. Oliver together again! I love these 3 together but I guessed the murderer immediately. I hate when I figure it out at the beginning. I don't enjoy the story as much.
I thought I'd give this series another shot. Ugh! Never again!Did you know real plum pudding doesn't have plums in it? This bit of trivia is repeated half a dozen times to be sure you will never ever forget it. And who talks like these characters? I'm a fan of cozy mysteries but this series is beyond over the top.
I enjoyed the mystery very much but I found myself distracted by the historical errors and the constant back stories of every single character who comes into contact with Charles Lenox.I prefer to have bits and pieces a character's history with the main character revealed as it relates to the story instead of dumping several paragraphs at time without them being relevant to what's currently going on.
For instance on page 121:
With this report, Graham's role in the case was at all probability at an end, and both men knew that Graham would thereafter resume his normal functions, but perhaps it is appropriate, nevertheless, to explain the reaction between the butler and his employer...
Followed by a 2 page back story that the author admits to being unnecessary. Since Graham is a major character it normally wouldn't bother me too much except by the time you get to it it's the fourth unnecessary back story you've had to read.
Fast forward to Pages 261-262 and you have the back story of a very minor character, Mr. Throckmortin. In fact, these are the only pages you can find him. But this time there is also a glimpse into the future:
Perhaps it is worth relating that the next day, though busy, Lenox remembered his young friend and sent his mother two fine legs of lamb and a case of his own favorite port for Mr. Throckmortin, Sr. And though it would take many years, the clerk's final words were prescient, for he would help Lenox in the case of the Queen's amulet...
After this you're quickly brought back to the present and continue to follow Lenox through the rest of the day. Very distracting and takes away from the story.
I'd give this 3.5 if I could. I enjoyed the story and although I figured out who the kidnapper was early in the story, I really was interested in why they had done it. I got a bit fed up with constantly listing everyone's credentials. I didn't care about or need to know Claire's degrees or accreditations. And naming every member of every task force seemed pointless when most of the people named never play a big role in the story.
The story is light-hearted and entertaining. It took a little while for me to get into the characters; since it's written in the same style as Jen's other books, I had to keep reminding myself this was fiction and not another memoir. But by time Mia and Mac sign the papers to move into their first home I was hooked.The various wars with the homeowners' association, neighbors and ex-landlord were funny and clever without being over-the-top ridiculous. Regardless of how predictable some parts of the story were, I really enjoyed it.
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.
I am a sucker for the quick, easy, light hearted mystery novels but I could not overlook the far fetched plot of this book. By no stretch of my imagination can I believe the only police officer in town would allow his sister-in-law (Hannah) to take over his investigation of the first murder the town has ever seen. Not only is she out hunting for clues and telling the towns people to contact her with any information but she's also withholding important facts and leads from her brother-in-law.
I couldn't connect with the characters or have any sympathy for them. Each chapter focuses on one of the three women, Mrs. Woolf, Mrs. Brown, and Mrs. Dalloway. The few interesting parts of the story came from Mrs. Woolf's chapters. There was an interesting twist at the end that I didn't see coming but not nearly enough for me to be able to say I liked it.
Not what I expected this book to be. Reading this book is like being on a crowded subway. You only hear bits and pieces of the conversations around you. And the conversations that interest you move on before you can hear any of the details.The most glaring hole in the story is with Charlotte. Over one chapter they go from life long friends who share an apartment together in NYC to Charlotte becoming a heroin addict who wants to use just from looking at Sarah. How? Why? Skip ahead several chapters and Charlotte is finally mentioned again. Only now she's has her own successful clothing line. Again, how? Why?
I had the same questions with Sarah's sister Eloise. I wanted to know more about her and her first husband. Instead we are fast forwarded to Eloise's second wedding day and left with only one line to sum up the first marriage.
She wasn't scared to start over and commit to someone new, even though the last husband nearly killed her.
Who wouldn't want to know more?
If I had treated each chapter as individual essays or short stories in stead of trying to follow a singular story line I would have enjoyed this book more.
I tried reading this book when I was eleven or twelve. It was the first book I could not finish and the first time I realized there might be books out there I won't enjoy.
I love the Stephanie Plum series but this one left me with the WTF feeling. The plot was weak and rushed. There are a bunch of questions left unanswered about Diesel, Ring and Claws. And Morelli suddenly leaving Stephanie a voice-mail telling her not to call him back because he's busy and can't always talk? The Stephanie I know would of been suspicious of it with jealous thoughts of Terry Gilman and Morelli in a hotel somewhere soon setting in.The worst of the between the numbers series.