Secluded Cabin sleeps Six

 Lisa Unger did not disappoint in Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.  She certainly knows how to pen wonderful thriller novels.  I picked this up after thoroughly enjoying her Confessions on the 7:45. See my review here  Blog 

 I am certainly glad I did.  She weaves a suspenseful book with plenty of examination of human nature.  I found it humorous that she mentions the cliche horror film behaviors of the lead females in this novel as the characters reflect on whether their actions differ from what a dumb character would do in a horror film.  It provides a  little levity to break up the intensity of the suspenseful situations.  

This book also has the reader reflecting on how much of our human characteristics are based on genetics vs how we are raised.  The age-old nature vs nurture definitely plays a role in this book.  There are also aspects to the story that leads to reflection about the ethics and use of genetic information from a genealogy perspective vs criminal investigations.  The slippery slope is definitely alive and well in regard to how the information should be used and by whom.  

All in all, this was a wonderful thriller that kept me wanting to read more and more.  

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

twisting thriller with some poignant themes

I did not know much about this book when I picked it out to read. I’m so glad I did. This book is well plotted and highlights the good and bad of humanity We are made up of part our genetics but it the heart we make our choices whether to be Good and ethical. Sometimes the lines are blurred. The characters in this story have choices and not are all good. I cannot imagine anyone walking away from reading this without thinking of nurture vs nature as concept

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  87
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   71
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  U
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #79
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #65
6. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #90  Shot #2
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  9 Toe Tags
8. HP Quidditch 23 #  3 Quidditch Pitch: Set in nature
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #24. New York Times Bestseller
10. Sci and Nature # 40 About Survival

Sweet Tooth

 Sweet Tooth by Cassie Mint is definitely not on my typical reading list.  It is a very spicy office romance with some very explicit details.  I selected it due to the title as I have several challenges wanting the word tooth and sweet as prompts.  I survived the quick read and got through it in an evening.  Definitely not a book you want to encourage a young teen to read.  

Sweet Tooth by Cassie Mint
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

steamy sugary instalove

If you’re looking for a quick read about a quick romance with steamy scenes check this book out
Definitely has its racy moments

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  80
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #72
3. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #6. Read a steamy romance novel
4. Pick your Poison  # 113 A book with the word "teeth" in the title
5. Read Around the US   jun  New York

Death on Cozumel Island

I will admit I was drawn to Death on Cozumel Island because I have many happy memories of visits to the area during cruise vacations.  I am intrigued to go for a land trip now after reading about the fabulous scuba diving available there.   The scuba diving was the other aspect of Cindy Quayle's book that captured my interest.  I was able to certify and dive a few years before Covid hit.  It is now an item to get back to once I have successfully lost weight.  Quayle did an amazing job at capturing the feeling of the open water diving experience.  She not only included the positive aspects such as enjoying the beauty of the flora and fauna under the surface, but she discussed the struggles of the time on the surface quite accurately as well.  Besides the great descriptions of the setting for the book, the actual mystery was well constructed.  I would say the only negative I have to mention is the extreme degree to which she created an unlikeable victim.  It worked with the story though and I'm sure people have encountered such boors on their vacations.  I look forward to reading more in this series.  

Death on Cozumel Island by Cindy Quayle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun mystery even if it seems a bit of a stretch that Claire would go out on a linb for people she just met. The mystery and motivation are well structured. The paradise of Cozumel is well represented in this story. Claire clearly relishes experiencing the world and embracing the experiences. Any scuba fans will love reading about her diving adventures. Makes me want to decertify and go dive there myself. Looking forward to more in the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  79
2. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  Q
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. What an Animal Book #29
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #71
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #34
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #59
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #51
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #106  Shot #1
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
12. 23 in 2023 # 1 A book published in 2023
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #52 Published in 2023
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #51. A book published in 2023
15. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #24. 2023 New Release
16. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #1. 2023 New Release
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #12 A book published in spring 2023
18. Pick your Poison  # 12 A book about a hobby you do or would like to do
19. Read with Allison #31 2023 New Release 
20. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 13 2023 New Release
21. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  JUNE- Take the Plunge set around water

The Mother in Law

 The Mother In Law, by Sally Hepworth is an ebook I have had on my Kindle for a while.  I uncovered it when I went looking for a thriller set in Australia in order to fulfill prompts from different challenges using the same book as the month was nearing an end.  This book has quite an intriguing set of characters and a suspenseful story based in Melbourne.   The story bounces back and forth between the present when the matriarch of the family has passed away and into the past at different times to set the stage for the story.    The book grabbed my attention enough to stay up until 2am to finish it on the 2nd day of reading.  I plan to look into other books by Hepworth.  

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this thriller set in Australia. I liked both the suspenseful storyline and the characters developed in the story. The family dynamics in the story are very relatable to many readers I am certain. There are background stories that all weave together to tell a story of relationships and death.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  77
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 8
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #57
4. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #58
5. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #105  Shot #1
6. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #23 recommended by a bookseller
8. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #8. Book that is set in the decade you were born in 
9. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #26. RECOMMENDED BY BOOKSTORE
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #21 A book set in the decade you were born
11. Pick your Poison  # 24 A standalone book
12. Read with Allison #17 Bookstore Recommendation:
13. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Jun Set in Australia
14. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  June: Thriller

Demon Copperhead

 Demon Copperhead is the 2nd book by Barbara Kingsolver that I have read.   The first was Poisonwood Bible many years ago.  I do remember enjoying that book very much.  I liked the writing and the character development in Demon Copperhead but due to the heavy and depressing nature of the story, I ended up DNFing it as I just couldn't take the sadness at this point in my life.  We are dealing with some serious health situations with my husband and I just don't want to read books that are depressing and make me any more upset than my current life is.  I only read this book because it was a selection for my book club and wanted to try to complete the June book but just ended up getting a synopsis of the ending from a fellow member.  

I gave the book a 3 star rating because I did think it was a well-written adaptation of David Copperfield and the characters certainly grabbed my emotions.  

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

while the book is good and the characters well developed and easily to show empathy toward most of them I had to DNF this book as the topic was far too heavy and unsettling for me to read at this point. I was reading it for our book club selection and just couldn't bring myself to finish it entirely For those looking for a book with serious topics and great character development this is a good book. It highlights how so many of the horrific aspects of society- drug use/ under education/ failure by the system is very socio-economic in nature.

Trigger warnings:
Drug Additction/ Domestic Violence/ Neglect

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 76 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   64
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 15
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #69
5. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #25 standalone
6. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #12.  Goodread's 2022 Winner or Nominee
7. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #25. SUN, MOON OR STARS ON COVER
8. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #49 The longest book (by pages) on your TBR list
9. Pick your Poison  # 27 A book with a toy on the cover
10. Sci and Nature # 18 Element from the Periodic Table in the Title:
11. Beyond the Bookends  August- Read a book about the impact of poverty

Less

 I will admit this was not my favorite read of the year by any means and it was really more like a 3.5 star read for me.  It was slow to get moving and it was a bit confusing at times.  I ended up liking it at the very end but it definitely is something you need to stick with to get to the good part.  Arthur Less is a man who is lacking in self-confidence and his place in life.   That is probably the strength of the story, the character development.  The narrator was a bit confusing for me and I think it would be something that would be gained by revisiting the early chapters.  

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

interesting read

This was a bit of a slow burn in my opinion. The first half to 3/4 is a bit slow and drawn out for me. The story picked up a bit at the end. I am still confused on why it won a Pulitzer. I found the twists and turns interesting

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  67
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  55 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Morroco
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book # 60
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book # 50
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #26. A book related to pride
7. Bookworm #20 Read a book with a one-word title
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #15 won an award
9. HP Quidditch 23 #38 Fred Weasley: Read a duology (book 1)
10. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #13. A book with one word in the title
11. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #22 A book with a queer lead
12. Read with Allison #28 Book in a Duology (1): 

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been on my TBR list for a while.  I intended to read it last year and never got to it.  I started out reading it and then when I needed to drive to Chicago every day in April I decided to try this one as an audio.  I thoroughly enjoyed the proper British accent of the narrator.  It definitely added to the mood and setting the environment.  

This book was one of the most creative I have ever read.  It is hard to explain but it is a sort of a time loop with different hosts to the narrator in each section.  From the get-go as a reader you figure there is a twist to the story but I had no idea it was going to be what it was.   I definitely felt as though Turton was paying homage to Dante and the rings of Hell.  I really ended up enjoying this book once I got involved in it.  For those struggling to read the book and stay engaged, stick it out, it is worth it in the end!

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very creative thriller/mystery. For those who love a puzzle when they are reading this will be a real treat. The only reason I did not give this a 5 star is the difficulty getting engaged at the beginning of the book. I promise it is worth sticking it out. If you really get stuck, try it in audio format- the British accent will win you over and keep you listening. At times it can be confusing to keep all the characters straight but eventually it all makes sense.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   54
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 14
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #59
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #49
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #51
7. Medical Examiner Challenge 12 Toe Tags
8. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #37 Written in Present Tense
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #40. A book with a full name in the title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #16 here there be monsters
12. HP Quidditch 23 #7 Bludger: A book you think will knock your socks off (or off your broom!)
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #26. Read a book that has time travel in it
14. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #50. HISTORICAL OR FANTASY
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
16. Pick your Poison  # 134 A book with a chess piece on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 12 That Plays With Time:
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #24 Takes Place In A Day
19. Beyond the Bookends  January- Read a book coming to the screen in 2023
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO   May In  it to Win It

Don't Look Behind You

 Don't Look Behind You! A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos is the second memoir I have read by Peter Allison.  He is an entertaining storyteller and spent significant time in the bush in Africa.  In this book, he describes some of the antics that it is amazing he lived to tell about.   If you like travel or animals you will definitely find things to enjoy in this book.  There are some sad moments that make you think about man's relationship with animals as well as some laugh-out-loud moments.  Definitely more of the latter in the book.  It is a great read to pick up when you have a short time to read as each chapter is effectively its own standalone story.  

 

Don't Look Behind You! A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos by Peter Allison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

an enjoyable memoir about the author's time in Africa leading safaris and other various jobs in the industry. anyone who loves animals or adventures will enjoy reading the book. it is amazing the author lived to tell his story based on some of the snippets he shares.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  65
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   53
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Botswana
4. What an Animal Book #21
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #58
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #48
7. Humor  Book #2
8. Memoir  #5 Animal Memoir:
9. Non Fiction Reader  #ReadNonFicChal   Book #2 Memoir/Biography
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  # 41. With a Long Title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #8 non-fiction just for fun
12. HP Quidditch 23 #2 Quidditch World Cup: Set in a country you’ve never been to
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #4. Read a nonfiction book
14. Pick your Poison  # 82 A book with the work "lion," "elephant," or mouse in the title
15. Sci and Nature # 26 About Your Favorite Science or Nature Topic
16. What's in a Name   #1  Punctuation
17. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  April  Memoir
18. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  March Set in Africa

the marriage portrait

 The Marriage Portrait is a novel selected by my book club for our April read.   I wasn't really sure what to expect as this is the first book I have read by Maggie O'Farrell.  The group read Hamnet earlier in the year but I was not at the meeting so I did not read the book.  For fans of readers of historical fiction not set around WWI and WWII this is a good pick.  It is set in 1500s Italy.  I did find it a bit difficult to follow at first as there are multiple time points that are bounced between. as well as different narrators.  The story is about Lucrezia Medici and her role in the family's place in Renaissance Italy.  Having visited Florence and seen the Medici palace adds another layer of intrigue to this book for me.  

Free spirited in her youth and suddenly thrust into marriage, Lucrezia plays a vital role in the Medici heritage.  This is an interesting historic fiction novel that is a bit of a suspense work as well.   

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great historical period piece set in 1500s Italy. Even more engaging if you have been to Florence and the Medici palace. There is quite a bit of jumping between 3 time periods so sometimes it is a bit confusing to remember which point in the story you are at. Otherwise a great read

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 55 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  43 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #48
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #4
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #18 Set During a War other than WWI or WWII
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #41. A book from the NPR “Books We Love” lists
7. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #4. With More Than 500 Pages
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #52 picked out by a friend with no context
9. HP Quidditch 23 #46 Weasley is our King: Contains royalty
10. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #44. Read a book set around wartime
11. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 # 37. SELECTED BY FAMILY OR FRIEND
12. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #29 A book your friend recommended
13. Pick your Poison  # 114 A book about our ancestors
14. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  Mar Literary Fiction

Larceny in Liverpool

 Who ever thought I would read a cozy mystery starring the Beatles.  Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh is a clever cozy that does just that.  There's a bit of a mystery surrounding stolen lyrics surrounded by a lot of fanaticism in the early days of the Beatles.  There are glimpses of famous locations such as the Cavern Club and plenty of strange fan mail.   The book is clever if not super deep in the clues.  I am not sure how the series will continue but I am willing to give the next installment a go;   particularly since they are in Kindle Unlimited.  

Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

such a fun premise

What a totally unique idea for a cozy mystery. It’s fun to read about secrets within the inner circle as the Beatles first struck out in their career. There are lots of components people will be familiar with but the story and larceny are unique I look forward to reading more of Helen’s story telling

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  47
2. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
3. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #41
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #35
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Historical  #1
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #36
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #32
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #101  Shot #1
10. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book # 2
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #7 A City or Country name in the title
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #29. A book that is light
13. Cozy Mysteries   #22 Cozy without murder
14. HP Quidditch 23 #4 Quidditch Throughout the Ages: A historical fiction
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #23. Read a historical fiction novel
16. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #14. A BOOK YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #34 A historical-fiction book
18. Pick your Poison  # 61 A fiction book with a real person as protagonist
19. Read with Allison #8 Historical Fiction
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge April- Unusual Historic Fiction

A Proposal They Can't Refuse

 This rom-com by Natalie Cana was a complete surprise to me.  I didn't know much about A Proposal They Can't Refuse, other than it involved the trope of fake dating and mixed-heritage dating.  I was pleasantly surprised to find it was set in Chicago and thus fulfilled my geography prompt for IL as well as had some location familiarity for me.  

I found this to be a bit spicier than many rom-com works, with a bit more detail about bedroom activities that aren't always included in lighter rom-com books.  This book definitely developed the characters of Mila and Liam as well as their interactions with their families.   I also appreciated that it wasn't just a comedy of mistakes but rather some rather serious miscommunication that lead to issues among the couple and the families.  While it is an overall feel-good book, there are definitely some poignant moments, I would compare it to the JoJo Moyes, Me Before You series.  There are some intense emotions and character history to absorb.  Overall I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book in the series, ,due out at the end of Oct.  

A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

a rom com with depth

I really didn’t know much about the book when I started; only that it had a fake dating trope which fulfilled a challenge prompt for me. I found this book to have many happy and funny moments but it definitely had intense ones as well. It is most certainly not all happily ever after. For those looking for a rom com with some added depth and spice this is a great pick

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  46
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   38
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IL
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #40
5. Around the Year in 52 Books #48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #34. Genre You Don’t Usually Read
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #7  fairy/folktale you haven’t heard of before
8. HP Quidditch 23 #48 Wronski Feint: Includes misdirection
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #29. Read a book where the two main characters are "fake dating"
10. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #8. ROMANCE OR HORROR
11. Pick your Poison  #133 A book you wish you'd written 
12. Read with Allison #1 23 Letters in the Title
13. Read Your Bookshelf   A book that is in a different genre than your March book

MS Marvel Vol 4

 I have selected the Ms Marvel Vol 4  this year to continue reading the series as it covers multiple prompts from my challenges.  There is almost always a prompt where G Willow Wilson as an author meets the requirements.  Additionally this year there were prompts about graphic novels in genres I don't normally read and although Parable of the Sower would have fit the prompt, I utilized that graphic novel for other prompts.  

I did find this book, a series of books really, to be a bit more difficult to follow than previous volumes I have read.  I think it is much more intended for the die hard Ms Marvel fans and Avengers fans in general.  I like them but more from the entertainment factor of the movies rather than a devotion to the Marvel universe.  

That being said, I do enjoy the fact Kamala is portrayed as a strong young woman who overcomes many challenges including her family background to be someone that is admired and respected, even if it is her alter ego.  I would recommend reading the volumes in order as there are portions of previous stories that are built upon in this one and it gives context to have read the others.  

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found this volume of Ms Marvel to be a bit confusing. Not really sure if the story has to do with Thanos in the Marvel timeline or not. Also the last of the volume feels a bit miah mash with sudden random mix ups with Spider Man. I found myself quite confused and feeling as though I was lacking context to the storyline. This book felt as though it was better suited to hard core Avenger followers

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 45 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  37 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NJ
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #39
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #34
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #3. By a Black Author
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #12 name in the title 
8. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #3  A book outside of your comfort genre's 
9. Read with Allison #36 Fantasy
10. Read Your Bookshelf  March: The title starts with the next letter in the alphabet from your Feb book.
11. Diversify your reading #DYRC23 May: Young Adult

The Cracked Spine

 The Cracked Spine is not the first book I have read by Paige Shelton even if it is the first in the Scottish Bookstore series.  Like her Dangerous Type series, Shelton writes an amazing book with relatable characters.   Not all characters are endearing but they all feel real.  The other feature of her stories that I appreciate is her ability to mix the descriptions of the locale into the storyline without feeling as though you are reading an abundance of descriptive prose.   This succeeds in allowing the reader to feel as thought they are in the setting with the characters without losing the flow of the mystery.  

I am missing reading more of the Dangerous Type books so I was very happy to find this other series by Paige Shelton.  This is my second book of the year set in Edinburgh and it has definitely inspired me to want to travel there soon.  My mother's maternal side of the family is from here and it would be fun to revisit the place of my Ainsley heritage as I haven't been there in more than 40 years.  

The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable cozy. I especially enjoyed it as an audiobook with the narration using different accents and voices to reflect the different characters. The mystery is well constructed with plenty of doubt cast upon many of the suspects. Delaney is a bold and adventurous character with a slightly unusual ability. Her new found family at the Cracked Spine bookstore is quirky but loveable. I look forward to reading the series.

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  43
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  36 
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 5
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #38
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #32
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #16
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #34
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #30
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 85 Shot #4
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
13. Bookworm #6 Read a book you meant to read for last year's challenge
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #9. A book that has been on your TBR for 2+ years or more
15. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 28 Castles

Death Over Easy

 I really have found myself enjoying the Country Store series by Maddie Day.   The main character, Robbie, is a hard-working businesswoman and this is demonstrated in the story lines.  Death Over Easy is the 5th book and is set amidst a Bluegrass Festival being hosted in Southern Indiana.   I have family from IN and now several of my son's friends attend IU in Bloomington so I can relate to many of the locations mentioned in the story.   As I have mentioned previously I appreciate books more when I have the connections.

The mystery is quite involved and actually contains 2 victims in this book.  I liked the structure and felt it was laid out well.  My only complaint was the abruptness with which the story ended.  It felt almost like an, "have reached my page limit better finish"   The mystery was wrapped up it was just a bit rushed.  Didn't bother me enough to stop reading the series but I do hope it's an anomaly.   

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

music festival and murder

Robbie Jordan finds herself mixed up in another murder investigation. This one happens while trying to enjoy a bluegrass festival and a visit with her Italian father. There are lots of individuals suspected by the police among her B&B guests, friends, and family. All in all I enjoyed the book although I did find the resolution to be a bit abrupt. It almost felt like someone asaid you have to finish in the next 10 pages no matter how rushed it felt. I still enjoyed the story I just left feeling a bit disappointed

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 42 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 35  
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IN 
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 5
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #37
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #31
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #15
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #33
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #29
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #34  Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
14. Bookworm #60 free space
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #50 Free space
16. Pick your Poison  # 47 A book with luggage on the front cover
17. Beyond the Bookends  Mar About Music or Musician

Every Last Fear

 Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is an intense psychological thriller that was a 5 Star read for me.  This is a fast paced novel that is hard to put down.  I stayed up until 2am to finish it.  I was especially intrigued by the choice of locales for the Pines' new residence.  It is my hometown in the western suburbs of Chicago.  This choice led me to do digging on the author to see if there was a connection to Naperville, but I couldn't find one.  For this reason I am actually going to use this book for the down the rabbit hole prompt since I spent quite a while trying to figure out why Naperville would be selected.  

For a debut novel, this was a great read in my opinion.  The multiple-voice narration and dual timeline worked well and definitely added to the story rather than being a distraction.  This approach provided a vehicle for each character to reveal their own involvement in the matter and their secrets.   It made an already tragic story even more emotional and gut-wrenching.   If you are looking for a roller coaster and high-speed read this is one for you. 

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

intense the whole way through

I had no idea what this book was about but I stayed up late finishing it once I started. Crazy intensity that keeps the reader turning pages. The book is set in 2 timelines before the crime that shook the Pines’ lives and after. Everything feels like fate and each member played a role in the drama. The who and why was intense til the end and the reveal was a perfect culmination

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  35
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  28 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Mexico 
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #30
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #25
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #27
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  6 Toe Tags
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 list
9. Bookworm #7 Read a book with a basic shape on the cover
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #18. With Dual Timelines
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #4 meant to read it last year
12. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #38. Read a horror/creepy novel
13. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #40. DUAL TIMELINES
14. Pick your Poison  #84 A book you would wrestle from the jaws of a tiger to read
15. Read with Allison #5 Mood Read
16. Sci and Nature # 11 About a Dangerous Creature
17. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 30 Monsters

Just Shoot Me Dead

 Just Shoot Me Dead, by Anne R  Tan, was a random find on Hoopla in February.  They do a bonus borrow campaign in Feb and I saw this and decided to give it a try.  Turns out it is related to the Raina series I had been planning to try at some point so it was a double win.  I liked Lucy Fong and PoPo but Lucy has a bit more baggage than I would normally like in my MC. I tend to want to read these books to escape and try to solve a mystery.  Lucy has a lot of unresolved issues in her past and it feels like these may play a big role in the storylines.   I am willing to give the series another try before making a final decision though.  

Just Shoot Me Dead by Anne R. Tan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting premise for a cozy. Lucy’s family has a PI business that’s been in the family for generations. Problem is she left home as a teen and has nothing to do with it. That was until her mother is in the hospital after being shot and her sister is missing. Oh yeah there’s a dead guy in her sisters apartment. Needless to say there’s plenty of family drama. Mixed in with this is comedic relief of PoPo and cousin Stella and a bit of a budding romance with Max the police chief. There’s deception and secrecy all helping to hide the killer’s identity. The who is rather clever if it was revealed a bit abruptly but did make sense when all the pieces were explained. Overall an intriguing and unique cozy

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #33  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   27
3. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  J
4. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  A
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #29
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #24
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #9
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #25
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #22
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #99  Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags shot
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #33. A book by an author with a first name popular in 1923
15. HP Quidditch 23 #41 Cho Chang: Written by an Asian or AAPI author
16. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #2.  A book with more than 300 pages
17. Pick your Poison  # 93 A book with a beach on the cover
18. Read with Allison #10 Pronoun in the Title
19. What's in a Name   #4 You or Me
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge March Baggage