Where There's Murder There's Mystery anthology

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: (Average = 3.8 -> 4 stars)


This anthology consists of five short stories: 
Modus Operandi by Marsha Black
Lies Aren't Forever by Linda Burson
Haunting Memories by Hunter Marshall 
Absent Aberration by Jessica Ozment
Deadly Delivery by Steve Wilhelm


Modus Operandi
Rating: 3 stars
Bianca Wilson's coworker is murdered by a serial killer who carves into his/her victim's flesh. She waits one year before asking to be put on the case and then gets to work piecing together the facts of the case. As she gets closer to the truth, she begins to receive threatening notes from the killer, warning her to back off. Can she figure out who it is before it's too late?
The premise for this story is fairly interesting, and the drive and determination of the main character is admirable. I didn't have much trouble figuring out who the "bad guy" was, but there was a certain creepy factor that came along with figuring out who it was. The editing on this story needs a lot of work, and the story could have been much shorter if all of the "eating" scenes were left out. In fact, each scene/chapter seemed the same after a while.

Lies Aren't Forever
Rating: 3.5 stars
Russell Stewart has been happily married to Betsy for a few years...until one day when a blonde woman, Tiffany Bell, from his past comes around saying some shocking things. Russell used to have a different name and a different life, and Betsy confronts him about his past. After learning about his tumultuous history, they hire Cammy Clemons, a PI, to help them with the situation. Russell must play a role to appease Tiffany. Can he finally be free of her and her father?
If you like twisty dramas, this story is for you! There was a lot of crazy and unexpected stuff that happened. The characters seemed to not blend together too much (I especially thought Tiffany was a very unique and interesting person. Her speech patterns and behavior were different.)  
This story read like a transcript/screenplay (it was dialogue heavy, and the present-tense, third-person narration was just odd). The drama in this story was at times unbelievable (as in, it's actually difficult to suspend disbelief that people actually act like they do in this story.) The wife, Betsy, who is heavily involved in the first part, disappears entirely for the rest of the story and only appears at the very end. There weren't too many errors/typos in the story, which was refreshing!

Haunting Memories
Rating: 4 stars
Axel has moved back to his hometown after many years to work on a cold case -- a girl named Clarissa was found stabbed in a haunted house, and the killer was never found. He is assigned to work with Blaire, his old girlfriend. When they are reunited, it is like nothing has changed, although Blaire has an ex-husband and a son. As they spend the next few months working on the case together, they grow closer, but both are worried that things will fall apart after the case is closed. Can they solve the murder and remain together?
This story is a mix between romance and mystery. It kind of reads like a Hallmark movie.
I liked the inclusion of a haunted house and the "story within a story" about Aubrielle and her husband and children. There were odd inconsistencies/errors/other things that made this story interesting. There were spelling inconsistencies as well as timeline inconsistences (was Blaire 27 or 29? How could the twins be the same age as Blaire and Axle if they were born in the 60s? Is it Kerrigan or Kerrian?) The narration included some head-hopping, which can be jarring. I had a hard time understanding why the story was stretched out over three months or so. The setting was pretty cool though. I liked the "cowboy" feel of the story. 
This is a neat story for people who like contemporary romance. 

Absent Aberration
Rating: 4.5 stars 
When her brother goes missing in Alaska while working on a cold case, Maranda travels to Alaska in an attempt to figure out what happened. She stays in the same resort he did and plans to go through the evidence left behind and travel to a cabin where he was supposed to be headed. The weather disrupts her plans, leaving her essentially stranded in the hotel. She meets strange people and is warned not to trust anyone. Can she find out what happened to her brother before the killer gets her? 
I really enjoyed this story. It was written well and was full of suspense and mystery. Maranda was a likeable character, and the scenes from her brother's perspective made it all the more thrilling and interesting. The setting was great: an isolated resort in the wintertime in Alaska. The nearly empty hotel and the Stepford-wife-esque treatment was a fun and almost creepy aspect. I was a little confused by the ending, but the story was enjoyable to read!  

Deadly Delivery
Rating 4 stars
Chris Jakoby is a courier who has just picked up a package containing something shocking--information on an assassination. He struggles with what to do about it until his deadline is over, and then the client comes after him for breaching their agreement. Chris is on the move, trying to get as far away as possible, but his pursuers seem to always be one step ahead. Can he finally be free of them?
This story was very engaging. It was certainly exciting and gritty. There is more killing and language in this story than the others, which I liked! The main character is male, and his thought processes throughout the story are interesting to read about. He's on the run and isn't sure what kind of technology the bad guys have at their disposal, so it forces him to get creative about what he does. There was a little bit of a romance twist at the end, and then the story ended on a cliffhanger. Overall, a really fun story. I would probably have liked it better if it would have resolved. 

Purchase this anthology HERE

Shades of Betrayal by Jill Ramsower

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Romance
Rating: 3.5/5 stars 

I enjoyed the Fae Games duet, which features primarily Rebecca (that is, the story is told from her POV only.) Ashley, her friend and roommate appears in both books, but her storyline is definitely not a focus of those books. Shades of Betrayal is written in a dual POV, focusing on Ashley and Michael, one of the members of the Hunt. It covers from before the defeat of Morgan to a few months after and involves Rebecca quite a bit less.

The dual POV definitely gave this book a different feel, and it had more of a "contemporary romance" feel than the Fae Games duet. Ashley is a different kind of Fae than Rebecca, so it is interesting to see how she deals with the transition--discovering her powers, learning how to "feed" her magic, etc. Ashley is very different than Rebecca. She seems independent and stronger willed in some ways. The "push and pull" between her and Michael made for quite a lot of drama. I feel like most of the book was fairly predictable. I spotted the main villain almost instantly. There was one thing that surprised me near the end, but not much time was spent on it. I would have liked to see more scenes in Faery (and more "intrigue" and "fantasy" scenes in general.) The first chapter was very interesting! Learning about Michael and his past was really cool. I also enjoyed some of the parts where he (and Ashley) go around town trying to catch the Unseelie who is preying on women. The "mystery/investigation" feel was great in those parts. It did seem to jump around a bit, and I'm not a fan of dual POV because it tends to get somewhat repetitive jumping back in time to explore the same interaction from the different points of view. It does give you a deeper insight into what's happening though (how people say/act one way but really feel totally different.)

Overall, I like the duet better since it has more of a urban fantasy feel than a romance feel. If you love reading romance novels, you will probably love this book! One thing that's great about this series is that each book really is very unique. They all add something a little different to the universe, and the characters and storylines don't get blurred together/start feeling formulaic like happens in other series sometimes. 

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Storm Front by Jim Butcher (Book 1: Dresden Files)

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 5 stars +
I can't believe I waited so long to start this series. I have heard quite a few people recommend it throughout the years, so I bought a copy and set it aside. I am more than blown away by this book and am now eagerly searching for hardcover copies of each book in the series.
I was truly hooked from the first page. The wit and pace of this book is truly terrific. Sometimes books that are supposed to be funny and witty come across as pretentious and annoying. But Harry Dresden isn't annoying. Reading this book was honestly a totally delightful experience. I would have finished it in one sitting if I would have had the time to do so. It's very engaging and, even with the dark content it has, almost lighthearted. Harry Dresden is unlike many protagonists I have encountered. He sort of comes across as a hot mess. He's not a billionaire. He doesn't possess any truly staggering supernatural abilities. He seems down to earth, approachable, and fun.
The supernatural elements of this book are not terribly unique, but the world is rich and I am eager to learn more about it. I am looking forward to reading more about the White Council, the Nevernever, and other things he mentioned but we didn't truly get to see. From what I hear, the series only just gets better and better, and I am already a total fan. 
This is one of my FAVORITE books this year! 
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Twilight Siege by Jill Ramsower

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 stars

I enjoyed the first book in the series, although it was a bit slow and was more of a setup for things to come. This book was better than the first. The first part was similar to the first book, but things got exciting in the last half. Becca is transitioning from human to fae and must deal with the consequences of that (like figuring out how to feed to maintain her powers). She is also pulled into a war she isn't prepared for. Things heat up with Lochlan, and the druids have more of a presence in this book. I particularly appreciated that they travel outside the human realm more in this book. Becca learns more about her powers and meets a variety of new, interesting people--friends and foes.

I am eager to read the next installment (Shades of Betrayal, about Ashley) now that I have read this one. The writing does seem to be improving from one book to the next! I have enjoyed the series. 

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Beneath the Whispers by Jim Ody

Genre: Thriller 

Rating: 4 stars 

This book is just about the perfect length! I was able to comfortably read it in one day, which is difficult to do with kids and life :-) It did get off to a slow start, but I think in the case of a book like this, that is key. It got more and more interesting as it went on, and the ending was totally unexpected (in true Jim Ody fashion.) Ody has a delightful wit and sense of humor that makes reading the book enjoyable. The main character was kind of irritating, but I'll tell you what, some of the things he says resonate right in your core. I was crying by the end of chapter 11.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author. :-)
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Island Life Sentence by Carrie Jo Howe

Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
Rating: 3 stars 

This book is a bit outside my normal genre, but I decided to try it anyway.
Peg is a forty-something woman who has just moved to Key West "with" her husband Clark. They recently sold a business and have a bit of money coming in, so neither has to work. But as soon as they get there, Clark leaves for a consulting job in Cuba, promising he'll be back in a few weeks.
Weeks turn into months, and Peg is having a really tough time acclimating. The weather is totally different, and she keeps encountering crazy problems. Her best friend Trudy visits her but ends up leaving in a Med-chopper.

Overall, this was a light, enjoyable read. I do feel like the majority of the wit and humor didn't quite reach me. Maybe it was because the main character is so totally different than me. She has no children but treats her dog like her child. She is used to Chicago, not the southern humidity. I never could quite relate to her. Now, her friend Trudy on the other hand was a pretty enjoyable character! I found her to be interesting from the first time she appeared in the book. 
SPOILER:
I also found it quite funny that Trudy hated Clark from the very beginning. It was pretty clear from the beginning that Clark was cheating, and I think her attitude toward him provided good clues for that.
END SPOILER
I did feel for Peg as the book went on. Things that were truly out of her control kept happening, so it's not like she brought her problems on herself. She does come across as a little ditzy though.


This would be a good read for people who are a bit closer to the age of the main character I think.
Not a bad read overall. 

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Real Heroes by Alan Greenwood

Genre: YA

Rating: 4

Mark is a troubled delinquent teen from Hobbs, NM with a stoner father a dead twin brother, and an absent mother. He gets caught one day stealing and leads the police right to his house, where they arrest his father on drug charges. Mark gets sent to a reform camp of sorts in Puerto. He makes immediate plans to run away but gets caught. As he serves his time, he makes new friends. But the losses of his life soon become overwhelming, and he has to learn what it means to be a real hero.


This book is a quick read -- less than 200 pages. The pace is slow, but it gave me a feeling of peacefulness as I was reading. Mark really isn't that bad of a kid. It's very easy to see how the circumstances of his life and the people he should be able to count on have really damaged his ability to make good choices, and this is something he learns and takes responsibility for over the course of the book.
I was pleasantly surprised at some of the "side stories" that were woven throughout this book. It's not all from Mark's POV. There's a bear who lives near the camp whose story is actually really tragic and elicited some emotions from me. The Tim character was fun to read about. There is kind of a surprise "villain" near the end that I did NOT guess correctly. The story itself isn't super suspenseful, but it's written in such a way that you want to follow Mark on his journey. Without spoiling anything, this book deals with the topic of loss very heavily and doesn't have a particularly happy ending, but the messages are solid and the emotions are strong.

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The Silver Thief by L.J. Clarkson (Book 0.5 in the Mastermind Academy series)

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Rating: 4.5

I read the Mastermind Academy books 1-3 before this and enjoyed them thoroughly. One of the things I love the most about the series is the creativity and beauty of the world. The technology is so fun, and the characters are all very lively and interesting. I was very excited to read this book because Boldrick and Esme are my favorite characters from the main series, and this book didn't disappoint. The tone was slightly different but in a great way. This book focuses on Esme's ASA training and how she and Boldrick became friends. This is my favorite of L.J. Clarkson's books so far! 

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The Silver Skull by L.J. Clarkson (Book 3 in the Mastermind Academy Series)

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Rating: 3.5
It has been a while since I read the first two in this series, but I remember feeling sort of enchanted with the overall world and cast of characters. I thought I would pick this up for a light read in-between some larger books.
I did like this book, but as other reviewers have said, it had sort of a different feeling than the others. I really liked getting to see things from Boldrick's perspective. I think he and Esme are probably my favorite characters. I was disappointed that things go so poorly between Isabelle and Lyandra in this book, and I was disappointed to not see that resolve. I like her new friend Rega, and the bodyguard added some fun too. I am still loving the technology and magic aspect of these books! It's very creative. I thought the thing with Bianca at the end was odd and sort of came out of nowhere. I wish we would have seen a better resolution to the whole book, but cliffhangers certainly aren't the end of the world! I haven't seen an indication that book five is on its way anytime soon though. :(
Not a bad book. There were some odd inconsistencies/errors and it did seem like all the characters were kind of all over the place emotionally. I will probably end up reading the Christmas book and the prequel about Boldrick since I like him a lot! 

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Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.5 stars

I've had this book recommended to me so many times by so many people. I finally got the time to sit down and read it. Reading this book was certainly a very pleasant experience. I was one of those people who was under the impression that geisha were essentially high-class prostitutes, so I am glad I read this book because I learned a LOT!
The characters were all interesting because the culture, of course, that time and place was so different from America in 2018. The way things are described is beautiful, and I was able to paint a wonderful picture in my mind of Gion and other areas of the book (especially her hometown).
I particularly liked the character of Nobu. He was much different than everyone else, and I found myself laughing at what seemed at first like cynicism and grumpiness. But really, he was just not buying into the whole geisha thing. And after a while, I sort of began to agree with him. I do understand the system a little better now, but I don't think I will ever be able to appreciate it fully. They are essentially entertainers, but it's semi-sexual even though they are NOT prostitutes. It's a little confusing to me why they would be of such value and these men would pay so much money to see their favorites. Buying one's virginity makes more sense (even though it's atrocious) as does the paid mistress thing (dannas). Some of the scenes near the end with Nobu, the Chairman, and the Minister made it all make slightly more sense. They seemed to play some fun games and sit around and relax and drink and have fun. I guess I just don't understand why it was all so fancy and structured. Is it because "normal" women had better things to do like take care of house and kids? It came across as unnecessarily hedonistic and wasteful. Anyway, I suppose that's the point of the book--to introduce foreign ideas to us.
One of my only complaints with this book is that the Translator's Foreword gave me the impression that this book was based on a true story. I understand that was the intention, and it definitely affected how I read the book (I agree that it wouldn't have been as good if I hadn't thought Sayuri was a real person.) If I'm being honest, I felt a little manipulated and disappointed in the end though. The story itself was engaging enough, although I felt like the ending was less interesting than the first part of the book, and it wasn't quite as satisfying as I was hoping. Sayuri seemed to lack a certain drive, and I can understand why that might be (she felt trapped and just did what she had to do.) Nobu (a bright spot in the book) also pointed out her lack of drive. I kept feeling like the things that happened to her were mostly due to luck (and the big reveal at the end made things more clear, but I still felt as though Sayuri sort of just floated through life).
Although I did like how the Chairman was weaved throughout the story, I never really quite understood Sayuri's obsession with him. He seemed nice enough, but I felt like their time together at the end was sort of rushed. (I suppose that was due to a lack of conflict. Things were so wonderful at that point it would have been boring.)
I loved Mameha and hated Hatsumomo, and the storylines with Nobu and Pumpkin really did elicit some feelings of sadness and regret. (I was honestly very irritated with Sayuri for how she treated Nobu, although I can understand her position. The heart wants what the heart wants.)
This book was definitely thought provoking, and I am glad to have read it!

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