Review copy was received from Libro.fm. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the conThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Libro.fm. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I wanted to try this author and I saw The Brothers Kenney and jumped into it. It was totally not what I expected. I thought it would have a lawyer and a legal story but it was more of a mystery and character development. Obviously, I did not read the blurb well.
Sean, the younger brother, is the point of view for this story. There is some back and forth between the past and present. After being a track star, he sort of fell apart when competing ended. He hadn't had a good plan for what to do after his track career. He lost his sense of self without it.
I don't want to get into what happens beyond a death in the family bringing him home to where he grew up. He has suspicions that the death was murder, although the police don't see it that way. Sean talks to people and tries to get more information. He is not a skilled investigator. He bumbles around, while rebuilding his life.
I was pleased to see Sean put his life together and spend more time with family. The family members are not perfect people but they are better than he initially expects. He finds a new career with the help of his family, and he turns out to have a talent for it. In the end, he does solve what was murder but that is a sad victory.
Narration: I don't think I have listened to this narrator previously. I enjoyed the performance and felt the voices appropriate for the characters. It was comfortable and kept me in the story. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the booThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
I was happy to read more in the world of the Iron Druid Chronicles and we do get a scene with each of the three Druids. As I expected, we are dealing with Al's curse and how Roxanne will live in the human world. Nadia embarks on her own path of creating a religion of whiskey drinking, cheese eating and non-violence to have a tax exempt entity for her van adventures and entertainment.
I enjoyed Al as he worked through his regular sigil agent work, while researching more about his curse. There is a fun visit to the nine ways to Nancy. He also has to stay ahead of the local detectives partly because of Nadia and Buck's shenanigans. I am not really a fan of Buck and the hobgoblins, and just wished his parts to end faster.
I wished we had more time with the dogs, of course. But the time with them and the Druids was fun. I enjoy the magic and the skill and strategy required to utilize it. Owen helped with a vampire issue and that involved some contact with Leif.
Dating Roxanne is a perilous endeavor. Eventually she finds a new calling to ease into human customs. She isn't wrong to be mad about how some dates treated her but her reaction was way harsh.
Being back in the world overall was fun and the ending was well wrapped and satisfying. Al even finds a new candidate to be his apprentice. There could easily be new adventures in this world in some kind of novella, especially with the dogs.
Narration: Luke Daniels was amazing with all the accents and characters. The voices were distinct for a huge range of characters. He's an absolute favorite. I listened at my normal 1.5x speed.
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the coThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
I was very excited to see the start of a new series by Richard Osman. His development of characters is smart and a bit funny. Anyway, whether a good guy or a villain, one can't help but grow to like the characters. They are people either way.
We Solve Murders begins with Amy who is a bodyguard currently, for a famous novelist, Rosie. When things go sideways and bodies start turning up in Amy's previous clients, she turns to her father-in-law, because he is someone she can trust.
Steve is an ex-cop, retired, and grieving the loss of his wife, Bonnie. He has his comfortable little routine at home, with his buddies in the bar and his cat, Trouble. But Amy is important to him so he will help her even if he doesn't want to leave home. Plus he is really good at deducing who the villains are and what they are doing.
Rosie is a wild, rich woman and really she's a hoot. Of course, she comes along to support Amy and Steve. In addition to these three points of view, we get some of the bad guys and assassin's thoughts who are after them.
With Rosie as a distraction, Amy as protection and Steve's keen discernment of people, they solve the murders. Well, they all do their part on distraction, protection and discernment really. It's a smart, hilarious journey and I can't wait for more.
Narration: Nicola Walker is quite new to me as a narrator. I have listened to her once previously in a full cast production. I loved her performance for both male and females, with distinct voices for the primary characters. The accents seemed appropriate. I listened comfortably at 1.5x speed.
The title Breaking Point is appropriate. The government officials' actions are infuThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
4.5 hearts
The title Breaking Point is appropriate. The government officials' actions are infuriating and frankly, criminal. Joe, in his state position, with a new director, of course ends up right in the middle of things. His daughter is good friends with the fugitive's daughter, Hannah. In fact, Hannah, is staying at his house.
I was pleased to see Reed as sheriff but of course the old sheriff can't butt out. The EPA people are ridiculous. The governor isn't totally a bad guy; at least he is positive about Joe. His new boss is all about the wildlife protection and is shocked by the law enforcement aspects.
Joe ends up in an unprepared trek around the mountains with the EPA folks who have no experience in the wilderness. I was proud of Joe for collecting evidence, working with Mary Beth to find the truths in the situation. He helped everyone he could to save lives and diffuse the situations. There are some things left open at the end so I am, ready to read Stone Cold as soon as I can.
COYER Buddy read with Berls who rated it ()...more
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the booThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I enjoyed No One Does It Like You even though it wasn't too realistic. The main characters Rosie and Tom were likeable. They are speaking the first time in 10 years. Tom reached out to her when he thought he might die. Rosie returned his call to see if he would help her when no one else would. They aren't perfect people but they do care about others.
Tom and Rosie were married 10 years ago and he never really wanted to divorce. He just didn't understand what Rosie wanted or needed. Now he is determined to have the women he has always loved back in his life.
Rosie is trying to help her elderly aunt, Max, repair the inn after the hurricane. The Inn has been the place where the family always gathered for holidays and events. Rosie had her wedding there. Unfortunately, other than Max, Rosie's family are crap. They just want to sell and aren't interested in helping Rosie or Max or having family events.
Tom is going to take it on and no matter what, show Rosie he will be there and be what she needs. Things are a huge mess, really a disaster. Rosie with her allergies and asthma can't really do the work and Tom isn't really experienced in construction. Her family won't help with anything. I was especially appalled by the cousin who managed the property ( and is paid to do it) hadn't done a thing even to remove foodstuffs there after the hurricane and just left them to rot. I wouldn't be letting them manage the property in the future.
Tom, wants help from a female actor who is good with design, and reluctantly lets other people from his upcoming Broadway play, come and help. They care about Tom and if he cares about Rosie they will help. Boyd is a quite well-known star and he brings "groupies" who are surprisingly helpful, along with others who want his star to shine on them.
Even after things are renovated, her family wants Max to sell to pay for her care. They expect Rosie to figure it out, Max's care and finances, and sell the inn so they don't have to do anything. Tom and Rosie have different ideas and I loved them.
Narration: I have enjoyed this narrator in the past. I was comfortable with her voices. She really did a great job with a deeper voice for Tom as he had a lot of lines and we spent a lot of time in his head. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the coThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 Hearts
I loved this! I am so glad I was able to squeeze this one into the schedule. The Serial Killer's Guide to San Francisco was very smart, fun and easy to read. Our main point of view and teller of the story is Capri. She is a divorced mother of a graduate student daughter, Morgan. At the time of her divorce, she had to develop a way to support them and came up with running a tour company about serial killers in San Francisco. It's been successful.
As the grand-daughter of a famous serial killer (who died in prison claiming to be innocent), she has never learned much about him. When her ex-mother-in-law cuts off Morgan's school funding, there is a copy-cat murder, her lovely co-workers suggest she do a podcast and write a book, solving the old murder and the new.
Capri was so smart and her journalism background gave her skills to research and dig out the facts for us. She also has the fear of an innocent being arrested for something they didn't do, like her grandfather. Her co-workers are a found family of sorts and were great supporters. All the while, she and Morgan were also suspects. They are also dealing with their devastated ex-father-in-law and horrible ex-husband.
I won't say more for fear of spoiling the mystery and investigation. It had some tense moments. I recommend this read highly!
Narration:
I have listened to this narrator before. I really appreciated her clear and distinct voices for characters. The emotional tones added to the performance which was a pleasure. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed....more
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the booThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
I was surprised to see this was a different narrator than the first book until I realized the point of view is Harry Steinbeck rather than Van Reed. It's quite fascinating to have it and I wonder if all the books in the series will alternate this way. They both have secrets and fears on which we are getting more information.
I love that Harry is a germophobe. As a scientist, he knows the risks. He is the point of view here and I love that we get to know him and his past in The Reaping, as we got Van's in The Taken Ones. The Epilogue has always been in the other's point of view. I would highly recommend reading the books in order.
This team is part of a cold case squad at the BCA in Minnesota. Van has 10 years experience as a homicide detective in Minneapolis and made the switch to the BCA when her partner died (of a heart attack). Harry is a highly respected forensic scientist. They travel to a small Finnish village outside Duluth (Harry's home town) when a recent murder has similarities to a cold case of 25 years ago.
The investigation, as in the last book, is more difficult because the local homicide detective on the case is not helpful at all. The town is very insular and no one will provide information or answer questions beyond the small amount of details already known. Everyone in town is involved in their main business a psychiatric prison for serial killers Harry and Van keep looking at things and Van keeps having nightmares which lead her to ask about certain things.
When the town's children start disappearing, they dig deeper and try to work faster to save them. The Finnish legends and rituals holding the adults in solidarity. The horrors of the case are enough to make the team of Harry and Van even stronger.
I absolutely LOVE the alternating point of view which suits the presentation of Harry and Van between the books. The plots involve frustrating ignorance of the truth for the ease of overlooking it. The children force the light and improve the future. For me, the Minnesota settings are really fun since I have lived there. I appreciated the author's note on how she came to write this story and created fictional scenarios on top of some real places. I can't wait for more in this series!
Narration: I am new to this narrator. It's a different narrator than the prequel and first book The Taken Ones. At first I didn't like that; I don't always do well with a narrator switch, particularly because I finished listening to the first book and went right on with this one. BUT then I found this book will be from Harry's point of view instead of Van's so it makes sense to have a male narrator. I enjoyed the performance of the male and female voices although it was mostly Harry's thoughts with a little dialogue between him and Van and some of the witnesses they questioned. I listened at my usual 1.5x speed.
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the bookThis review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I love this Cork O'Connor series and each book is a gift. There is the diversity of cultures, and even different tribes of Native Americans. I easily recall the natural beauty of Minnesota. The family is a solid support to their community with Cork investigating lost and missing on his own time, a few members of the family pursuing religious work, and others law enforcement. Many social and environmental issues come to light in the pursuit of their daily lives.
In Spirit Crossing, the fight is against a pipeline ruining the unspoiled forests and waters of Minnesota. Waaboo is a native boy who was rescued and adopted by Cork's daughter, Jenny. When they all go blueberry picking, he has a vision and talks to a ghost which leads him to a dead body or two. There are a few Native teens missing but for two weeks the white teen daughter of a state senator teen has been missing.
Cork and numerous branches of law enforcement search for the missing girls and the killers of the bodies they have found. What they find is heart breaking. And the perpetrators don't want interference so they go after Waaboo and others that might unveil them.
The personal family story paired with these events include Stephen's wedding. Annie and her partner, Maria, come to Minnesota from Guatemala where she has seen some similar social justice issues in her work. Henry tries to counsel Waaboo to be strong and handle his gifts which he manages well for a 7 year old.
The combination of police investigations, diversity, native cultures, social and environmental issues, natural beauty, and family form a compelling read. I highly recommend this series and I would start at the beginning so as not to miss anything.
Narration: David Chandler is the voice of this series and the one I hear in my head. The Minnesota locations were pronounced as I expected. I enjoy his distinct voices for all the characters which I can recognize easily. I was able to listen at my normal 1.5x speed....more
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