Book Review

Due or Die

due or die

Due or Die (Library Lover’s Mystery #2) By: Jenn McKinlay

Plot:

Answering tricky reference questions is excitement enough for library director Lindsey Norris. Until a murder is committed in her cozy hometown of Briar Creek, Connecticut, and the question of who did it must be answered before someone else is checked out–for good.

Review:

Jenn McKinlay is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. I’ve only read three of her books though so it might be a bit premature. I’m actually really sad that I have no money and I’ve been having to check her books out from the library. Not just because the library doesn’t have all of them but because I really want to support her by buying them. I’ve added them to a list of books to purchase when I do have funds.

Anyway, this book is filled with things I love. I love libraries, I love small towns, I love large quiet men that are dreamy. I mean seriously it’s like this book was made for me.

The main character, Lindsey, isn’t ditzy or always getting herself into bad situations. She’s a smart career woman that is kind but doesn’t put up with crap from people. She’s not perfect but she’s not so flawed that she seems hopeless.

Can’t wait to read the next one and then the one after that and then the one after that. I love it when I discover authors that have lots of books for me to read before I catch up to them.

5/5

Books Can Be Deceiving

books can be decieving

Books Can Be Deceiving (Library Lover’s Mystery #1) By: Jenn McKinlay

Plot:

Lindsey is getting into her groove as the director of the Briar Creek Public Library when a New York editor visits town, creating quite a buzz. Lindsey’s friend Beth wants to sell the editor her children’s book, but Beth’s boyfriend, a famous author, gets in the way. When they go to confront him, he’s found murdered-and Beth is the prime suspect. Lindsey has to act fast before they throw the book at the wrong person.

Review:

So happy I found this series. I really liked the first book in the Cupcake Bakery Mystery series but unfortunately I have no money and the local library doesn’t have the next book in the series. They did, however, have this book, the first in a new series.

It’s about a librarian, which is awesome, she’s smart and lives in a small coastal town, which is also awesome, and she just happens to solve mysteries. Well I’m not sure I would go so far as to say solve, she pursues an answer until she gets in the murders way and has to be killed. She keeps her wits about her, though, and wins.

Already reading the next in the series and loving them.

5/5

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme

The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (A Domestic Diva Mystery) By: Krista Davis

Plot:

Few can compete with Natasha Smith when it comes to entertaining, but her childhood rival, Sophie Winston, certainly tries. Natasha may have stolen the spotlight–and Sophie’s husband–but Sophie is determined to rob her of the prize for the Stupendous Stuffing Shakedown. She just needs the right ingredient. But Sophie’s search for the perfect turkey takes a basting when she stumbles across a corpse. And when the police find her name and photo inside the victim’s car, Sophie will have to set her trussing aside to solve the murder–or she’ll be serving up prison grub.

Review:

Those librarians saw me coming a mile away. This book was on display when I went to the library to just pick up one book. I have so many books on my kindle that I need to get to, but I keep getting hold books ready to pick up.

Anyway, I liked this book enough to read the next but I wouldn’t mark it as one of my favorite cozy mysteries. Mainly because of the supporting cast. The main chick was fine but her mother and sister drove me crazy! My life could be a cozy mystery if I had that woman for a mother, only I’d be the murderer trying not to be caught. She was annoying and constantly trying to hook her daughter up with any man available. Davis was able to resolve two murders and a poisoning but not the fact that the mother told some delusional man that her daughter had a crush on him in grade school.

The book was fine, like I said, just not as good as the Jenn McKinlay books I’ve read.

3/5

Styxx

Styxx

Styxx (Dark-Hunter #12) By: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Plot:

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge. As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s. The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her. But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer. Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it’s your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

Review:

If I was rating this book on the first six hundred pages it would not get a good rating. It was a continuous stream of torture. The titular character was physically, psychologically, and emotionally abused, by everyone around him. There were only two people in his entire life that didn’t treat him like absolute crap, so naturally they were taken from him.

The blurb above is really just about the last three hundred or so pages and not nearly as climactic as it sounds. The only reason I felt into the last part of the story was because I’d spent six hundred freakin pages seeing all the horribleness that was done to Styxx. If I hadn’t gotten to finally see Acheron realize that his brother wasn’t evil I would have imploded.

That’s another thing, I do not recommend reading this book in hardback, it is huge and unwieldy and just not something you want to lug around.

I’ve read the Dark Hunter series for a while now and I miss how the characters back story was briefly explained. We knew they’d been tortured and put through a ton but we didn’t have to read every excruciating detail. It was all about the romance. There was plenty of romance in this book but I felt that the bigger story was the relationship between Styxx and Acheron. I feel like Kenyon really wants you to know that she can create an intricate world and that she’s a history buff, but ultimately I don’t care. I want an epic romance. I like the world she’s created but she’s started going into too much detail for me. It’s impressive but not what I’m looking for in her Dark Hunter series.

3/5

Side Note: This review is not a reflection of the writing quality. Styxx was amazingly well written, it was just not something I plan on re-reading or ever owning.

For All Time

For All Time

For All Time (Nantucket Brides Trilogy #2) By: Jude Deveraux

Plot:

The wedding of Alix Madsen and Jared Montgomery is a glorious affair at an elegant little chapel in the woods, followed by dinner and dancing, all while moonlight blankets the festivities in a romantic glow. While most guests are fixed on the happy couple, Jared’s cousin Graydon can’t look away from a bridesmaid, Toby Wyndam. It’s not just her quiet beauty that enthralls him or the way she makes him laugh. Toby possesses the truly remarkable ability of being able to distinguish Graydon from his identical twin brother, Rory. According to family legend, such a gift marks her as Graydon’s True Love.   But Graydon knows there is no possible way that they can ever be together, for he is heir to the Lanconian throne and is to marry a noble woman who has been chosen for him. Yet, intrigued by Toby, he asks her to help him hide on Nantuck for a week away from regal responsibilities. In exchange, he’ll assist her with planning acclaimed novelist Victoria Madsen’s lavish wedding. Since they both know their union is impossible, the pair promises that they will never be more than just friends.   But there’s more going on between Graydon and Toby than her unique power to tell him apart from his twin. At work are forces beyond their control, which are ruled by time itself. Combine that with the magical island of Nantucket, and a seductive spell is cast over Graydon and Toby. If they are to be together, they must change what once was, as well as what will be.

Review:

Loved this book! So happy. I’m writing this review while I’m still on the high the book gave me. There’s a prince, and I’m so happy that they didn’t do the whole thing where he doesn’t tell her what he is and she finds out and get betrayed. So over that. He told her straight off who he was and that he had a duty to his country.

Great romance, even though the ghost’s issue was resolved in the previous book there was still some ghostly stuff going on, great characters, really everything that’s needed for an awesome romance.

Liked that the woman wasn’t the typical romance heroine that’s stupid and automatically assumes stuff and gets into trouble all the time. I burnt myself out on those books. This was great, very happy with it.

The only problem I had with the book was how the mother was treated. You thought she was a total harpy and then nope she was just doing that for her children. It wasn’t too consistent but oh well.

4.5/5