Review: Hollywood Homicide

Hollywood Homicide by Gemma Halliday
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series. I read this book in one day. An easy, fast read that let's you get that guilty pleasure of tabloid/reality TV without actually intruding on the lives of real people. UnReal meets Agatha Christie...You don't have to read the books in order to understand it although there are references to the previous books.

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Review: Virtual Sabotage

Virtual Sabotage by Julie Hyzy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had read a Julie Hyzy book before, but it was nothing like this. And while I liked that other book just fine, this one really gripped me from the start. Full disclosure: I'm a gamer. Though I have not purchased a VR headset, the idea excites me, and I look forward to the day when it is easily available. Or maybe I don't after reading this book. I don't want to give too much away since the book is fairly short and fast-paced. But what would you do if you could access everyone's brains? The answer may surprise you.

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Review: Sacred and Profane

Sacred and Profane by Faye Kellerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't waste much time jumping into book two. Maybe that was a mistake? I found the central romantic relationship to be a little unrealistic. They just barely met in the last book and already "love" each other? Then some other things happened that felt like I had to suspend too much disbelief. The mystery was gritty and probably not for those with a weak stomach. I still gave it a four because the information about Jewish culture is still really interesting and the book moved at a good pace. Going to give myself a bit of time before I read the next one to see if I can get over the relationship part.

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Review: Witches of Lychford

Witches of Lychford by Paul Cornell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A pastor, a witch, and an atheist walk into a bar....not exactly but the premise of this book does kind of sound like a corny joke. What could possibly bring these three together? Would you believe a big-box store? They are more evil than you imagined. Quick read with interesting characters. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

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Review: The Ritual Bath

The Ritual Bath by Faye Kellerman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this book. Some of the language used is offensive. I found it helps to track the evolution of one character. So while it was uncomfortable, I kept reading. I found the information about the Jewish faith really interesting. That's probably what kept me reading more than anything although the mystery aspect was also enough to keep the pages turning. For some people, the racial and ethnic slurs may be too much. There is violence as you would expect from a mystery or thriller.

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Review: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Oh Mary Roach! You finally got me. I always look forward to reading Mary Roach books and learning some crazy science stuff. This book was no exception. Started out great. And I can deal with dead humans but hurt an animal, and I'm a puddle of tears. So when there were more and more animal experiments or dead animals, I just couldn't finish. If you like Mary Roach and can get over dead bodies human or otherwise, I think you will like this book too.

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Review: Case Histories

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

You might not want to read too much into my two star rating. The reviews were great. Stephen King raved about this book. I could not get into it. I don't think I got more than 10% before I put it down. I came back to it and still couldn't enjoy it. I never even got to meet the detective who should be the main character of the story before I put it down again. This time for good.

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Review: Unholy Child

Unholy Child by Cathryn Grant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story hit a little too close to home given the recent government shutdown over a border wall. That said, I felt it was the best of the three stories so far. You have an opportunity to peer into the personal life of the main character which helped me find her more relatable. The introduction of moths creeped me out because it reminded me of Stephen King's Sleeping Beauties. Don't fall asleep! If you are looking for a quick read that is a little spooky, you might want to give this a try.

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Review: Rolling in the Deep

Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! A friend recommended this book to me because she thought I would like it. She knows me so well because I really didn't want to put this down. I was drawn into the format, and just like reality tv or the type of sort of sensational documentaries it reflects, I was sucked right in and couldn't take my eyes away. I live on an island right now and have a feeling I won't be going in deep water any time soon. I can't wait to read the next book. If you like mermaids, science, reality tv, documentaries, or horror, check this book out!

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Review: The Museum of Mysteries

The Museum of Mysteries by Steve Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This could be considered a stand alone novella. You don't have to have read the previous 13 books to understand what is going on here. I really enjoy the main character of this novella, Cassiopeia Vitt. It isn't surprising that I loved this book. I also thought the mechanism used to learn more about Cassiopeia's life choices was very clever.

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Review: Hollywood Vendetta

Hollywood Vendetta by M.Z. Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Book 22! I've enjoyed this series as a quick read between more serious novels. How is a series about serial killers not serious? Well, there are some very quirky characters involved in the main character's life. I do feel the main character has had more than her fair share of bad luck and drama in her life. At times, it borderlines on soap opera-esque. Still, I've made it this far and hope to see it through to Z.

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Review: The Invisible Library

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I expected to love this book. It has all the elements of the types of books I do love, a bit of mystery, some fantasy, BOOKS, alternate worlds. I thought this might feed my longing for more Jasper Fforde novels. It didn't quite do that. It was good. I enjoyed parts of it quite a bit. I finished it, but I didn't leave it wanting to continue the series. And while it wasn't for me, I can see why some people really love it. I would recommend it to younger readers who are interested in these themes.

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