Review: The Beekeeper's Apprentice

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book in the series. I think I was too excited to read it. I had just visited the Conan Doyle collection at the Toronto Library. I was ready for some Sherlock Holmes. And it started out great! Strong, smart female main character. Bees! I love bees and beekeepers. I love that Laurie King keeps that as a theme throughout the series.

The book fit well into the Holmes collection. Not everything I've read by other authors feels authentic, but this did. My only complaint and why I originally gave it three starts is that the mysteries didn't grip me as much as the original Holmes. Upon further consideration, I am giving it one more stars for the bees, and I may revisit the series later to see if my mind changes. I would recommend this to young women interested in Sherlock Holmes. I think this a great introduction and incorporates women much better than Conan Doyle did.

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Review: The Book of Life

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the series. If you haven't read the rest of the series, don't start here. You need to go back to book one.

I won't rehash the issues that I had with the first and second book. Same issues with this book. I kept reading though which is a testament to how engaging parts of this series can be. I think each book is more than 500 pages which is quite a commitment. I did want to find out how it would all end.

I really liked some of the supporting characters. I would be happy to read books about them especially Gallowglass. Can we have a series and TV show just about him? i would give that five stars.

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Review: The Child

The Child by Fiona Barton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the series. I knew it was a series, but I didn't know until I started reading that the unifying thread would be Kate Waters, the reporter. That was a pleasant surprise for me. You could read it as a standalone book. There are a few references to the few book, but it will not hamper your understanding of this story. The books are formatted similarly in that each chapter may be told from a different character's perspective. I like the format because it does build suspense. While I guessed the ending early on, I still enjoyed the rest of the book and seeing how we get there.

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Review: Smart Girl

Smart Girl by Rachel Hollis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the third book in The Girls series. While you could read it as a standalone, it does reference things that happened in the first two books. If you think you might read the other two books, you will want to read them in order.

Like the first two books, this one tells the story of Miko, one of "The Girls." Miko loves to read, and there are some enjoyable book references. That may have been one of my favorite parts. Also like the other books, there is a romance involved. I don't want to spoil anything about it. I will say it was not my favorite, but there were very realistic parts about it that I think other single women may relate to.

The end also nicely tied up all of the stories which felt good for the end of a series.

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Review: The Likeness

The Likeness by Tana French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Dublin Murder Squad series. While you could probably start here, there are references to the first book that would help you understand the main character better if you've read it first.

I found it interesting that the second book is focused on a different character from the first book in the series. I really enjoyed this new perspective although it didn't get me any closer to answering the questions I had after the first book.

I was fascinated by the process of taking on an undercover personality. And even though this wasn't as dangerous as infiltrating a gang or drug empire, there was still some healthy tension. I did find that like with the first book, I hit a point where I felt it was maybe drawn out a bit too long, and I just wanted to get to the end. That could be more a comment on me than the book.

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Review: The Great American Cheese War

The Great American Cheese War by Paul Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an advance copy of this from the publisher via Net Galley.

I asked for this book because of the title and the premise. I love cheese. Wisconsin initiates war against Michigan? It reminded me of the idea behind Canadian Bacon, and I love that movie too. When I started reading, I was a bit worried. I wasn't sure if it was meant to be satire, and the first character introduced was not someone I thought I would want to spend a whole book with. Fortunately, there were many other characters, some more likable than others. Then, it became clear this was satire. Whew!

The author did capture the things I love (and hate) about the Midwest. He transported me right back home. My only complaint is it made me miss Wisconsin cheese.

#TheGreatAmericanCheeseWar #NetGalley

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Review: Shadow of Night

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the All Souls Trilogy. You really need to read the first book to understand this one. While I heard a lot of the hype around these books, I didn't read much about them before starting. They are really long which was a bigger undertaking than I anticipated. Having now finished the second one, I am invested for the third. It helped that this book added some new facets that kept my interest.

I really liked the setting of this book. I don't want to give too much away. I don't always love world building but in this case, I loved the details especially when viewed from the point of view of someone who was also just discovering them. There was one very surprising villain. And while there were some historical characters, they felt natural to the story.

I still had some issues with the relationship between the two main characters. It still feels rushed and unbelievable. They seem to have the same argument over and over. I realize the relationship is central to the plot. It's just not my cup of tea.

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Review: Dog Training in 10 Minutes

Dog Training in 10 Minutes by Carol Lea Benjamin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I bought this book a long time ago, and it still holds up. It is easy to understand, and I appreciate the illustrations. The training does work if you are consistent and put in the effort. This book proves that busy schedules are no reason for dog parents to avoid training with their dogs.

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Review: The Malta Exchange

The Malta Exchange by Steve Berry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the 14th book in the Cotton Malone series. While there are some references to previous books, you could read this as a stand alone novel.

I love this series, but this book was not my favorite of the 14. But first, let me tell you what I did enjoy. The main storyline about the Catholic Church and the Knights of Malta was really good. I always like Steve Berry's mix of history and some fiction to come up with a really compelling read. The subject matter did give it a bit of a DaVinci Code feel. I liked that because I find religion and its origins fascinating. There is a lot of fiction about the Templars, so focusing on the Knights of Malta was refreshing.

So why was this not my favorite? I felt there was too much going on with Luke and Cotton. It was distracting and felt unnecessary. I can appreciate how it must be difficult to try to incorporate other characters at this point in the series without relying on the same reasons over and over. However, using this approach actually spoiled the twist for me because I saw it coming very early on. Still looking forward to the next book!

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