Review: Tower of Fools: A Mystery in Vienna

Tower of Fools: A Mystery in Vienna by Shawn Kobb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Mystery in Vienna series. You will want to read the first book before you embark on this one. There is just enough from that story that will make it important to understand this one. I probably should also add that I know the author, Shawn Kobb, and worked with him in Vienna while he was writing these books. That's not why I gave the book five stars!

I thoroughly enjoy this series. It is a bit narcissistic, but I love all the Foreign Service detail included. I want to read a series of books that follow Tess through her career. Shawn, you need to write that! The details about Vienna take me back to my time there and create such vivid pictures for me. As for the mystery, I had my suspicions early on. There were just enough twists and turns to make me think I might be wrong.

In fact, I love this series so much I bought both books in paperback and Kindle editions. If you really don't want to spend the $4/book for the Kindle versions, you can also read them free through KindleUnlimited. Have I convinced you to read them yet? I hope so.

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Review: Nightflyers and Other Stories

Nightflyers and Other Stories by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Not wanting to wait until I read the book, I attempted to watch the SyFy version of Nightflyers. It didn't hold my interest, so I quit after episode one. Still, I had heard all the hype around this novella and went ahead and read it anyway. Besides, the show and the novella deviate. The novella could be way better. Yet, I didn't find it so. Maybe because it was written in the 80s or maybe because it wasn't long enough to develop the characters like The Song of Ice and Fire did, it didn't hold my attention.

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Review: Void Black Shadow

Void Black Shadow by Corey J. White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Voidwitch Saga. Do yourself a favor and read the first book. I think both books are less than 300 pages, so you really have no excuse not to.

Mars and her funky space cat are back, and there is some serious hell to pay for their enemies. That's all I'm going to tell you. However, I am going to take a moment to talk about how much I love Mars and her cat. Sometimes you meet a character and think, "That is me if I lived in space and had honed deadly psychic powers." Sadly, Mars doesn't have video games to help her exorcise her demons like I do. I would probably also have more than one space cat.

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Review: Strangers

Strangers by C.L. Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for possibly writing a review.

This book delivered a twist you will never see coming. Much like other books of its kind, it follows the lives of three strangers who live in close proximity to each other. They are very different people, and it is hard to imagine how they could be brought together although their lives brush up against each other more than once. Just when you think you know what is going to happen, I assure you, you don't.

If you like to solve puzzles, this is a good one to read.

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Review: Fatal Traditions: A Short Story from the Deadwood Humorous Mystery Series

Fatal Traditions: A Short Story from the Deadwood Humorous Mystery Series by Ann Charles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This short story is part of the Deadwood series. It is not necessary to read the short stories to understand the series although they do act as a bridge between books. This one takes place at New Years with a fun board game I can only hope becomes a real thing and a sharing of stories about the main character's supernatural lineage. I really enjoyed learning the history and can't wait for the next book!

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Review: A Conspiracy of Bones

A Conspiracy of Bones by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for possibly writing a review.

This is the 19th book in the Temperance Brennan series that was the inspiration for the TV show, Bones. You could start here. There are some references to the previous books but not enough to keep you from understanding what is going on.

It's been awhile since the last book. If you read all the way through to the very end, you will find out why. It explains why the book feels different from its predecessors. Things have changed. Temperance has changed. I felt more of a personal connection with the "new" Temperance. There is less forensic anthropology explanation (which I missed) and more mystery. For me, the trips into the dark web and down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories made up for it.

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Review: You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine: A Novel

You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine: A Novel by Alexandra Kleeman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a really weird book, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. I felt a bit like Kandy Kat, chasing something that never ends up satisfying. Just when I would get ready to quit reading and start something else, some new element would draw my attention back in. The disappearing dads, the crazy reality TV show, the Kandy Kat commercials, and the "cult" were trippy. The story also has a very unhealthy relationship with food. I will never be able to think about or eat an orange the same way again. If you like dystopian fiction, give it a read but don't say I didn't warn you.

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Review: Summer Frost

Summer Frost by Blake Crouch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novella is part of the Amazon Forward Collection. I would call this science fiction/gamer catnip. These 75 pages have given me several hours of contemplation. This is the second book I've read that incorporated the concept of Roko's Basilisk. I have to stop doing that to myself, but the concept is just too fascinating to pass up. If you already lose sleep over Roko's Basilisk, this short story may not be the best remedy. If you don't know what Roko's Basilisk is, I envy your innocence.

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Review: The Warsaw Protocol

The Warsaw Protocol by Steve Berry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for possibly writing a review.

This is the 15th book in the Cotton Malone series. Don't start here. You could, but I think you would really not understand Cotton's motivation for continuing this assignment unless you have the background of his relationship with Stephanie Nelle.

It is no secret that I love this series. I like the way Steve Berry incorporates history into a thriller so you feel like you have learned something while also going on a wild ride. While the characters are employed by the US government and their are politicians in the stories, I've always felt Berry never betrayed a particular political leaning until this book. Former POTUS, Danny Daniels could have been from either party. Maybe I am reading too much into it, but the new President feels very familiar.

I loved that Cassiopeia Vitt made a cameo appearance. It made the book feel complete.

I wasn't prepared for a cliffhanger. I hope book 16 is nearly finished because I don't know if I can wait.

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