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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Bigreader342 has commented on (30) products
Dont Eat the Pie
by
Monique Asher
Bigreader342
, August 31, 2024
I will say that as soon as I saw the cover of this upcoming book, I really was intrigued to see what it was about. I will note, that this book has put me permanently off fruit pies! Not that I am much of a pie eater anyways but I am warning that this book may put you off any pies made by little old friendly women! You have two normal people, Sam and Emma moving to a picturesque small island where everything seems so perfect after Sam's marries the wonderful Ben. That never ends well. You get the nice creep of something wrong after they get there, Sam and Ben's honeymoon cut short because his mother fell. There are nightmares and strange pregnant women found or had died (including Ben's previous wife), all wearing necklaces like the one Sam got from Nadine when she married Ben. Yes, there are ghosts but these ones are firmly in the trying to help mode because there is something even worse happening on this island. It picks up into high speed crazy scary after the weird pie party for adults only. Warnings abound from people who disappear, little old ladies are up in your business, all wanting to help Sam with the pregnancy that happened all of a sudden and is very odd. And there are so many secrets it is amazing the island doesn't sink with the weight of them! Very hard to put down and a very good horror! I don't want to spoil the twists and all so I am just going to say it is dark and twisty.
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Long Live Evil Time of Iron Book 1
by
Sarah Rees Brennan
Bigreader342
, August 31, 2024
Long Live Rae!!! I had a wild good time devouring this book and cheering on the so called viper villains. I will say despite the chance Rae got to escape her dying body and try for a cure from that mysterious woman, she definitely was thrown into the story at an awful time for her character. Props to Rae for the quick thinking that did not end up with her dancing to her death in iron hot shoes. And while Rae hammed up the villain side of things, I did find that all the characters in this dark city of Elam, were shades of grey, even the so called heroes and the damsels in distress so beautiful that the world falls down to worship them (that would be Lia) had dark sides. It was fun to root for the villains who embraced that darkness while still trying to help the story continue so that love could win and also the Emperor could rise. I absolutely loved Cobra, and the murderous minded Key and of course Rae. I also ended up liking a few others, once their true selves showed through. There are many laugh out loud moments (a horse named Google Maps!) hidden amid the copious amounts of blood shed. I am happy that someone got their just desserts and while the book ends on a cliff hanger (I really want to read the next book now!) I was going yes yes yes when the Emperor finally showed up though he seems really scary and I hope he doesn't destroy all the good changes that happened differently from the books that Rae had known.
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Shards of Glass
by
Michelle Sagara
Bigreader342
, August 28, 2024
It has been awhile since I dived into the world of Elantra but it was easy enough to get into the flow of this new spin off as certain words sparked my memory and so I was able to enjoy this story very much! You have Robin, with secrets of his own looking for Raven of the very mysterious past so that she too can join the Academia. I found Raven to be fascinating, as she collects glass that sometimes no one can see, to the way she interacts with the world and her connection to Robin. It is a good thing she went to go find him because there were students dying on the grounds of the Academia and no one could see how or why, only that it was happening more and more and someone needs to do something about. So, of course Raven and Robin get drawn into it though they have a strong group of diverse beings (like Starrante who I absolutely love! and the mysterious Grey Crow aka Giselle). You have awakened buildings and also immortals like the Barrani and Dragons in this book to round out the cast. My favorite Barrani was Terrano of course and I loved how he was tolerated on campus because he could not be kicked out (not a student, just a busybody sticking his nose into everything), With all those beings, the killer had no chance of achieving his goal and it had a splendid ending with enough left open that there could be much more to the Academia as it awakens fully with more students.
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One House Left
by
Vincent Ralph
Bigreader342
, August 26, 2024
Well, it started with a slow creep with Nate and his family moving every few months or so and falling apart due to nightmares about the Hiding Boy because they lived on the street next to the infamous so called Murder Road which was cursed with people in every house being killed by the Hiding Boy. Very good start with that mystery of why Nate and his family need to keep moving and then when he meets up with the trio (Max, Seb, and Tyler) who are on the hunt to see if certain urban legends (the most ghostly ones) are true. And because Nate joins them, the legends do seem to be coming to life! That was nicely scary. Not many questions were answered for roughly two thirds of the book, raising the level of creep and making me very curious about the Hiding boy and why it was haunting Nate's family. I was not expecting that twist in the last third and when it hit, I was very WHAT!!!?? And then I had to finish the rest of it in one sitting because that is when it got really wild and I had to know how the story was going to end. That twist is what bumped up my rating to 4 stars. So you have a slow burn on the ghosty bits and then very ramped up last section. I enjoyed reading this as it was nicely entertaining. I mean I am sure all of us have tried to do Bloody Mary in the mirror or messed with haunted houses. I am glad though I have yet to meet a ghost up close!
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The Body Next Door
by
Maia Chance
Bigreader342
, August 25, 2024
Well, that was a wild ride! You have multiple characters, all with secrets related to the happenings on Orca Island several years ago with a crazy cult, rich guys who think they can own or buy anything, and people trying to survive all that. Add in a strange and unusual talent (really cool and I think it was a nice surprise) and a nice twist ( I did have my suspicions and I was right) and I really enjoyed the whole story. Hannah was a good character, easy to like, especially when you learn about her backstory. She is a survivor and is doing the best she can with the hand dealt to her. This novel has several character POVs and the timeline jumps between past and present but I felt it melded well and revealed the story the best way. I did not get confused and each character added to the story from Greene and his special gift, to Caroline and her craziness, to Josh who had the violin with a mind of its own and then of course Allan, the uber rich guy who thinks the world revolves around him. I liked the magic realism and how it played a part in the book. Yes, it was a bit weird when first introduced but I rolled with it. I liked this story a lot and the ending was nicely satisfying in how family (found and made) is more important than all the riches in the world.
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Dollmakers
by
Lynn Buchanan
Bigreader342
, August 22, 2024
This a fantastic new world to delve into! This book, taking place in the country called One which is under attack by the creatures known as Shod. The only thing that can take down these mindless Shod are the dolls that are made with great care and imbued with the breath mark to come alive and protect the people living in the country called One. The story is mostly from the point of view of Shean, a young woman trying to prove herself to be a guard dollmaker in remembrance of her family (also dollmakers) killed in the Red Tide (a massive Shod attack on the city called Pearl). Because she had much to prove and would not accept anything different from what she wanted, she came across as pretty petulant and annoying at first. Luckily, as she discovers secrets and truths and faces down the Shod, she grows and changes into a more mature personality and I grew to quite like her. Her changing is due to the travel to Web and meeting the people there, including the dollmaker Ikiisa (unique in her way with dollmaking and quite the survivor) and the mysterious Roque (who I really hope we will meet again in another book!). This is definitely the first book in a new series and I can't wait for the next one to come out so I can find out what Shean does with her new knowledge of the Shod and the dolls she will create to solve the problem with the Shod. Plus I want to see the other countries, like maybe the one called Steep.
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Haunt Sweet Home
by
Sarah Pinsker
Bigreader342
, August 21, 2024
This was a fun story to listen to! I enjoyed the full cast (usually the books I listen to only have one narrator doing all the voices). It surprised me at first but the different narrators made the episodes of Haunt Sweet Home so easy to visualize. I could see the books sipping off the shelves in that grand library. Most of the story is about Mara and leads up to that fateful episode that is being shown, Mara is a very likable character and I really felt for her, as she felt both overlooked by her family and picked on for not really knowing what she wants to do (whether it was finishing college or finding a career). I think her taking up the offer her cousin Jeremy gave her being a PA for the night crew in his Haunt Sweet Home tv show. I kinda think it would be fun to be on the night crew for a show like that, though I guess if you spend all your time making hauntings "happen" on these houses that get picked for the show, it should be no surprise that you find one or two that actually might have resident spirits. This discovery was done in a fun way and so yes, there are ghosts but I would not consider this scary. In fact I liked how sweet it was and how the experience was able to help Mara grow and start to figure out who she wants to be. So, fun book, both to listen to and to read. Not too long but just the right length. I loved the narrators and a big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance to listen to this!
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Greymist Fair
by
Francesca Zappia
Bigreader342
, August 20, 2024
This was a nice collection of dark fairy tales linked by the town of Greymist Fair, a village in the middle of a vast forest ruled by Death. Now, as this takes inspiration from some of the tales by the Brothers Grimm, I knew it would be fairly dark. And I enjoyed it a lot as the tales ranged from the current time to the past (alternating) it was done in such a way as to keep it all connected and provide additional answers to why certain people died and why Death is so determined to make all the village victims and not just ones that stray off the path. I was sad to learn why certain people had to die (Heiki's mother for one) but it was also cool to see how some people (the prince) were able to learn from their unwise decisions and grow and not die. Though there was also satisfaction in the deaths of other despicable villagers. This was a fun version of older fairy tales and I enjoyed reading it all and how it ended with hope, even in dark times with Death coming for all in the end and how you should be able to greet Death as an old friend when they come for you.
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We Shall Be Monsters
by
Tara Sim
Bigreader342
, August 08, 2024
Well, at first this book was a fairly strait forward read with Kajal working to bring back her sister Lasya before she turns into a bhuta that goes on a nice killing spree. Interesting that that happens to the people who are not burned after they are dead. After her first success at resurrection (Love that good dog Kutaa!) it starts to get tangly with Kajal being made to bring back the crown prince by the people who are fighting against the current regime before she can get her sister back. Then you dive deep into mythology with all the demons, dakinis, and the realms that border the mortal one. I suppose it makes sense for all that (especially getting help from a naga) because not only do you have an usurper, there is also a grievous blight affecting the land, animals, and now people. You do get some mysteries solved after people are brought back to life (thanks to the hard work of Kajal) though it does end with a cliffhanger sadly, with groups separating to travel to different planes to stop the blight and figure out why it happened and who is responsible. So, a fun book to read (even of some of the words I had to look up) and I can't wait to see if Kajal, Laysa, the deva and asura, and of course Kutaa, can save the day and the realm for everyone (demon, human, and all).
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Last Murder at the End of the World
by
Stuart Turton
Bigreader342
, July 24, 2024
What does it mean to be human? Is being human the best thing for a society? This book first starts out as a last community at the end of the world. But all is not peaceful and there are many secrets being kept from the villagers by the long lived elders/scientists from before. I really liked the first bit with the odd things like everyone dying at age 60, why is there a strict curfew which automatically puts the villagers to sleep at the same time every night but also how they wake up sometimes with bruises, scrapes, and tiredness. Those things kept me eagerly reading, especially when one scientist ends up dead suspiciously and everyone seems to have a motive for murder. The stakes are raised nicely with the lowering of the shield against the fog and man eating insects until the murderer is found. It did get a bit confusing as the story went on and it always kind of threw me when Abi would talk to someone because it was never announced, just automatically switching from third person to first for a bit. I think that could have been better. The secrets with Blackheath were also weird and how people kind of wanted the murder solved but also not and there were so many secrets kept. The murder could have been solved a lot sooner and it might have saved a few. But I did enjoy the ending.
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Two Sides to Every Murder
by
Danielle Valentine
Bigreader342
, July 10, 2024
Well, this book definitely hit the mark (with an arrow of course!) for campy horror. It takes place mostly at the closed down camp and has all the tropes for that kind of horror. You have groups of teenagers splitting up to try and contact someone, there is no signal for phones (except at the top of a very sketch lighthouse), and a person dressed up as the local legend Witch of Lost Lake hunting them all down with masterful precision and a very powerful bow and arrows. You also have Reagan and Olivia trying to find out the truth of what had happened 16 years ago because someone did a good job of messing with the evidence and pinning the blame on the wrong person (maybe). So it was a fast and easy read and though the romantic bits that started popping up were a bit annoying. Running for your life from a witch but also have a meetcute? Not needed. But still mostly fun to read and I must admit that the murderer or maybe more than one get what they deserve. A bit of a shocking ending but fitting. Not a deep or complicated book but a good summer read, though you may want to make sure you have a strong signal on your cell if you are going to camp this year.
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Tidal Creatures
by
Seanan Mcguire
Bigreader342
, June 06, 2024
I totally loved Middlegame and the story of Roger and Dodger on their journey to become the Doctrine of Ethos and avoid being killed by the alchemists who created them. They only had a small cameo in Seasonal Fears, which was also a good book though not as strong as the first one. I was so happy to see Roger and Dodger make a reappearance in Tidal Creatures. And it wasn't just a snippet of them. It made sense to have them join up with the Lunar Goddesses and God who travel over the impossible city and figure out the mystery of why several of the goddesses have been killed as they are supposed to take over the impossible city one day (being the Doctrine of Ethos and all). The Lunar deity are very interesting with their different powers (from growing peaches that make people immortal, to going on the hunt and shooting arrows from a special bow), both their step up forms and also their human selves. It was nice to see more of the impossible city, even if the despicable alchemists are also trying to find a way in. They are the true monsters of the world, not the constructs and cuckoos they make who always seem to rebel and break away. In this book, it is Kelpie who is adorably cute. She was lucky to find Isabella and her son who were able to get her where she was needed via Roger and Dodger and their "clown house." This was a fun book to read.
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Kill Her Twice
by
Stacey Lee
Bigreader342
, May 27, 2024
From the cover, which is a glamourous shot of the beautiful actress Lulu Wong and drew me right in, to the hard work and creativity and daring that May, Gemma, and a bit Peony, to solve the mystery of Lulu's horrible murder in Hollywood, this was a solid fun story to read. Yes, it was fiction, but it felt nicely real, especially with the hardships Gemma and May and their family were going through in these tumultuous times when Chinese people were looked down on and the places they lived in Chinatown were threatened to be torn down for a railway station. All that made me admire May and Gemma even more because they refused to give up, trying to find the murderer and keep their family and flower business together, making enough to keep a roof over their heads. They faced prejudice, for their race, and also gender which caused conflicts, but it was nicely balanced by good people who also wanted justice for Lulu. The looks into making movies of that time were interesting too. It was a nice and fun book to read!
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Shes Not Sorry
by
Mary Kubica
Bigreader342
, May 08, 2024
With the start of a phone call demanding money in return for her daughter, this book immediately hooked me to find out what Meghan was going to do. Which you won't find out for awhile because the ICU where Meghan works has a patient, a survivor of a suicidal jump off a bridge and a great big mystery of why Caitlin would do such a thing. It falls to Meghan to care for this patient and comfort Caitlin's grieving family which brings up painful memories of her own. And on top of that, there is a man attacking women on the streets. Did he have a hand in Caitlin's jump? And if that is not enough, Nat reenter's Meghan's life, trying to escape an abusive husband. So many twists and turns, impossible decisions to make and the danger rises for Meghan and Sienna, making this a super hard book to put down. This is the first book I have read by Mary Kubica but I thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely be reading more stories by this author!
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A Tempest of Tea
by
Hafsah Faizal
Bigreader342
, April 03, 2024
First off, I love this gorgeous cover and that is what first drew me to the book. Arthie is an interesting character carrying a special gun and running Spindrift, a tea house that turns into an illegal bloodhouse that she also got by trickery and keep going with secrets and blackmail. So, cool premise. It tried to be like Six of Crows but with vampires instead of grisha. It did not quite reach that level but had enough twists and turns to keep me reading to see if Arthie and gang could steal the ledger and save her tea house. And while I though the interactions between Jin and Flick were cute, it really didn't need Arthie fall for Laith or anyone else. I liked the kitten. The story did drag a little bit with the setup of the heist but redeemed itself with the ending, much as downer it is with everything going but secrets revealed and I am sufficiently intrigued to find out what happens in the next book with Jin and Arthie and who that mysterious Wolf is.
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Mercury
by
Amy Jo Burns
Bigreader342
, March 30, 2024
This is an interesting story about how a young woman named Marley and her mother move to a little town called Mercury where she becomes entwined with a certain roofing family, the Josephs. It ranges back and forth in time, starting with the discovery of a body in the church attic and then jumping back with the various viewpoints of Marley and the Joseph brothers, Baylor, Waylon, and Shay. It may be a small town but there are big secrets that Marley learns ( about Elise) and is a part of and she does her best to stay afloat with it all and grow fast to take care of them, their business, and the son she has with Waylon. I really admire her for being willing to take such a big responsibility upon her shoulders, even when she doesn’t make the best choices. I still rooted for and the brothers, they were able to keep the roofing business running despite Mick’s flamboyant ideas that used up so much of the company account. He and Elise were not so easy to like but made a good foil for Marley and Waylon. This book has sweet points, heartbreak, sadness, and joy and I really came to love how human the characters were, none of them are perfect but each of them left marks on the others to make them who they were by the time the body is uncovered.
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The Fury
by
Alex Michaelides
Bigreader342
, January 23, 2024
What begins as a meandering tale with a narrator (a man named Elliot) in no hurry, laying out details of this whydunit of a murder of the famous actress, Lana on a small island with a small group of suspects of friend, family, and employees. It jumps between the present to recent past and even further back to childhood. Which one of them could have done the dirty deed? Or was it more than one? Mayhap it was the friend having an affair with Lana's husband? Or was it Jason so that he can get the money to get out of his financial troubles. The suspects all have good reasons to want Lana gone. It is an enjoyable meander as all the characters and their motives and secrets are laid bare. Then it does a twist and you think you might have figured it all out but then it goes and turns head over heels in another directions leaving the reader going what? what? what! It was so much fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
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Bittersweet in the Hollow
by
Kate Pearsall
Bigreader342
, December 18, 2023
I think the thing I liked the most about this story is that Linden, Sorrel, Juniper, and Rowan were such great sisters, even as Linden pulled away from her friends after her mysterious disappearance, reappearance and loss of that memory. It was all about family and working together to solve the new mystery of Delilah's death and the even older mystery of what happened to little Elam. I love that it was also interspersed with the extremely yummy things that Linden would whip up when she needed to think things through plus it was cool that she could infuse emotions into them too. A powerful ability she has! And her sisters have neat gifts too. All come in handy for finding bodies, and ferreting out secrets in the little town. Now, on to the moth winged man. Interesting character that I wished would have gone into more detail about, especially with the beings on the other side. He has nicely creepy with the red moths on people destined to die. So, good story and interesting town that would be fun to come back too.
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Scarlet Alchemist
by
Kylie Lee Baker
Bigreader342
, December 06, 2023
Welcome to the dark world of alchemy, where the dead can rise again (albeit sometimes a bit gooey inside) and those with means can live forever like the Empress has been, eating the life gold created by the alchemists in her employ. Zilan longs to be one of those royal alchemists and escape the bonds of poverty along with her brother and sister (AKA cousins). I really enjoyed that trio and the way they stuck together which made the ending pretty awesome with how it was solved even though I now can't wait for the next book to see if Zilan can bring about the impossible in bringing everyone back without the price of evil attached to it. I will admit when the Empress named Zilan the Scarlet Alchemist, I got very strong Full Metal Alchemist vibes. Kind of the same in the regards that the royal alchemists are working dark magic for a powerful Empress who has her own agenda which does not include anyone else in power (like a certain Crown Prince). I am glad this book focused more on familial bonds, rather than just rushing headlong into romance between Hong and Zilan. Though they were cute and I hope they get a happy ending (along with Durian the duck!).
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Meadows
by
Stephanie Oakes
Bigreader342
, November 13, 2023
This was good but depressing. Life never is as great as it seems when one party forces its views on everyone else claiming it gives stability at the cost of freedom of choice, like the Quorum does in this book. Dystopias are always about this and that is what this is. It is good but I did have to take a break. I actually read a horror book. Funny thing is, despite the monsters and death, that book was less scary than the pervasiveness of The Meadows. You really can destroy people with soft words. I am glad there is hope by the end. People should always have the freedom to choose how and who they want to live with. It was a well written book and it kept my interest with the flipping back and forth from the Meadows to the city after graduation. Eleanor faced many tough choices in figuring out herself and happiness. It was easy to feel for her and the other girls she was with. I also liked how the cover fit into the book and when it got to that point I actually stopped to look at the cover again. And the tech in this book was pretty cool.
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Garden of the Cursed 01
by
Katy Rose Pool
Bigreader342
, August 23, 2023
Well, except for that major bit of a cliff hanger, this book was a magically wild ride and I really enjoyed it. Marlow (who to me acted like someone in her twenties instead of a teen, which is not a big deal so I went with it) is an awesome character and I loved how she was a cursebreaker always searching for the truth, whether it be to break a curse or find out about her mother. Caraza City was very interesting and I definitely would want to live in in Evergarden over the Marshes with all its gangs. Swift is a good friend to Marlow though and always has her back, even when she might not make the wisest decisions and runs head first into trouble. The hex cards are cool and I would not mind having a few of those in my back pocket. The magically items of Evergarden were fascinating too. I hope the next book doesn't take to long to come out because I really want to find out what happens next for Marlow, and Adrius!
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Chaos and Flame
by
Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland
Bigreader342
, June 21, 2023
This story certainly was interesting and kept me hooked for the whole book, despite its flaws. I think the houses were cool, especially back in the day when their crests were actual beings all due to the power of Chaos. It was hard to decide whether Caspian was actually mad ( I would love to see his paintings) or just very devious in all his plans that included the other Chaos touched person, Darling (odd name and it threw me a bit). The insta love between her and Talon was a bit much but it did show that Talon was a decent guy and I hope things turn out alright between him and Darling, especially after that cliff hanger. I had my suspicions about Caspian in what he was up to and I am glad I was right. The next book should be super exciting with that twist. So this book was good, not the best but it was building up to the next book I think. I still had fun reading it.
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Stars and Smoke
by
Marie Lu
Bigreader342
, June 07, 2023
As long as I pictured this as an alternative earth, then I could mostly get into the story. Otherwise it was a bit too much to believe. I mean, come on, a major pop star getting dragooned into being a super spy going after an ultra bad guy with only a week of training? Winter is super cute though and is a genuinely good guy, despite being ultra famous. Sydney was a bit harder to like and if you are part of a super secret spy group, sent on dangerous missions, you would think that the spies would be required to have physical checkups fairly regularly to make sure you are in top condition and less likely to botch a mission. So that was another thing I had to suspend my disbelief on. Their relationship was a bit rocky but not bad by the end. With all the talents of both of them, they are good working together and I am glad that is possible. Still it was a pretty good book with a cool cover and a completely fantastical storyline.
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Star Splitter
by
Matthew J. Kirby
Bigreader342
, May 16, 2023
This book made me think a lot about what makes up a person. Is it the sum of their experiences? Or something more? The way that they traveled/teleport is very intriguing to think of because of that. So, I do like it for that, even if the book left me questioning so much. I don't want to give away too much because the fun of reading this was not knowing what was going to happen next. There was a nice creep factor with the before and after slowly revealing what had happened to Jessica when she traveled to the DS Theseus to meet up with her parents and then reside on Carver 1061c for a research trip. Yes, there are some unresolved bits and it did leave me wanting more, but it did also leave me thinking and so after all that thinking I will say it was a good book, unsettling but good. I do want another book about maybe the history of Carver 1061c. That bit was pretty fascinating.
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Ring of Solomon
by
Aden Polydoros
Bigreader342
, May 03, 2023
Well, this definitely reads as a middle grade book. It has action but is resolved quite quickly. More quickly than I though the rising of apocalypse beasts would be. That bit was a little disappointing and was very squished at the end of the book. In its defense, the book itself is not really long. As I am a bit older than middle grade, I expected more but it should go well with the younger crowd. Zach and Sandra not only have to deal with regular bullies but need to stop the world from ending due to the knights of the apocalypse. That is quite a bit for 12 year olds but these two are up for it, with a little help from Carmen and Zach's little sister and of course, Ash, the king of demons. Lots of snark and funny bits, including the gullnado that Zach accidently starts keep the story going and so I think this wasn't too bad for what it is, made for tweens.
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Angel Maker
by
Alex North
Bigreader342
, March 09, 2023
I really liked Whisper Man and The Shadows got me completely hooked on this author and so I had high hopes for this book. I mean the title "The Angel Maker" and a killer (the infamous Jack Lock) that knew the future (though not well enough to avoid capture by the police). So very intriguing! I did get through this very quickly, there was never a dull moment from the beginning with Michael attacking Chris and then Alan with his odd death and surprising actions, almost like he knew the future. I did have to go back a couple times though because there were some confusing bits, what with the jumps to the past and people that popped up, making new connections. I also feel that the whole reason for the angel maker title ended up being lost in the story of Alan and Edward and their missing children, not the angels in the backyard. That was kind of never fully told. So, it wasn't quite as perfect as the first two books but I still enjoyed it a lot.
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The Poison Season
by
Mara Rutherford
Bigreader342
, February 10, 2023
I was intrigued with the concept of the wandering forest, the poisoned lake and the Endlans with their magic singing. That and the cover had me really excited to read this book. I am a sucker for a beautiful cover. Despite all that, there ended up being something slightly lacking. Maybe it was because I was not in the mood for young forbidden love between Leelo and Jaren. It seemed too convenient that she should fall for the first outsider she sees. The racism of the Endlans also took away from my joy in the reading of this story. Leelo's aunt Ketty and even Sage had so much poison in them that it repelled me when they were talking. Now, the good. I did enjoy the wandering forest bits. It was cool and creepy with the descriptions of how it changed or how it devoured things sometimes. I kinda wish there had been more about that, especially at the end with what happened to it. Jaren with his sisters was cool and I think I liked him better than Leelo. So it was a fairly good book but had some tropes I was a bit tired of.
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Kingdom of Three 01 Strike the Zither
by
Joan He
Bigreader342
, January 20, 2023
I was really drawn to this book because of the cover and the illustrations of the main characters in the beginning was awesome. I like when that happens so that I can picture the characters better. It gave me high hopes for the story which sounded interesting too. I was really into the first half of the book with Zephyr the strategist working brilliantly to try and help her Lordess Ren to defeat Miasma and her army. The way she thought several steps ahead of what was obvious was cool and the zither playing (a mark of a good strategist, one that is connected with their qi and better able to understand the world) kept me interested, especially as she plotted to get the South to join up with Ren. Then the twist happened and it totally changed to story. It was harder to get through the back half and since nothing was resolved, I am not sure how I feel about it. I wish there had been more of the logical strategist and war strategy and less of the fantastical god elements. I do like the bit at the very end which tells all about how this was based on the "Romance of Three Kingdoms" book. So, I may search out the second book when it comes out, if only to get some closure but it won't be at the top of my tbr list.
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The Picture Bride
by
Lee Geum-Yi
Bigreader342
, January 06, 2023
The Picture Bride started out good and very interesting. I enjoyed reading about the picture brides, including Willow, Hongju, and Songhwa where what they had been told about life in Hawaii with husbands and the paradise it would be, ended up not being true and how each one of them reacted to the truth and carried on, or not. That would have been really hard and was interesting to read about. However, that whole plot seemed to peter out as Willow struggled through hard times and good in Hawaii, creating a family and learning to love her husband, Taewan. I lost interest in the story as it kinda bogged down with all the politics of the various Korean parties and patriots going off to fight or returning to Korea. The ending seemed a bit rushed and a little confusing too, especially with the change from Willow’s viewpoint to Pearl’s and the sudden jump in time to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. So, not a bad book, but it could use a little help to make it a little clearer.
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Lavender House
by
Lev AC Rosen
Bigreader342
, January 06, 2023
First off, awesome cover with the color and rabbits, innocent looking at first, until you spot the dead one. Makes for a very intriguing book. The story was interesting too. Not quite up to the Knives Out caliber that it touts from the blurb, but still a good read. Not only do you get a good look into how hard it was to be different back then, but you get to see how resilient people can be and how havens were created for them to be themselves. And then there is murder most foul. Always a good choice to spice up a story. Pearl finds Andy, a recently fired detective to see if he can solve the mystery of Irene Lamontaine's death. Secrets abound with the rest of the family and much is revealed by the end of the story that makes this a good book to read. I also liked reading about the bits of soap making and what Irene did to keep the company running on new scents. So a fun book and I bet the next book will be good, with Andy on the case!
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