Review: Eggnog Murder

Title: Eggnog Murder
Authors: Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross
Publication Date: Oct. 25, 2016
Genre: Cozy Mystery/Novellas/Short Stories
Recommended If You Like: holiday-themed mysteries, cozy mysteries, shorter mysteries, mystery collections

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The Book:

Meier, Hollis, and Ross each contribute a novella-length cozy mystery themed around eggnog and the holiday season. Each of their stories contains characters from their own mystery series.

What I Liked:

These are fun, quick reads to get you in the holiday spirit. Each mystery was good, and had some nice twists at the end.

I also really enjoyed getting the glimpses into each author's characters. It makes me want to read more of their books.

Anything I Didn't Like?

There really wasn't much not to like about this book. I really liked getting three cozy mysteries in one book, all holiday-themed, all with clever solutions, and all with engaging characters.

So...?

If you're looking for a fun, holiday-themed read, this is a great cozy mystery collection.

COYER Winter Challenge!

COYER is absolutely one of my favorites, and I'm so excited for this next round!

"This time COYER is going to be a 12 week Blackout, where you have to dedicate yourself to reading the books YOU ALREADY  have acquired for less than $1.00. COYER Blackout will run from December 17, 2016 – March 3, 2017. "

I will be keeping track of my COYER reads here, as well as posting regular reviews on my blog. I'm going to take advantage of this great challenge to really focus on the ARCs I have!

1) The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner
2. The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti
3) Different Class by Joanne Harris
4) Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia
5) Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson
6) The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry
7) The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy
8) A Penny for the Hangman by Tom Savage
9) The Devil Crept In by Ania Ahlborn
10) The Nightwalker by Sebastian Fitzek
11) Swiss Vendetta by Tracee de Hahn
12) The Girl Who Lied by Sue Fortin

Reviews:Hi, Anxiety, and In with the Devil

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself

Title: Hi, Anxiety: Life with a Bad Case of Nerves

Author: Kat Kinsman

Publication Date: November 15, 2016

Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir

Recommended If You Like: honesty, understanding of mental illness, true stories

The Book:

Kat Kinsman has been dealing with anxiety and depression in their myriad forms her whole life, from her mother's retreats to her silent bedroom, to her own fearful hidings under the bed covers. Now "out" about her anxiety, Kinsman is done hiding what she has always felt, and is sharing her story.

What I Liked:

As someone who has been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, having people be so public and honest about their own struggles with anxiety means a lot to me. Kinsman does not shy away from the frequently brutal truths about her life, and does a service to others through her truth.

I liked the way the book is structured, larger episodes interspersed with chapters about more specific fears, such as driving. 

Kinsman has a nice, flowing style of writing that lends itself well to her storytelling.

Anything I Didn't Like?

It's not that I didn't like this aspect, but this is not an easy book to read. Sometimes I could feel Kinsman's anxiety right there with her, and had to step away from the book for a bit.

So...?

I have been reading and re reading a lot of books about anxiety lately, and this is another important addition to the canon.

Read for Semi-Charmed Winter 2016 Book Challenge

In this true story, James Keene was given the chance to cut his jail sentence for drug dealing short by going undercover in prison, in an attempt to get a serial killer to confess the location of the bodies he buried. 

The book cuts between Keene's life before prison, the crimes of Larry Hall, and the interplay between them in prison. Keene and Levin are good at keeping the tension ratcheted up, and making readers care about the outcome.

Read for the Semi-Charmed Winter 2016 Book Challenge

Reviews: His Bloody Project, The Woman on the Orient Express, and The Children of Men

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: His Bloody Project

Author: Graeme Macrae Burnet

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Genre: Historical Thriller/Mystery/Suspense

Recommended If You Like: history with your mystery, mixed-media mysteries (trial transcripts, interviews, manuscripts), Man Booker Prize Shortlist Finalists 

The Book: 

Roderick Macrae is a seventeen year old Scottish farmer who has confessed to three brutal murders. It is not his guilt that seems to be in question, but his motive. A series of found documents may provide the answers everyone has been seeking.

What I Liked:

This is such a creative approach to a mystery, and it works so well here. Macrae Burnet presents the book as a collection of documents he has found, including the memoirs of Roderick Macrae himself. This presents the reader with multiple unreliable narrators, led by their feelings, personal prejudices, and deeply ingrained beliefs. The purported murderer tells a large chunk of his own story, and readers must decide on their own truth.

Anything I Didn't Like?

Honestly, there really wasn't anything I didn't like. This is an excellently done, highly creative take on a historical mystery.

So...?

I highly recommend this book. It's unique, suspenseful, and well-written. 

This was read for the Semi-Charmed Winter 2016 Book Challenge.

Title: The Woman on the Orient Express

Author: Lindsay Jayne Ashford

Publication Date: September 20, 2016

Genre: Historical Fiction

Recommended If You Like: learning more about Agatha Christie, strong female characters, travel descriptions

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The Book:

Feeling broken after her divorce, Agatha Christie rides the Orient Express in hopes of finding herself again on the journey. Along the way, she befriends two other female travelers, and their lives intersect in powerful ways they could never have imagined.

What I Liked:

I love that this is a fictionalized take on what is known about Agatha Christie's life. Agatha is a powerful and fascinating person in her own right, and Ashford does a good job of expanding a story around her.

Anything I Didn't Like?

At some points, the story seemed to move a little slow. I liked this book, but because of the slower moving sections, I'm not sure I would have stuck with it if it if the main character hadn't been my favorite author of all-time.

So...?

This is a good book, not one of my favorites, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It was fun to read a fictional book centered around Agatha Christie's life.

I love P.D. James' mystery novels, and knew I had to give this a try. Once again, James proves a brilliant writer.

This is not a light read, but it is a beautifully written one. The story takes place in a world where woman can no longer give birth, and the human population is dwindling. The world will soon be coming to an end.

Theo, a professor, is coming to grips with this through isolation, and keeping a record in his journal. But when a former student tracks him down, asking him to get in touch with his cousin, the Warden of England, Theo finds there is much more to what remains of the world than he originally believed in. 

This was read for the Semi-Charmed Winter 2016 Book Challenge.

Top Ten Tuesday, and Furiously Happy

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful The Broke and The Bookish.

This week's theme is Ten Books I Recently Added to my TBR List

After being lucky enough to see Hamilton, I really want to read the Hamilton biography, and the book surrounding the musical.

I am fascinated by "odd phenomena", so as soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it.

I've loved everything I've ever read of Shirley Jackson's, so I can't resist a fictionalized novel about her involving a mysterious disappearance.

I'm fascinated by thrillers involving social media, and as this is Wang's debut novel, I'm hoping to discover a new author to love.

I can never resist any take on Sherlock Holmes!

Sudjic is being compared to Patricia Highsmith, and has written a thriller surrounding obsession and the idea of an "internet twin".

A supernatural thriller involving a true crime writer and a cult!

After reading the first book in this series in a day, I was hooked. I can't wait to read these!

What books have you added to your TBR lately?

_________________________________________________________

Sometimes, you are lucky enough to find a book that really means something to you, that speaks to something in you that you needed spoken to. This is one of those books for me.

Jenny Lawson writes insightful, and also absolutely hilarious, deeply personal essays. She writes about her personal life, particularly her experiences with anxiety, depression, and phobias. She makes you think, makes you feel, and also will have you laughing out loud on the bus, on the couch, and wherever else you happen to read this wonderful book.

This is one of those books I want to run around recommending to everybody. It's a special, important, and funny read.

Review: Dead Girls Society

Title: Dead Girls Society
Author: Michelle Krys
Publication Date: November 8, 2016
Genre: Young Adult Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Recommended If You Like: truth or dare, secrets and lies, mysterious games

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The Book:

Hope's cystic fibrosis has always caused her and her family immense emotional and financial stress, and kept her from experiencing much of a typical teenage life. When she receives an invitation from the mysterious Society, inviting her to play a game of dares for the chance at a lot of money, Hope finally sees her opportunity to experience some adventure and solve her family's problems.

But as the dares escalate, Hope realizes too late that she's been brought into something dangerous and frightening, and she may not be able to make it out alive.

What I Liked:

Hope is a strong, multi-dimensional, complex female character. She is also a much-needed character in young adult literature as a teenager living and dealing with cystic fibrosis.

The game of dares is suspenseful, eerie, and mysterious, and builds up a lot of tension. The mystery is full of twists and turns, especially in the last few chapters. I didn't guess the biggest twist until literally sentences before it was revealed.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I wasn't crazy about the last few sentences--the addition there didn't feel necessary (can't say more without spoiling anything!) unless Krys is planning a sequel (I couldn't find anything out about a possible sequel online).

The romance was fine, and well-developed, but didn't really feel necessary. Hope went through a lot of character development and growth without the additional romantic complications and rewards.

So...?

I read this book in about a day, it was that good. This is a story that pulls you in from the start, and keeps you hooked until the end with a creative plot and lots of clever twists and turns.

Semi-Charmed Winter 2016 Book Challenge!

This challenge looked too much fun not to try, and it will help me narrow down my TBR!

• The challenge will run from November 1, 2016, to January 31, 2017. No books started before 12 a.m. on November 1 or finished after 11:59 p.m. on January 31 will count.
• Each book must be at least 150 pages long. Audiobooks and large-print books are fine, as long as the regular print version meets the length requirement.
• A book can only be used for one category, and each category can only be completed once.
• The highest possible total is 200 points, and the first five people who finish the challenge will be invited to contribute a category for the summer 2017 challenge.
• Have fun! Read some books you might not have read otherwise. Discover new authors and make new bookworm friends. (Yes, these are the most important rules!)

Challenge Categories:

5 points: Freebie! Read any book that is at least 150 pages long: A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro-DONE

10 points: Read a 2016 finalist (longlist or shortlist) for one of the following literary prizes: National Book Award, Man Booker or Man Booker International.: His Bloody Project by Graeme MaCrae Burnet-DONE

10 points: Read a brand-new release (something published between November 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017).: Hi, Anxiety by Kat Kinsman-DONE

15 points: Read a book by an author of a different race or religion than you. : Jazz by Toni Morrison-DONE

15 points: Read a book featuring a main character who is of a different race or religion than you.: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini-DONE

20 points: Read a modern retelling of a classic (e.g. an Austen Project novel, Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler, etc.) — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Kaity.: Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid-DONE

25 points: Read a book with an alcoholic beverage (neat or cocktail) in the title. — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Kerry. (And she was nice enough to come up with a long list of suggestions for you!) : Eggnog Murder by Leslie Meier-DONE

30 points: Read a book with a character that shares your first or last name. (Alternate spellings are okay, e.g. Megan and Meghan or Smith and Smyth.) — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Ericka. : Rebecca's Tale by Sally Beauman-DONE

30 points: Read two books: a nonfiction book and a fiction book with which it connects. For example: A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie and one of Christie's mystery novels that features poison, or The Monuments Men and All the Light We Cannot See. The possibilities are endless, so have fun with this one! — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Bev. (And remember you must finish both books to get the 30 points! No partial points will be awarded.) : The Science of Sherlock Holmes by E.J. Wagner, and The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz-DONE

40 points: Read two books: one by an author whose first name is the same as the last name of the author of the other book. For example: You may read a book by Martin Cruz Smith and a book by George R.R. Martin, or a book by James Joyce and a book by Joyce Carol Oates. The shared name must be spelled exactly the same, no variations. — Submitted by SCSBC16 winner Jamie. (And remember you must finish both books to get the 40 points! No partial points will be awarded.) : The Children of Men by P.D. James, and In With the Devil by James Keene-DONE