Ahoy there me mateys! The excellent cover and description led me to this novel. Sadly, I abandoned the book at 39%. From the blurb and the percentaAhoy there me mateys! The excellent cover and description led me to this novel. Sadly, I abandoned the book at 39%. From the blurb and the percentage that I read, I feel that this book should have worked for me. It has a Singaporean setting, demon ducklings, a ghost cat, a social worker dealing with Others in a government setting, and a gay couple that is already dating and not going through relationship angst. The first sentence of the novel was perfect. So what was the problem?
I am not 100% sure. I think some of the issues were the investigation aspects of the novel. I thought that the main character, Ben, would use his knowledge from working in the government and deductive reasoning to make progress on the big case. Instead the government seemed to lack a lot of practical knowledge and Ben just seemed to fumble around and bump into facts. This made the plot feel a bit meandering.
I also had problems with Ben's personal magic. It is called Gardening and it is interesting. It's a landscape inside his inner being where he tends to a garden that represents his personality and memories. He can prune away negative emotion and use the strength of his trees to increase his personal strength. My personal problem is that a lot of how it worked didn't make a lot of sense but was awfully convenient at times.
The world building about the Others also felt extremely surface level in the part I read. I wanted to feel more and see more about the Others daily lives. I got that regular humans blurred over the realities of the Others but Ben and his boyfriend Adam seemed to be discurious also. The non-English words also had this problem. They seemed to be in italics only in lists and the meanings were not available from context or plot. I did look up the Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil definitions online and found 99% of them but their use didn't seem to particularly add anything to the story besides a light flavor. I liked that flavor, which is part of why I wanted to read about this setting, but I wanted more.
Basically I felt that this book didn't really work for me as a reader at all. The plot, characters, and setting did not really hold my attention and felt bland even though there were exciting hints of what I wanted. However, the book did not deliver. I will not be finishing this book or reading any more of the series. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
Ahoy there me mateys! I have been trying to find some new sci-fi authors and Jenny Schwartz had some Audible Plus series starters. Bonus was that shAhoy there me mateys! I have been trying to find some new sci-fi authors and Jenny Schwartz had some Audible Plus series starters. Bonus was that she is Australian. So I listened to two to see if the author's work was for me. I enjoyed parts of both but not enough to read or pay for more of either series.
I listened to this one in audiobook format read by Carlotta Brentan. The title drew me in because I love the idea of doctors taking care of aliens. Plus it made me laugh a little.
This is the story of Alexi Sur whose parents run up tons of debt in her name and ruin her dream of working for an humanitarian aid organization. The Pax Galactica Corps gives her an offer she can't refuse. Join their organization, be a doctor for multi-species in a conflict zone, and have her debts paid. The hitch, her life will be filmed for a reality tv show. I despise being filmed in any capacity but Alexi agrees. She understands that the reality tv show is supposed to help humanity's integration into galactic society.
Ultimately, I felt all areas of the book were a little light in details. The reality show means that there are camera drones following Alexi around and occasionally she answers questions for the audience. The romance was fine. I liked that Alexi and Soren don't have angst about getting together and their conflict comes because of larger political issues. But in general the relationship was in the background. There is some alien medicine but not enough. Alexi's family dynamics also feature in the plot.
That said, it was an extremely pleasant read and I enjoyed it enough to look into reading more of the series. I wanted more doctor adventures but the next two books switch characters and don't appeal. But I decided to give her work another chance and try the Xeno-Archaeologist series. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there me mateys! This be the 11th book in the series. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned Ahoy there me mateys! This be the 11th book in the series. While I try to post no spoilers, if ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .
I say this every time I finish one of these novellas but I seriously could read dozens of books set in the various worlds. This is the 11th book and deals with Nancy from books 1 and 3. This book should not be read as a standalone.
In this installment, Nancy has been in the Halls of the Dead for years and was sure she would never leave. However, the living statues are being killed and the Hall is being overrun by the vengeful spirits. The Lord and Lady of the realm ask Nancy to run and find help. She ends up back in Eleanor West's School for Wayward Children and asks her old friends to help her save her world.
I have to admit that I did not like this installment a lot. There seemed to be something missing and I was not as engaged with the story. Part of it was the author's choice to bring back multiple characters besides Nancy. I was never expecting to see them again and it felt more like the ending of a series or tying up loose ends. Part of it was learning more about the Halls of the Dead and how it was run. Nancy may feel comfortable there but frankly I felt the Lord and Lady kinda sucked. And then there was the ending which I did not like at all. It seems to have negated everything the Doors stand for and Nancy's journey in particular. Are none of the children, except Jack, supposed to have a happy ending?
That said, there were parts I liked. I enjoyed the reason for the vengeful ghosts getting out of hand. I enjoyed watching Sumi aggravate the Lord and Lady with truths about their behavior. I enjoyed the Moth girl. I still would like to see Christopher get his own book. This may have been a weaker book but I still want more. Arrrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
Ahoy there mateys! Annie Kincaid does faux finishes for home renovations. But in her prior life she was an art forger until she was busted. She intendAhoy there mateys! Annie Kincaid does faux finishes for home renovations. But in her prior life she was an art forger until she was busted. She intends to stay out of trouble until she finds out that the local museum’s new $15,000,000 Caravaggio is fake and, worse yet, she knows who painted it. Then the security guard is murdered and her ex-boyfriend goes missing. Annie is pulled back unwillingly into the dark part of the art world.
I don’t think Annie makes the smartest decisions and she certainly seems to be in the middle of a love triangle with Mr. ? and Mr. Landlord but I do love art based mysteries. There were a lot of characters introduced in this and I have to admit I did get many of them mixed up given that I was listening to the audiobook. Many are rather one-dimensional. Apparently this was the first book by the author and was co-written with her sister.
There are some humorous moments in the book like when Annie gets stranded and has to make her way home. I also like that there is no magic in this series. It was a nice change from the author’s other novels. Again, I am not sure if I will read more given that I don’t want to pay for the audiobooks but I am also curious how the next book ends given the set up. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This book felt like the author was ready to be done with the series. Mel and Landon are renovating a dream house. This was quite a Ahoy there mateys! This book felt like the author was ready to be done with the series. Mel and Landon are renovating a dream house. This was quite a jump. Mel is also renovating an old movie theatre. The tie between the two buildings was so silly. The ghost in Mel’s house was so silly. The murderer was immediately recognizable once mentioned.
There are squatters in the theatre building and the author tries to add some political undertones. It doesn’t work when Mel is on the lucky and upper class side of things. Okay she didn’t grow up a millionaire but Landon is one. I think class issues are important to talk about but this part of the plot felt slotted in and didn’t work for me.
I really enjoyed books 1 to 3 and 7. The later books really stagnated. That said, I still binged them pretty quickly. They fit my reading mood and I enjoyed reading the series. There may not be a lot of character growth but I felt the characters were fun to read about. I do recommend it for the cozy mystery reader. Arrrr! ...more
Ahoy there mateys! Mel gets to help renovate a historic lighthouse on an island. Cool. Alicia from book 5 is back. So is Alicia’s abusive ex-husband. Ahoy there mateys! Mel gets to help renovate a historic lighthouse on an island. Cool. Alicia from book 5 is back. So is Alicia’s abusive ex-husband. Until he dies and Alicia gets the blame. Mel has to clear Alicia with the help of the local ghosts.
The local ghosts include the dead ex-husband, the lighthouse keeper’s wife, her young son George, and some others. There is an unexpected treasure. Add in all the usual side characters along with Landon, a new love interest, from the last book. I don’t like Landon (just saying).
The murder mystery solution was just okay but I had so much fun with this book. Of course, I am a sucker for the sea and there were lots about the sea and lighthouses etc. I guess the solution to the ghost mystery early on but still enjoyed watching it unfold. Definitely the best of these later books. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This is the first book in the series where Mel is hired primarily for her ghost hunting skills. A multi-million dollar house is beiAhoy there mateys! This is the first book in the series where Mel is hired primarily for her ghost hunting skills. A multi-million dollar house is being sold but the ghost inside is scaring away potential buyers. A psychic, Chantelle, says that the ghost doesn’t like some of the recent renovations. Mel has to figure out what features to put back to appease the ghost. Then Chantelle is killed and her ghost appears to Mel. So she is drawn into that debacle as well.
Lots of ghosts in this one. I enjoyed the kitchen ghost. I was surprised by what happens with Graham. It came out of left field and made no sense given the last book. Also the who-dun-it was just okay. But I continue reading these series for the relationships. I love Mel’s dad, Stan, her stepson, and her best friends. Oh and Dog erm Doug. Just okay but still entertaining. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! Mel’s boyfriend, Graham, is managing the green features of rebuilding an ancient Scottish monastery. The problem is that the buildiAhoy there mateys! Mel’s boyfriend, Graham, is managing the green features of rebuilding an ancient Scottish monastery. The problem is that the building seems to be haunted and the construction crew is less than eager to work on the project. A super rich dude (think Elon Musk type) decides to hire Mel to solve the ghost problem and help finish the reconstruction.
This book was just okay. One of the odd things about this series is that there doesn’t seem to be real “rules” to Mel’s ghost hunting abilities. How her skills work change around. In this book the ghosts don’t act like the previous versions but instead are more like memories in the walls that are doomed to repeat forever. One is a knight. The other is a lady in red. I did not like how this ghost storyline progressed or its ending. It felt unfinished.
There were also a lot of other dangling threads left at the end. What about the ghost tape translation? What is the provenance of the monastery? Why was there even a mystery treasure subplot? What was the point of the protests?
I did like the idea of the haunted monastery and I liked the introduction of the personal assistant character. The murder resolution was silly but fine. And I appreciated Mel’s relationship progress with Graham. The lower rating, of course, did not stop me from reading the rest of the series. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! Lily Ivory is a witch who opens an antique clothing store in San Francisco. She doesn’t usually advertise her witch skills. HoweverAhoy there mateys! Lily Ivory is a witch who opens an antique clothing store in San Francisco. She doesn’t usually advertise her witch skills. However, her client is killed and local children are missing. She is the only one who can solve these crimes.
Lily has a gargoyle named Oscar as a familiar. Oscar can turn into a pot bellied pig. Aidan Rhodes is a male witch who seems to be in charge of all things magical in SF. Bronwyn is an herbalist who rents space in the antique store. Max is a professional myth-buster whose has chemistry with Lily. All of these people play parts in Lily’s task to solve the murder. She goes from being a solitary figure to having a group of friends, confidants, and community.
The witchcraft, demons, and magic were fun to read about. Much like the Haunted Home Renovations series, this was light and fluffy. I would listen to more of this series but am not sure I want to buy the audiobooks as I don’t think I would re-listen to it. I will have to wait and see. Arrrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! One of Kate Elliott’s best skills is world building and here it truly shines. Her other excellent skill is characterization. This bAhoy there mateys! One of Kate Elliott’s best skills is world building and here it truly shines. Her other excellent skill is characterization. This book is the first in a duology and I loved it! Plus the bonus is that the second book comes out later this year so there isn’t a long wait.
This story follows Elen, “El”, a courier on a monthly dangerous route that she has been traveling for 10 years. This time, her nephew, Kem, is with her. Soon he must select a career upon his majority. The society has a class-based structure and once a career is chosen, it is for life. He wants to see if being a courier is for him. Besides delivering mail and news, El also checks the route for any deadly Spore of the Pall. This Spore is deadly to all life, creates monstrosities, and can spread quickly if not located in time.
Things don’t go quite as planned when El and Kem get home. Kem’s high status father has tracked him down to the town of Orledder Halt. El had been hiding Kem for good reason. Then a high class visiting prince surprises the town by arriving unannounced. Chaos ensues and El is trying to keep her and Kem safe. She is assigned to take the prince to his destination. Only problem is that the prince doesn’t listen and is taken over by an ancient spirit. If anyone finds out then El and Kem are dead.
The majority of this book is in the form of a travelogue. Usually I am not a fan of that type of quest but this was an exception. The world the party travels though is fascinating and feels so lived in. The Spore and the consequences make the journey fraught with peril. The interpersonal dynamics of the group as well as the hierarchy in status makes for fantastic and compelling reading. I loved learning the history of the land generally and of El’s past specifically.
There were two very small flaws. Kem’s angry attitude towards his aunt about her keeping his father from him was a bit wearying given how much the father sucked. Also El gets away with a myriad of small and large behaviors that go against the class order and it seemed unrealistic at times. Some may also not enjoy the cliffhanger ending. I happened to love the ending and am excited for the next book. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
Ahoy there mateys! This is book two of the Jenny Casey series. I rather enjoyed book one. Yet I could not get into this book at all. I tried it in Ahoy there mateys! This is book two of the Jenny Casey series. I rather enjoyed book one. Yet I could not get into this book at all. I tried it in both paperback and audiobook formats multiple times each. Nope. I just couldn't get into it. I only made it to 28%. So I am giving up on this series and putting the books I own in the donation crate. Arrr!...more
This is the fourth book in the Teacup Magic series. I did reread the first three books in preparation for reading this and still very much enjoyed thThis is the fourth book in the Teacup Magic series. I did reread the first three books in preparation for reading this and still very much enjoyed them. So I was super saddened to dislike this installment so very much. I really loved Lady Liesl in the other books and was excited to finally get her story. I am not quite sure why this one bothered me so much. In fact it sort of made me not want to read the remainder of the books in the series. However, the reviews for this are great and this book is a lot of the crew's favorite. Maybe I would like it better on a reread? Maybe my mood was weird that day? Who knows. But I don't want to think about this anymore. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! Well, the blurb I originally read was nothing like the actual plot of the book. The cover and description made me think this was aAhoy there mateys! Well, the blurb I originally read was nothing like the actual plot of the book. The cover and description made me think this was a happy story with a boy floating on a raft and having adventures with his pet frog and favorite rock. Turns out it is about a boy, Cooper, dealing with grief, PTSD, and having OCD. This was extremely well-written and made me heart ache. I am so glad to have read this but have to admit it was hard going because of the themes and the father's abusiveness. The author's note too was sad and lovely. Reading Cameron's thoughts made the conditions feel so real and Cameron himself was a lovely character. This was hard reading as an adult. I think middle school me would have been devastated and ugly-cried like crazy. I don't know who I would recommend this to but this read will stick with me. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! This is an Audible original that is only in audiobook form. I have enjoyed both authors' work in the past so I tried this sci-fi nAhoy there mateys! This is an Audible original that is only in audiobook form. I have enjoyed both authors' work in the past so I tried this sci-fi novella. Turns out I am not a fan. I did like the idea of a clone being made to hunt down her criminal original. I enjoyed some of the aspects of the nanite technology and also how the overlays worked, particularly when it came to architecture. I did not like the music in the audiobook. I hated the confusing and stupid ending. I hated how repetitive the clone's thoughts were. I thought the functionality of the world didn't make any sense upon some reflection. Ugh. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! I read this because it was an Icelandic horror novella in translation. It is about a woman who can't sleep and is trying to resolvAhoy there mateys! I read this because it was an Icelandic horror novella in translation. It is about a woman who can't sleep and is trying to resolve it "Until one night Iðunn falls asleep with the watch on, and wakes up to find she’s walked over 40,000 steps in the night . . ." She wakes up with injuries and doesn't know where she went. Sounds awesome right? Not for me. The reader knows a bit about what is happening before the character and that annoyed me. Plus I hated the ending. It is short and the beginning was mesmerizing but I wish the plot evolved differently. Arrr!...more
Ahoy there mateys! I picked this book up from the library because of the cool title and because it deals with a haunted house and ghosts. This was veAhoy there mateys! I picked this book up from the library because of the cool title and because it deals with a haunted house and ghosts. This was very cute. I liked the characters, particularly the main character, Alice. I like her offbeat, quirky parents. I thought the ghosts themselves and how the house worked was rather lovely. I enjoyed the ghosts backstory. What I did not enjoy was the ending and what happened to the haunted house. It was a surprising choice but I would have preferred a different one to be honest. No regrets about reading this one though. Arrr!...more
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