Friday, September 18, 2026

Stay For a Spell by Amy Coombe

     An old woman handed me a key, told me she hoped it would unlock my heart's desire, and now I'm trapped inside a bookshop. 
    I think about it for a moment. My head's clearing up and I'm steadier on my feet than I was a moment ago. I'm stuck inside a bookshop. A thousand miles from my parents. Unable to carry on with my royal duties. I'm stuck. Inside. A bookshop.
    For as long as it takes someone to break the curse, or for me to fulfill it and unlock my heart's desire. 
    I lean my head against the door and start to laugh.



What's the one surefire way to break a curse, any curse, according to every story, every legend, every fable recorded? True love's kiss. And what does true love look like, if you're a princess? .... It looks like a prince....my parents? They're going to try to find a prince. 

My thoughts: A princess. A curse. A pirate. Seven princes; seven kisses. And one magical bookshop. What an enchanting novel! I loved Princess Tanadelle (Tandy to her friends), and her funny predicament. All the princes who come to rescue her with their unromantic kisses totally made me laugh. I also really liked Bash, the teasing and sarcastic pirate, who has a curse of his own, and all the magical creatures and characters who help Tandy with the bookshop. This cozy fantasy has humor, heart and a sweet and swoony romance. I read it in a day and loved every page.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Monday, September 14, 2026

Haiku Reviews...

 

The Midwest Lawyer by Peter Kirkland


A former prosecutor,
Maggie defends a childhood
friend charged with murder.


Legal thriller .... 376 pages .... 4/5 stars.
(First book in a new series; I can't wait to read the next one.)





You Had Me at Bigfoot by Nancy Campbell Allen
(Daphne Drew Mystery #1)

Daphne Drew and Clark
investigate a missing maid,
lost treasure and bigfoot.


Cozy mystery .... 264 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.
(Delightful mystery with Scooby Doo references, humor and two cute dogs.)





Milo's Eyes by Lissa Bachner


Blindness didn't stop
Liss from showjumping with her
amazing horse, Milo.


Biography .... 348 pages .... 3.5/5 stars.
(Loved the bond between this horse and his rider.)



Happy Reading!

Friday, September 11, 2026

September's bookish art...

Perham Wilhelm Nahl -- Silhouette, 1921

 "The right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever."
--Libby Page, This Book Made Me Think of You

Monday, September 7, 2026

Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood

 

The Plot:  Gertie, a London romance author, is suffering from a broken heart...and writer's block. And her next romance novel is due in just a few weeks. But she can't write a word. Then she wakes one morning to find a rugged cowboy on her couch. And not just any cowboy. This cowboy looks exactly like River Oakley, the villain from her romances. But how can a fictional character from Bedlam Creek, Texas, a town she made up, be real? As for River, he just wants to go back home. So he agrees to help Gertie win back her ex in the hopes it will end her writer's block, enabling her to finally finish her novel and send him back to where he belongs. Neither one is expecting to fall in love. 

My thoughts:  Cute (and unique) plot. Fun characters. And a swoony romance...though I could have done without the spicy scenes and all the f-bombs. River was gruff, sexy and good for Gertie, helping her find her own main character energy. It was nice seeing her go from wanting to be someone's sidekick to being a romantic hero in her own right. And seeing River navigate London, tea, and her neighbor's dog, Squish, was both entertaining and humorous. I enjoyed this one. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Friday, September 4, 2026

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

 


The plot:  Needing a quiet place to recuperate after an airplane crash, Jerry Burton and his sister, Joanna, rent a cottage called Little Furze in Lymstock. They're not expecting to receive an anonymous letter soon after full of hateful, untruthful accusations. While it makes Joanna laugh, Jerry finds it a little unsettling. Especially when he learns several other people in Lymstock have received similar "poison pen" missives. Then one of the recipients dies by suicide. The police are called in to investigate. And Jerry realizes the culprit must be one of his own neighbors. But who? And why? 

My thoughts: This clever and fun mystery is billed as a Miss Marple mystery, but she doesn't even show up until page 167. And she only makes two other appearances after that. It would have been better, in my opinion, if Christie had just had Jerry solve the murder instead of bringing in Miss Marple for so few scenes at the end. Because Jerry is a personable and engaging narrator. I liked both him and his sister. And I enjoyed this mystery overall, too. I had two ideas of who might be behind it all....but I ended up being wrong on both accounts. Once again, Christie's plot twists were too clever for me. It's not a long book, and it reads fast. And while it's not my favorite Agatha Christie novel, I thought it was an entertaining read. And I never once thought about DNFing it.  😉

Happy Reading!

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Randomness...

 I'm totally loving Olivia Rodrigo's album "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love". It's awesome!


I also got a fun new game to play. It's called Trailblazer: Hiking the John Muir Trail. It has lots of pieces and parts and takes about 2 hours to play, but I like it. Up to 4 people can play at one time, and there's also a solo version. I'm eager to play it again.



For me, the end of August/beginning of September means canning season, and I've been busy bottling peaches and pears and making zucchini relish and blackberry jam. We had early blossoms followed by hard frosts this past spring here in Utah, so I couldn't get any Gala apples to do applesauce this time around. Hopefully next year. Canning always cuts into my reading time, but nothing beats eating yummy bottled fruit from off your own shelf all winter long. 

And while I read several really good books last month, I also ended up DNFing six. Which is unusual for me. I don't know if I was stressed, running extra tired, or just too impatient to deal with slower plots, aggravating or unlikeable characters, or stories that felt like they were going nowhere like The Correspondent. But I just couldn't make myself finish any of those six books. I'm hoping for better books this month. And more reading patience. 

Happy Reading!

Friday, August 28, 2026

Who is DS George Cross?

 "He was Marmite to most of his colleagues at the MCU. They either liked him or loathed him. There was no in-between. He often came across as rude, difficult or plain obtuse. But it wasn't intentional. George Cross was on the spectrum, which sometimes made him a little challenging to work with. But it was what made him an extraordinary detective."

"...Cross would never give up, particularly when he was told to. He was like a terrier snapping at your heels; once he'd got hold of your trouser leg, he would stubbornly refuse to let go, even if you spun him round in circles."

"It was a full twelve months since she'd become his partner and although it had taken some time to get used to him she had come to respect and understand him. ...In many ways she had become Cross's apologist in the department; his interpreter. She confessed to friends that she might have been less understanding had he not been such an irritatingly brilliant cop. He had the highest conviction rate in the force. By far. Having said that, there were times when she would happily have thrown him off Clifton suspension bridge." 


 The Patient by Tim Sullivan is another excellent mystery in this fun British police procedural series that stars DS George Cross. He's the best kind of character. And I am loving these books. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

  

Monday, August 24, 2026

Haiku reviews...

 

Ambition by Natalie Keller Reinert


Jules has a dream of
being the best horse trainer 
and three day eventer.


Fiction .... 358 pages .... 4/5 stars.
(First book in a fun series that's all about dressage, cross-country jumping and horses.)




The Hike by Lucy Clarke


Four women, best friends,
stumble into danger while
backpacking in Norway.



Thriller .... 367 pages .... 4/5 stars.
(Loved the setting!)





Three Hitmen and a Baby by Rob Hart


They're babysitting
for a friend when bad guys come
for Mark and Astrid.


Action/Thriller .... 287 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.
(I love this series! But read Assassins Anonymous first.)




Happy Reading!

Thursday, August 20, 2026

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

 "The right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever."

 
from the blurb:  When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there's a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn't come as more of a shock. Partly because she can't remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. But mainly because Joe died six months ago...

When she goes to pick up the present, Alfie, the London bookshop owner with kind eyes, explains the gift--twelve carefully chosen books with handwritten letters from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

my thoughts:  Lovely. Poignant. Heartwarming.  I loved this book. I loved the letters from her husband each month, and how each book he chose helped Tilly take that next step in her journey through loss and grief to living, laughing, risking, and loving again. She meets some great people along the way, even finding a grief group in Paris. And I loved Alfie and his bookshop, and how he became such a good friend to Tilly. This book is amazing. Who wouldn't want 12 months of reading-inspired adventure from someone you love? 

my rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!


Funnily coincidental cover from an equally fun read:

Monday, August 17, 2026

August's bookish art...

 
Albert Aublet -- Reading on the Garden Path


"Some books you read.
Some books you enjoy.
But some books swallow you up heart and soul."
--Joanne Harris


Friday, August 14, 2026

A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman

 I just finished reading this eighth book in Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl series and I loved it. But it's so long, and so much happens in it, I'm not even going to try and summarize the plot, or write a long review of it. Instead, I'm going to take the easy way out and write a haiku review instead. Because that's how I roll these days. 😉


A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman


They've reached level ten.
Racing to stay alive, how
many more will die?


Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Action & Adventure.... 688 pages ....4.5/5 stars.
(Chaos runs rampant in the dungeon as Carl and Princess Donut fight to save as many of their friends as they can. This is one crazy, fun series! I can't wait for the next one.)



Happy Reading!


Here is my review of Dungeon Crawler Carl, the first book. 

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday...

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme:  BOOKS I WAS READING ON THIS DAY THIS MONTH OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. 

It was fun to look back each August over the last ten years to see what I was reading. Here are 10 of my favs:













I know it's hard to tell much about a book just by its title, which is why I've included links to my reviews of each of these books...so if any sound interesting to you, check them out. They were all great reads.

Happy Reading!


Friday, August 7, 2026

Hudson Bay Bound by Natalie Warren

 "Sometimes a great adventure lands in your lap."


"...everything that happens, good or bad, is a story. And life is just a string of stories that we collect, over time, and we might as well make them good ones." 

This is a true adventure memoir about two women who are best friends and the two thousand mile canoe trip they take from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay the summer of 2011. What a journey! 

I love these kinds of stories: the challenges and life-changing moments they experience, the humorous camping incidents, and the descriptions that immersed me in parts of the country, the rivers and surrounding wilderness I will never get to see in real life. Plus, there's a very cute dog in it that they adopt at Norway house in Canada, along with some moose and polar bear sightings. It's an interesting and fun read. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Similar reads:

Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Top Ten Tuesday

 
Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme is a COVER FREEBIE...
so I decided to go with 10 Fantasy Covers From Favorite Fantasy Reads. These 10 novels are some of my favorite fantasy reads.... and they are all books I really want to reread this year and next. 

The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien



The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks
(I'd also really like to reread Wishsong of Shannara and The Druid of Shannara.)



The Green Rider by Kristen Britain



Time of the Twins by Weis and Hickman
(Along with the other two books in this fabulous trilogy!)



A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab



The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern



The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip
(Really I could happily reread ANY of her books.)



Nine Princes in Amber by Roger Zelazny
(One of the first adult fantasies I checked out of the library...I think I was 11 or 12.)



Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier



Summers at Castle Auburn by Sharon Shinn



Happy Reading (or in my case Rereading)!


Saturday, August 1, 2026

Randomness...

 I can't believe it's already August. In just a few weeks I'll be back at work...and while I like my co-workers and all the kids in my many reading groups, I've really been enjoying my summer break. And I'm sad to see it coming to an end. 

July was full of fun family events and local excursions...as well as lots of days hunkering down inside where it was nice and cool. Or cooler anyway. 100+ days are not my favorite thing. And this July felt especially hot. 

I did a lot of reading though, and I have a new favorite series: Tim Sullivan's DS George Cross mysteries. I read the first two books in June and July and can't wait to check out the rest. George is on the autism spectrum and great at solving puzzles and focusing on all the small but important details of a crime, but he's not good at social interactions and has to be nudged by his longsuffering partner to remember the niceties. Even when he tries, he still comes across as abrupt, condescending and rude. But I like him. I've got the third book in this fun series sitting in my library bag by my bed, which I'm excited to start reading.




Happy Reading!

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Haiku reviews...

 

Out of the Woods by Madison Wright


She never leaves home.
He never stays in one place. 
How can they fall in love?


Romance .... 362 pages .... 4/5 stars.
(Cute and clean.)






A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas Didomizio


Mikey, 29, must spend
the summer working at camp
with his 12-year-old aunt.

Mystery .... 350 pages .... 4/5 stars.
(Humorous mystery set at summer camp where Mikey and his aunt, Annabelle, try to solve a decade old cold case.)






Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan


Dolly wants the best
for her son, brother, and dad.
But what does she want for herself?


Romance .... 360 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.
(Similar vibe to Nora Goes Off Script which I also loved.)



Happy Reading!

Saturday, July 18, 2026

July's bookish art...

 
Augustus John -- A woman reading

"Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you."
--Louis L'Amour

Saturday, July 11, 2026

Wisdom from the Prydain Chronicles...

     "Life is a forge!" cried the smith, as Taran, his brow streaming, beat at the strip of metal. "Yes, and hammer and anvil, too! You'll be roasted, smelted, and pounded, and you'll scarce know what's happening to you. But stand boldly to it! Metal's worthless till it's shaped and tempered."
    "Life's a forge, say I! Face the pounding; don't fear the proving; and you'll stand well against any hammer and anvil."


I've been rereading these classic fantasy novels this month and last, and while I didn't always remember the story line, I definitely remembered all of Lloyd Alexander's unforgettable characters: Taran, Eilonwy, Gurgi, Flewddur Fflam, Doli, Gwydion, Coll and Dalben. This quote is from Taran Wanderer, the 4th book in this series, which is probably my least favorite. But it's still good! It's been fun dipping back into these books that I read as a child. I'm thinking about rereading The Hobbit next. 

I'm home from Bryce Canyon, which was so fun, but still sort of on a blogging break. I'm reading lots and checking in on your blogs, but not doing much reviewing or posting. Which has been nice. Hope you are all enjoying your summer despite the hot weather, wildfires, and floods. 

Happy Reading!

Friday, July 3, 2026

Happy 4th of July!

 

In honor of America's 250th birthday, I thought I would list my 10 favorite books about the American Revolution, and the imperfect yet resolute men and women who fought and sacrificed so much for our liberty and freedom. I think it's important to remember them, especially this year. And these books are great; I loved and would recommend them all. 

Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution by Richard Beeman

John Hancock:  Merchant King and American Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger

American Spring by Walter R. Borneman
(About Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill and the spring of 1775 where it all began.)

Band of Giants by Jack Kelly
(About the amateur soldiers like Henry Knox, Nathanael Greene, Daniel Morgan, and others who helped gain American's independence.)

1776 by David McCullough

The Swamp Fox by John Oller
(About Marion Francis and the Revolutionary battles fought in South Carolina)

Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
(Where the Continental Army was forged in fire.)

Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom by Christopher S. Wren
(About Ethan Allen, Seth Warner and the Greene Mountain Boys.)

Rebels at Sea by Eric Jay Dolin
(About the role privateers played in securing American's independence.)

In the Hurricane's Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick
(About the genius of George Washington and the Siege at Yorktown.)

Happy Reading...
And Happy 250th, America!
(Land that I love so much.)



Monday, June 22, 2026

Summer plans...

 I have a road trip coming up this week; my sister and I are headed to Bryce Canyon National Park for several days. I've been there before, but it's been a long time. My family went the summer I turned ten. I remember being enamored with all the hoodoos, arches, and beautiful stone spires. It was like a magical fairyland. I'm looking forward to going back, doing some hiking and birdwatching and stargazing. And just relaxing.

So I won't be around this week. And then I have lots of family gatherings in July starting with our annual 4th of July breakfast. So I won't be around much then either. I had some posts tentatively planned for July, but now I think I might take a few weeks off, or maybe even the whole month. I could do with a little blogging break. And summer seems like the perfect time to take one. Though I'm sure I'll be around to comment on all of your blogs. 

Have a wonderful July.
And happy reading!


Bryce Canyon National Park


Thursday, June 18, 2026

A Fabulous Thru-Hike by Derick Lugo

 "Hiking long trails isn't about ticking off boxes or meeting some arbitrary standard; it's about the journey, the moments that unfold along the way, and the personal growth that comes with each step."

 
I read Derick Lugo's The Unlikely Thru-Hiker, a book about his journey along the Appalachian Trail, two years ago. And it was wonderful. A 5-star read all the way through. So, when I saw this one about his trek up the Continental Divide Trail I immediately bought it. And I'm so glad I did. 

Lugo's hiking memoir is full of adventure, honesty and humor. He is a talented storyteller, and the way he relates his long journey really makes it come to life, with all his struggles and triumphs, and all the friends he meets along the way. I haven't read about any other hiking adventures along the Continental Divide, so it was fun to get a glimpse of this long trail across the spine of America. I'd never want to hike all of it, but parts of it sound pretty fabulous. And I absolutely loved reading this book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here are a few of my favorite inspirational (and wise) quotes from Derick Lugo:
  • It's remarkable to think that I now consider nineteen miles a short day, whereas just a month ago, it would have been a full day's hike. Like anything in life, repetition breeds improvement.
  • An optimistic mindset will always go farther than a pessimistic one.
  • This experience has taught me that the greatest rewards often lie just beyond the edge of my comfort zone.
Happy Reading!


Sunday, June 14, 2026

Haiku Reviews...

 

Could've Fooled Me by Jenny Proctor


Deportation looms
for Sarah until her brother's hockey
teammate offers to marry her. 


Sweet hockey romance .... 383 pages .... 5/5 stars.
(Carter Williamson is the perfect guy; he and Sarah are great together, and this clean romance is super fun and cute.)





Miss Winter in the Library With a Knife by Martin Edwards


Six strangers. A mystery
murder game. A blizzard. So many
secrets. And real murder.


(An entertaining murder mystery set in Northern England; I always love that isolated and snowed in kind of setting.)





Miss Newbury's List by Megan Walker


Ten childhood dreams to do;
 then she'll marry the duke. She wasn't
counting on Charlie.


Regency Romance .... 309 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.
(Rosalind's bucket list was fun, and I enjoyed her banter with Charlie.)



Happy Reading!


Thursday, June 11, 2026

June's Bookish Art...

 
Joseph Farquharson -- Summertime


"There's no better escape from life than into a book."
--Heather Webber, South of the Buttonwood Tree


Sunday, June 7, 2026

The Inklings Detective Agency by John R. Kelly

 

Oxford, England. 1936.

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. "Jack" Lewis, his brother, Warren, and the other members of the literary society known as the Inklings, are called upon to help solve the murders of two members of a secret society headed by Aleistor Crowley before the next full moon. These amateur sleuths take on the case, even though their investigation puts them on a dangerous collision course with a murderer.

John R. Kelly brings these famous authors and the city of Oxford to life in this entertaining mystery. I loved Tolkien's and Lewis's interactions. Jack ends up being the main detective, but it was a lot of fun to 'meet' all the other historical figures in it like Warren Lewis, Hugo Dyson, Charles Williams, Dorothy Sayers, and even Agatha Christie. Their discussion about the rules of writing mysteries made me smile. I also really liked the secret society aspect of this mystery; that's always been a big draw for me. Plus, there are great quotes heading each chapter. And you know how much I like bookish quotes. I really enjoyed reading this one, and I very much hope Kelly writes a sequel to it.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!


Similar read:
What Rough Beast by H.R. Knight 

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, by Clare Pooley

First line:  "Until the point when a man started dying right in front of her on the 08:05, Iona's day had been just like any other."


From the blurb: 
Every day Iona Iverson, a stylish, opinionated, larger-than-life magazine advice columnist, rides the train to work with her dog, Lulu. Every day she sees the same people, whom she knows only by nickname: Impossibly-Pretty-Bookworm and Mr-Too-Good-to-Be-True. Of course, they never speak. Seasoned commuters never do.

Then one morning, the man she calls Smart-But-Sexist-Manspreader chokes on a grape right in front of her. He’d have died were it not for the timely intervention of Sanjay, a nurse, who gives him the Heimlich maneuver.

This single event starts a chain reaction, and an eclectic group of people discovers that talking to strangers can teach you quite a bit about the world around you—and even more about yourself.

My thoughts: Charming, humorous, and full of heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's entertaining and fun. I loved all the characters, especially loud, exuberant, witty and wise Iona. I also loved how these six characters who range from a teenager in high school to a solicitor in his 60s, went from being complete strangers who never even spoke to each other to such caring train friends. Found family stories are always  my favs and this one is the best! It has such great writing and so much heart, I could not put it down. (And I want to give a quick thanks to Cath who first put me onto this book with her 2023 review. Though it has a slightly different title in the British version.)

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Monday, June 1, 2026

Summer reading...

My summer vacation has officially started (one of the benefits of working at an elementary school), which means my summer reading begins today as well. And there are SO many books I want to read. My list of mysteries, popcorn thrillers, romance, historical fiction and nonfiction books is long enough for three summers at least, which gives me lots of books to choose from these next two and a half months. The only problem is deciding where to start. 


I just finished reading The Swamp Fox by John Oller, the true story of how Marion Francis fought the British in South Carolina and helped win the Revolutionary War. I did not know anything about the Southern front or what went on in South Carolina during the American Revolution. Needless to say, I found this biography well-written, informative and completely engrossing. And I have new respect for the quiet but determined Marion Francis and his small band of dragoons. I am planning on reading a few more books about the Revolutionary War this summer starting with Band of Giants by Jack Kelly (which I ended up having to buy because my library decided to get rid of its copy last month. It's so annoying when libraries get rid of books you were planning on checking out!) 

As for my first fiction reads of summer I'm trying to decide between Coram House by Bailey Seybolt, A Murder Most Camp by Nicolas DiDomizio and The Inklings Detective Agency by John R. Kelly. At least those are the top three books sitting in my library bag. I might change my mind and dig deeper into the bag for something else. Who knows. I'm just looking forward to a summer of free reading. What about you? What books are you hoping to read this summer?

Happy Reading!


Thursday, May 28, 2026

The Labyrinth House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Honkaku mystery:  A Japanese subgenre focusing on intricate "fair play" puzzle-solving designed to challenge readers with logical deduction, locked-room scenarios, and complex mechanical tricks. Inspired by Western Golden Age authors like Agatha Christie, these novels typically provide all necessary clues, diagrams, and maps prioritizing the puzzle over literary prose.



Four mystery authors, a critic, an editor and his pregnant wife, and an amateur sleuth have all been invited to a famed mystery writer's isolated home to celebrate his 60th birthday. But when their weekend begins with a shocking death, they find themselves locked inside the Labyrinth House with a murderer. 

This was an entertaining 'locked-room' mystery. It was a little hard at first to keep all the characters straight, but I soon got them figured out. And I really liked Utayama Hideyuki, the editor, and Shimada Kiyoshi, a fan of mystery novels and amateur sleuth. They worked together on solving the puzzles within the Labyrinth House. I guessed one of the twists early on, but there was another twist at the very end I was not expecting. Which added a layer of fun. As did the map of the Labyrinth House included at the beginning of the book and all the allusions to the Greek myth about Minos and the minotaur. I did think the dialogue felt a little stilted at times, but that might have been because of the translation, or just a difference between Japanese and American fiction. Overall, though, I really liked this one. It's definitely made me a fan of Honkaku mysteries. 

Happy Reading!

Sunday, May 24, 2026

Haiku Reviews...

 

Love Catch by Laura Langa


Roommates first. Then friends.
Can Trevor convince Kenzie
to risk her heart on him?


Sweet sport romance .... 297 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.
(He's a professional baseball player; she's an accountant. Together they work. Clean romance with the cutest rescue cat.)





Quiet Bones by Sarah Ward


A missing student.
A strange burial. A college
full of secrets.


Mystery .... 300 pages .... 3.5/5 stars.
(Carla James, an archaeology professor at Jericho College, gets caught up in three separate mysteries...or are they all connected?)






A Study in Secrets by Jeffrey Siger


A retired spy.
A homeless girl. A diner
owner. And murder.


Mystery .... 212 pages .... 4/5 stars.
(Great characters and a fun plot. I hope he writes a sequel.)



Happy Reading!