Welcome to the MOSL Book Challenge


Friday, November 29, 2019

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King

At an early morning job fair, a stolen Mercedes rips through the crowd, killing several. The driver is never found, much to Detective Bill Hodges' chagrin. Several months after the attack, the now-retired detective receives a letter from someone identifying themselves as the "perk" and threatening another massacre. Unhappy in retirement, Hodges is instantly alert and ready to put his considerable sleuthing skills back to use. 

Book #1 in the Bill Hodges Trilogy. 437 pages.

How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian by Carol Smallwood, et al.

How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian by Carol Smallwood, et al.

A compilation of advice from solo librarians who work in a variety of settings, including academic, public, and special libraries as well as archives. Topics range from time management, community involvement, professional development, and administrative tasks to marketing and PR, collection development, and general overviews.

300 pages.

Lost Boys of Hannibal: Inside America's Largest Cave Search by John Wingate

Lost Boys of Hannibal: Inside America's Largest Cave Search by John Wingate

May 1967, Hannibal, Missouri. Three young boys disappeared after being seen near Murphy's Cave. To this day, their disappearance remains unsolved. Author John Wingate (who badly needed an editor, but that's beside the point), explores what took place during the month long search for the boys, examining key players and theorizing as to what their fate may have ultimately been.

264 pages.

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 8 by Naoko Takeuchi

Ok, but where is Super Tuxedo Mask?
Pegasus Unicorn. Heart eyes.
What is wrong with my baby?!? He must be protected at all costs.
I love the introduction of the new villians and the theme they have around them.
Plot Twist at the end. This is such a Fanfiction AU if I've ever seen one....
Foreshadowed? Yes. Happy that it happened? Double Yes.

232 Pages

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 7 by Naoko Takeuchi

We have all the planets now! and Pluto
VIVA LA PLUTO!!!!
Does far off planet= socially awkward...the world may never know.
Mamoru stop being adorable

240 Pages

Snow White With the Red Hair: Volume 21 by Sorata Akiduki

赤髪の白雪姫 21 [Akagami no Shirayukihime 21] (Snow White with the Red Hair, #21)...Zen what did you do to your hair. Incorrect. Is there an erase button for the brain?
Ryuu. Heart eyes... You're growing more mature and I love you.

192 Pages

The Trials of Apollo: Book One: The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan

Sucky haikus. I can get behind that.
Percy Cameo. Heart eyes.
Reading books that are easy and quick are great.
Apollo....you stupid.
...Did Nico just say "this is my emotional support boyfriend"...
And now I present my haikus:

Apollo is a jerk
Character development
Dramatic as heck

Haikus better now
Should I even be surprised?
Humans aren't that bad

A plot twist I guess
Commentary on abuse
Dramatic entrance.

416 Pages

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 6 by Naoko Takeuchi

Communication is key, y'all.
Introduction of new characters....And I've heard about some of the drama that happened during the 90s anime...
Mamoru....Por que.
240 Pages

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery

Anne I love you. You are so silly. she just falls into trouble so much...saaame.
Also I love that she encourages everyone during a party to say whatever comes into their minds...
Paul.. You deserve the world and you must be protected at all costs.
....They're ignoring my ship and I feel attacked....I need more Gilbert... Give me Gilbert or give me death...
Oh my Gosh Ms. Lavendar. Yaass
Anne is a shipper and a fangirl and you cannot convince me otherwise.
The way Anne feels about Diann when she gets a boyfriend.... Seriously, same Anne. You are me.
....If I'm going to have to wait this long for my Gilbert, I might die.
282 Pages



Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A Nielsen

"It would take entire lifetimes for the men... to deserve their women"  RT. *Clap back*
Women being fierce and amazing
Did I see some Christ imagery...yes I did. But put suffering in front of me, and that's what I'll see...You can't just talk about saints and priests and expect me to stay calm...
....What kind of plot twist was that...Is this a Snape thing.
My beautiful babies.
The bonus scene was amazing!
336 Pages

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

All I Want for Christmas is a Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #1). By Jessica Clare, Narrator: Abby Craden.

All I Want for Christmas is a Cowboy (The Wyoming Cowboy #1). By Jessica Clare, Narrator: Abby Craden. 2019. Tantor Audio (Unabridged audiobook, 8 hours, 3 mins).

Leading into the Christmas holiday, Eli Pickett finds only himself at the Wyoming cattle ranch he works at, as the rest of the hired hands have left on vacation. He doesn’t mind though, he’d much rather have the solitude the snow-covered sprawl provides than be a charity case.

Cassandra Horn is a long way from Manhattan, but she needs a respite from her self-involved boss and the boss’s flirty boyfriend. Her parent’s winter cabin in Wyoming should offer the perfect getaway. However, she is caught in a blizzard and crashes her car. Eli, out looking for a surly cow with a penchant for knocking down fence, comes upon an unconscious Cassandra on the verge of hypothermia. When she wakes, she finds she has amnesia and is snowed in with a cute cowboy of the strong, silent variety.

Sometimes forced proximity and amnesia plots are dark in tone, but that has never been Clare’s style. If you want a light and fun tone with your snowed-in holiday romance, this is your book.
 
288 pages


Three Dark Queens by Kendare Blake

I am trusting no one and I am suspicious of everyone. I am suspicious of all the boys. Sisters before misters...

Jules deserves the world... She's adorbs.

Can someone punch some of the boys...Please...

Also...Has no one heard of dibs...Like come on. Control yourselves.

432 Pages

Monday, November 25, 2019

Snow White With the Red Hair: Volume 20 by Sorata Akiduki

赤髪の白雪姫 20 [Akagami no Shirayukihime 20] (Snow White with the Red Hair, #20)Kiki and Mitsuhide... Why must they torment me so? (Gif of Mrs. Bennet)...What does Mitsuhide actually feel... I have no freaking clue... Is he into girls, into guys, into no one.....I need answers.... There's unrequited love somewhere, but I don't know where..... Shrug.

Zen....Heart eyes

Ok but Classic Fanfiction trope. Snowed in at the Inn....Is there only one bed...Maybe...Cue me screaming on the roof.

Brotherly love. Yass Yass. Yass

192 Pages

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Wolf Rebel (SWAT #10). By Paige Tyler.

Wolf Rebel (SWAT #10). By Paige Tyler. 2019. Sourcebooks Casablanca (ARC eBook).

Police officer Rachel Bennett has had a rough go of it in the past year. Brutally injured by a crazed man while responding to a dispatch call in a graveyard in the middle of the night, she recovers only to discover that the close call triggered her transformation into a werewolf. Now she’s a member of the Dallas Police Department’s Special Wolf Alpha Team (SWAT), a division made up of werewolves, and her latest assignment is working a protection detail for an Assistant District Attorney. Plagued by nightmares, strange smells and hallucinations of her attacker, Rachel hopes work will be enough to distract her from her mental crisis, but then she learns that she’ll be working alongside Knox Lawson, and her troubles multiply.
 
This is new author and series to me. Wolf Rebel is the 10th installment of SWAT, but can be read as a standalone well enough. While there is the standard paranormal fare of fated mates and enemies to lovers, Rachel and Knox’s story switches it up by having her, a relative novice at being a werewolf, training an even newer werewolf in Knox. Wolf Rebel delivers two people pulled together against all odds, but it is more heavy on the action than the romance, and there are some creepy moments where Rachel’s past comes back to haunt her that adds an element of suspense as well as an interesting look into Tyler’s supernatural world. Overall, an action-packed and entertaining read with a bit of steam on the side.

320 pages

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to Betray a Dragon's Hero by Cressida Cowell

I just love picturing Toothless in a little winter coat. He is so ridiculous and I love him. He is so spiteful in such a childish way. I'm not cold. Actually I'm really hot. I need to go home to cool down. Toothless being cheeky never gets old. I will always love the way David Tennant plays him.

Snotlout....Can we just frame the whole chapter... The whole "If I stop being angry..." Chef's kiss.
*You know what that is? Growth.* gif Emotional depth.

416 Pages

The Runaway King by Jennifer A Nielsen

Jaron....why...why are boys stupid. Why do they have hearts of gold and brains of mush. Someone teach this boy communication skills. I do love how he interacts with children and how he fights though... Cunning is important.
I love Harlowe. Too good for this world..Too pure...Does he remind me of the priest from Les Mis...Perhaps
Imogen deserves more credit. She smart. She fierce. And she don't need no man.
352 Pages

The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

So I wasn't interested and I regretted reading it--because I'm the kind of person that has to read all the books of a series (I ain't no quitter). And then I didn't. Because plot twists, y'all.
..I am confusion...Is he or is he not... Oh my gosh...Seriously...Unreliable narrators. Curses. I'm mad at myself.
I do love royalty who act nobly...

352 Pages

How to Fight a Dragon's Fury by Cressida Cowell

There were dragons when I was a boy...How dare they..
My little boy growing up and learning things.
Gif of Mushu "My little baby is all grown up and savin' China." Frame all the lessons.
Just frame the whole last chapter and epilogue. Why did I think I could listen to this while I was driving?
I just want a poster of "Not the Settling Kind"
496 Pages

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Image result for anne of green gables collector's editionI love Anne. She is me. She's so dramatic. She's so extra. She loves anything that's romantic....Same. Enneagram 4 unite... Marilla going on about how she keeps talking...me when I was younger...I feel attacked.
Practicing her emotions and her acting. Don't be alarmed if you hear me wailing in the background...Someone tell my neighbors that....I react to my TV shows....
Marilla is so sassy.
Matthew...Heart eyes.
OH MY GOSH JUST GET TOGETHER ALREADY
...You did not just make me feel things...How dare. No.Nope nope nope.
Marilla...did you seriously just...you are a subtle shipper.
Gilbert!! Crying cat meme. Just put a freaking ring on it. I can't handle this.
308 Pages

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Hidden Things: A Novel. By Doyce Testerman.

Hidden Things: A Novel. By Doyce Testerman. 2012. Harper Voyager. ISBN-13: 9780062108111 (Paperback).

“Watch out for the hidden things,” are the last words private investigator, Josh White, speaks to his business partner, best friend and ex-girlfriend, Calliope Jenkins, while still alive. But cryptic messages from Josh on their business’s answering machine and couriered by a stranger known as the Fat Man send Calliope on a bizarre road trip halfway across the country. With her is an appointed guide, Vikous, who for all appearances is a trench coat-wearing clown. But as Calliope is about to learn, not all things are as they seem and not all shadows that have been forgotten and relegated to myths and nightmares prefer to remain hidden.

Hidden Things is a character-driven story, but the fantasy and suspense elements fit well into the plot and how the Hidden beings are portrayed is wonderfully unique. Interspersed with Calliope’s bittersweet memories of Josh and snarky camaraderie with Vikous, this is a great debut novel by Testerman.

323 pages

Catechism of the Catholic Church-Image Book (Editor)

I love learning more about the basic beliefs of my faith and knowing more precisely why we believe things. I love how it's organized and how many references to the scripture and to Church writings there were.There are so many quotes!
I think I have like a third of the book underlined.
St. Augustine, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Thomas Aquinas, y'all!

825 Pages

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 5 by Naoko Takeuchi

The last two pages....Evil laughter. Chibi-Usa. I love you.

I stan Usagi and Mamoru.

256 Pages

Monday, November 18, 2019

Tracking Game (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #5). By Margaret Mizushima.

Tracking Game (Timber Creek K-9 Mystery #5). By Margaret Mizushima. 2019. Crooked Lane Books (ARC eBook).

When deputy Mattie Cobb and her beau, veterarian Cole Walker, seek out the source of what sounded like an explosion interrupting the rural town of Timber Creek’s Saturday night festivities, they come upon a burning van and a man shot dead. As the investigation begins, several leads quickly develop, only to be interrupted by a distressed 911 call that sends Mattie and her K-9 partner, Robo, out into the Colorado mountains. The search ends with the discovery of a second murder victim and the threat of a large predator on the prowl. The double homicide points to the Redman cattle ranch, but ferreting out who the cold-blooded murderer is unfolds into a story with a nice mix of mystery, action, setting and character.

This is my first book by this author but Tracking Game reads as a standalone. There are a lot of interesting details provided in how a law officer works with a K-9 partner; so readers who like animals involved in their mysteries will definitely enjoy this procedural. While it felt to me like Tracking Game opened stronger than it closed, the pace and plot are, overall, done well and I would be interested in future installments in this series, and for sure, reading the first book for the origin story of how exactly Mattie and Robo come to be partners.
 
282 pages

MOBIUS 


Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton

Beware everyone, I've started to go back through some of my favorite romance novels, starting with this one. Vivian moves into a house she inherited from her great aunt and wants to start making repairs, but finds out that everything has to be approved by the local historian/librarian, Clark, as the house is on the historical register. Did I get annoyed that the librarian is constantly pushing his dust covered glasses up...like a lot? Sure, but there's lot of funny parts and a lot of heart.

Pages: 256

A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

Why did they cut out most of this stuff from the show?!! The Young Griff plot, using the Wildlings to man the abandoned castles of the Wall, specifically knowing that Arya and Jon being wargs?? Would have fleshed out some of the last seasons a lot better. But that's why Martin is awesome and D and D fall flat. The sad part? Now I have to wait with the masses for the next book. So unfair.

Pages: 1125

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: Book 2: The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

I do love when one character is exasperated by the ridiculousness of the characters and situations around them... And there was a knitting shout-out...so I feel acknowledged.

Magnus, you are stupid and oblivious..But you're protective and it's adorable. I love getting to know more about how his powers work.

Sam I love you. Never. Ever. Change She must be protected at all costs.

Did I hear a Catholic reference..Yes. Yes I did... Am I living. Yes I am.

496 Pages

Friday, November 15, 2019

Argyle Fox. By Marie Letourneau.

Argyle Fox. By Marie Letourneau. 2017. Tanglewood Publishing Inc. ISBN13: 9781939100092 (eBook).

Young Argyle Fox wants to play outside, but the wind keeps interfering. So he must be persistent and oh so clever to create the perfect solution for a windy spring day.

This imaginative fox’s story, adorably illustrated by the author, will entertain grade levels pre-school – 3.

32 pages

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Traitor Prince by C. J. Redwine

Javan, the cute nerd who's never gone out and studies all the time to make his dad proud...I feel attacked. Awkward dancing...like seriously same...same.....But how did he go from awkward to smooth in three seconds flat...teach me your ways.
*Banging pots and pans together* HONOR HONOR HONOR HONOR.... I'm fine... Javan...Heart eyes....I wanna know what aura I give off....Can my future husband take more notes please....because I love Javan. I stan characters who see themselves as monsters, and their love interests insisting that they're more than that. This story fills a core desire that weighs on my heart a lot....I need help. I love Sajda and Javan's interactions. *ten different crying gifs*
....And he prays...I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine... I love him. Can I keep him?
Fictional characters are the reason I'm single because my standards are so high....

I repeat once again. HOW IS THERE NOT MORE FANART.
432 Pages

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Pale Fallen Angel (Vampire Hunter D Vol. 11, Parts One and Two). By Hideo Kikuchi, English translation by Kevin Leahy, Illustrator: Yoshitaka Amano.

Pale Fallen Angel (Vampire Hunter D Vol. 11, Parts One and Two). By Hideo Kikuchi, English translation by Kevin Leahy, Illustrator: Yoshitaka Amano. 2008. Dark Horse Press/Digital Manga Publishing. ISBN 1595821309 (paperback).

In a world where vampire hunters are the only ones the Nobles fear, it is singularly remarkable that a Nobleman possesses enough mettle to request the services of a hunter as a bodyguard. Baron Byron Balarge seeks to end Lord Vlad’s life and must make a treacherous journey to do so. Vowing to D that he will not drink blood from the living while the hunter is in the Baron’s services, the duo set off on the mission, thwarting assassins and accumulating traveling partners along the way.

The merry band of travelers are fresh and entertaining, the powers of the villains unique, and a very interesting reveal regarding D’s suspected parentage. Pale Fallen Angel, Parts One and Two promises a satisfying conclusion to this four-part tale. Initially published in Japan in 1994, this translated work contains the original illustrations by Amano, a 2008 postscript by the author.

324 pages

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer

Adrian and Nova being cute little nerds....you can't just be that adorable and cute together and expect me to be ok..

I think I am Callum....like.....I love his enthusiasm and passion. Me. My spirit. His gift would probably be my gift. I love it.
Dads are embarrassing me. I love them.
Nova getting in some sick punchlines.
Max. Too pure. Too good for this world. Cinnamon roll.

Everything was fine and then they had to rip my heart out....Seriously....this is why communication is important. This is why honesty is important.
This is almost as bad as Miraculous Ladybug. How do they...*Glares at fourth wall* They are so stupid.

496 Pages

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2). By Jeaniene Frost, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2). By Jeaniene Frost, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert. 2010. Blackstone Audiobooks. ISBN: 9781481587594. (Unabridged audiobook, 10 hours, 25 mins).

“Save one life” is the mission Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling lives by. So when she hears an assault taking place in a warehouse on her walk home, she responds; only to walk into a nightmare.

As a Master vampire dating back to the Egyptian pharaohs, Mencheres thought he had seen it all, until a fearless human woman attempts to rescue him from death at the hands of ghouls. Saving her instead, he discovers he that she is a liability as long as he is unable to wipe the events from her mind. He decides to keep Kira close, but Mencheres hasn’t survived so long without making enemies and when they redouble their efforts in destroying him by targeting her, he must challenge his fate--the eternal darkness that awaits him.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness picks up after Spade and Denise’s story, First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1), and is followed by Night Huntress #5. While Mencheres’ and Kira’s story is a stand-alone, Night Huntress #3 and #4 does lay out the groundwork for Menchere’s mindset and standing with his compatriots. Overall a great listen that pays off for one of the more intriguing characters in this world.

361 pages

Shine by Lauren Myracle


Summary: After a personal trauma, Cat shuts herself away from her friends and closes herself off from her emotions. But they resurface when a formerly close friend is the victim of a hate crime. When local law enforcement fails to make progress, Cat is determined to investigate the crime herself and in doing so, finds herself again.

My Review: I heard this author speak at the 2019 YALSA Symposium, so decided to check her out. This is a well-written story about complex issues.

Pages: 380 pages     My Rating: 4 out of 5

Leadershift by John C. Maxwell


Summary: John Maxwell identifies the eleven changes, or shifts, he has made over the course of his career as a leadership expert.

My Review: Maxwell had me from “…the future seems to be coming at us faster than ever. It is not going to slow down. Would anybody seriously consider the idea that tomorrow will be at a slower pace than today? Technology, social media, and the rate of change will never allow that to happen. To go forward, we need to move faster. And as leaders, we need to stay ahead, we need to see more than others, and we need to see before others.” Wise words of wisdom!

Pages: 288 pages          My Rating: 5 out of 5

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Paperboy by Vince Vawter


Summary: Victor Vollmer has a problem with stuttering. When he takes over a friend’s paper route for a month, Victor must overcome his reticence about speaking with people and in doing so, grows into himself. This Newbery Honor Winner, is set in Memphis in 1959.

My Review: A touching tale that is part fiction, part nonfiction, as it also tells the story of the author. Vince Vawter was a featured author at the 2019 YALSA Symposium. I am glad I got introduced to his writing and can’t wait to read the sequel!

Pages: 201 pages           My Rating: 4 out of 5

Answers in the Attic by Kathi Daley


Summary: The renovations of the Inn is nearing completion and the only thing left to do is clear out the attic. The job takes on extra intrigue when a woman who is the great, great, great, niece of Abigail Chesterton, the wife of the man who built the house, arrives wanting to learn more about her ancestors. This time around, the mysteries are in the past, but that won’t slow down Abby Sullivan who is a part-time Inn owner, part-time author, and part-time amateur sleuth.

Series: Book 4 in the Inn at Holiday Bay series

My Review: A gentle, cozy mystery series with endearing characters. I read this one out of order, but that wasn’t a problem.

Pages: 201 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Friday, November 8, 2019

How to Seize a Dragon's Jewel by Cressida Cowell, Read by David Tennant

I love that Toothless is learning to be polite...and he's so proud of himself.
I love how he constantly goes around saying that he is the most important lost thing.
I love Toothless so freaking much.
I need some fanart of Hiccup Neville-ing up. Because I've seen movie Hiccup....But I want book Hiccup.
You can't just write about suffering, growing up, and becoming a hero and not expect me to start waving a lighter over my head...
Epilogues always get me, y'all. I'm not crying, you're crying.
416 Pages

How to Steal a Dragon's Sword by Cressida Cowell Read by David Tennant

Is this a children's book... I did not sign up for these lessons (I love them, but still)...and stress...
Just frame the entire intro that comes before the prologue..
I know it says don't blame the story for being dark....
My eyes aren't watering...It's raining outside.
My beautiful baby child deserves the world and he doesn't deserve to be stressed.
Oh my gosh Toothless.. You are my spirit animal. Jealous of best friend having other friends... I do need my ego stroked. You are so cute and so loved.

384 Pages

Broken Throne by Victoria Aveyard

Mom's diary... Crying...And scenes from her life... I love knowing ships that are endgame. Why....Baby Cal....Soft baby hair... Baby..Baby boy
Julian and all the geography...Was there a Missouri reference....
Shade Shade Shade you never change. Heart eyes.
You can't just have them mirror a previous conversation...How dare you attack me in this way.
You can't just hint at post cannon and not give me more information. You can't show me babies and tell me nothing else. You can't tell me there names and nothing else... That is cruel and inhumane. Where where is the fanfiction...is she going to tell me more or just leave me completely in the dark to come up with cute scenes on my own....I did not sign up to be a fanfic writer and I cannot do the characters justice...Is there a letter I can sign to make her write more post-cannon....

496 Pages

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Volume 4 by Naoko Takeuchi


Back to the Future...but it's in space.

I really do love Mamoru. He is precious.

Small lady...Blushing gif.

240 Pages

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

War Storm by Victoria Aveyard

I loved having more perspectives to hear from...
Sad puppy.
I really hope this doesn't turn into a Gale situation...
Do y'all know how much anxiety I'm having...I haven't breathed in like....five hours...I am having a stomach ache from anxiety throughout basically the entire second half of the book...
Cal Cal cal... Little anxious baby with a heart of gold. Sinnamon roll that must be protected at all costs. Mother-son relationships... You can't just write things like that and expect me not to cry. I'm not ok...
You call her Nannabelle...Seriously?
I'm a romantic soooo reconciliations...being anxious about the well-being of the other...Flirting with death helps with the bonding, right? Binocular sharing and com sets. Princess Diaries 2 moment where Mia is talking to Grandma through the ear piece...
No Man's Land from Wonder Woman plays in the background.
I'm so proud of my sweetie Kilorn.
The moment in Space Jam where Bill Murray comes running in to play for the Looney Tunes team.
Beauty and the Beast plays in the background

Stomach Ache was worth it.

672 Pages

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1). By Jeaniene Frost, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert.

First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1). By Jeaniene Frost, Narrator: Tavia Gilbert. 2010. Blackstone Audiobooks. ISBN: 9781481587310 . (Unabridged audiobook, 10 hours, 6 mins).
When Denise MacGregor befriended vampire hunter, Cat Crawford, she was introduced to the world of vampires, ghosts and ghouls. But when her husband was killed by zombies in an attack orchestrated to kill Cat’s husband, Bones; Denise withdrew from Cat’s world. But now she and her family are in grave danger from a shape-shifting demon, so she reaches out to Spade, a centuries-old vampire, and requests he help her. Spade’s honor impels him to aid Denise at first, but he soon discovers he has no desire of leaving her side. Together, they must unravel the secrets of the demonic bond that threatens her life.

First Drop of Crimson is the first installment of Frost’s Night Huntress World novels (set in the Night Huntress universe but are dedicated, full-length, single novels featuring new couples that are not Cat and Bones). The author’s recommended reading order places this title between Night Huntress #4 and #5; and this is the order I am following, but I think this title can be considered a stand-alone as the main highlights for Denise are revisited and up to this point, very little is known about Spade.

So far, I’m not a fan of Cat and Bones, but my interest in the world and desire to learn more about the secondary vampires has me working through the recommended reading order so that I don’t miss anything about Spade, Mencheres, Ian, and especially Vlad. I very much liked Spade and Denise’s story. Their steadfast natures help each other overcome Denise’s PTSD episodes and Spade’s fear of losing a mortal mate. Overall, an entertaining and steamy narrated read that will appeal to readers of vampire and paranormal fiction.

371 pages

Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Y'all I live for villains who think they're heroes. Sign me up. Evil laughter...Finally I can let out all my pent up evil laughs...
I also live for villains who are actually heroes and have the heart of a hero.
I love Marissa Meyer's world building...
Bad Reputation plays while Nova kills it. She sassy.
Adrian must be protected. He is stupid and I love him. So stupid.
When you picture a character a certain way in your head for 7/8 of the book....and you find out he looks different... I'm shook. How do you fix your brain...Crud.
Max is a boss and deserves the world.
Nova...Just...Just indulge your romantic urges for three seconds...Please.
Elphaba's No Good Deed plays in the background.
592 Pages

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The Escape Artist. By Brad Meltzer. Narrators: Scott Brick & January LaVoy.

The Escape Artist. By Brad Meltzer. Narrators: Scott Brick & January LaVoy. 2018. Hachette Audio. ISBN13: 9781478949374 (Unabridged audiobook, 12 hours 45 mins).

Even though it’s his rotation off, when Jim "Zig" Zigarowski sees the name Sergeant First Class Nola Brown on the list of new arrivals, he makes sure he is the one to work on her body. Zig is a civilian mortician at Dover Air Force Base. When the broken bodies of American soldiers are flown back home, Zig pieces them back together. He is known for his talent and dedication, but it isn’t a love for his craft that drives him. Zig wants to be able to provide closure for the families receiving home their loved ones. And for a brief moment in time, Zig knew Nola; it feels necessary to him to be the one to see to her. Only, the body on the table isn’t Nola. And the scrap of paper in a small canister Zig retrieves from the body’s stomach proves Nola is alive, and that trouble is following her.

Meltzer brings together Zig and Nola, who is the U.S. Army’s artist-in-residence, and ensnares them in a covert sleight of hand. It appears that Operation: Bluebook, has been resurrected and greed is at the helm. The Escape Artist is an entertaining story with plenty of action and intriguing politics and history tracing back to the greatest escape artist of all, Harry Houdini.

Narrators Brick and LaVoy are top notch. Top notch!

416 pages
MOBIUS