Double Deck the Halls by Gretchen Archer

by Carol4 Comments
I love reading holiday short stories and novellas, sometimes stand-alones and sometimes ones that fit into series that I may or may not have read. I haven't read any of Archer's Davis Way Crime Caper series, but if "Double Deck the Halls" is a good example of her style, I definitely want to give it a try. Granny Dee is the main character in this one, at the casino for the Winter Wonderland Senior Slot Tournament. I loved her. She is tough and funny and has a lot of life stories. The baddie is dressed up like an elf and is holding Bianca, the casino owner's wife, hostage, complete with a bomb strapped around her middle. Granny stumbles into the situation, but takes control. Bianca seems like she might be an interesting character, a bit snobby, but adores her kid and the interactions between her and Granny made me smile. It was laugh-out-loud funny, and I just liked the attitude of the story,...
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The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells

by Carol6 Comments
I expected The Invisible Man to be a horror novel, turns out it's more science fiction. He's not a monster, he's just a man. Griffin is a genius scientist who used chemicals and electricity to turn himself invisible. However, after the years of research, when he finally figures out how to do it, it's winter. Does he wait? No, he goes ahead and does it to himself, after testing the solution on a cat, and becomes invisible. Mind you, to not be seen, he has to be naked - in the cold - in England. While he may be brilliant, he is not the best planner. I think I enjoyed The Invisible Man in part because I had no expectations. I knew it was about an invisible man, but I didn't know anything about the plot. Needless to say, life as the invisible man is not easy. He's isolated, often hungry and tired, he can't trust anyone. When he finally finds...
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Bones to Pick by Linda Lovely

by Carol8 Comments
Bones to Pick is a fun cozy mystery and I have to admit I love the goat farm setting. Goats are so cute as are their guard dogs. Brie, a vegan, is helping out her Aunt Eva who she adores, when the first skeleton is discovered on the property. I love Brie and her aunt is a hoot. She may be older, but she's competent with a gun, loved by (most of) her neighbors and has a good sense of humor. The other characters are well-drawn to, from the moonshiner, who is way sexier than you would picture, to the vet to the New Age best friend. Even Brie's parents get involved in proving Eva's innocence. The part I didn't like is the love triangle. Brie broke up with her cheating fiancé maybe a year ago and the minute she comes to town she got two attractive decent guys drooling over her. Okay, that was a slight exaggeration, but there are...
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Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

by Carol6 Comments
Meddling Kids was my "scary" read for October and I have to say I loved it. In full disclosure, we are huge fans of Scooby-Doo; we own all the original episodes on DVD and some of the newer ones; we read tons of the paperback kids books when Amber was younger. Also, Amber and I have read a fair amount of Lovecraft and we play at least two Lovecraft themed board games occasionally; she even did a report in school on him. So, I feel like I am this book's target audience. I have not read any of Edith Blyton's Famous Five stories, but I feel like I should. This book is fabulous on its own, but it's also a kind of tribute and it knows it, if that makes sense. It doesn't take itself too seriously. Yes, it's fan fic, but the best kind. You can read the blurb. The Blyton Summer Detective Club "solved" their last mystery back in 1977,...
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Santa, Please Bring Me a Gnome by An Swerts

by Carol6 Comments
Santa, Please Bring Me a Gnome is a sweet little Christmas story. I love how Tess' grandparents play along, building furniture and making a blanket for the gnome that Santa will surely bring. Of course, Santa doesn't bring a gnome, but he does bring a darling little hamster who needs a home. And the becomes her best friend of course. The illustrations are sweet and gentle, like the cover. It would be a nice read to book to share with kids. But I'm not a big fan of animals as Christmas presents. It made for a heart-warming ending here, but animals, even hamsters, are a big commitment not something to buy on impulse because your daughter is expecting a gnome on Christmas. But kids won't look at it that way, they'll just enjoy the story and maybe ask for a gnome or hamster of their own....
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The Case of the Cursed Dodo by Jake G. Panda

by Carol4 Comments
I listened to the full cast audio of The Case of the Cursed Dodo. I am not used to listening to books with more than one, or at most two, narrators, so it did take me a chapter or two to get into the groove of it. It was an interesting set-up though. The book is written in kind of a screen play style, so on audio it felt like you were listening to an old-style radio show, which was pretty neat. I liked the characters, all endangered species, and the hotel that serves as the base of operations. Jake is a good semi-hard-boiled detective, gruff and tough, but also loyal. We've even got a dame, although condors are not really my idea of sexy birds. My one complaint is that there are a few too many bad guys, it got a bit confusing who was on which side and why. I also expected to learn a bit more about the...
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