WTF by Cathy Yardley

by Carol1 Comment
Amber and I were talking yesterday about what makes me a geek - because I'm obviously a geek. Just the fact that I write book reviews for fun probably qualifies me, but add in our weekly board game night and the fact that we literally had a 45 minute discussion on monster types the other day and there's little doubt. But I don't have any geeky female friends like the women of Geek Actually. I do wish I had a group of friends like them. In this episode, we meet all the women and learn a bit about where they're at in their lives. We see their jobs, husbands and lovers. It's fun and sexy but it also touches on some heavier topics  like body image and sexism. I love the diverse cast of characters and people who I have something in common with (not that I ever go out of my way to swing by a PokeStop). I have read serial...
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The Freedom Broker by K. J. Howe

by Carol3 Comments
I have to admit, I really enjoyed this action adventure/mystery novel. Thea's job is get back people who have been kidnapped, whether through negotiation or rescue operations, and she's good at it. So when her father is kidnapped she can't trust anyone but her team to get him back. Of course, it's not simple. We've got arms dealers and African politicians and oil magnates all vying for power, with her father smack dab in the middle of it. And we've got a love interest for Thea. It's got a lot going on, but exciting and fast-paced. Thea's a great character, smart, tough, and skilled. She's also a bit blinded by her feelings toward her family. This is one of those instances where the reader knows a lot more about what's going on than the protagonist, but even at that there are a few surprising twists. The author has clearly done her research into kidnappings and hostage situations. I also appreciated that Thea is...
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Dead Tide by Leighann Dobbs

by CarolNo Comments
Mystery, magical power, romance - and pirates. It's light and fun. This was one of my read-a-thon books and it was perfect. It's a quick read, maybe a little unbelievable, but that's okay since it's so enjoyable. The sisters are each discovering their own powers, like seeing ghosts or electric fighting powers - yeah, not sure about that one yet. I like how much they care for each other and how well they all work together. The plot is carried on from book #2; they're hunting for the treasure and so are the bad guys. People end up dead, thankfully none of them. The mystery is not terribly strong here, but the girls and their men make up for it. It does veer strongly toward romance, so if you don't like a love interest clogging up your mystery, avoid this series. I do enjoy it, when it works right, and it does for me with these stories. I'm looking forward to reading...
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A Fistful of Divas by Camille LaGuire

by CarolNo Comments
So I love Mick and Casey McKee. I wish there were more stories in the series. They are a gunslingers in the old west, a young married couple. And I do mean young. She's maybe 17. He's the talker, she's the shooter and they make a great pair. This time around, the couple want to see singing at the local opera house. There's a cute story why, involving Casey's dad. Anyway, with these two nothing is ever simple. Just as they walk in to see who is warming up, there's a shot, apparently aimed at one of the women on stage. If the ladies are going to feel safe enough to perform, Mick and Casey need to figure what's going on and stop it. The mystery was good, for a short story. The actual shooter's identity is quickly established, but who hired him and why is the question. There are a couple clues and a nice, small list of suspects. Like I said, I...
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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

by Carol3 Comments
How can I really write any comments about Pride and Prejudice that haven't already been written? This is probably my third time reading it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The dialogue, and the story relies on its dialogue, is sparkling and fun. Elizabeth and Darcy are a wonderful couple and complement each other well. This time around I actually chose to read it because my daughter is reading it for her English class and it's nice to be able to discuss the books she's reading at dinner or on car rides. I didn't read A Tale of Two Cities with her, and I only partly remembered Dracula, but I'm glad I joined her in this one. Amber and I have talked about the story some. It's interesting, since she's looking at it from a different perspective. She's 17 and it's the first time she's read it. Neither of those things can be said of me. I think the thing that struck me...
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Cozy Christmas Shorts from Gemma Halliday Publishing

by Carol3 Comments
This was my last Christmas read for the season. Like most anthologies, it has its ups and downs. Each of these short stories fits into a series, but the only series I had read before is the Southern Pasta Shop mysteries. I will say that each story gave a good feeling for the main character and style of mystery and I'd like to read more of a few of them. Most of the mysteries were cute and fun, but I did have a few favorites. I didn't really hate any of them, but there were a couple that I wasn't fond of. Favorites: "Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas" by Leslie Langtry - The Bombay family may be assassins, but they are funny, pragmatic, inventive and really care about each other. And I loved the spin they took with And Then There Were None. "A (Gingerbread) Diorama of Death" by Gin Jones - Helen, the main character, seems like an interesting lady, even though...
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