What a fun romance! I loved the meet-cute premise and that their relationship was based on friendship from the start (although I did feel a bit prudisWhat a fun romance! I loved the meet-cute premise and that their relationship was based on friendship from the start (although I did feel a bit prudish that in these books, kissing equals sex). Nik is a refreshing contemporary romance heroine, neither naive nor "in over her head". It took a bit more time for me to warm up to Carlos, but that's entirely my issues with men with hero complexes, and Carlos never used his need to be needed as a way to infantilize Nik (I dated someone briefly who lived for his hero status, and it was one of the more infuriatingly demeaning experiences of my life). The supporting characters were great and I wanted to be eating Mexican food in LA desperately by the end of the book....more
UPDATE: It's remarkable how well this mystery holds up. As I'm reading all of her works in order of publication, I can really see her writing getting UPDATE: It's remarkable how well this mystery holds up. As I'm reading all of her works in order of publication, I can really see her writing getting stronger, and this, the first of her Great novels, is just amazing. I love mysteries that play with their own rules. Also, Hugh Fraser's narration remains so impressive to me. He's clearly channeling David Suchet in his Poirot, but he sounds JUST like him. It's almost creepily good.
Arguably the most famous Agatha Christie novel, this is popular for a reason. I read this for my mystery book club at work, and we loved looking at how Christie manipulates the rules and creates a truly groundbreaking mystery. If you haven't read this, the end is a shock, but it's also fun to re-read it and see how she drops clues throughout. I had never read it before but still knew the solution (hard to avoid when you're a huge mystery fan), and I still really enjoyed watching how everything unfolds. There really is no one better than Dame Agatha....more
Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.
How is it possible that it took me SIX WEEKS to finish this book? Six weeks for a Golden age homaThanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.
How is it possible that it took me SIX WEEKS to finish this book? Six weeks for a Golden age homage??? This desperately needed more editing to make it compelling, and there were tons of issues with the plot itself.
The cover offers two well-known names that are sure to draw Anglophiles like me. As the niece of Julian Fellowes, the author has written several Downton Abbey companion books, and she clearly knows and loves the interwar period. It's the major strength of the book. Unfortunately, the mystery felt lost in the historical details and was needlessly drawn out when it wasn't all that complex. The promise of the Mitford family is also a letdown, especially since (view spoiler)[they have almost nothing to do with the murder (hide spoiler)]. They are famous for their lively family dynamic, but besides their nicknames, I didn't get much of a sense of them.
(view spoiler)[ I found the historical note really troubling. Even though the author says she wrote the book to pay tribute to the tireless nurses of World War I, like Florence Nightingale Shore, she seems to not realize that she's degrading the name of a real person, Mabel Rogers, also a WWI nurse, by making her the murderer, when she was in fact Florence Shore's friend and ran her memorial hospital. This was so weird to me! And then the letters that close the book are such a lost opportunity. I wanted them to reveal a new piece of information that remained unknown to Louisa and Guy, some loose thread, but they just reiterated what we already knew. Did I miss something?? And why kill someone because they their changed their will, when that means you can't persuade them to change it back? That seems like a terrible reason for murder! (hide spoiler)]
I'm willing to read another book in the series since I thought the historical details were vivid, but I'm hoping future books will be tighter....more
I'm really ranking this as a 3.5 as a result of what I suspect was a clunky translation (especially in the sections with his daughter - yikes!), but oI'm really ranking this as a 3.5 as a result of what I suspect was a clunky translation (especially in the sections with his daughter - yikes!), but overall I liked the breadth and twists of this mystery. It had an appropriately large scope without veering entirely into "giant corporate conspiracy" territory, and I liked Erlendur's level of damaged. I thought the spare language reflected Iceland's autumn/winter bleakness well, but I'd have liked to have felt a little more of the setting in the story itself....more
All of the ideas in this book are intriguing, but I can't really say that I enjoyed the reading experience. I know that I was expecting a pure horror All of the ideas in this book are intriguing, but I can't really say that I enjoyed the reading experience. I know that I was expecting a pure horror novel and was sort of surprised that the book isn't that, but even though I liked that the book became a sharp indictment of the mental health industry, it never came together with the horror elements in a way that felt cohesive. ...more
GAH this is a good series! Once again, the authors have found the perfect mix between big picture crime and personal motivations. Nina Borg's characteGAH this is a good series! Once again, the authors have found the perfect mix between big picture crime and personal motivations. Nina Borg's character continues to develop in heartbreaking and interesting ways. I enjoyed the first book in print, but did this one as an audiobook, and the reading was very good and the Danish words were mostly pronounced correctly. Yay!...more
Another childhood favorite that I revisited recently. I loved how the author took the common childhood (and teenage, and adult) issue of not fitting iAnother childhood favorite that I revisited recently. I loved how the author took the common childhood (and teenage, and adult) issue of not fitting in and molded it into a cool sci-fi story, especially that she kept in tact the message to find your people....more
My favorite thing about historical fiction is how it shines light on little-known parts of history and makes me want to find out more. The story of thMy favorite thing about historical fiction is how it shines light on little-known parts of history and makes me want to find out more. The story of the Wilhelm Gustloff is completely unknown and completely heartbreaking, and Ruta Sepetys does admirable work to convey the tragic details of the story (some are so horrific, I'll never forget them). I wish that there had been fewer perspectives telling the story, but overall this was very good....more
I'll be honest, there were a lot of parts of this book that didn't hold my interest at all. It could have eliminated all the friendship side stories aI'll be honest, there were a lot of parts of this book that didn't hold my interest at all. It could have eliminated all the friendship side stories and concentrated only on Vicky and her family, and I would have liked it more. But I loved that it focused on the recovery from mental illness and the strategies one has to find to live with it every day, rather than the descent and the suicide attempt, which seems to show up an awful lot in YA books. I also loved the author's personal posts on Goodreads about the book and his own struggle with depression; they're so filled with good will and earnest concern for readers that I wanted to adopt him as a grandfather figure in my life. This didn't strike my heart the way Challenger Deep did, but the author still writes about mental illness truthfully and with beauty....more
I never thought I'd say this, but oh my word, this book made me homesick! I loved that Skinwalkers explored the the Southwest in a way that felt both I never thought I'd say this, but oh my word, this book made me homesick! I loved that Skinwalkers explored the the Southwest in a way that felt both really familiar, but also exposed me to details of Navajo culture that were new and fascinating. Tony Hillerman's obvious respect for the Navajo is evident throughout the book, but he doesn't romanticize his view and portrays realistic struggles of reservation life.
The mystery is perfectly paced and the detectives compliment each other in really appealing ways. I'm sorry that I didn't pick up this series sooner....more
The premise of the book is completely enthralling, but Jussi Adler-Olsen includes way more detail in both halves of the story than I cared about. For The premise of the book is completely enthralling, but Jussi Adler-Olsen includes way more detail in both halves of the story than I cared about. For most thriller readers, this is a plus, and his writing is very good, so I'm not going to mark down more than one star. Even though it took me months to finish, I still never wanted to quit the book....more
Arguably the most famous Agatha Christie novel, this is popular for a reason. I read this for my mystery book club at work, and we loved looking at hoArguably the most famous Agatha Christie novel, this is popular for a reason. I read this for my mystery book club at work, and we loved looking at how Christie manipulates the rules and creates a truly groundbreaking mystery. If you haven't read this, the end is a shock, but it's also fun to re-read it and see how she drops clues throughout. I had never read it before but still knew the solution (hard to avoid when you're a huge mystery fan), and I still really enjoyed watching how everything unfolds. There really is no one better than Dame Agatha....more
I'm dumb and didn't review this when I read it over a year ago, but I remember that I really enjoyed it, even beyond the Copenhagen setting. (view spoI'm dumb and didn't review this when I read it over a year ago, but I remember that I really enjoyed it, even beyond the Copenhagen setting. (view spoiler)[ So many books of this style - dark mysteries with suspense/thriller elements - end up being big conspiracy stories, which I always find disappointing, so I loved that this pulled into itself and ended as a purely domestic crime. (hide spoiler)] The title and the description make the book sound much more disturbing than it actually is, so don't let that keep you away from this well-written series. ...more
Wow, this is what I want in historical fiction! I used to be a huge fan of the genre, but I've found that so many historical mysteries are too black aWow, this is what I want in historical fiction! I used to be a huge fan of the genre, but I've found that so many historical mysteries are too black and white, ignoring the subtleties of human nature and portraying history in a way that feels too artificial. Ariana Franklin has created one of the most nuanced and detailed settings I've ever read, and her characters feel real, with each one displaying strengths and flaws. I can see how other reviewers found the feminist push of the story in this time period unbelievable, but I enjoyed how the author used it, particularly at the end after the murderer has been revealed. Alas, there were some language choices that I found ultra annoying (how many times do we have to hear Adelia's full name as she gathers her strength to defy the men around her?), and I wish those had been edited out so I could give this five stars. Still, if you enjoy medieval anything, this is a great mystery. ...more