whatsheread's reviews
2190 reviews

Not so much a horror story as a sad, almost tragic, story about a kid with hopes and dreams to turn out to be just dreams. He's just a kid 
who ends up being a serial killer who doesn't want to kill and who mourns what he did, and the hurt he caused his loved ones. It actually hurts to read at times because Tolly isn't evil. I loved it.

As a sequel, there is less of the Pimpernel's sleight of hand and more of Eleanor's stepping out of the confines of her role as maid. There is more philosophy as the story explores the ideology of the French Revolution and the League's involvement. With its cliffhanger ending, I still want more, as I'm curious to find out how Eleanor reacts to her new findings and the philosophical aspect of everything.

Theft and murder mystery with Slavic folklore as the backdrop. Kosara is a fun character. She is generous, knowledgeable, savvy in the ways of her world, and carrying a lot of guilt. Good, quiet chemistry with others. Definitely want more of this world and these characters.

Marlow is such a cute MC. The mystery is decent and totally expected from Ms. Johnson, Good cast. Atmospheric and entertaining.  The entire story kept my attention. In some regards, Marlowe is much more enjoyable than Ms. Johnson's Stevie Bell. 

Not as impressed with the finale as I wanted to be. The whole story is entirely too predictable. I never felt emotionally invested because I knew no one was in real danger. Still fun but meh.

 Decent romance but not much in the way of plot or action. Very repetitive, especially regarding Chrysantha's anger and desire for freedom. In fact, Chrysantha is not as dark as the synopsis implies; she's just fed up with the status quo. She's definitely not the monster Eryx is. I feel the first book in this world is much better. 

Whimsical and hopeful but not without lots of shadows. Hopes and imagination (dreams) can not only beat back the night/dark but overcome it forever. Great timing as we enter the dark days before the election when the world feels like it is teetering on the edge. 

 A thoroughly enjoyable, creative story that makes you cheer the villains. A bit too predictable, and Rae is a bit too clueless for my taste. Still, she has confidence, a heart/conscience, and a blast doing everything. So many unanswered questions with an explosive ending makes me anxious for the sequel! 

Short and sweet, I find HAUNTED IN DEATH to be a fun little interlude between major cases. We get to see all of our favorite characters. Eve is able to give Peabody a little on-the-job training by letting her take point for several aspects of the case. Roarke gets to come in and play cop for a bit. The best part of HAUNTED IN DEATH is that, for once, the identity of the murderer isn’t quite as clear cut as it usually is. When you have a series in which clairvoyants and psychics are accepted as normal, what is a little thing like a ghost?

One wouldn’t think a book about the walking dead, ghosts, and bones would be fun, but I certainly think Nicki Pau Preto’s BONESMITH is exactly that. Wren is a fabulous character, and I enjoyed nothing more than her bluffing and strutting her way through every situation. Everyone should have that level of confidence! And yet, Ms. Presto allows us to see the soft, gooey heart at her core, the one that craves love and acceptance and who has been damaged by her father’s and grandmother’s distance. While BONESMITH did not hold many surprises, I enjoyed every reveal as it happened. I love a good magic mystery and a character discovering unknown powers, and BONESMITH delivers that and more.