Ricki Jill

Showing posts with label 20 Books of Summer. Show all posts

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies! Today I'm wrapping-up my 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge, and I'm also reviewing a contemporary romance my daughter sent to me.

I pledged fifteen books, and below is a list of the books I read. If you'd like to read my reviews of any of the books, use the search widget at the top of the page.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly

Death at a Scottish Wedding by Lucy Connelly

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Old Flames and New Fortunes by Sarah Hogle

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

One Cursed Rose by Rebecca Zanetti

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

Memories of the Lost by Barbara O'Neal

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese

I read sixteen books, so I exceeded my pledge. :D

Shanley Belle sent me the first book in a contemporary romance series (Bergman Brothers Series) that she loves entitled Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese (Chloe is a friend of hers). Both characters are grumpy, so at first I didn't see any hope of a "happily ever after." I tend to like the enemies to lovers trope because usually there's lots of really fun dialogue.

According to Goodreads:

Meet the Bergmans in this enemies-to-lovers new adult romance that tackles the vulnerability of love with humor and heart.

From the moment Willa sat next to Ryder in class, she’s made it clear she hates his guts. Her reason is a mystery, but its outcome suits him fine. Willa Sutter is the feisty, tempting chaos he doesn’t need in his quiet, tidy life. She’s the next generation of women’s soccer. Wild hair. Bee-stung lips. And a temper that makes the devil seem friendly. He’ll leverage her hate as long as possible to keep his distance.

When Willa asked Ryder to borrow his lecture notes, the silent, surly, mountain man ignored her. Ryder Bergman is an arrogant, infuriating flannel-wearing enigma. Mangy beard. Frayed ball cap that hides his eyes. And a stubborn refusal to acknowledge her existence. But Willa’s never backed down from a challenge.

Forced to work together on their final project, Willa and Ryder begin a game of pranks and practical jokes, each determined to come out the champion. But once they catch unexpected feelings, victory begins to mean something else—winning each other’s hearts.

My Review:

Both characters are juniors/seniors at UCLA, so this book is sort of a "New Adult" book. Although it's definitely a romance...a spicy one at that...it's also an homage to two very different families: Ryder's family is large, boisterous, and loving. He's the exact middle child of seven, and he has one sister. Willa (named after Willa Cather) is a top tier athlete, but she's also smart and works at a bookstore during the summer. Her family is so different than Ryder's as it's only Willa and her mom, Joy. They moved around a lot because Joy served in the military, so the only constants Willa has known is Joy and soccer. Although tiny, Willa's family is no less loving than Ryder's.

Without giving any spoilers, Ryder and Willa are each experiencing life changing upheavals. I think their circumstances forced them to mature exponentially. They're both antagonistic in how they approach and interact with each other, and each are withholding information (definitely lying by omission) even as they call a truce and realize that they are falling in love. There is quite a bit of synchronicity in their lives that forces them together (in the same location). Everyone in their lives...friends and family...can see how much Willa and Ryder connect with each other, yet both continually deny it.

The third act break-up is a real doozy.

But hang in there: after all it's a romance. An emotional yet sweet HEA soon follows.

If you enjoy romance novels, plots centering around large, happy families, and stories about sports (there are many details and descriptions of soccer), then you should enjoy Only When It's Us.

Until next time...

Happy Reading!
Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: 20 Books of Summer Wrap-Up

Friday, August 30, 2024

Happy Wednesday, My Lovelies! How is your week progressing so far? This week I'm sharing a special What I'm Reading Wednesday Post featuring Barbara O'Neal's latest novel Memories of the Lost. I have read almost all of her novels, and you might remember my review of The Place of Wonder HERE.

About Memories of the Lost:

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (July 30, 2024)

Hardcover: 285 pages

According to Goodreads:

An unsuspecting artist uncovers her late mother’s secrets and unravels her own hidden past in a beguiling novel by the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids.

Months after her mother passes away, artist Tillie Morrisey sees a painting in a gallery that leaves her inexplicably lightheaded and unsteady. When a handsome stranger comes to her aid, their connection is so immediate it seems fated, though Liam is only visiting for a few days.

Working on her own art has always been a refuge, but after discovering a document among her mother’s belongings that suggests Tillie’s life has been a lie, she begins to suffer from a series of fugue states, with memories surfacing that she isn’t even sure are her own. As her confusion and grief mount, and prompted by a lead on the painting that started it all, Tillie heads to a seaside village in England. There, she hopes to discover the source of her uncanny inspirations, sort out her feelings about Liam, and unravel truths that her mother kept hidden for decades.

The fluidity of memory, empowering strength of character, beauty of nature, and love of family braid together in this artful tapestry of a novel.

My Review:

Although this novel isn't very long, there is a lot of depth to the characters and plot. It's categorized as women's fiction, yet it's also a romance, mystery, and there is definitely an element of magical realism because of the cosmic force bringing the main characters Tillie and Liam together at a critical time in both of their lives. Their "meet cute" is during a stormy night in New York City: Millie is rushing to her best friend's opening night reception, and Liam sees her help a homeless woman by giving away her umbrella. This scene compels him to go meet this kind, generous woman. At the show, she is drawn to the painting of a house (not painted by her friend), and it causes her to get a terrible migraine. Liam, owner of a popular meditation app, helps her through it and both are strongly and inexplicably drawn to each other.

Tillie, also an artist, paints scenes from visions and dreams she's experienced for most of her life. Grieving over her recently deceased mother, her visions and migraines increase in frequency and intensity especially due to the mysterious painting from the show. She starts to believe that perhaps her visions are repressed memories, and while cleaning out her mother's belongings from her Upstate New York farmhouse, Tillie discovers shocking documents and ephemera. As she and Liam quickly become closer in their relationship, her mental health worsens at the same fast pace. Unfortunately he has business commitments in Europe and leaves her at her most vulnerable. Soon after Liam's departure, Tillie hears from the artist who painted the house that precipitated her downward spiral and learns that the house is located on the northern coast of Devon. She doesn't hesitate to follow this lead and leaves for England.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but there is a dual storyline. They are brilliantly woven together enabling the reader to be empathetic to all the characters and their challenges. Most are searching, and many are spiritual in a New Age hippie kind of way. The mystery is wrapped-up rather well, and the ending is more than satisfying. If you enjoy fiction featuring family mysteries and secrets, strong female characters, and psychological elements that keep you thoroughly engrossed in the story, then you should love Memories of the Lost. It is my favorite of O'Neal's novels.

DISCLOSURE: I received a softcover copy of Memories of the Lost from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thank-you! I truly loved it!

Memories of the Lost is the eleventh book I've read for the 20 Books of Summer reading challenge (remember I only pledged to read fifteen books). I will review two or three more on Friday, August 16th. I actually think I will accomplish my goal!

Have you read any good books so far this summer?

Until next time...

Happy reading!

Ricki Jill

What I'm Reading Wednesday: Barbara O'Neal's Latest Novel

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!

It's August, and I only have a month left to finish my 20 Books of Summer Reading Challenge! (I only committed to reading 15, though.) This post features books eight and nine, so basically I have the month of August to read six books. It's going to be a very busy month; if I make it to twelve I'll be happy!

Today I'm sharing the last books I read during July: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson and Middle of the Night by Riley Sager. Middle of the Night was our July Book Club selection, and I'll review it first.

According to Goodreads:

In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.

The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.

My Review:

I thought that this was a unique choice for book club because we don't often read mystery/thrillers. I enjoy reading genre fiction, though, and I'd heard of Riley Sager before because one of my favorite librarians has read his books and likes them. In my opinion, this is not a typical thriller because the action is much slower. This I liked because it allows the reader to get to know the main character Ethan much better. His character broke my heart: I truly hoped Ethan would find closure and heal. Nothing he tries helps him sleep, and although he tries therapy and follows his therapists' advice, he's running on fumes from lack of sleep and anxiety from a recurring dream related to his best friend and neighbor's abduction.

The setting of the novel is an upper middle class subdivision in Princeton, New Jersey. The setting also involves a many acre wood with a mysterious research institute behind the cul de sac, and the mystery of what happened there over the decades lends an almost gothic element to the story's atmosphere. Ethan's father is a retired Princeton professor, and he and Ethan's mother have relocated to Florida. They encourage Ethan to live in his former childhood home because he's recently estranged from his wife. There has been little turnover in his neighborhood, and most of his childhood friends have either returned to the neighborhood or have never left in the first place. When strange occurrences happen that include details only missing Billy knew about, Ethan becomes more anxious and paranoid. Definitely a slow burn plot point wise, the subtleties of the clues and the build-up to the conclusion at the end maintained my attention and curiosity. There are definitely unexpected plot twists and a very satisfying ending I was not expecting at all.

In book club reviews were very mixed with this one. However, f you enjoy mystery/thrillers that aren't too violent or scary and focus more on character development, then you should enjoy Middle of the Night.

According to Goodreads

A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for.

Daphne Brink doesn’t follow baseball, but watching “America’s Snoozefest” certainly beats sitting at home in the days after she signs her divorce papers. After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler, who quickly proves there might actually be a little crying in baseball. Horrified, Daphne reaches out to Chris on social media to apologize . . . but forgets to identify herself as his heckler in her message.

Chris doesn’t usually respond to random fans on social media, but he’s grieving and fragile after an emotionally turbulent few months. When a DM from “Duckie” catches his eye, he impulsively messages back. Duckie is sweet, funny, and seems to understand him in a way no one else does.

Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen. When he finds out the truth, will it be three strikes, she’s out?

My Review

Full disclosure: I. Love. Baseball! I'm a very loyal Chicago Cubs fan, and I rarely miss watching or at least listening to their games. My daughter recommended this book to me because she thought I'd love it, and she was correct. It is a very cute romance!

Obviously the "meet cute" is hilarious because Daphne gets tipsy at a baseball game and heckles Chris when he has a not very successful at-bat. The horrifying part is that she makes him cry, and we know that there's NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!!! Daphne is mortified because it's one of the top stories on Sports Center, and both her brother and sister-in-law work for the team. She gets a taste of her own medicine because fans heckle her right back, and it's hard for her to go anywhere unrecognized because of the proliferation of the story. In a strange twist of fate, Daphne is hired for the season to replace her sister-in-law who's on bedrest, and her first assignment is to interview Chris and make amends. It doesn't go very well, but the two decide to act professionally for the rest of the season.

Daphne, to her credit, does try to apologize to Chris via Instagram under her user name "Daffie." They become close virtual friends and develop deep feeling for each other. They begin texting, and Daphne never reveals who she is to him. Their messaging allows for both to share their feelings, and each helps the other with emotional trauma. In real life, Daphne and Chris secretly begin dating, but her aloofness and the fact that she won't share her phone number with him discourages Chris. The third act break-up is a real doozy, and the reader can certainly see it coming. However this is a romance, there is a happy ending, and getting there makes for a very fun read. I truly love Chris's sweet character because he's kind, caring, and very sexy. Daphne becomes more likable and makes a huge transformation in the book. It's a wee bit spicy, but if you enjoy romances, you really need to read The Art of Catching Feelings.

Have you read any good books this summer?

Until next time...

Happy reading!

Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: A Fun Romance and a Thriller

Friday, August 2, 2024

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies! Today I'm reviewing a book that has been on my TBR List for many years: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It is the Goodreads Winner for Best Historical Fiction of 2014. Several of my friends watched the series on Netflix and loved it. I'd like to see it, too, after having read the book.

According to Goodreads:

Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.

In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.

From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the stunningly beautiful instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.

My Review:

This is one of the best-written books and best stories I've ever read. The prose is so lovely, and the story is executed like a beautifully written musical composition, like Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune which is referenced in the novel. This musical piece is a perfect compliment to the story because of its dreaminess and reflective qualities. Both Marie-Laure and Werner are reflective of their situations, and although both are highly intelligent, they also each have physical weaknesses: Marie-Laure is blind, and Werner is very small for his age. They have absolutely no control nor freedom given their circumstances during the war, and yet they both conscientiously choose to act bravely toward its end.

Don’t you want to be alive before you die?

One reason this novel stands out is how Doerr methodically weaves the narrative back and forth through time and through each storyline: the reader knows what is happening in Marie-Laure's life and Warner's during the same time period, but their stories aren't told chronologically until the climax of the story, when the two meet. This allows for many instances of foreshadowing: it's little wonder they are drawn together. It's almost as it the "goddess" responsible for "creating" the museum's mysterious blue diamond predestined these two young people to meet. I also like the details, especially all the discussion of physics (light and radio waves), and how Marie-Laure's father builds tiny models of their neighborhood in Paris and then Saint-Malo after their flight from Paris. Each model neighborhood consists of small buildings, and some are actually trick boxes that can contain trinkets or prizes. The miniature neighborhoods with their buildings and other landmarks serve to teach Marie-Laure how to navigate her environs.

What do we call visible light? We call it color. But the electromagnetic spectrum runs to zero in one direction and infinity in the other, so really, children, mathematically, all of light is invisible.

Major tropes are bullies and their targets, the weak versus the strong, devastation of war, the manipulation of history and self-interests, and uncommon courage in extraordinary circumstances. The stories in this book are enthralling, and it is execution is as poignant as Clair de Lune. I know I keep going on and on about the music, but it's a favorite of mine, and it is such a perfect companion to the book. I highly recommend All the Light We Cannot See because it is the best World War II historical I've ever read by far, and I've read many of them.

You know the greatest lesson of history? It’s that history is whatever the victors say it is. That’s the lesson. Whoever wins, that’s who decides the history. We act in our own self-interest. Of course we do. Name me a person or a nation who does not. The trick is figuring out where your interests are.

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: All the Light We Cannot See

Friday, June 28, 2024

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies!

Shelley and I went to a local fundraiser today and lunch. Since we were gone a big chunk of the day, I'm posting my Literary Friday post rather late in the evening. Better late than never, right?

This week I'm sharing the Finlay Donovan series with y'all. I started reading it when I was going through treatment and I wasn't blogging much. I really wish I'd written reviews of these books earlier because they are laugh out loud funny. My local librarian who knows my taste thought I'd love Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, and she was correct. She's the queen of genre fiction, and I think I've enjoyed at least ninety percent of her recommendations if not more. Librarians truly are treasures (especially ours).

Here are the books in the series so far:

They are in publication order top to bottom, left to right.

I will give the Goodreads synopsis first, and then a very short review for all four books. I don't want this post to be extremely long! If you want, you can read the review for book one and skip to the end of the post. I wanted to go ahead and write mini reviews to post on Goodreads and also share them here on the blog.

According to Goodreads:

"Getting the job done" for one single mom takes on a whole new meaning in Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.

My Review

This book is so funny that it made me laugh so hard my sides hurt. Finlay is definitely a morally gray heroine: she has taken and spend an advance for a book she hasn't even started writing yet, and her deadline is days away. While meeting with her agent in a coffee shop, a lady overhears her talking about the plot of her book, and she literally thinks Finlay is a contract killer. Said lady "hires" Finlay to kill her not so delightful husband for a hefty fee. I won't give away too many spoilers, but just suffice it to say that the man dies not by Finlay's hand, but she gets all the credit and the money for the hit. She even attracts the attention of a local mob boss. Y'all, this is definitely a comedy of errors. The humor makes it "slightly" cozy, but there are also plenty of suspenseful twists and turns.

According to Goodreads:

Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like.

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it...

From Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead―the hilarious and heart-pounding follow-up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It.

My Review:

This was a nice installment in the series, and I thought it was hilarious about her ex-husband Steven's being a target of a possible hit because of his womanizing habits. I like her new love interest Detective Nick Anthony: the internal conflict Finlay has about being involved with the Russian mob while dating Nick is a fantastic plot point. I also love her children's nanny Vero. She just might be my favorite sidekick in all of fiction.

I kept thinking about this song while I was reading this book. This is for your listening pleasure!

According to Goodreads:

Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she's a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had "borrowed" in the process of saving the life of Finlay's ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.

Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.

Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen's police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay's looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob's clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero's past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.

From USA Today bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—the highly anticipated, hilarious, and heart-pounding next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series…

My Review:

I want reiterate what the synopsis says, but I must say that Book Three in the series is my least favorite so far. There is a LOT going on in it, and I feel so sorry for Finlay because she needs to meet her book deadline, find information for Feliks the mob boss, and attend an intensive citizen police academy camp. That's a lot, and this one needs to be read a bit more carefully, too. Finlay's frenzied life made me nervous in this one....I was more nervous than amused, and that's why I would rate this one slightly lower than the rest of them. A plus in this book is that she and her hot cop enjoy each others' company in his dorm room (three times!): They are really stepping-up their relationship!

According to Goodreads:

From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice―the fiercely anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.

Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.

But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco's already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay's night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.

If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

My Review:

I read this one early this week. Like the others, Finlay finds herself in a mess with the Russian mob and seedy loan sharks. I wasn't crazy about the Atlantic City setting (in winter, no less), but I did think that Elle Cosimano was clever in how she brings the entire cast to Atlantic City not knowing what Finlay and Vero are truly up to. I also like how Javi, Vero's childhood friend and love of her life, is in this book, and their plot line is very well-written. Almost all of the loose ends in Finlay's life were tied-up by the end of the book. Almost. I can't wait until Book Five!

Do you enjoy reading mysteries and suspense-thrillers? Based on my reviews, do you think you'd enjoy this series?

Until next time...

Happy Reading!

Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: A Fun Mystery Series

Friday, June 21, 2024

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies! Today I'm reviewing a new cozy mystery series set in Scotland, and the series is called a Scottish Isle Mystery Series by Lucy Connelly. There are only two books in the series so far, so if you're looking for a new cozy mystery series that doesn't have twenty books in it, this one might be for you. Also, I usually like reading lighter books during the summer. Both of these need to be in your beach or lake bag.

An American in Scotland is Book One.

According to Goodreads:

The small idyllic town of Sea Isle, Scotland, harbors some dark secrets, and Dr. Emilia McRoy is determined to uncover all of them—no matter what the diagnosis in this charming cozy, sure to enchant fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.

Sea Isle was supposed to be the fresh start Dr. Emilia McRoy dreamed of. Far from the busy emergency room across the Atlantic in Seattle, she hoped to settle down and begin this new chapter as a small-town doctor to the quirky residents who immediately welcomed her. When she stumbles across a dead body, she starts to think that she may not be as Scot free of the drama and intrigue as she initially thought.

Emilia soon learns she has bigger issues at hand. It starts with realizing she’ll work closely with the less than helpful local constable, Laird Ewan Campbell. Her luck continues when she discovers that part of her new responsibilities includes being the coroner for the very body she found. Finally, when the body goes missing before she can even begin the autopsy, Emilia must convince the townspeople that a crime did, in fact, occur. The deeper she digs into the picturesque town, the more suspicious she becomes. And then there are her sleep issues. It may be due to the ever-growing list of suspects, a number of threatening letters, or the surprise visitor who breaks into her house at night. But she’s never backed down before, and she doesn’t intend to start now.

Someone doesn’t want this doctor to treat the ailments of Sea Isle, but Emilia McRoy is determined to find the murderer before they kilt again.

My Review:

This is definitely a promising cozy mystery series based on its picturesque setting (a seaside tourist town on an island in Scotland) and its well-drawn if not quirky characters. Em is the main character, an American expat fleeing stress and heartbreak. The stress is due to her job as an ER physician in a Seattle hospital, and the heartbreak is due to what her husband did to her. Although this is another mystery in Book One, it isn't the main one (obviously the murder mystery is the main one), but what her husband did to her is teased almost until the end of the book. Without giving you a spoiler, let's just say that I don't blame her for running. So I definitely love the premise for the series.

Upon arrival, Em stumbles upon a body (who was once an elderly villager named Smithy) in a bothie owned by The Laird (Ewan Campbell), who also happens to be her boss. He's not only the Laird, he's also the mayor and the constable, and he's not convinced that the cause of death was murder. Em signed on the dotted line before reading her contract, and she soon discovers that she's not only the town's new doctor: She's also the coroner. Unfortunately she can't perform the autopsy on the body (and prove that foul play caused Smithy's death) because someone, presumably the killer, stole it. In spite of opening the clinic and searching for a killer and a body, Em is making friends in her new hometown, and the girls are helping her to solve the mystery. All rely on British mystery shows for their skills, and it's fun reading their dialogue about their favorites (some of them are mine).

The mystery is a good one, and there are many scenes that made me wince. For a cozy it has a bit more "blood and guts" than average (which I guess should be expected given Em's vocation). The plot points and suspense kept me totally engaged, and the resolution was excellent. I highly recommend this one!

Book Two in the series

According to Goodreads:

Dr. Emilia McRoy is back on the case in the second book in the Scottish Isle mystery series, perfect for fans of Sheila Connolly and Charlene O’Connor.

Something old, something new, something borrowed and someone’s blue…

Finally feeling like Sea Isle, Scotland is becoming her new home, American doctor Emilia McRoy is delighted when she is invited to a wedding at Morrigan's Castle. Her friends have warned her that it's a three-day party and it's bound to get wild, not to mention the impending snowstorm. Constable Ewan Campbell, owner of the castle, ensures their safety with the blizzard. What he didn’t ensure, is that all of his guests would survive the night alive. When Emilia explores the impressive castle, she finds a dead man in one of the turrets.

The snowstorm hits and the local police can’t reach the castle until it lets up. With no one able to leave, the family insists they carry on with the wedding, which makes Emilia's job as the coroner a bit easier—the suspects are in one place––and complicated because the killer has Emilia in his sights. The fact no one claims to know the victim isn't helping. Why would someone no one knows be murdered at a castle in the middle of nowhere?

It’s up to Emilia to uncover the mystery who the victim is, so the killer doesn’t get away Scot free.

My Review:

Book Two takes place in a remote Scottish Castle that's super creepy....during a snowstorm and subsequent avalanche...with a goth bride with multiple ex-stepmothers (and one not so delightful current one) in attendance...and a dead body. What could possibly go wrong? Well apparently a lot. This book is quite a lot, with a castle full of suspects who are stuck; the murderer can't leave, no one can! But what if he or she doesn't want to leave because there might be more people to murder?

I must admit that the first half of this book did not hold my attention as well as book one probably because almost all of the action takes place at the castle. This story depends a lot on dialogue, but the author (Lucy Connelly) does an excellent job of describing the castle and the wedding itinerary's events. The Laird is obviously interested in Em more than just as an employee, and I really enjoyed reading about how close Em and her friends (Abigail, Mara, and Angie the bride) are becoming. They truly care and look out for each other.

The second half of the book is much faster paced than the first, and I couldn't put it down. I was very happy that I stuck with it! Although I was not surprised about the mystery's resolution, the narrative getting there was one wild ride. Read this on the beach or by the lake when it's really hot because the coldness of the castle will cool you down mentally.

I pledged to read fifteen books between June 1st and September 1st. These are books two and three. My first book of the summer was Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

What are you reading this summer?

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: A New Cozy Mystery Series

Friday, June 14, 2024

Happy Literary Friday, My Lovelies! Today I'm reviewing Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. It was the featured book in the spring The Literary Book Club Box. This is the first book featuring the Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot, and it's also Agatha Christie's first published novel.

According to Goodreads:

Agatha Christie's debut novel was also the first to feature Hercule Poirot, her famously eccentric Belgian detective.

A refugee of the Great War, Poirot has settled in England near Styles Court, the country estate of his wealthy benefactor, the elderly Emily Inglethorp. When Emily is poisoned and the authorities are baffled, Poirot puts his prodigious sleuthing skills to work. Suspects are plentiful, including the victim’s much younger husband, her resentful stepsons, her longtime hired companion, a young family friend working as a nurse, and a London specialist on poisons who just happens to be visiting the nearby village.

All of them have secrets they are desperate to keep, but none can outwit Poirot as he navigates the ingenious red herrings and plot twists that contribute to Agatha Christie's well-deserved reputation as the queen of mystery.

NOTE: The Literary Book Club Box sent this beautiful Chiltern edition of the book.

If you're unfamiliar with these beautiful editions from England, please use this link and take a look at them. They are lovely!

My Review

I enjoyed this mystery very much, and I was truly in awe that this was Agatha Christie's first book. Written in the middle of World War I and published in 1920, the novel is set toward the end of the First World War. I enjoyed the setting of the rural Essex village of Styles St. Mary and the Styles Court estate during the height of summer. I can't believe that I hadn't read it before because I've read so many of her mysteries, especially from the Miss Jane Marple series.

A young soldier named Arthur Hastings is on sick leave from the Western Front. He travels to Styles St. Mary to spend his leave at the estate of his friend John Cavendish. One morning the household awakens to find that Emily Inglethorp, the elderly and wealthy owner, has died from strychnine poisoning. Emily is also John's step-mother, and he and his brother Lawrence are resentful that Emily has married a strange younger man named Alfred Inglethorp. Emily has bequeathed the estate to John, however the rest of her money may be distributed however she pleases. There are other members of the household including John's wife, a young nurse and daughter of a family friend who runs an apothecary in the local hospital, and a female companion of Emily's. Hastings asks his old friend the Belgian exile Hercule Poirot to investigate the murder.

The book is narrated by Hastings, and he tends to fall for all the red herrings in the plot. He also gets frustrated with Poirot from time to time because Poirot doesn't always share every theory and his movements with Hastings. I must say that this is the genius of Christie's plot because the reader is also Hastings: distracted, confused, and confounded. However Poirot is a genius at analyzing clues and observing human nature. He solves the crime and prevents an innocent from being incarcerated.

If you enjoy mysteries, you must read this classic. It's worth it just for the introduction to Hercule Poirot. Christie does a phenomenal job developing one of literature's favorite characters, and I found myself giggling from time to time at his quirky mannerisms and sartorial obsessiveness.

Instinct is a marvelous thing. It can neither be explained nor ignored.

~Hercule Poirot The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Do you have a favorite Agatha Christie mystery?

Please come back Tuesday for our summer tablescape blog hop!

Until next time...

Blessings!

Ricki Jill

Literary Friday: The Mysterious Affair at Styles

Friday, June 7, 2024

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