Some annoying things in this mystery, but it was entertaining enough and kept me reading to find out what happened

Entertaining teen mystery.

Book 2 in series. Middle grade graphic novel. Good story about friendship and dealing with a bully.

I liked this, but I especially liked the author's explanation of why she wrote this book as it relates to the Little House on the Prairie books.

For some reason I really dislike the cover art on this one, I think because it looks too cartoon-y, and after reading it, I feel like the cover art makes it look like it's for a younger audience than it is. I would probably recommend it for around 6th grade.

Book 5 in the Verity Kent series - a series I usually like, but this one was really disappointing. The first half or so was extremely slow without much of a mystery until the second part.

Good book with important information, but hard to read about all the terrible things people do because of racism and hate and the damage it causes, both immediate and long-term. The author tried to end things on a hopeful note, but it's really hard to feel hopeful sometimes given the state of things right now.

Book 2 in Det. Elouise Norton series. Good mystery. Lou, an LAPD detective, investigates a possible arson/murder and tries to sort out her rocky marriage.

So happy to have new adventures with Phryne!

My year in books. I spent the last few days squeezing in some last minute books and finishing up some that had been in progress for awhile. Now ready to start fresh with the new year!

Belle de Costa Greene, librarian/curator for J.P. Morgan's rare books, manuscripts, & art, was an interesting person & worth knowing about, but this nearly 500 page biography might not appeal to everyone (plus it's is a bit hard to find these days). I skimmed many parts where the details were not interesting to me. The fictionalized account of her story in the novel "The Personal Librarian" might be more interesting to some (I haven't read it).

Overview of the recent (last 4-5 decades) history of U.S. politics. We never got to the 70s in my history classes in school and then the next couple decades I was too young to know what was going on or was not paying attention until the last several years, so I found most of this interesting and informative. I skimmed a bit near the end because the events of the past few years are still fresh in my mind.

I love mystery and suspense novels but I guess short stories don't work the same for me, unless it's Laura Lippman whose story I did like (but I read it before it was included in this anthology).

Informative and thought-provoking

An interesting memoir about intimate partner violence, especially because the perpetrator doesn't fit the profile that I typically associate with domestic violence. Before reading it, I wasn't aware of the story or who Eric Schneiderman is; probably didn't pay attention to the news stories because it happened in another state or it got lost in a sea of too many similar stories at the time of prominent powerful men being revealed as abusers.

This was okay. More graphic and gory than I care for. I grew up near where this is set, so that was interesting. A number of inaccuracies were annoying, the biggest being that the town's police department wouldn't have jurisdiction over crimes happening out in the country outside of town - that would be the sheriff's territory.

In spite of the title, this is not a comprehensive history of the Vanderbilts. The main author is Anderson Cooper, although his coauthor is listed first here. It starts with the Commodore, then a couple of people from the next generations, then spends a lot of time on Gloria (not surprising). Some interesting parts and some boring parts.

This has a lot of mixed/low ratings, but I really liked it. Ebony-Grace is very socially awkward and has trouble keeping her imagination in check. I could relate to her awkwardness and difficulties fitting in and I think there are many kids who might see themselves in her. I also enjoyed the 1984 setting and learning a little about the history of the first Black engineers to work for NASA in Alabama.

Great cover, but otherwise kind of disappointing. First book in series that's a spin-off of the Lady Hardcastle series, which I enjoy. Fun setting and characters, but the story really dragged. Not a lot of action or investigating or clues, which are all kind of important in a mystery!

Amazing cover. Really liked this teen book, but it hurts to see "historical" fiction that's set when I was a teen ?.

Love this series, although I noticed that the author uses particular words/phrases A LOT and that got a little tiresome.

This was difficult to read (because it's enraging and sad) but it's important to be aware of our history, no matter how ugly it is.

Excellent! Loved the characters and the friendships.

Absolutely heartbreaking book about the many, many missing and murdered indigenous girls and women in Canada.

Fun, steamy Halloween-themed rom com.

Middle grade horror. Book 3 in Small Spaces series. Quite scary. Short, quick read.

Teen historical fiction. Very good.

Just the right amount of creepy (not scary) for me, but I'm not a big fan of dual timelines and a side plot wasn't fully explained or resolved.

This was difficult to get through because I was so enraged by what I learned.

Interesting setting and characters: Japanese Americans released from prison camp during WWII are forced to relocate to Chicago.

A mystery involving murders related to murder mystery books and their authors. An unlikely trio of civilians "assist" DS Kaur in investigating the murders. Really good!

I've been on a streak of reading books about hard topics and this is the latest.

Some of the dialog was clunky because it was conveying so much factual info, but the illustrations were great and the research was meticulous with end notes giving citations for every event depicted plus additional info.

Teen historical fiction set in the days leading up to the Tulsa massacre. It's mostly about Angel and Isaiah figuring out who they are and getting to know each other. The massacre happens near the end of the book, so it is not the sole focus of the story. Ends on a hopeful note in spite of the tragedy.

This was really good, just not quite as good as The Golem and the Jinni.

I decided to rejoin Book of the Month.

Difficult topic to read about, but an important event to know about.

This was good, but it could have been better. Still a worthwhile read. This is the 2nd novel I've read recently about oppressive, misogynistic, abusive religious people, and I should have spaced them out more.

Book 2 in a fun YA trilogy. Avery inherited billions from a complete stranger in book 1. In this book she continues to unravel the Hawthorne family's myriad secrets.

So happy for a new book in this series and hope there will be more!

Enola and Sherlock work on a case together. Tewkesbury, from book 1, is back. No Mycroft in this one.

Very good! 1920s; Ophie is 12 and has moved to Pittsburgh with her mother after her father is lynched for voting. She has to work as a maid with her mom in a rich family's mansion and can't go to school because they need both incomes. She also discovers that she is able to see and talk to ghosts and the mansion is full of them!

Bahni Turpin narrates the audiobook which is always a plus for me.

Reread the first 6 Enola Holmes books this past week in preparation for the new one that just came out. Excellent series!

Good but disturbing.

I don't recommend this book for everyone. I didn't really like the structure but in the end there was something about the characters & story that moved me. Main reason I read it is that it's about Mennonites, which is uncommon to find in mainstream lit. I grew up in a Menno. family and church (not Menno. now & def do NOT endorse this religion), so it's interesting to read about a culture that I'm familiar with & most ppl don't know much about. ⬇️

This was so much fun! Unrealistic and absurd (hiding a dead body during a big important wedding) but hilarious, too, with interfering aunties and romance.

A detailed, honest biography that doesn't shy away from revealing Grant's flaws. I would give this a pick, but I listened to the audiobook and the narrator mispronounces many famous names, which is why I'm rating it so-so.

Mexico City, early 70s. A woman who is bored with her life agrees to watch a neighbor's cat for the weekend but then gets involved in the current political unrest when the neighbor doesn't return.

I liked the character development in this and how the pieces of the plot came together in the end. Also, that cover is amazing 🔥

The first half was rather slow and I had trouble getting into it, but the 2nd half was good.

I recently ordered these from book depository: books 6-9 plus 2 story collections in the Murder Most Unladylikes series. These are the UK editions. In the US it's called the Wells & Wong series; I have books 1-5, but gave up on the rest ever bring published in the US and got the UK editions. So they don't match my 1st 5 books, but some do have colorful page edges, so that's fun. Middle grade mysteries set in 1930s.

I loved this! Perfect balance of serious and humorous.

American diplomats spying for the Soviets defect and then have to be extracted from Moscow. A historical family saga, not a thriller. Fans of the author will recognize some side characters from her other books. I won this book in a giveaway on Goodreads.

This was interesting. I wasn't expecting so much of it to be about Pan Am's services during the Vietnam war: ferrying soldiers and evacuating orphans.