Star of the East

Star of the East by Tasha Alexander
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Short, sweet, and fun to see these characters in a different setting.

When You Reach Me

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Re-read this out loud to my family. Still 5 stars from me!

My prior review can be found here.

The Negotiator

The Negotiator by Dee Henderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nice clean uplifting story, but cheesy in parts. Really like-able characters and I'm looking forward to reading more in the series. I wasn't a big fan of the audiobook narrator though. His voices were hard to tell apart.

Crocodile on the Sandbank

Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Super fun! Reminded me some of the Lady Emily mysteries.

A Dangerous Place

A Dangerous Place by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Great audio narration. But, a so-so mystery and the turn of events of Maisie's personal life made this not my favorite in this series.

And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So very clever. I enjoyed this murder mystery immensely.

(A little tip: Don't look at the last page for any reason.)

Gone Girl

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Awards:Romantic Times (RT) Reviewers' Choice Award for Suspense/Thriller Novel (2012), Edgar Award Nominee for Best Novel (2013), Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery & Thriller (2012), Women's Prize for Fiction Nominee for Longlist (2013), Grand Prix des lectrices de Elle - policier (2013)
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book has been taking the book reading world by storm over the last 10 months or so. You see people reading it everywhere. I struck up a conversation on an airplane with a lady who was reading it just last month. Book clubs are reading it, and my personal copy is making the rounds in my neighborhood. Because it is so popular, it is a great book for connecting with others.

I was hooked once I started reading. It is dark and disturbing so, to be honest, I kind of wanted to read it quickly. It's not a place I really like to dwell. The characters are totally insane, so that just kind of boggled my mind. But I have to admit, I found the story pretty compelling.

Definitely rated R for language and content.

Also reviewed by: Sports Shoe Diva ~ One Literature Nut ~ Sam's Book Blog ~ Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ Lost in Books ~ Capricious Reader ~ The Bluestocking Society ~ Gerbera Daisy Diaries ~ Rivers I Have Known ~ My Book Retreat ~ Beth Fish Reads ~ Piling on the Books ~ Busy is Reading ~ Bibliophile by the Sea ~ Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity ~ The Insatiable Reader ~ My Friend Amy ~ The Boston Bibliophile ~ Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Avid Reader's Musings ~ Stephanie's Written Word ~ Your link here?
Source: Gift

Elegy for Eddie - TLC Book Tour

Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

On the library stacks: Adult Mystery Fiction
Awards: Agatha Award Nominee for Best Historical Novel (2012)
Series: Maisie Dobbs #9

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From the back cover:

Early April 1933. To the costermongers of Covent Garden—sellers of fruits and vegetables on the London streets—Eddie Pettit was a gentle soul with a near-magical gift for working with horses. So who would want to kill him . . . and why?

Maisie Dobbs's father, Frankie, had been a costermonger, and she remembers Eddie fondly. But it soon becomes clear that powerful political and financial forces are determined to prevent her from learning the truth behind Eddie's death. Maisie's search for answers on the working-class streets of Lambeth leads her to unexpected places and people: to a callous press baron; to a has been politician named Winston Churchill; and, most surprisingly, to Douglas Partridge, the husband of her dearest friend, Priscilla. As Maisie uncovers lies and manipulation on a national scale, she must decide whether to risk everything to see justice done.

I adore Maisie Dobbs. Even though this particular installment wasn't my favorite (and I really don't recommend starting in the middle) I still love this series.

Winspear is really adept and incorporating historical elements into her novels. Where this book fell a little short for me is that it seemed like a transition novel for Maisie personally and so the mystery element was not as satisfying. However, when you have a series that has been going on as long as this one, it's to be expected. By the way, I am a huge fan of these new book covers.

I am anxiously looking forward to reading the next installment that just came out this week. For more information on her new novel, Leaving Everything Most Loved, check out Winspear's website and Facebook page. You can also check out her discussion on Blog Talk Radio from earlier this week.

Also reviewed by: Axe for the Frozen Sea ~ Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ A Work in Progress ~ Thoughts of Joy ~ Your link here?

Source: I received this book from the publisher as part of the TLC Book Tour.

Rebecca

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

On the library stacks: YA Classic/Adult Fiction
AR Reading Level: 6.8
Award: National Book Award

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't reread books very often. The last time I read this novel I was in high school. I loved it then, and I am happy to say that this book definitely stood the test of time for me.

Our nameless narrator is a traveling companion to an old American woman in Monte Carlo when she meets the handsome owner of Manderley, Maxim de Winter. Maxim's wife, Rebecca, died tragically a year before and Maxim just hasn't been the same. When No-Name says she is leaving for America, Max proposes and after a quick wedding and honeymoon, they return to his estate in Southern England.

Poor young and fragile No-Name is thrust into a life she has never known. She has power to direct the affairs of an entire estate, must make social calls and deal with Maxim's family, and pervading everything is the ghost of Rebecca. She is everywhere. It's her house, her servants, her beach, her dogs.  Everyone loved her and No-Name can never match up. She's not even sure if her husband will ever love her like he loved Rebecca.

For me the power of this book lies in the rich descriptive writing. I can imagine everything down to the minute details. I feel No-Name's anguish as I walk with her through the beautiful house, exploring the grounds. I hate manipulating Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, in spite of No-Name's spinelessness. And I love the mystery element too. I can't recommend this one highly enough.

Also reviewed by: The Bluestocking Society ~ Book Nut ~ Good Clean Reads ~ The Boston Bibliophile ~ Your link here?
Source: Purchased

A Crimson Warning

A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Series: Lady Emily #6

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lady Emily Hargreaves lives in Mayfair with her dashing husband Colin. While Emily continues her eccentric pursuits in studying classical languages and now promoting the women's suffrage movement, Colin serves quietly as a secret agent to the Crown.

As the season begins, red paint is found on some of the doorsteps of the 'ton' elite, and soon thereafter a scandalous secret is revealed about the inhabitants. Lives are being lost as part of the uproar and together Colin and Emily must solve the mystery behind the red paint before more lives are ruined.

After just feeling ho-hum about last two books in this series, I almost gave up. But I am SO very glad I read this one. I felt like so many of the characters got a new lease on life and I'm excited about this series once again. I love how the mystery included so many of the Hargreaves' friends and neighbors and I enjoyed the political aspects to this book also. Thankfully I won't have to wait long for the next installment.

Also reviewed by: Girl Who Loves to Read ~ Confessions of a Book Habitue ~ Books, Belles, and Beaux ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith

On the library stacks: Adult fiction
Series: No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #13

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mma Ramotswe has two big problems. 1) Mma Potokwane has been fired as head of the orphan farm and 2) One of the apprentices at Speedy Motors has been wrongly accused of a crime. Add into that Grace Makutsi's adjustment to married life and a stranger who shows up out of the blue (I didn't know he was coming, but I almost cried) and you have a recipe for an absolute winner in this 13th installment.

There really isn't much more gushing I do about this series that I haven't already done in the past. It amazes me that I can still give 5 star ratings to a series that has been going on so long. Somehow McCall Smith gets right to the heart of human nature in such a gentle manner that it takes my breath away. I love my yearly visits to Botswana.

Also reviewed by: A Reader's Journal ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

A Lesson in Secrets

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

On the library stacks: Adult mystery fiction
Series: Maisie Dobbs #8

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this 8th installment of this wonderful series, it is 1932 and Maisie finds herself working for the British Secret Service. Posing as a philosophy lecturer, she is able to infiltrate a college in Cambridge where there are suspicious political activities. When the school's founder is murdered, Maisie is able to solve the crime while investigating the disturbing rise of fascism in her own country.

Once again, I just adore Maisie. She's smart and witty, but also feminine and sensitive. I loved the further exploration of her personal life as well as that of her assistant, Billy Beale. I enjoyed the various settings and locations the novel depicted as Maisie traveled back and forth between Cambridge, London, and Kent. I also love how the author integrates historical fiction with her mysteries.

I can't believe this series is soon to be 10 years old! I recommend starting at the beginning if you are a new reader.

Also reviewed by: Savvy Verse & Wit ~ Lesley's Book Nook ~ A Work in Progress ~ Diary of an Eccentric ~ Your link here?
Source: Library

The Beekeeper's Apprentice

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King

AR Reading Level: 7.0
On the library stacks: Adult Mystery
Series: Book 1 of 11 (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mary Russell is a teenage girl who lives with her Aunt near the Sussex Downs. One day as she is ambling along, she quite literally runs into Sherlock Holmes, now (mostly) retired. The two strike up an unlikely friendship and Mary becomes Sherlock's protege.

I should admit this is the second time I've tried to read this book. My last attempt was about 7 years ago and just couldn't get into it. However, I was determined this time and once I got past the first 70 pages and got into the mystery parts of the book, I did quite enjoy myself. I think Mary seemed a little too modern for 1915 and I'm not 100% sold on the chess and beekeeping analogies. But I'm a sucker for mysteries and I liked how this one unfolded.

I should probably NOT admit that I've never read any original Arthur Conan Doyle. But this book has definitely intrigued me enough to possibly give it a whirl. I am definitely glad I read this book before I started watching Sherlock (LOVE!) because I did at least have a context for the characters and their personalities.

Also reviewed by: Puss Reboots ~ Book Nut ~ cucullus non facit monachum ~ Your link here?
Source: BookMooch

A Spy in the House

A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

AR Reading Level: 5.1
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Series: The Agency #1
Recommended for: Grades 7+

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Mary Lang was a young girl in trouble. As an orphan, she kept herself alive by stealing from others--a crime that sent her to the gallows. At the last minute she was saved by the warden and sent to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. When she finished school she was asked if she would like to join an agency that uses girls as spies...precisely because during that time period, no one would expect women to be spies.

Mary was excited about the work and transformed herself into Mary Quinn. She became the paid friend of moody Miss Thorold. Once in the home, she was to get information regarding the shipping endeavors of Mr. Thorold. She meets James Easton in a wardrobe and the two work together, not only revealing what exactly is going on in the household, but answering questions for Mary about the fate of her father as well.

I went into this book with really high expectations. I kind of imagined it would be like the Gallagher Girls meeting Jane Austen. While it wasn't exactly that, it was a fun Victorian mystery nonetheless. The writing didn't always seem true to the period and felt a little clunky at times. However, the story was charming and I enjoyed the romantic element.

Also reviewed by: Bloggin' 'bout Books ~ Booked on a Feeling ~ There's A Book ~ Thoughts of Joy ~ Your link here?
Source: Kindle Purchase

The Strangers on Montagu Street

The Strangers on Montagu Street by Karen White

Publication date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: NAL Trade
Price:$15.00
Paperback: 352 pages
Series: Book 3 of 4 (Tradd Street) 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It has been two years since The Girl on Legare Street came out, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. Honestly, this series just keeps getting better and better.

Jack's teenage daughter Nola moves in with Melanie since Nola and Jack can't seem to get along. When Nola gets an antique Victorian dollhouse as a gift, she is thrilled. But everyone soon realizes the dollhouse is possessed and Melanie must use her "gift" to help solve the mystery of the dollhouse so the spirits can rest.

The heat really turns up in the relationship between Jack and Melanie in this third installment. I have to admit, Jack is one of those male literary characters that I have a crush on. (Sometimes I want to smack Melanie for being so dense.) I liked the inclusion of Nola as a character. I was worried her teenage angst would bother me, but I actually found her quite likable. I'm eagerly anticipating the final book in the series after the cliffhanger ending!

Click here to read the first chapter.

Source: Publicist - Thanks Joan Schulhafer Publishing & Media Consulting!

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

On the library stacks: Adult mystery fiction
Series: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #12

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alexander McCall Smith published the first No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book in 1998, the year I was married. Now on the 12th book, this is the one series that I look forward to each year and have read without fail.

In this relaxing mystery, Precious Ramotswe is confronted with a case where she doesn't like the person who has hired her for her detective work. She's also not sure she really wants the answers she needs to solve the case. Her assistant, Grace Makutsi, is planning her (Saturday Big Tent) wedding with stresses related to guests, food, and of course her shoes. And Charlie, the slacker mechanic (who is NEVER going to finish his apprenticeship) throws both the garage and the agency for a loop with his personal problems.

While the books in this series are fun light reading and not at all action packed, the prose is spare and to the point. The tone the author strikes about our human experience just really resonates with me. In the end, I just love my yearly pilgrimage to Botswana and I think this latest installment might be my favorite in the series. Read my reviews for book #9, #10 & #11 here, here and here.

Source: Borrowed

Dangerous to Know

Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander

On the library stacks: Adult fiction/Mystery
Series: Lady Emily #5

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I really liked the first three books in this series. Book four was a disappointment, but thankfully this book is much better than the last one. In this installment, Lady Emily and her husband are busy recuperating from their adventure in Constantinople at his mother's country estate in Normandy, France. When Emily comes upon a gruesome murder scene unexpectedly while out for a ride with her horse one day, she wants to get to the bottom of the horrific crime.

But Emily's husband isn't so sure he wants her involved. After what happened in Constantinople, he would much rather that Emily keep herself safe, and return to her academic pursuits of studying Greek and cataloging artwork. Emily knows that what she wants does not conform with society's expectations of her, but she is having a hard time giving up the equality she was used to with Colin previously.

I actually really enjoyed delving into Lady Emily's personal domestic life a little more. It's not as perfect as it once seemed, and that makes it seem more believable. I heartily recommend this series for those who love historical fiction with a dash of mystery.

Also reviewed by: Confessions of a Book Habitue ~ Your link here?

Source: Library

The Westing Game

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

AR Reading Level: 5.3
On the library stacks: Children's/YA Fiction
Awards: Newbery Medal; Boston Globe/Horn Book Award/Honors; ABA Children's Book Council; ALA Notable/Best Books; SLJ Best Book
Recommended for: Ages 10+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good heavens. How did I miss this book when I was growing up? It's a great book for tweeners who are done with kid's books but not quite mature enough for young adult.

Sam Westing was a self-made multi-millionaire who owned a mansion on the shores of Lake Michigan. Upon his suspicious death, sixteen individuals were brought together in pairs and each were given a set of clues. If they solved the mystery of Sam's murder, they would win $200 million.

If this quirky mystery were a play, I would go and see it in a heartbeat. It kind of read like a script for me and that's how it played out in my mind. The book is hilarious and also at times surprisingly thoughtful and deep. There were a LOT of characters to remember and the middle of the book kind of lagged for me. But the finale was so perfect and so right, it made up for it in spades. Great fun!

Also reviewed by: The Avid Reader's Musings ~  Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ The Book Nest ~ The Bluestocking Society ~ It's All About Books ~ A Book a Day ~ A Reader's Journal ~ Booking Mama

Source: BookMooch

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

AR Reading Level: 6.2
On the library stacks: Adult Mystery Fiction
Series: One of many Hercule Poirot novels
Recommended for: Grades 9+

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So this is where I admit that I don't think I have ever read an Agatha Christie novel. I don't really understand why since I was raised on a steady diet of Nancy Drew. And despite spending many of my teenage years in England watching many TV adaptations, I do believe this is my first exposure to the written word.

Hercule Poirot is a Belgian detective on his way from Istanbul back to England in the dead of winter. The train is unusually full for the time of year and a wide variety of people are on board, both in terms of nationalities and social classes. In the middle of the night, the train stops unexpectedly when it runs into a huge snowdrift. A few hours later, a passenger is found murdered. Hercule is given the task of solving the crime, and assumes that the murderer is still on board.

Reading this was so fun and is perfect for this time of year. I don't like my books too scary or spooky, but the mystery kept me riveted. I loved how it all ended and I was pleased that I didn't see the twist coming. I will definitely be reading more of the adventures of Hercule in the future.

Also reviewed by: Piling on the Books ~ Reviews by Lola ~ A Book a Day ~ The Library Ladder ~ A Reader's Journal ~ Your link here? 

Book 96 of 100 for the 100+ Reading Challenge
Source: Library

On Folly Beach

On Folly Beach by Karen White

Publication date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: NAL Trade
ISBN: 9780451229212
Price: $15.00
Pages: 416
Karen White's website here

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In 1942, Margaret owns a bookshop/general store called Folly's Finds on Folly Beach. She takes care of her 9-year old sister Lulu, and because of a deathbed promise, her beautiful cousin Cat, recently widowed from the war, also lives with her. Because of its proximity to Charleston, naval men are often in Folly Beach on weekends, and dances are held on the pier. Usually men are drawn to Cat, but one night Margaret meets Peter, a civilian from Iowa and he appears to have eyes only for her.

In 2009, Emmy awakens in the night with the sure realization that her husband serving in Afghanistan has been killed. Her mom, a native of Folly Beach, encourages Emmy to purchase Folly's Finds and move from Indiana to South Carolina. The change is difficult for Emmy, but when she finds love letters written in the margins of old books from Folly's Finds, she finds purpose in unraveling the mystery of the old lovers from WWII.

This book is my favorite work by this author so far. I loved the setting on a barrier island near Charleston, I loved the mystery element, and I loved the bookish references. I found myself so immersed in this book I even dreamed about it at night. I liked how the book switched perspectives between the two time periods, and I enjoyed how the stories overlapped. This would make a great beach read this summer.

Also reviewed by: Bermudaonion's Weblog ~ Savvy Verse & Wit ~ write meg! ~ Peeking Between the Pages ~ Diary of an Eccentric ~ Linus's Blanket ~ Your link here?

Book 58 of 100 for the 100+ Reading Challenge
Book 45 of 55 for the Countdown Challenge (2010)

Source: Publicist Joy Strazza - Thank you!