Review: The Antique Hunter's Murder at the Castle by C.L. Miller

The Antique Hunter's Murder at the Castle by C.L. Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is the 3rd novel in the Antique Hunter's series, and while I feel you can probably read it as a standalone, there are parts of story that will make much more sense if you read the first two books in the series. The author does a good job giving the reader enough information to go on if they haven't read the prior books or if it has been a while since reading the previous books to jog the memory. I do highly recommend reading the series in order to have the best reading experience.

This installment follows Freya and the gang on another mystery this time in Scotland. This time Bella has disappeared and called Aunt Carole for help. When they arrive at the castle she was scoping out, they discover a murder and the castle might be holding some of the artifacts Arthur was investigating prior to his untimely death. Working against the Scottish winter and with limited information the ladies with the help of FBI agent Phil use their knowledge of antiques, artifacts, and art to find their friend and solve the murder. Their ways are unconventional and certainly not by the book according the the FBI, but they are fun and they get the job done in the end.

This is a fun cozy mystery with great characters. I'm not sure if there will be more in the series, but if there are I'm here for them.

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Review: Find Me Where It Ends by Cassandra Khaw

Find Me Where It Ends by Cassandra Khaw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is a strange little novella that not only tackles death and mortality , but living life. Our main character Antigone and all of the women in her family have known when they are going to die because a black dog appears as a companion. Unlike those who came before her, she invites her dog in and treats it like a beloved pet for the months she has left.

This is dark and deals with sobering topics like mental health, death and suicide. As Antigone has an idea of when she is going to die, she has to come to terms with that and it puts her life into perspective. Her best friend Vera is aware of the curse that befalls the women in Antigone's family and is there to support her, but obviously doesn't want her bestie to die. I enjoyed their relationship and she added some levity to the story. The writing is beautiful and heavy which matches the subject matter.

I liked the choice of a male narrator. It was almost as if Antigone's friend, I don't think he was ever named, who shows up later in the novella to support her was telling her story. The narrator was excellent!

This is a bit different than Khaw's other horror books as it doesn't have violence or gore. There more of a paranormal or mythological aspect to the book. It is much more based in reality and facing your fears scary.

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Review: Victorious by V.E. Schwab

Victorious by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ALC of this book via Negalley, all opinions are my own.

This is the conclusion to the series and follows several different characters we've met along Eli and Victor's journey and some new characters are introduced in this installment. This is told in alternating timelines, bouncing back and forth between the present and the past which at times was hard to follow along via audio, but it got easier as the book progressed and it became clear that things were leading up to something big. We spend much of our time with Sydney and Mitch and a new "villain" while Eli and Victor continue to evade each other. You know that when they finally do meet it will be explosive. I would have liked to see more of both of them on the page, as this series is so centered on the both of them

I loved Vicious and always felt it stood well on its own. I didn't love book 2 but I do love this morally grey world that Schwab has created and the concept of certain people being able to come back from death fully functional but with super human abilities. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and feel that it brings things together nicely and gives a sense of closure to the series. I do feel like the pacing was a little off, with the long build up to the "final battle" if you will, and then its over pretty quickly.

I did love the narrator and felt he did a wonderful job with the many characters he had to voice.

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Review: The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Notes on the Inner Palace, Vol. 1 by Minoji Kurata (Artist), Natsu Hyuuga (Original Creator)

The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Notes on the Inner Palace, Vol. 1 by

Minoji Kurata (Artist),

Natsu Hyuuga (Original Creator)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I'm a huge fan of season 1 of the anime, I'm waiting for season 3 to fully release so I can catch up on what is happening. I have not read the manga or the light novel yet so I can't compare them to this version.

This volume captures the humor and awkwardness of Maomao the lady-in-waiting and apothecary to one of the emperor's valued consorts and all of the things she gets up to through episode 9 or 10 of the show. Her skills with plants and their medicinal uses prove handy in all sorts of mysterious situations and she becomes a valued asset to Jinshi. If you haven't watched the anime (not a prerequisite), this is a great place to start as it gives you insight into what The Apothecary Diaries is all about. Every chapter finds Maomao solving another problem and driving Jinshi crazy.

I love Maomao's character both on the page and in the show. She is smart bringing her apothecary knowledge learned from her father as well as her street smarts learned from growing up in a brothel to the palace. She isn't a polished and poised lady like the other ladies in waiting who have trained to serve the consorts, but that allows her have difference priorities and to see things with a different lens. Jinshi is some sort of secretary to the emperor, taking care of accounts and making sure the business at palace runs smoothly. I can't quite figure him out, as he clearly has some sort of feelings for Maomao but she either ignores them or doesn't see it. Their dynamics are hilarious and I can't wait to see how things play out as the solve more mysteries and divert more catastrophes.

This also includes a bonus short story not found in the light novels set prior to Maomao's time at the Inner Palace.


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Review: A Confederacy of Dunces by Albert Monteys

A Confederacy of Dunces by Albert Monteys
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this graphic novel via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I have not read the original novel, and I wonder if something was lost in translation. I felt like I was missing something, but perhaps that is the nature of the storyline.

The art was great and depicted the story well. Unfortunately I didn't enjoy the storyline at all. I didn't find this humorous at all, which is supposed to be the draw of this satirical novel. I thought a graphic adaptation would be a great way for me to finally tackle this. I didn't like any of the characters, which I think is the point and I'm not a fan of those types of books as a preference. I need someone to connect with and even if everyone is a villain, I still need someone to root for.

I give Monteys so much credit for adapting this and feel the art was very well done. Unfortunately, Toole's original story wasn't for me. If you are a fan of satire and social commentary this is a great option.

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Review: In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley ages ago as part of the paperback releaes campaign.  I listened to the audiobook in an effort to clear my shelf, as always all opinions are my own.

I found this a bit confusing.  I wasn't really clear on how the magic worked and because there were so many characters it was hard to keep up at times.  I like a book with court drama and political intrigue and this has quite a bit of that, but I wasn't always sure what was going on.  I kept forgetting who was aligned to which plotline, but it didn't really matter in the end as this is full of rivalries, betrayal, and who can out maneuver who plotlines.

The writing was good, but I would have liked more character development as I still don't feel like I know the characters well.

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Review: Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske

Bodies of Magic by Freya Marske
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a unique fantasy that uses magic for healing.  Students with with healing magic attend university for several years before the Grand Exam where they are paired together as a group to diagnose and heal a patient.  Passing the exam means the students can perform healing arts on their own much like a doctor passing medical school and residency.   In this years exam our group of main characters enter the exam to find one of the top students in their exam room dead and possibly murdered.  The unlikely group each has a specialty, and Ysabel knew it, which is why she knew they would make the perfect team to not only get to the bottom of the experiment she was working on but solve her murder if she didn't show up for the Grand Exam.

I really enjoyed getting to know each one of the characters.  Normally I don't like so many points of view, but Marske did a great job making sure each one of the five main characters got plenty of time on the page as well as had a sufficient backstory and plenty of interaction with the other characters.  We get to know each one of the characters and their personalities as they try to understand what is happening with their exam and what happened to Ysabel.  They each have their own unique skills and talents that make them suited to solve this puzzle and as they diagnose each ailment that becomes more and more clear what each of their roles are.  I also loved the use of singing as part of the use of magic when the group works together to heal a patient.  That was something that I don't think I've seen before, and it was a nice touch to keep the group connected and focused.

Overall I really enjoyed this.  It started out slow, but once you understand what is going on the plot picks up and I was completely invested in the characters and the storyline.

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