The Mystery of Three Quarters

The Mystery of Three Quarters Author: Sophie Hannah

Series: New Hercule Poirot Mystery #3

Publisher: William Morrow Books

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Hercule Poirot is back and in top form!

The legendary detective Hercule Poirot was having a normal day when he is suddenly approached by someone who is angry with him for accusing him of murder in a letter. Knowing he has sent no letter to this individual, Poirot is frustrated that someone has used his name to play a prank. Then someone else shows up with the same accusation. Soon two more come forward. The more Poirot thinks about it, the more intrigued he becomes. All four have been accused of the same murder and all four proclaim innocence. Some research shows that the victim of the murder is in fact deceased, but the death was ruled accidental as he was ninety-four years old and fell asleep in the bath. But Poirot cannot help himself. Someone must believe it is a murder and have known that this act would intrigue Poirot to find out the truth. So he sets out on an investigation to learn the truth with Inspector Edward Catchpool of Scotland Yard. At first, the investigation provides more questions than answers. In true Poirot fashion, he always figures out who committed the murder, if there actually was one.

I felt like I was reading one of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot novels through the whole book. I didn’t even know that someone had started up a continuation of the series, but I’m glad that she did. I enjoyed everything about this book. The way it was narrated kept me turning the pages to find out what was going to happen next. Each character was solidly developed and played out their parts beautifully. The connection to Poirot was imminent and carried throughout the story. I love old mystery novels and that was just what this felt like. The personalities just clicked like they were supposed to. It was a clean read all the way through, which is a rare find these days. I’m happy to say that there is a new follower to this series and I recommend all readers give this a try!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A Christmas by the Sea

A christmas by the sea Author: Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Reviewer: Jennifer S. Roman

Wendy Harper and her son Jackson are driving to Seaside, Maine, the weekend before Thanksgiving to clean up and prepare her recently-inherited seaside cottage for sale. A recent widow, Wendy can use the proceeds from the sale of the cottage to pay for her late husband’s medical bills and to get herself back on solid ground financially. It’s going to be hard, considering all the summers she spent with her grandparents in that cabin, and Jackson is especially excited to be going there. Jackson assumes they are moving from their home in Cincinnati to live in Seaside full time, and she doesn’t have the heart to correct him. She herself entertains the fantasy of living in the tourist town, but she doesn’t expect to find a good income there. She definitely does not expect to find the cabin in good shape after her grandfather has done some recent updates, and more importantly, she does not expect to make so many friends so quickly. One in particular, Caleb Colton, seems to take an interest in Wendy and Jackson, and with all the work she has to do at the cottage, she is happy to accept. As she finishes her projects and comes to love the house, Wendy has to decide if she really can go back to her old life again, right before Christmas.

True to form, Melody Carlson creates a sweet story with personal conflicts that immediately garner interest from the reader. Her light writing style makes the story go quickly, leaving readers wanting more. I know that as I went through the book, I was looking forward to finding out what would happen next. The whole book was enjoyable and, while dealing with some serious concerns, still light and easy to read.

One criticism of the book comes at the end, and that is the big problem. The book unfolds nicely and does a good job of moving along at a good pace. By the end, however, everything was resolved in just a few pages. What life-changing decisions Wendy and Jackson are making are wrapped up like a bow, neat and tidy. While I am all for getting through things in an efficient manner, it seems overly simple and quick, even for a short romance novel. While I enjoyed the ending, it was all too quick and simple to overlook. That being said, I still enjoyed the book and would gladly recommend it to my friends who enjoy the genre.

There is nothing in this book that should be offensive to readers. The story is short and sweet yet still carries a strong message of hope and relating to the past. I don’t see any reason that anyone who would be interested in this book shouldn’t read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Meet the Sky

Meet the Sky Author: McCall Hoyle

Publisher: Blink YA Books

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A love story with so much heart it is nearly impossible for readers not to fall in love with the characters and cheer for them in the challenges they face.

After the accident that changed her life, Sophie has trouble trusting anyone or anything. When her sister, Meredith, is left a shell of her former self and her father walks out on them, Sophie feels the weight of world on her shoulders. She spends most of her time trying to keep the family business running and working on getting into veterinary school. When a hurricane threatens them and causes an evacuation, Sophie sees that some things are out of her control. When her truck blows a tire trying to evacuate, she gets separated from her family and ends up with the last person she wants to be stuck on the island with, Finn Sanders. She and Finn have a past and she would rather not spend time with him after he broke her heart. Together they have to find safety from the storm and work past their differences to try and learn from each other how to live life to the fullest.

This is the kind of book that is perfect for young readers. It is just the right length with all the pertinent information and no fluff. The story develops at just the right speed and doesn’t ever drag. I especially liked the way Hoyle showed us the love for animals and how they can be affected in a natural disaster too. The tension is brought to an intense level with the storm, not the threat of another person, and this makes it an even better story. I enjoyed how we saw Sophie struggling at the beginning with family and the pain of her sister’s condition and then it transitioned on her having to get reconnected to her family in the midst of the horrible storm. Each chapter showed a clear progression in not only the story but the characters and their growth, something that might seem difficult in such a short novel but was perfectly accomplished here. I highly recommend this to young readers looking for a book that is full of fast paced action, drama and danger at every turn.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Formula of Deception

Formula of Deception Author: Carrie Stuart Parks

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: July 3, 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A troubled past, a prideful family, a government conspiracy, and a serial killer all collide for an incredible mystery!

Murphy Anderson’s sister’s body was never found, but she knows that she died at the hands of a serial killer. A killer that she helped put in prison, but not without having a scar left on her face from his knife. But she’s changed her name and escaped to Kodiak, Alaska to try to piece together where her sister’s body might be and hide from the killer should he ever escape. When the police learn that she has worked as a forensic artist (little white lie), they ask her to help draw up a sketch that a dying man remembers from ten years ago concerning five bodies he found on a remote Aleutian island. She reluctantly agrees to help diagram the island scene for the police and discovers an Quonset hut from World War II with a body still inside. As she finds herself pulled deeper into this cold case, people around her begin to die. What is someone trying to protect? And how many will they kill to keep it secret?

Any book set in Alaska automatically intrigues me. Maybe it is just someplace that I want to visit. Maybe it is because my grandfather was stationed in the Aleutians in World War II doing work that still hasn’t been declassified. Either way, I was ready to read this book. I’ve read several of the Gwen Marcey series and figured this would be a standalone book, which it is to a point. However, having read the other series, there is a tie in that only followers of Parks will see for what it is.

Murphy, very much like the character Gwen Marcey, has a troubled past that seems to follow her wherever she goes. She is also an artist like Gwen and would not have been in this situation to help solve the mystery were it not for Gwen. If I haven’t got you interested in the other series, then what more do you need? Right off the bat, I took to Murphy; however, I felt that something was amiss that is quickly discovered early on in the book as well as something that is discovered late in the book. The supporting characters quickly rotate through the book and I never really got to know any of them well enough before they were either dead or somehow removed from the storyline. Even so, the story flowed well and I enjoyed the overall mystery of what happened during World War II that continued to set events in motion seventy years later.

The only drawback I had was that the ending gave me some whiplash with twist after twist. I would have like to have seen it tied up a little more firm. But it is a great book that has clean content that several readers will enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Every Wicked Man

Every Wicked Man Author: Steven James

Series: The Bowers Files: The New York Years #3

Publisher: Berkley Publishers

Release Date: September 4, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

For the first time, I found myself crying at the end of a Steven James book! Every Wicked Man is the final book in the Bowers files and I am sad to see this series end. Steven James has created one of the best series out there and fans will love the way things come to an end.

Patrick Bowers is called in on a case when a senator’s son commits suicide and the video is shown live online. It turns out this is not the first video shown online like this. As Patrick looks deeper into things, he discovers a mystery that ties into a centuries old code that might be the key to solving his case. Not only is Patrick having to deal with one of his most difficult cases ever, he is also having family issues. His new wife is off on a spiritual retreat and he feels she is keeping something from him. Tessa, his new stepdaughter, is as obstante as ever and he is doing his best to find a balance of being an FBI agent and a family man.

When it comes to finding a good book that is hard to put down and keeps the pages turning faster than you would have thought possible, there is on one better than Steven James. I have loved the Bowers Files since the very beginning and am sad to see it come to an end. I understand that all good things must come to an end and this is a very fitting end. We get to see the origin of how Patrick really becomes a father and what happens to his wife that shapes him into the agent he becomes in the later Bowers Files. Almost all of our favorite characters are back, Tessa, Christy, Calvin, and Ralph. These origin stories have been very enjoyable as a way to better understand the team we have grown to love. Steven James has a way of drawing readers in and making them connect with the story and characters like no other author I have ever read. It is such a rare occurrence to find a book series that spans eleven books and is still as good if not better than when it began. Some may look at the book being over five hundred pages and feel a little turned off but it reads faster than most half its size and with his writing style James moves the story along smoothly. I recommend this to readers that enjoy a great suspense read by one of the very best authors ever.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Sold on a Monday

Sold on a Monday Author: Kristina McMorris

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A riveting tale of how everyday choices can have a massive ripple effect for those around us!

Ellis Reed has been working as a reporter in the social section of the Philadelphia Examiner in depression era 1931. He didn’t plan to have this gig; he hoped to be one of the top feature reporters, but he will take what he can get when so many people don’t have work or money. In route back to Philadelphia from an assignment, he sees two kids on a porch with a sign indicating that they are for sale. Troubled by the sight, Ellis takes out his camera and snaps a photo that will forever change his life.

Lily Palmer works at the Philadelphia Examiner as the chief’s assistant. When she collects the photos that Ellis Reed has developed, one photo of two boys for sale breaks her heart. Recognizing the excellent shot, she slips this into the chief who calls Ellis in to write a feature to this story. Even though this become Ellis’s big break, the consequences of the photo become devastating. Lily is distraught by the role she has played in this and teams up with Ellis to try to right what has turned out so wrong.

This was an incredible story that I couldn’t put down. Even the synopsis had me hooked. There is so much at work in this story. Ellis is your typical hard working individual that never seems to get ahead. He finally gets his big break and almost has it snatched away from him, but he still manages to get it, but he has to compromise his values to make it happen. From there it becomes just a little bit easier to keep chipping away at those values until you find that your no better than the people in the story you’re writing about. Once Ellis essentially hits rock bottom in his life, he realizes that the has to turn this back around and make some tough choices.

Lily in much the same way has made some past mistakes that she is making up for in life. Fortunately , she has a very supportive family to help her make her career dreams a reality. She has an ulterior motive for helping Ellis throughout the story, but it is very understandable when it is revealed. Ellis and Lily have an undeniable chemistry throughout the book that isn’t forced, more built up with tension as the reader continues through the story.

There is a mystery that surrounds this story that isn’t revealed until about halfway into the book. At that point, it just adds to the lure of the story and about doubles the reading pace because it’s so intriguing. There is some very mild language throughout the book, but nothing that should sway any readers. This is probably going to be my top pick for historical fiction this year by far!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Let Me Be Like Water

Let me be like water Author: S. K. Perry

Publisher: Melville House

Release Date: August 14, 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A very personal account of coping with personal loss.

After Holly’s boyfriend passed away, she couldn’t stand being in London as every thought reminded her of him. So, she moved away to Brighton to escape. But even here sitting on a bench listening to the sounds of the sea, she can’t help but think about him. There she meets Frank, a retired magician that has also experience personal loss. She begins to meet others as well that have also experienced this. Holly slowly begins to form a support group without even realizing that it is happening. Over the next year, she begins to move on and deal with the emptiness that has been left inside her.

This way this book was written made it easy to step into Holly’s shoes and experience the same emotions that she was going through, especially if you have been through it yourself. It feels like a very personal account and almost an invasion of privacy that it is so raw. Even the guilt that she began to feel as she began to move on was expressed throughout.

The book is told from Holly’s point of view and toggles from her past with her boyfriend to present. It is like going back through Holly’s memory of the good (and bad) times that they had together and how it came to shape who she was. The remainder of the time was Holly figuring out how to deal with life now that he was gone, both on her own and with her group of friends.

There is quite a bit of strong language in this book and some intimate scenes as well. I would caution readers that have experience personal loss in the past that it may stir up some feelings that may have been put to bed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Between the Lies

Between the Lies Author: Cynthia A. Graham

Publisher: Blank Slate Press

Release Date: March 27, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Racial tensions heat up during the civil rights era that could be just as accurate today!

Sheriff Hick Blackburn has overseen order in Cherokee Crossing, Arkansas since he came back from the war. He stands for justice and truth regardless of skin color. The same can’t be said for the sheriff in nearby Broken Creek, especially after he arrests a colored boy for a murder. A local priest comes to Hick asking him to help in any way he can. The more he pries into the case, the more things don’t add up. In fact, Hick is 100% sure that this boy couldn’t have committed the crime he is being accused of. The deputy sheriff at Broken Creek also comes to realize this and works to aid Hick in trying to figure out a way to make this right. But there is an agenda at stake and the sheriff has everyone in town in his pocket, including the judge. What sort of miracle would Hick be able to pull out to get this kid freed?

As usual, Cynthia Graham has produced a fantastic southern crime novel that feeds on tension. I was immediately drawn into this book and couldn’t put it down until I finished it! Best of all with the main character, Hick Blackburn. He was a good ole boy that saw right and wrong for what it was regardless of who committed the crime. Throw some other unforgettable supporting characters and it gets entertaining with plenty of wit, banter, and investigating. I felt like I was right alongside Hick as we tried to figure out what was going on throughout the town. I felt disappointed when I learned how low people can stoop in the book, even though there are plenty today that would be the same. There was a little bit of strong language, but nothing that deters the story at all.

The only disappointment that I had was in the last chapter. I’m not giving anything away, but it will be a shock to most readers, it especially was to me. Even so, I highly recommend this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Ms. Mulligan and the Enchanted Ice Cream

mulligan Author: Tiffany Elaine

Publisher: Ingramelliot Publishing

Release Date: February 18, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fun mix of magic, young friends on an adventure, and evil trying to take them down at every turn makes for a great read!

After having a fun filled birthday with friends, Tabby Easterland wakes up to find she has been transformed into a twenty-five-year-old woman. She takes the identity of Ms. Mulligan and begins teaching at her own school. With the help of her friends, Dolly and Kate, she goes on a search to figure out what happened to her and how she can get back to her twelve year old self. The search leads her to find out about her long lost father and the fight against an evil set of sisters that just might have put the curse on Tabby and all those she cares about are in danger.

I wasn’t totally sure what to think about this book at first. After giving it a go, I realized how enchanting and enjoyable this was going to be. Young readers will enjoy this book and find themselves wanting more. The story flowed perfectly and had just the right amount of tension to drive the story forward but not so much that it would not be considered appropriate for a young audience. Even though the girls found themselves facing trouble at every corner, they never give up showing that when times are hard they need to stick together to conquer their obstacles. When looking at what all Tabby had to go through, you have to remind yourself while reading that even though she is in the body of a twenty-five year old, she is still a twelve year old and the emotions she must be experiencing must be overwhelming. This is a character with a very strong will and one that girls will be able to look up to. This book was nice since it was exactly what it was supposed to be for young readers, no language, and nothing inappropriate. So many books for young readers today don’t adhere to this and put things in that shouldn’t be and that bothers me. I loved the way this story was wrapped up but still left open for more to come. I for one can’t wait to see what the next in the series will have in store for readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A Touch of Gold

A touch of gold Author: Annie Sullivan

Publisher: Blink YA Books

Release Date: August 14, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Filled with fun, adventure and a tale that kept me deeply intrigued by the richness of the story!

We all know the story of King Midas and his golden touch, but there is more to the story than many have heard. After his golden touch almost killed his daughter, Kora, King Midas had the golden touch taken back from him. Princess Kora still shows the effects of her father’s curse, her skin has a golden shine and she is rumored to have secret powers of her own. Afraid to be out in public, she stays hidden away in the castle and keeps her skin covered from everyone. One day, a young duke arrives and helps Kora see that there might be some in the world who won’t run in fear from her. Things turn frantic when a thief steals her father’s gold and Kora is the only person able to track him. She can sense the gold and sails off on an adventure unlike any she has ever had to keep the kingdom from falling apart and her father from fading away.

This is the first book I have read by Annie Sullivan as well as the first about King Midas. I was very intrigued by the premise of this story and it did not disappoint. Each chapter brought new characters and adventures that propelled the story ever forward. Kora was stronger than she realized, it just took being in a different location with different people for her to test her limits and see what she was capable of. I loved the way the characters naturally flowed together, regardless of if they were for or against Kora and her mission. Even the secondary characters made an impact and I felt connected to each and every one of them. There is a good bit of romance throughout but that just adds to the tension when things are not going the way the characters would like. This story is one I can truly say is driven forward with tension, what each character desires most is put in danger, and what that may be is different for each character making the story tight and true to its purpose. Overall this was a very enjoyable read and I recommend it to readers who enjoy adventure, suspense, a little romance, and a fun look at a fantastical tale.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.