Agatha H. And The Clockwork Princess

Title: Agatha H. And The Clockwork Princess
Authors: Phil and Kaia Foglio
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
With the secret of her family discovered and the escape from Klaus Wulfenback's airship complete, Agatha and Krosp are on the run. After some complications, they end up joining a circus going through the circus on the way to Mechancisburg. But there's going to be trouble along the way... and not all from Klaus! Some of it is going to be from the past too...

Rockin' Review:
Okay, did not see who the Other was! That was a surprising tibbit!
But to reviewing. This one was not as good as the other book. It was still good and well-done, just not as enjoyable. The first part (and the last bit) kept you in, but the middle... not as often.
And there was a bit of a problem. Agatha was possessed and wasn't there for a bit! Not a good bit! Basically, the whole bit with the "Storm King's" town and castle weren't as good. Though it was amusing how one of the authors put himself in the book (and admitted to it being an usually-bad move, which made it amusing!).
So, all in all, this was a good book... just not as good as the first one in the series.

The Cat Who Robbed a Bank

Title: The Cat Who Robbed a Bank
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitar

Sizzlin' Summary:
Two major things are coming to Pickaxe. One is the Highland Games with traditional Scottish stuff and games, and the other thing is a big-time jewel dealer with a mysterious cash-only policy and a hot niece/helper is coming to Pickaxe. But then things crash when the dealer is found murdered and the niece/helper is missing!
Koko is doing his usual, and Qwill's got to figure out the murder...

Rockin' Review:
This was not the greatest Cat Who book. Except for a spurt near the end, which earned it the last half-Guitar, it was only an average book. It was average writing, and average enjoyment. It wasn't bad or overly good. And we know who the murderer was for a long time. Too long!
All in all, it was only an average book... not bad, but not great either.

Daniel X: Game Over

Title: Daniel X: Game Over
Authors: James Patterson and Ned Rust
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
This time, Daniel is going after two aliens... Numbers 7 & 8 on the List. This married alien couple is disguised as big-time video-game makers. And they're about to release a new game... which will brainwash people and kids, making them into killers and hunters, and make them destroy humanity! And they love hunting down last of species, and having the hunted creatures for lunch. There's also another old enemy in town to boot...
Daniel's going to have a lot of trouble this time around...

Rockin' Review:
Daniel X has always been one of my fave series. This one was inspired by the graphic novel of the same series... that's what it says on the cover... and I had actually read that graphic novel, and could see the crossovers. It was cool.
The book was well-done. It was pretty well-written. It could have been done better. While there were parts that kept me stuck in the book (about 90% of the time), there were parts I could leave. There were some awkward and uncomfy moments. It's not my fave Daniel X. But it was mostly an enjoyable book.
All in all, this was a very good book, just not my top fave.

The Cat Who Saw Stars

Title: The Cat Who Saw Stars
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Polly's on vacation, so Qwilleran is going on vacation too... to the ever-popular Mouseville! And he's bringing his cats Koko and Yum Yum along.
But this summer vacation's not going to be peaceful for long. First a backpacker disappears, and then Koko detects the dead body in Qwill's yard! Talk about UFOs starts spreading rapidly, and that's an usual topic around the Pickaxe area anyway! Qwill and his friend Arch Riker scoffs at it.
But Koko's watching the stars, and a new mystery soon pops up. Of course there's more than meets the eye... and that's not the only new thing in Mouseville. There's a new resteraunt (sp?), and a new knitting club... a lot of news...
So who knows what "new"s will show up this time? LOL!

Rockin' Review:
It's great to have a rockin' book again!
The story was well-done. It was highly enjoyable. And it made you keep coming back for even more!
The only glitches? The Backpacker Mystery seemed to only start things off, and was never really explained. And, while it was good at the beginning, it wasn't always come-back material. However, the former element disappeared very quickly.
If you spot this book, get it! It's TOTALLY ROCKIN'!!!

A Sheetcake Named Desire

Title: A Sheetcake Named Desire
Author: Jacklyn Brady
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Rita Lucero is in New Orleans to force her husband to sign the divorce papers, after a long two years trying to get him to do so. But when she goes to his bakery, Zydeco Cakes, not only does she discover areas that are from her dreams, a ruined cake with high stakes attached, and many old friends who stuck with Philippe (the husband), but a murder mystery... Philippe has been murdered!
Rita is a primary suspect, as well as an old friend of hers named Ox... whom she knows didn't commit the murder! Miss Frankie, Rita' mother-in-law, soon has Rita staying around to search for the killer. Another reason is that Rita has been given Zydeco and Philippe's things... because she's still technically his wife!
But there's more trouble at Zydeco than a murder... will Rita figure things out?

Rockin' Review:
Admittedly, the actual writing of the book was four-Guitar material. And there were parts that kept you stuck, but not for long. The enjoyment level was only about three Guitars after the beginning.
And I wasn't really satisfied with the ending. There were no real clues leading up to the whodunit. It was like the author randomly picked someone at the end, stuck them there, and stuck the remaining facts into the back story to make sense. It still feels randomly picked. And there were a few facts that didn't add up.
All in all, there was good writing, but the book only had average enjoyment.

Pretty Poison

Title: Pretty Poison
Author: Joyce and Jim Lavene
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
It's an exciting day for widow (of a police detective), professor, and botanist Peggy Lee. First, she accidentally crashes into a vet's Saturn on her bike. Then she discovers a dead body in her gardening shop, the Potting Shed. The body is of Mark Warner, one of the most important people in the city of Charlotte. The police pin the murder on a local homeless man, Mr. Cheever.
But Peggy knows that he's not the suspect, and starts tackling a very tricky mystery... and she's already trying to help figure out a poisoning in a nearby town! To make things harder, there's a lost dog, a Great Dane, who wants to stick with her. The good news is that the Saturn driver, named Steve and who lives near her, is a vet. Peggy's falling for him, despite being widowed for only two years. And Peggy's got an online stalker named Nightflyer who's mysterious...
Peggy's got a lot of work ahead of her... especially when a friend of her gets pinned for this as well!

Rockin' Review:
Now, a good deal of the book was 4-Guitar material. But then, near the end, it gets boring! It takes too long, and it's way too stretched out. It's only near the very end does it start getting enjoyable again. Like, last two chapters, or chapter and a half. But it was so boring for a good long bit! It was just too long, and too stretched out.
I would not suggest this book. It's good for a lot of it, but not worth that boring and long-stretched area.

The Cat Who Sang for the Birds

Title: The Cat Who Sang for the Birds
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Spring decided to spring early to Mouse County, but so did a new mystery... a weird case of vandalism that soon becomes a case of death. Qwill suspects foul play. He's also got a new closed gazebo, where he takes the cats to view a bird-garden. And Koko sings with and for the birds! But even with this new hobby, Koko will be trying to help solve this mystery, which is larger than one might think...
Will they be able to crack the case this time?

Rockin' Review:
Hmm... this was pretty much just an okay book. It was better than average, but not by much. You could stay in the book for long times, but Life didn't have much trouble getting you away from the book. The only exception is the end of the book, when you're reading just to get it over with. It was the last book in the cozy-reading challenge, however, so that helped with that streak.
The story needs tweaking. It was only an above-average book. It was a more relaxing read.
This was only a slightly-above-average book overall.

The Cat Who Tailed A Thief

Title: The Cat Who Tailed A Thief
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Pickaxe has been hit by a string of small-time robberies. And this is around the time that the new banker William Carmichael and his wife Danielle moved in. But then the robberies become a little bigger when 2,000 dollars are stolen! A local boy is framed. The only good news seems to be a big project headed by Danielle's cousin, Cater Lee James.
But things are weird and questionable. And when that happens, Qwill, living in the Indian Village for the winter, gets to work. Koko is jumping in as well, but once again being hard to decipher...
Can Qwill and Koko tail the thief, and stop him or her once and for all?

Rockin' Review:
A very good book! Now, I can't say that it was five-Guitar material... the beginning didn't catch onto you. But the rest of the book sure did! It clung onto you, and it was very hard to leave. Life had to rip you away, and usually when there was a chapter break! There were times that leaving was possible, but you were soon re-attracted to it like metal to a magnet. It was very well-written, and highly enjoyable.
This was a rockin' book! If you find it, get it!!!

Way of the Clans

Title: Way of the Clans
Author: Robert Thurston
Rating: Four Spaceships

Sizzilin' Summary:
It's the 31st Century, and humanity has reached beyond the stars. We go to beyond the Inner Sphere, to where Clans rule, and genetic engineering has made the warriors, and even tougher training makes perfect warriors, supposedly.
Aidan is a young man who is about to enter his warrior training with his genetic siblings (a sibko). But the way to being a MechWarrior is hard, and who knows what will happen among the way?
And I mean both good and bad...

Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book. My first Battletech book is the first of the Legend of the Jade Phoenix series. I can see where it can spread off to a series.
It was pretty well-written, and there were parts that kept you in. Life had to rip you away from these moments. But I will say that there were parts were Life didn't have to rip you away either. It was pretty good overall. The reason for lost points, however, is that there were some uncomfortable moments. That just lost points for me.
Overall, this was a pretty good book.

Note:
Some of the unmentioned uncomfortable moments is that the sex level is slightly above cozy mysteries that have gotten the warning. Nothing serious, luckily, and no in-depth descriptions or play-by-plays of the act (again, luckily...). But it is slightly above what I've warned about. I know that some people can't handle high levels on this subject, especially some young adults and kids, so this is fair warning to you.

The Cat Who Blew the Whistle

Title: The Cat Who Blew the Whistle
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill and Co. ride a rebuilt old steam engine, fixed up by a rich man from Sawdust City. But then that same man disappears with millions of dollars belong to customers. But Qwill's thinks that things are off the wrong "track"... considering that the timing was way too close to the train's return run! And Koko is acting strange... so is Polly, who's over-worrying over her new house is causing her friends, especially Qwilleran, to feel uncomfortable and worried...
With the help of Koko and his "spy" Celia Robinson, who's moved up to Pickaxe, can Qwill figure out this new mystery?

Rockin' Summary:
This was a pretty good book. At first, it starts as an average book. It's four-Guitar material by the end, however. The story was pretty well-written, and the enjoyment level doesn't drop lower than average.
All in all, this is a good book, it just starts average and gets better near the end.

Starfleet Academy: The Delta Anomaly

Title: Starfleet Academy: The Delta Anomaly
Author: Rick Barba
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
After another long, hard week at Starfleet Academy, Kirk & friends are ready to relax and let loose steam. But a killer has returned after twenty years, and Kirk barely rescues an Orion girl from his clutches. The killer is known as "The Doctor", and he's got plenty of mystery surrounding him.
Commander Spock puts Uhura on the task of decoding the Doctor's language, and Dr. McCoy & Co. are trying to figure out the scientific mystery surrounding the Doctor and the mysterious substance he leaves behind on his victim, whether living or dead. Kirk's got a new girlfriend, and he's also dealing with Starfleet Academy work to boot. Add the danger of the Doctor onto that list, and things are not going to be fun.
Everyone has to work together, and fast, before the Doctor kills again...

Rockin' Review:
Very good book! There were some parts that were less enjoyable, but those were Four-Guitar material! Everything else was excellent! It was well-written, and highly enjoyable. It clung onto you, and Life sometimes had to rip you away from the book. And it was hard to leave.
The only real downer point was that the mystery of the Doctor was never completely solved. Yes, we found out part of the reason why he... um... they... the Doctor was there, and what Doc was. Was it the Borg? I highly doubt it, from what I know of the Borg. But it was just a major mystery, and it wasn't completely solved. Now, the way it was set up, it was supposed to be like that, so it wasn't a big downer point, and part of the mystery was solved, it's just my personal curiousity (sp?) jumping in.
All in all, however, this was a totally rockin' book! Get it if you find it!

The Cat Who Came to Breakfast

Title: The Cat Who Came to Breakfast
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Summer is here! Qwill and the cats are visiting an Island known by many names (Breakfast Island, Pear Island, etc....) at the request of their friend Nick Bamba. Funny stuff has been happening, like food poisoning, drowning, etc.... But when the steps of Nick's B-and-B collapse, he suspects sabatoge (sp?). With Polly gone for two weeks, Qwill goes to check it out.
But there's many stories going on here, and Koko has been going out with some dominoes...

Rockin' Review:
The beginning starts out only okay. But near the end, things start getting really good! It sticks onto you, and Life has to rip you away from it. But once it does, you can stand waiting a while to go back.
This was a pretty good book overall, it just needs some tweaking.

The Cat Who Went Into The Closet

Title: The Cat Who Went Into The Closet
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill is renting the Gage mansion for the winter. The abundance of closets full of junk delights Koko. But then the original owner of the mansion dies, supposedly be her own hand, but something's fishy... the disappearance of a local potato farmer brings up its own mystery.
Something's fishy is going on, both in Mouse County and a retirement park in Florida... will Qwill and Koko be able to solve the mystery this time?

Rockin' Review:
This is like the last book. It was good enough to keep coming back to, though not enjoyable enough to cling onto you. It was well-written and good.
This was a good book overall.

The Cat Who Wasn't There

Title: The Cat Who Wasn't There
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill returns home because of a personal problem. Soon, it's taken care of enough that Qwill decides to go on a trip with a tour group to Scotland... leaving the cats behind with his friend Mildred. But the leader of the trip dies. Qwill eventually goes home.
But Koko somehow knew of the leader's death, though he was in the other side of the world. And soon he has Qwill believing that it wasn't some heart condition, like the returned Dr. Melinda Goodwinter, who has been a pain lately for Qwill, says. It's murder... and while Qwill is trying to figure it out, the problem that made him come home from the mountains isn't gone, and is stalking around... and it may hurt him, or someone close to him...
Things may get dangerous...

Rockin' Review:
Okay, it wasn't that exciting. I got a little carried away with the summary, though there was enough to keep you coming back.
This was one of those really good Cat Who books. While you weren't suctioned into it all the time, it was enjoyable enough and good enough to have you coming back again and again. And I liked that, despite the back summary, most of that action happens in Moose County. It's nice, and it makes me feel comfy.
And I think that the two story lines were put together nicely. And Mrs. Braun even tied the two together at the end! Very nice! And she did a good job with both story lines throughout the book... even though they seemed like two separate things! Very nice again!
While there were some problems, and some average-enjoyment scenes, I think that this was a pretty good book.
All in all, this was a very good book!

Fundraising The Dead

Title: Fundraising The Dead

Author: Sheila Connolly

Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin’ Summary:

Nell Pratt is the fundraiser for the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society, located in Philadelphia. She’s also dating the president, Charles. When a board member, Marty, complains of some letters missing from a collection she donated, Nell is unluckily chosen for the part. But Nell discovers that other items have been disappearing from the Society, and that could be bad news for the Society!

But when the one who tells Nell about the missing items ends up dead, things are going to get rolling… and some of them may be very bad…

Rockin’ Review:

Hmm… okay.

It was just that. Okay! The story was decently done, but it was only average enjoyment. It wasn’t good… but it wasn’t bad, either. There were some things interesting to read, however, like how the FBI handled a situation here. But, other than that… there was nothing to really catch my interest. It was simply an okay book. More of a time-waster than anything else!

This was only an okay book.

Fair warning to younger people:

There was another almost-you-know-what­ scene. Another blooper for the book! But, luckily, there was nothing. Just giving a warning to younger people and people who don’t handle (or want to) you-know-what scenes.

The Cat Who Moved A Mountain

Title: The Cat Who Moved A Mountain
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill is officially a billionaire! He rents a house for the summer in the Potato Mountains, so he can make some big life decisions. But he finds trouble and a mystery instead... one that Koko has sniffed out inside the house they're renting...

Rockin' Review:
Writing level... okay.
Enjoyment level... only average.
All in all, this was an average book. I will say that the author did a good job of showing how long it seemed like Qwill was in the mountains, despite the actual time he was there. There were other good parts to the book... but it was only an average book overall.
This was only an okay book.

The Cat Who Knew A Cardinal

Title: The Cat Who Knew A Cardinal
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitar

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwilleran has reconverted and moved into the giant barn, next to orchard, on his estate, and the cats are enjoying it... in fact, Koko is friends with a cardinal that he can see through the windows! But after a celebration of the Theatre Club, an unlikeable man by the name of Hilary VanBrook is found shot dead in Qwilleran's "parking lot"! And Qwill's friend Dennis is missing at the same time...
There's more to Hilary VanBrook and this murder than meets the eye, and Qwill and Koko are set to find out...

Rockin' Review:
Again, this one had a slower start. But it starts grabbing you near the end. The story was pretty well-done, and was enjoyable. The conclusion to the second mystery, however... hmm... could have been better.
All in all, however, this was a good book, it just takes time to get into it.

Starfleet Academy: The Edge

Title: Starfleet Academy: The Edge
Author: Rudy Josephs
Rating: Four and a Half Spaceships

Sizzilin' Summary:
Based on the new Star Trek movie, here's the start of Jim Kirk's Academy adventures!
Kirk is already famous for his boast that he'll get out of the Academy in three years instead of the usual four. But he has other things to worry about... the Academy program is extremely hard and tiring. And he's a got a girlfriend, which is difficult in this atmosphere.
Uhura is here too, trying to deal with the schedule. Spock has caught her attention as well. Dr. "Bones" McCoy, Kirk's friend, is here too. Everyone's got their own adventures.
But things are going to get uglier and busier for Kirk and everyone else when other first-year cadets start dying. There's a mystery to be solved... and everyone's involved in one way or the other!

Rockin' Review:
Rockin' book! I wasn't quite suspecting this. It's a little slow at first, but gets better fast. And the intro of the big cast was well-done, so we really couldn't lose tract of who's who. And the head-switching was good. The story overall was well-done, and it was very enjoyable.
This was a rockin' book, and I just hope the next one is just as good!

The Cat Who Lived High

Title: The Cat Who Lived High
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
An old friend calls from Down Below to ask Jim Qwilleran to help him save an old apartment building called the Casblanca and to restore it. But it's going to be a harder fight than Qwill thought. And the trio has gotten used to the country. Koko and Yum Yum are acting weird too.
To top it off, Koko has discovered a new mystery in the penthouse apartment they're living in...

Rockin' Review:
This is one of those books when the ending ruins a lot of it.
At first, this book is very good. It takes some time, but it eventually becomes a trap... Life has to force you away from the book! But the "subplot"... the non-mystery storyline... has a bad ending. It was bad ending. I know that real life is like that, but I did not care for it. The ending ruined it for me. It's still very good, and very well-written and mostly enjoyable. The ending was just a bad crasher.
This is not my fave Cat Who book, though it was mostly enjoyable and rockin'. The ending was just what ruined it for me, anyway.

Agatha H. And The Airship City

Title: Agatha H. And The Airship City
Authors: Phil & Kaja Foglio
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Agatha Clay is a lab assistant at the Transylvania Polygnostic University. But her life goes completely topsy-turvy (sp?) when Baron Klaus Wulfenbach takes over her hometown of Beetleburg. Something happens that gets Agatha captured and brought aboard the tyrant's airship city, Castle Wulfenbach. There, she is to discover many things... and not all are safe...

Rockin' Review:
Okay, that's not my best summary when compared to the ton of stuff in the book, but that's a basic outline.
This was an extremely good book. It was wonderfully well-written, though I think that the cast is a little big. I lost track of what name belonged to who pretty commonly. And I saw the "Agatha-really-a-Heterodyne" bit from a long way off. Hey, the "H" in the title is a major pointer at it. And I have a good feeling that I've got an idea about her and the Other. There were some awkward and uncomfortable moments, so that's the reason for the lost half-Guitar. But most of the book was very good... especially near the end, when Life has to rip you from it.
This was a very rockin' book. You may have to brace yourself, but go ahead and get this book! It's rockin'!

The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare

Title: The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill takes his friend Junior Down Below to a party. But Qwill has to yank them out of it and back to Moose County, because an accident has claimed the life of Junior's father, the publisher of the local newspaper! But when things start moving too fast afterwards, Qwill suspects that Jr.'s father may have been murdered... and Koko has developed a thing for knocking off Shakespeare books off of his shelves...
Qwill may have to look in the most unlikely spot for this murderer... and try to save the local paper as well... Can he accomplish both?

Rockin' Review:
This was only an average book. It wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. It did answer a few questions about what's mentioned in some of the books afterwards, however.
This was only an average book.

A Timely Vision

Title: A Timely Vision
Author: Joyce and Jim Lavene
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Dae O' Donell runs the thrift store Missing Pieces in the small town of Duck, North Carolina. And her special gift of seeing visions of lost things lets her help people. Her life's gotten busy since she became mayor.
But her life's going to get busier when she discovers the dead body of an important person in Duck. Dae's friend, Miss Mildred, is blamed for the murder of her sister, but Dae knows that the elderly Miss Mildred is no killer. With the help of the new innkeeper of the Blue Whale Inn, new Duck resident, and former FBI agent Kevin Brickman, Dae sets out to prove Miss Mildred's innocence...

Rockin' Review:
These two authors have gotten better since their Renaissance Faire book! This book was actually enjoyable, and the characters made more sense. They did heap too many problems at once during one point of the book. And there were some glitches... but this was a pretty good book anyway.
Overall, this was a pretty good book.

Copycat Killing

Title: Copycat Killing
Author: Sofie Kelly
Rating: Five Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
It's been raining, it's been pouring, in Mayville Heights. But soon, rain won't be Kathleen's only problem. An accident at Wisteria Hill uncovers a mystery of the past. But then Kathleen and her friend Maggie discover a drowned artist in the flooded basement of the artists' co-op building... one with suspicious backgrounds!
Kathleen's going to need the help of her magical cats Hercules and Owen to solve both mysteries...

Rockin' Review:
I love this series! Once again, the author did a wonderful job... and she handled two mysteries at once! Nice! The book was wonderfully written, the characters were pretty believable, and the twist of minor romance was nice. The book had a surprising end, but it was very good. There were only a few glitches, but they were very tiny and minor... even the slightly bigger ones. But it was so good, there were times when you couldn't leave the book! In fact, you hated it when life made you put it down, and went back as soon you as you could!
It looks like that this is the last book of the series, but I'm so hoping that's wrong.
This was a wonderful book! Definitely get it! It's a TOTALLY ROCKIN' BOOK!

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man

Title: The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
Author: Tamora Pierce
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Now that she has her shield, Alanna's gone adventuring. She heads for the desert, where she ends up joining a desert tribe. Adventures are coming for Alanna, some in love as well as magical...

Rockin' Review:
Sorry for that bad summary. But it does show a major problem... there was no one major problem to fix, no one major story.
The first part of the book was good. But then it was like Mrs. Pierce started putting in "half-hour shows", and "mini-stories" into it. There was no one major conflict. That didn't make it very enjoyable. It was still pretty well-written, but this book was more like a scrapbook stuck together.
This is not the best Alanna book. I wouldn't suggest it unless you were going through the series. This book was only okay overall (though the first part of the book was enjoyable).

The Cat Who Talked To Ghosts

Title: The Cat Who Talked To Ghosts
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three Guitar

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwilleran gets a desperate call for help from his former housekeeper Iris Cobb. But when he gets to Mrs. Cobb's home, a farmhouse turned museum, he finds her dead! It seems that she was frightened to death, but the circumstances are suspicious...
Qwill agrees to move into the museum until a new manager can be found. But Koko starts acting strange. There are rumors of a ghost living there. But is it really a ghost freaking Koko out, or is it a mystery...?

Rockin' Review:
Okay, after The Cat Who Sniffed Glue, this was a bit of a disappointment. I expected at least a four-Guitar! I so didn't get that.
This book wasn't bad. It was well-written, and had average-level enjoyment. But there wasn't much mystery attention. It was more like seeing into the life of Qwill, which makes for more of a relaxing read. And there was at least one thing that ticked me off... one thing seemed like an answer, but then it turned out to be something else! The new answer made sense, but it was still annoying!
So this book made a good relaxing read. But it wasn't bad, nor was it great. It was a good relaxing read, and that was that.
This book was neither good nor bad, but a good relaxer-read (though there is some excitement, to warn you!).

The Cat Who Sniffed Glue

Title: The Cat Who Sniffed Glue
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Vandalism is becoming a problem in Pickaxe. But that's nothing when a member (son of rich banker and in banking himself) of Qwilleran's Theatre Club is murdered, along with his wife. The police thinks it was a robbery, but the owners of the house happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. But Qwilleran doesn't believe it. And Koko's developed a thing for sniffing glue and stuff like glue.
Qwill and Koko are going to have a time trying to fix this "sticky" situation...

Rockin' Review:
How funny that "glue" is in the name... because you stick to this book like glue! True, there were some parts that you couldn't stick to, and some glitches, but the rest was amazing! It was very well-written, and it was very enjoyable. You hated it when life forced you to put the book down. And you went back to the book when it was a good time, just to find out what to happened! Awesome or what?
This book was so totally awesome, that if you find it... definitely get it!

In the Hand of the Godess

Title: In the Hand of the Goddess

Author: Tamora Pierce

Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin’ Summary:

Now Alanna has to survive being a squire! It helps that her best friend, and one of the few who know her secret, is the knight in charge of her (Prince Jonathan). But things are going to get dangerous, since Duke Roger’s still around. The Goddess has come and given her a special amulet and a companion cat that gets named Faithful to help.

But it’s going to take a lot to save the kingdom…

Rockin’ Review:

Wow! I expected a lot more from this book. It wasn’t as wonderful as the first Alanna (Song of the Lioness) book was. There were some story glitches that were a little confusing… at least one ploy that became super-transparent for what it was for (though it shouldn’t be)…  but the major trouble was relearning many of the characters. It had been a while, so I had forgotten some of the characters, and the book didn’t do a great job re-introducing them. I’m not sure that I know all the characters now! That made things less enjoyable. It was still a pretty enjoyable book, but not the wonder I suspected.

So read this book if you’ve read the first one recently, or re-read the first one again before reading this one. If you do either of these things (or have a super memory), this book is worth getting anyway, but don’t expect a wonder like the first one.

The Cat Who Went Underground

Title: The Cat Who Went Underground
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill and his two cats head for Mooseville for a summer vacation. During that vacation, he decides to add on to the current cabin, and learns of underground builders (and an underground crawl space while dealing with the cabin's problems). But things are due to go awry, like it usually is with Qwill and Koko...

Rockin' Review:
This was not the Cat Who series's finest. It was mostly average throughout, with barely any excitement and/or mystery (there was some, however). Things picked up near the end, when Mrs. Braun actually started focusing on the mystery. She promised it, but never started focusing on the mystery until the last few chapters! Once we got there, however, the book went four-guitar. But most of it was average... it was well-written, but the enjoyment level was only average, however.
And I don't think I care for the change: Qwill now looking and making decisions on horoscopes! Part of it is honestly the fact that I'm a Christian, and believe that horoscopes are forbidden junk that tries to play God. It's mostly that, but you could usually rely on Qwilleran on being reasonable and not believing that junk. Koko is a different matter, however... his special abilities are part of the series, so Koko manages to get away with that. But at least Qwill still doesn't believe in UFOs... when are they going to come up with an explanation for the Moose Lake UFO stuff...?
So, all in all, this was only an average enjoyment-level, well-written book with a good ending. Not a book to get for a big banging mystery, but might be worth it if you're collecting the series or like books with really good endings. It's only a little better than average.

Switching Gears

Title: Switching Gears
Author: Ryder Windham with Jason Fry
Rating: One and a Half Guitars

Rockin' Review:
I'm just skipping to the review. In the "About the Author" sections, it said that both of these author had done stuff in the Star Wars universe. And that's where they should have stayed!
This is an unusual report from me, since I'm a Transformers nut, but I'm not so in love to not like something! This book was only decently written.
This book takes place between Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon (the second and third Transformers live-action movies). I feel like that story has been told. And I had feelings of dread during parts of the book, and that's not good! I honestly considered leaving the book, I was so full of dread. To be fair, it was about average enjoyment when I was actually reading the book (reason for half-Guitar). That's never good! I so did not care for this book!
So if you find the first book of the Transformers Classified series, my advice is... don't even bother!

The Mistmantle Chronicles: Book Four: Urchin and the Raven War

Title: The Mistmantle Chronicles: Book Four: Urchin and the Raven War
Author: M. I. McAllister
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Things have been peaceful on Mistmantle Island. But one day, the swans of Swan Isle come to ask for help. Terrible ravens have come and seriously messed things up. King Crispin helps the swans get rid of the ravens...
But the ravens turn their attention to Mistmantle. A terrible war's about to rage. Can Urchin of the Riding Stars and his friends, along with some new faces (and not-so-new, but older faces), win the day? Or will the ravens defeat them all?

Rockin' Review:
The Mistmantle Chronicles have always been one of my favorite series. And this installment in the series was wonderful! It grips you, and you hate it when life makes you put it down. The head-hopping was cleverly done--most of the time, you could tell who you were hopping to. There was some confusing--some was just that I haven't read the series in the long time, and blanked on some of what happened (though that wasn't a major problem). There were some unexplained and confusing things at the very end. But, all in all, this was a great book.
If you find this book, get it! It's totally rockin'!

Invid Invasion

Title: Invid Invasion
Author: Jack McKinney
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
The Invid have invaded, and succeeded where others have failed... the Invid Queen Regis and her horde have taken over Earth and enslaved the population! Admiral Hunter has sent a rescue team to Earth to destroy the main hive--Reflex Point--and save the Earth!
But the Invid destroy the rescue team. Only Lieutenant Scott Bernard has survived, and he soon heads on a solo mission to Reflex Point to save the Earth. Soon, he has a small ragtag team of freedom fighters with him.
Will it be enough on this doomed and changed Earth...?

Rockin' Review:
Ah... back in the part of the Robotech series that I like! This was an enjoyable book, and answer a question or two that wasn't in the anime series. It didn't grip you totally (except for a scene or two in the end), but it was still a good book.
If you find this book, get it! It may not be rocking, but it's good!

The Cat Who Played Post Office

Title: The Cat Who Played Post Office
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwill's now super-rich! As he settles into his new life, and his cats Koko and Yum Yum get used to being rich.
And, as usual, they stumble onto a mystery... that could turn deadly!

Rockin' Reviews:
Now this is the kind of Cat Who I like! It was more enjoyable, and it played with a new plot device. I think it took a little long to finish playing that card, however... but this was a good book.
If you find this Cat Who, get it!

Animal Farm

Title: Animal Farm
Author: George Orwell
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
On Manor Farm, the animals are overworked and mistreated by Mr. Jones, the farm's owner. They finally snap and drive out the humans, taking over the farm. They start out to make the farm better... but only end up under a system just as bad--if not a little worse.
And the sad part? They don't even know it!

Rockin' Review:
This is an awesome book. It's a classic, and I can see where. This book was very well-written and it was enjoyable to read. The only down-part was the end. But this book was very well-done, and the message it was meant to send was sent through. It's worth knowing the background of the book... it was written to warn the world of the very bad totalitarianism system of Stalinist (Communist) Russia. And I believe that warning was sent through very loud and clear.
So, whether studying history, classic literature, or even just for fun reading... get this book! It's rockin'! Brace for the ending, however... it's not the happiest, but the message of the book comes through very well!

The Cat Who Turned On and Off

Title: The Cat Who Turned On and Off
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Without meaning to, Qwilleran gets a new beat: doing a feature series on Junktown, an antique shop area. He was actually hoping for an illegal drug den. Qwill's never been crazy about antiques, but he ends up finding a new and much-needed apartment. But when he gets to Junktown, he discovers a murder mystery that no one wants to investigate.
But, of course, he and Koko will be looking about...

Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book. It was pretty well-done, but the enjoyment level was only about average most of the book. It started better near the end. You almost couldn't let it go until you found out "whodunit" and finish the action scene. There were also some glitches, but one near the end was honestly admitted as having no good explanation (nice move!). That's a good thing to do in writing books when you have no explanation... find a way to say you have no explanation. Though I suspect a certain Siamese in that incident...
This was a pretty good overall.

The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
In the future, humanity has been devastated by disaster. In what was once North America is now the country of Panem. It made up of twelve Districts ruled by a cruel Capitol. The primary iron fist of the Capitol is the Hunger Games... where the Capitol forces each District to send one boy and girl tributes in-between the ages of twelve and eighteen to the Capitol, so the Capitol can send them to an arena and have them fight each other on live TV... to the death!
Katniss Evergreen lives in District 12. When her sister is picked, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. Katniss is determined to win the Games and survive.
She's got experience at surviving, but will it be enough to be the last one standing, therefore the winner of the games...?

Rockin' Review:
I can see where this became a movie. The book's divided into three parts. The first part was excellent. It was very well-written, and Katniss almost seemed alive.
Once we enter the Hunger Games, however (the other two parts), things dropped. It didn't seem as alive, and it was only about average and/or four-Guitar enjoyment. It was still good and well-written, but it could have been done better.
This was a pretty good book overall, however.

The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern

Title: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Jim Qwilleran's got a new job... he has to publish a magazine for the Fluxion about interior decorating! And he has no experience! But things are going to get crazy... when the house that's in the first edition of the magazine is robbed the day right after the magazine came out! Talk about bad rep!
Qwilleran and Koko is going to have to get to the bottom of this before things get even worse... and deadly!

Rockin' Reviews:
This was not Mrs. Braun's best. #2 of the Cat Who series wasn't terrible, but it didn't grab you. It was relax-full (sp?). The mystery wasn't very well-done, though things made sense in the end. It was well-written, but it's not going to be my favorite.
But there's one thing I was very impressed on. I was also impressed at it when Diane Duane did it in her first So You Want To Be A Wizard book. There was a loose end that could have been forgotten, and it was wrapped up. Very well-done!
This was only a so-so book, so maybe get it if you want the next book in this series and it's at least semi-cheap. Note, however, this book introduces Yum Yum in the end, so you might want it if you want to meet her for the first time!

The Prophet, the Sheperd, & the Star

Title: The Prophet, The Shepherd, & the Star
Author: Jenny L. Cote
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Taking off where the Adventures Of Max And Liz series left off, the immortal animal team selected by God begin their biggest mission yet. The mission this time is a 700-year mission...
One ending with the birth of the long-awaited Messiah!

Rockin' Review:
I enjoyed the previous series, and I'm glad to say that this book, the first of the Epic Order of the Seven series, has faithfully kept that tradition! It was very well-done, the Biblical characters brought to life very well. The author also managed to fill in many gaps very well (though I do not think that Zechariah going deaf was very Biblical). It didn't grab you and keep you stuck, but it was still a good book. I wait eagerly for the next book in this series!
This was a rockin' book--get it!

The Final Nightmare

Title: The Final Nightmare
Author: Jack McKinney
Rating: Two and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
The Second Robotech War is about to end. Both sides are desperate. And Zor's memory problems aren't helping!
Things will get worse before they get better...

Rockin' Review:
Probably my least favorite of the Robotech series. The writing style was average, it was just the content. It was two-guitar in the beginning, but got better near the end, almost four-guitar. But I didn't overly care for this book. Good news is that it's the last book in the least favorite part of the anime!
I wouldn't suggest this book.

The Cat Who Played Brahms

Title: The Cat Who Played Brahms
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwilleran decides to take a summer vacation. He heads out to the country, living in a cabin near Mooseville, with his cats Koko and Yum Yum. An old family friend, "Aunt Fanny", is letting him borrow it.
But there's many mysteries hovering around Mooseville, and Qwill manages to hook one about murder...

Rockin' Review:
So far, this is the worst Cat Who book I've read. It was still very good. The story was very well-written. But the mystery needs work. The clues didn't completely add up in the end, and I'm not sure that the surprising twist at the end was completely explained. I know what I think happened, but I'm not sure...
The rest of the book was pretty good, however. The mystery-hunting was decent (though the mystery vein needs work, like I said). It was very well-written.
This was still a very good book, but I'm not sure if it's the best mystery read.

The Cat Who Saw Red

Title: The Cat Who Saw Red
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Qwilleran has a new job in the paper business: reviewing restaurants! He soon moves in to a boarding house for food-related job people: Maus Haus! He meets his old flame, Joy, there, though she is now married.
But a mystery soon abounds. A scream in the night wakes Qwill and his Siamese pets Koko and Yum Yum.
Then Joy vanishes...

Rockin' Review:
A little tip: this is actually book 4 in the series! Yet I was able to pick it up and read it. The only new thing was Yum Yum, the new main-character female cat.
This was an amazing book. It was extremely well-written. The mystery could have been tweaked a little, but this was an amazing book all the same. No wonder the series is still around!
This is a book to pick up... it's rockin'!

Metal Fire

Title: Metal Fire
Author: Jack McKinney
Rating: One and a Half Spaceships

Sizzilin' Summary:
The government wants a team to go inside the downed ship. Who else but Dana's squad goes? But even if they survive, the Robotech Masters have a plan to plant a spy... a spy named Zor, AKA the Red Bioroid Pilot!

Rockin' Review:
I shall go far to say that this was worse than the last one. There were times that I would lose my spot and have trouble finding where I was! That was not good! Near the end, there were some good spots, but it was only average (well, this is still in the section of the Robotech anime I didn't care for).
I did not care for this book.

Buttercream Bump Off

Title: Buttercream Bump Off
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Rating: Three Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Valentine Day's coming fast, and Melanie Cooper and Angie DeLaura are ready for it. Even Mel's mom is in the spirit, getting a date. What she doesn't suspect is that her date's going to end up dead! She's a top suspect, and Mel is trying to find out who-dun-it so she can keep her mom out of jail.
But things are getting problematic...

Rockin' Review:
Not as good as the first one. The mystery was confusing, and it didn't center too heavily on the mystery, and then it did. It was confusing whether or not it centered on the mystery or not. It was enjoyable in some parts, including the new side-character Marty. I think Marty was one of the better parts of this book.
This wasn't as good as the first book in the series (Sprinkle With Murder), but at least it didn't bomb the place.

Sit, Stay, Slay

Title: Sit, Stay, Slay
Author: Linda O. Johnston
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Kendra Ballantyne was once a great lawyer. But a scandal forced her resignation, and now she has crashed onto hard times, even renting her Hollywood home! She manages to get a new job as a freelance pet-sitter.
She soon discovers she enjoys her new life, but it's about to take a dangerous turn. One of her clients, who used to be her client when she was a lawyer, turns up dead. Kendra is the top suspect, and let's say that the detective won't let it go.
Kendra, with the help of the hot detective Jeff Hubbard (one of her pet-sitting clients), is going to have to find this killer herself...

Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book. It was well-written, and the main character felt very real. Then there's the detective... man, I hated him! I wanted to punch him in the gut pretty much all the time. That character was very well made, especially if you're meant to hate him. I sure did!
The story was pretty good... but the mystery needs some work. When we discover the killer in the end, things didn't click in. It makes semi-sense when explained, but I think that different clues could have been dug up that would make more sense in the end. And there was part of the ending scene that didn't make sense.
This was a pretty good book overall.

Another Friendly Warning:
Yeah, be used to Bond-level sex. And I'm just warning you... there's a scene that seems like it would go into detail, but it luckily doesn't. But be used to Bond-level sex if you want to read this book, folks!

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards

Title: The Cat Who Could Read Backwards
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
Jim Qwilleran has just gotten a new reporter job at the Daily Fluxion, in a world unknown to him... art! But things are going to get dangerous when artists are getting murdered.
It's up to Qwilleran and an intelligent Siamese cat named Koko (short for Kao K'o-Kung) to solve this mystery...

Rockin' Review:
A pretty good book. In a way, I can see how the Cat Who series became famous. The book was very well-written. The characters were pretty well done. I enjoyed Koko the cat as well. My complaint is that it took about half the book to get to the mystery. It needed setup, however, but this is still a little annoying.
All in all, this is still a very good book.

Southern Cross

Title: Southern Cross
Author: Jack McKinney
Rating: Three and Half Guitars

Sizzilin' Summary:
20 years after the First Robotech War, a new alien race threatens Earth... the Robotech Masters! A war begins once more...
Will Dana Sterling, the half-human half-Zentraedi, be able to lead her squad into victory?

Rockin' Review:
This wasn't my favorite book of the Robotech series. It wasn't terrible, but it was only about average. Then again, we're covering the part of the Robotech anime I didn't overly care for.
And I actually enjoyed this book better than the series-section it was following! Part of it is that Jack McKinney is a pretty good author (though you have to get used to his style, which includes some Point Of View [POV] mistakes), and part of it is that I got to learn stuff that I didn't learn in the series. Like they explain the "Army of the Southern Cross" in here. I never truly understand that in the series. And we get some indication why Dana was left on Earth... though we're really not sure.
This is not my fave book, but maybe one to get if you're collecting the series, and/or need something (or understand something) better after watching part of this section of the Robotech anime series.