Title: The Cat Who Said Cheese
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
The Great Food Explo is around the corner, and there's a mystery woman hanging around Pickaxe. But things truly start jumping when the hotel is bombed. Qwill has a new mystery to solve, and it may be more than one...
Rockin' Review:
Sorry for the lame review. But this was not my favorite Cat Who book. Admittedly, it wasn't terrible, and there were good parts. But a lot of the book didn't grab my attention and keep me in. There were a few, but it wasn't enough. It was nice for a bit to find out the details of what happened here, since I had read the future books, which referenced this one a couple of times.
All in all, this was only an okay book.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Cat Trick
Title: Cat Trick
Author: Sofie Kelly
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Fall is back once more! Mayville Heights is prepping to put on a food tasting and art show in order to convince the big Chicago company Legacy Tours to make a fall tourist package for them. However, the murder of Mike Glazer, the ex-Mayville-Heights resident and Legacy Tours partner, is found dead in one of the tents!
Though it was technically one of the cats that found the body, Kathleen is the one to put in the call. She wants to stand back for once and let her "boyfriend" (too strong a word, but there's not really a word to describe their relationship). But when her friend asks her to solve the mystery, Kathleen ends up saying "yes".
But since Mike Glazer pretty much ticked everybody in town since his return, finding the killer is going to be difficult...
Rockin' Review:
Okay... not as good as the others. While there were parts that didn't let you go, the book could be left pretty easily at times. Plus, there is a story question that wasn't answered. Technically, it wasn't in the last book, but the question wasn't important in that one.
Now, the book wasn't bad, either. It was actually still very good. It was enjoyable. It just wasn't like the other books in the series.
All in all, while this wasn't as good as the other books in the series, it was still a good book!
Author: Sofie Kelly
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Fall is back once more! Mayville Heights is prepping to put on a food tasting and art show in order to convince the big Chicago company Legacy Tours to make a fall tourist package for them. However, the murder of Mike Glazer, the ex-Mayville-Heights resident and Legacy Tours partner, is found dead in one of the tents!
Though it was technically one of the cats that found the body, Kathleen is the one to put in the call. She wants to stand back for once and let her "boyfriend" (too strong a word, but there's not really a word to describe their relationship). But when her friend asks her to solve the mystery, Kathleen ends up saying "yes".
But since Mike Glazer pretty much ticked everybody in town since his return, finding the killer is going to be difficult...
Rockin' Review:
Okay... not as good as the others. While there were parts that didn't let you go, the book could be left pretty easily at times. Plus, there is a story question that wasn't answered. Technically, it wasn't in the last book, but the question wasn't important in that one.
Now, the book wasn't bad, either. It was actually still very good. It was enjoyable. It just wasn't like the other books in the series.
All in all, while this wasn't as good as the other books in the series, it was still a good book!
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse
Title: The Cat, the Quilt, and the Corpse
Author: Leann Sweeney
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Jillian Hart is a quilter who's been widowed for ten months. Her depression has kept her from meeting anyone in her small hometown of Mercy. Her only friends are her three cats, Syrah, Merlot, and Chablis.
Then Jillian comes home after a business trip, and discovers that someone has broken into her house! And whoever did it stole Syrah! Jillian jumps out of her shell, and starts looking for her cat... but when she discovers the thief, he has been stabbed via knife and killed!
Jillian has to find this murderer, before she or someone else innocent gets arrested... especially since the police are undoubtedly on the wrong trail...
Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book. It was pretty enjoyable, though it didn't have many moments that just clung onto you. There were a few of those scenes, but they were near the end and scattered a little bit throughout.
Most of the book is like a relaxing read. Many of the characters were well-done, however. And the story was well-written. This includes the mystery angle. Many of the things, questions, and problems were wrapped up nicely.
However, this book could have been done better. Like I said above, there weren't overly too many cling-to-you moments. There were quite a few times where you could leave for a while and not care. This problem, like usual, started to disappear near the end, but even then I could leave it when needed to, and not get back to it for a while. The exception was the last chapters, which made me stay as long as possible until I had the book done.
So, all in all, this book could have been done better... but it was a very good book, and is worth getting when you can find it!
Author: Leann Sweeney
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Jillian Hart is a quilter who's been widowed for ten months. Her depression has kept her from meeting anyone in her small hometown of Mercy. Her only friends are her three cats, Syrah, Merlot, and Chablis.
Then Jillian comes home after a business trip, and discovers that someone has broken into her house! And whoever did it stole Syrah! Jillian jumps out of her shell, and starts looking for her cat... but when she discovers the thief, he has been stabbed via knife and killed!
Jillian has to find this murderer, before she or someone else innocent gets arrested... especially since the police are undoubtedly on the wrong trail...
Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book. It was pretty enjoyable, though it didn't have many moments that just clung onto you. There were a few of those scenes, but they were near the end and scattered a little bit throughout.
Most of the book is like a relaxing read. Many of the characters were well-done, however. And the story was well-written. This includes the mystery angle. Many of the things, questions, and problems were wrapped up nicely.
However, this book could have been done better. Like I said above, there weren't overly too many cling-to-you moments. There were quite a few times where you could leave for a while and not care. This problem, like usual, started to disappear near the end, but even then I could leave it when needed to, and not get back to it for a while. The exception was the last chapters, which made me stay as long as possible until I had the book done.
So, all in all, this book could have been done better... but it was a very good book, and is worth getting when you can find it!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
The Cat Who Went Up the Creek
Title: The Cat Who Went Up the Creek
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
While Polly goes on vacation, Qwill & Co. go to stay at the Nutcracker Inn, run by his friends Lori and Nick Bamba, near Black Creek... the actual creek this time, not the town. But soon a dead body is found, and a new mystery arises.
Can Qwill figure out Koko's signals and actions, and the mystery?
Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book overall. It stuck more to the mystery element, thankfully. However, the enjoyment level never truly reached 5-Guitar level. It started out as a 4-Guitar, and it became a 3-Guitar near the end. However, it never totally stunk, however!
And it could have been written better. Some of the mystery-solving didn't make sense, and the explanation scene makes you feel like something didn't add up, though you can't quite put your finger on it. And the mystery of Walter didn't make much sense, and I didn't feel like it was resolved well. The whole mystery/sub-story of Polly's vacation didn't quite add up! I felt unsatisfied on both mysteries.
The rest of the book was pretty good, however. What Qwill did around the mysteries was good, and the actual sluething (sp?) was good, it was just the ending that didn't feel quite so right... and there were things that could have been done better. This book is good for a relaxing read, especially near the end, but it's more of a time-waster than anything else.
All in all, this was a-little-above average book, and was never truly bad, it just needs a good deal of tweaking, and better solutions to mysteries and the rest of the Polly's Vacation parts of the book and story.
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Three and a Half Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
While Polly goes on vacation, Qwill & Co. go to stay at the Nutcracker Inn, run by his friends Lori and Nick Bamba, near Black Creek... the actual creek this time, not the town. But soon a dead body is found, and a new mystery arises.
Can Qwill figure out Koko's signals and actions, and the mystery?
Rockin' Review:
This was a pretty good book overall. It stuck more to the mystery element, thankfully. However, the enjoyment level never truly reached 5-Guitar level. It started out as a 4-Guitar, and it became a 3-Guitar near the end. However, it never totally stunk, however!
And it could have been written better. Some of the mystery-solving didn't make sense, and the explanation scene makes you feel like something didn't add up, though you can't quite put your finger on it. And the mystery of Walter didn't make much sense, and I didn't feel like it was resolved well. The whole mystery/sub-story of Polly's vacation didn't quite add up! I felt unsatisfied on both mysteries.
The rest of the book was pretty good, however. What Qwill did around the mysteries was good, and the actual sluething (sp?) was good, it was just the ending that didn't feel quite so right... and there were things that could have been done better. This book is good for a relaxing read, especially near the end, but it's more of a time-waster than anything else.
All in all, this was a-little-above average book, and was never truly bad, it just needs a good deal of tweaking, and better solutions to mysteries and the rest of the Polly's Vacation parts of the book and story.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
The Cat Who Smelled a Rat
Title: The Cat Who Smelled a Rat
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
The Big One is coming late to Mouse County, and everyone is suffering from a drought. Also, the threat of fire is high in the air, also threatening to burn up the famous ten shaft-houses of Mouse County. But Eddington Smith, the old bookkeeper and friend of Qwill's, dies, and wheels start to turn. The bookstore is burnt down, a volunteer firefighter is shot, and arson is running high... and, like usual, Koko is doing his weird stuff.
Qwill's gotta figure out another mystery...
Rockin' Review:
Despite the summary above, the mystery did not take up a lot of the story. At the very least, it wasn't a very important part. And, at the end, I feel like the mystery wasn't wrapped up well. While some things were explained, not everything was. I wasn't sure how things added up to indicate this person or that. Some of it was Koko's behavior, of course, but not even that was completely explained. It was confusing at the end. It was more like the author was chopping off disagreeable characters. Not totally a bad move... some of those characters were unlikable, and definitely not faves of mine.
What's interesting is that one was introduced in the last book (which she has done before, but the last one to get this treatment got a few extra books first, though not too long). In that respect, it was a nice set-up that started in the last book. That was a good and interesting move, and well-done over more than one book. However, I'm not totally sure that was what was going on. It's interesting, though!
The book was good and well-done, however. It was more about Qwill's daily life and life in Mouse County, especially during the drought and waiting for the arrival of the snowstorm called "the Big One". It made for a more relaxing read. It didn't have too many parts that grabbed you and kept you in (though there were a few, primarily near the end), but it was still an enjoyable and good book.
So, all in all, it was a good and enjoyable book that's best for a relaxing read.
Author: Lilian Jackson Braun
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
The Big One is coming late to Mouse County, and everyone is suffering from a drought. Also, the threat of fire is high in the air, also threatening to burn up the famous ten shaft-houses of Mouse County. But Eddington Smith, the old bookkeeper and friend of Qwill's, dies, and wheels start to turn. The bookstore is burnt down, a volunteer firefighter is shot, and arson is running high... and, like usual, Koko is doing his weird stuff.
Qwill's gotta figure out another mystery...
Rockin' Review:
Despite the summary above, the mystery did not take up a lot of the story. At the very least, it wasn't a very important part. And, at the end, I feel like the mystery wasn't wrapped up well. While some things were explained, not everything was. I wasn't sure how things added up to indicate this person or that. Some of it was Koko's behavior, of course, but not even that was completely explained. It was confusing at the end. It was more like the author was chopping off disagreeable characters. Not totally a bad move... some of those characters were unlikable, and definitely not faves of mine.
What's interesting is that one was introduced in the last book (which she has done before, but the last one to get this treatment got a few extra books first, though not too long). In that respect, it was a nice set-up that started in the last book. That was a good and interesting move, and well-done over more than one book. However, I'm not totally sure that was what was going on. It's interesting, though!
The book was good and well-done, however. It was more about Qwill's daily life and life in Mouse County, especially during the drought and waiting for the arrival of the snowstorm called "the Big One". It made for a more relaxing read. It didn't have too many parts that grabbed you and kept you in (though there were a few, primarily near the end), but it was still an enjoyable and good book.
So, all in all, it was a good and enjoyable book that's best for a relaxing read.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Dead Witch Walking
Title: Dead Witch Walking
Author: Kim Harrison
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Rachel Morgan lives in what's called "The Hollows" in the Cincinnati. She's a witch, and in charge of bringing in runaway paranormal creatures that break the rules. But her job at the I.S. has gotten real bad and boring lately, so she decides to quit. Her friend and ex-partner, the living vampire Ivy, decides to quit with her and join her in making a new company, despite being one of the I.S.'s best "runners" and having a good job. But Rachel's ex-boss is steamed that she took Ivy with her, and puts a death threat on her until she can pay off her contract. This causes major trouble.
But that won't be the only trouble Rachel, Ivy, and the pixie Jenks (along with his family) will face along the way...
Rockin' Review:
An amazingly-done book! The world was extremely well-done and well thought-out. Meanwhile, the actual book was very good. It was highly well-done, and it set up for the rest of the series very well.
There was one scene that was scary and freaky. That lost the book some major points. And it doesn't stick to you as much near the end (the beginning had parts which had you stuck in the book). But it was mostly enjoyable and good overall.
All in all, this was a very good book.
Author: Kim Harrison
Rating: Four Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Rachel Morgan lives in what's called "The Hollows" in the Cincinnati. She's a witch, and in charge of bringing in runaway paranormal creatures that break the rules. But her job at the I.S. has gotten real bad and boring lately, so she decides to quit. Her friend and ex-partner, the living vampire Ivy, decides to quit with her and join her in making a new company, despite being one of the I.S.'s best "runners" and having a good job. But Rachel's ex-boss is steamed that she took Ivy with her, and puts a death threat on her until she can pay off her contract. This causes major trouble.
But that won't be the only trouble Rachel, Ivy, and the pixie Jenks (along with his family) will face along the way...
Rockin' Review:
An amazingly-done book! The world was extremely well-done and well thought-out. Meanwhile, the actual book was very good. It was highly well-done, and it set up for the rest of the series very well.
There was one scene that was scary and freaky. That lost the book some major points. And it doesn't stick to you as much near the end (the beginning had parts which had you stuck in the book). But it was mostly enjoyable and good overall.
All in all, this was a very good book.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
The Hobbit
Title: The Hobbit
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Bilbo Baggins is a respectable hobbit living in the Shire. He never goes on adventures... at least, until the wizard Gandalf shows up!!! Soon, Bilbo is on an adventure with the wizard and thirteen dwarves to recover a hoard of dwarf-treasure from an evil dragon named Smaug. But many things will happen along the way...
Will the quest be successful?
Rockin' Review:
I can see why this book is being turned into a bunch of movies! It was very well-done, and very well-written. It was pretty enjoyable. There was only a few glitches, and they were pretty minor ones.
Now, the book is admittedly long, and takes dedication. There are parts which don't hold you in, but there are parts and chapters which keep stuck in the book! But it's a long book, so hold on!
Definitely get this classic... and make sure you stick with it! It's definitely worth it!
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien
Rating: Four and a Half Guitars
Sizzilin' Summary:
Bilbo Baggins is a respectable hobbit living in the Shire. He never goes on adventures... at least, until the wizard Gandalf shows up!!! Soon, Bilbo is on an adventure with the wizard and thirteen dwarves to recover a hoard of dwarf-treasure from an evil dragon named Smaug. But many things will happen along the way...
Will the quest be successful?
Rockin' Review:
I can see why this book is being turned into a bunch of movies! It was very well-done, and very well-written. It was pretty enjoyable. There was only a few glitches, and they were pretty minor ones.
Now, the book is admittedly long, and takes dedication. There are parts which don't hold you in, but there are parts and chapters which keep stuck in the book! But it's a long book, so hold on!
Definitely get this classic... and make sure you stick with it! It's definitely worth it!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, November 5, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
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'!!!
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'!!!
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, September 24, 2012
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.
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.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
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!!!
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!!!
Monday, September 10, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, August 31, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
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!
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!
Monday, August 20, 2012
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)