Review: Evil Bones

Evil Bones by Kathy Reichs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tempe is on the case of a mutilated dog.  Not only is it someone’s pet, but this was not the first animal to be discovered maimed.  It doesn’t matter that they are animals; Tempe plans to use her skills to uncover the culprit.  When the crime escalates to humans, it becomes an all-hands-on-deck situation.   What grizzly scenes will be thrown at this team?

Evil Bones is the twenty-fourth book in the Temperance Brennan series.  Readers who love Tempe and the various characters will enjoy this next adventure.  The story can also be read as a stand-alone tale with enough fun facts to entice readers to go back and read other books.  Overall, the science is interesting, and the jokes are just quirky enough to make me laugh throughout.  

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Review: MindWorks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction

MindWorks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

MindWorks is a compilation of short stories by Neal Shusterman.  The stories run the gamut of realistic, supernatural, and, of course, science fiction.  As with any short story collection, there are a few tales that don’t hit the mark, but more often than not, these stories made me laugh … or think deeply.  MindWorks was a pleasure to read, and Shusterman fans will want more. 

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Review: We Fell Apart

We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Matilda has never met her father; then, out of the blue, she receives a message from Kingsley Cello claiming to be her father and inviting her to his island home for the summer. When she arrives at his home, he is not there.  She meets Meer, her half-brother, Brock, and Tatum … all who live in her father’s house.  After weeks of waiting for her father to return, Matilda must search out her own answers and her own place in this family.

We Fall Apart is the third book in the We Were Liars series.  Although this book takes place in an overlapping time and place of the other We Were Liars books, this book can easily be read on its own or a long time after the initial books.  I thought I knew where the book was going, and was pleasantly surprised when the twist was something I did not expect.  A great escape read for all mystery fans.  

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Review: A Fate So Cold

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Domenic has been waiting for a wand to bond with him, but when the greatest Summer wand chooses him after 100 years of being dormant, he knows the war that approaches is not the usual type.  Ellery has also been chosen, and they believe they are destined to fall in love.  That is, until they discover that the Chosen are not meant to be on the same side; they are enemies.  As winter progresses and battles continue, the Chosen learn that the only way this war will end is if one kills the other.

A Fate So Cold is a duology of the same name.  This fantasy takes readers into a new world with new magic, yet the story is easy to understand, and the characters are relatable.  The romance does push the envelope some, but now that the book is over, I don’t remember feeling it was too graphic.  Although this is listed as a duology, the primary story has a satisfactory conclusion, and the next book will take it further (there is no cliffhanger).  

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Review: The House Saphir

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mallory comes from a family of witches, but the only magic she has is the ability to see ghosts.  She knows enough to fake her way through the family business, but she is not very successful.  Mallory knows a lot about Count Bastien Saphir, specifically that he killed three wives over one hundred years ago.  When his ancestor offers her a large bounty to rid his estate of Bastein’s ghost, she can’t resist.  Unfortunately, a new murder takes place while she is there, and she finds herself in the middle of the investigation. 

The House Saphir is a standalone mystery wrapped up in a supernatural story.  The beginning of the story grabbed my attention and pulled me along, but then the middle seemed to drag, and I was wondering where it was going.  When the ending came, I couldn’t help but think I was missing something because everything wrapped up too quickly.  A good read, but only for those who thoroughly enjoy this genre.  

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Review: A Queen's Match

A Queen's Match by Katharine McGee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Helene is in love with Prince Eddy, but is forced to break off her relationship with him.  Her parents still want her to marry … another prince. Alix is also in love, but Queen Victoria does not approve of her choice of beau.  At least she isn’t being pushed onto Prince Eddy anymore.  Mary wants to marry anyone who will get her a crown.  She doesn’t need love, and she doesn’t care who she has to hurt along the way.  Three royal princesses are all searching for love.  Will any of them find it?

A Queen’s Match is the second book in A Queen's Duet.  Although this book picks up the story of these princesses from the first book, readers who are vaguely familiar with the British Royal Ancestors can still jump into this novel without reading the first.  There is intrigue, backstabbing, romance, and family drama all rolled into a swoon-worthy read.  I love stories that take place in the Victorian Era, and having one that includes the royal family is that much better.

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Review: The Scammer

The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jordyn is ready to move into the dorm at her HBCU in Washington, DC.  One of her roommates’ brothers is released from prison and is invited to stay with them for a while.  Devonte is a lot older than these college freshmen, and he wants to help them make better decisions today and for their future.  As time passes, class becomes less important, and Devonte puts more and more restrictions on the girls.  When one of the roommates goes missing, Jordyn must step up and ask for help from the only white student at the university. 

The Scammer is a standalone, realistic fiction novel that left me with a range of emotions.  I kept wondering how an entire dorm of young women could fall for what was being taught them, and then questioned how no one else seemed to notice.  This story was so well written that I was rooting for Jordyn to wake up and take action.  There was a “twist” at the end that I did NOT see coming, and I finished the book knowing that I will be recommending this to my students.  A great book that isn’t a light and fluffy read.

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