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bbethcasas's reviews
104 reviews
A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
This is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve read in months! Most are so predictable! This book really kept me guessing! The killer was the last person I expected!!
Would definitely recommend!
Would definitely recommend!
The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel
adventurous
funny
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
I really debated whether to give this book a 4 or a 5 star rating, but ended up at a 4, because it was just missing enough oomph to make it a 5. But I did really enjoy it.
The main characters are Vera and her big sister, Eve, who have tragically lost their father in a car accident within the last year. Their mother, Jane, who is a scientist and chronically exhausted and has jumped head first into work as a coping mechanism for dealing with her husband’s death, brings the girls globe trotting on various scientific expeditions one after the other all summer long and brings them home just in time to start school again in the fall!
You can imagine what kind of trouble the girls can get themselves into, but you won’t believe the story that unfolds as the family makes their way back together!
The main characters are Vera and her big sister, Eve, who have tragically lost their father in a car accident within the last year. Their mother, Jane, who is a scientist and chronically exhausted and has jumped head first into work as a coping mechanism for dealing with her husband’s death, brings the girls globe trotting on various scientific expeditions one after the other all summer long and brings them home just in time to start school again in the fall!
You can imagine what kind of trouble the girls can get themselves into, but you won’t believe the story that unfolds as the family makes their way back together!
Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City by Gary Kamiya
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.
I would like to read this book a chapter at a time as I am one day approaching my own first trip to San Francisco.
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Tish and Fonny are in love and have been as long as they can remember. They are silly happy, expecting a baby, and set to be married soon, until Fonny is falsely identified of a terrible crime and imprisoned. Both families set to work together to try to get him set free, but things just move so slowly and the birth of the baby is moving closer and closer.
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
The Most Fun We Ever Had was a truly endearing, heartwarming saga over the course of a love story from the beginning all the way to grandchildren. It is such an honest, true to life look (with the exception of the wealth of the family, not a large percentage of the population grow up with that experience) at what it’s like to raise a family. No matter what you do to try to ensure that you “do everything right”, things still happen or don’t happen according to your plans! A strong theme presented in the book is that the love amongst family can overcome many obstacles.
The Match by Harlan Coben
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Ahhh! LOVED!! First off, I love the mysterious character, Wilde, and the growth and maturity of Matthew in this 2nd book makes me feel like I know what David was like!! Crazy, right?
Anyway, this book has so much mystery involved with all the DNA registries and Wilde trying to sift through the family connections and getting to the bottom of the murders and the suspects, and let’s not forget that icky vigilante society!! Something is literally going on all the time!! I was so drawn in!!
And the ending!!! Oh my good gravy, you will not believe the ending!!
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!
Anyway, this book has so much mystery involved with all the DNA registries and Wilde trying to sift through the family connections and getting to the bottom of the murders and the suspects, and let’s not forget that icky vigilante society!! Something is literally going on all the time!! I was so drawn in!!
And the ending!!! Oh my good gravy, you will not believe the ending!!
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!
The Shrimp Did It by Kay Dew Shostak
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
I’m not sure why, but I had a harder time getting really into this book than the first two.
Installment three centers around The Shrimp Festival held over Memorial Day weekend. Jewel wasn’t really involved, because Craig had come home and they had hosted all of their children and their grandchild in their home for the first time! It hadn’t gone nearly as planned and Jewel is heartsick. But, of course, a murder is soon discovered to help take her mind off her heart.
Mysteries abound around the death of Amanda Raines. Accusations of an affair with a married man and stealing funds from The Shrimp Festival swirl around town. An unlikely confession from a woman in town and Amanda’s suspiciously behaving writer son inviting himself to move in with Jewel and Eden just throws a little more craziness into Jewel’s already tumultuous life! And did I mention that Craig wants a divorce, but he’s kind heartedly sent a man over to install central air into the mansion for Jewel because he knows how uncomfortable it is in the house? What in the mess with a sister’s head is he up to?? Grab an umbrella and jump in because the storm clouds move in every day in Florida and it’s best to be prepared for a little chaos!
Installment three centers around The Shrimp Festival held over Memorial Day weekend. Jewel wasn’t really involved, because Craig had come home and they had hosted all of their children and their grandchild in their home for the first time! It hadn’t gone nearly as planned and Jewel is heartsick. But, of course, a murder is soon discovered to help take her mind off her heart.
Mysteries abound around the death of Amanda Raines. Accusations of an affair with a married man and stealing funds from The Shrimp Festival swirl around town. An unlikely confession from a woman in town and Amanda’s suspiciously behaving writer son inviting himself to move in with Jewel and Eden just throws a little more craziness into Jewel’s already tumultuous life! And did I mention that Craig wants a divorce, but he’s kind heartedly sent a man over to install central air into the mansion for Jewel because he knows how uncomfortable it is in the house? What in the mess with a sister’s head is he up to?? Grab an umbrella and jump in because the storm clouds move in every day in Florida and it’s best to be prepared for a little chaos!
The Sea Turtle Did It by Kay Dew Shostak
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
I really loved this series and I love these characters! I agree that I enjoyed this book more than the first, but I enjoyed the first one, too.
I’m am deeply invested in the what the future holds for Jewel and Craig!!
This story starts with a huge mound marked as a sea turtle nest discovered early one morning on the beach in Florida. Lucy is front and center for this as a member of the Sea Turtle Club. This causes a huge hub-bub for several reasons:
•it’s too early in the season,
•it’s too large,
•it’s marked incorrectly,
•there are no tracks of the mother going back into the ocean.
As the bystanders talk and ponder these oddities, the authorities are poking and prodding around in the mound, and Jewel looks down to see a purple painted toenail uncovered!! And the mound then becomes known as what it was all along, a crime scene!
This sets the detective ladies of Sophia Island in motion! They dig, ask questions, and connect the dots…..almost. At the final moment, Jewel puts the final piece of the puzzle into place a moment too late. Without any spoilers, you’ll definitely enjoy reading this sleuth story straight through, because I was unable to put it down!
I’m am deeply invested in the what the future holds for Jewel and Craig!!
This story starts with a huge mound marked as a sea turtle nest discovered early one morning on the beach in Florida. Lucy is front and center for this as a member of the Sea Turtle Club. This causes a huge hub-bub for several reasons:
•it’s too early in the season,
•it’s too large,
•it’s marked incorrectly,
•there are no tracks of the mother going back into the ocean.
As the bystanders talk and ponder these oddities, the authorities are poking and prodding around in the mound, and Jewel looks down to see a purple painted toenail uncovered!! And the mound then becomes known as what it was all along, a crime scene!
This sets the detective ladies of Sophia Island in motion! They dig, ask questions, and connect the dots…..almost. At the final moment, Jewel puts the final piece of the puzzle into place a moment too late. Without any spoilers, you’ll definitely enjoy reading this sleuth story straight through, because I was unable to put it down!