REVIEW: When Lunch Fights Back

When Lunch Fights Back
Author: Rebecca L. Johnson

From poison and claws to more subtle means of protection, many animals have defense mechanisms that can pack a wallop!

I listened to the audio book version of When Lunch Fights Back. It was a fun & informative listen! The book is geared toward middle grade kids, but is enjoyable for adults as well. About an hour in length, the listening time is perfect for listening during short trips (I listened on my commute to work) or as supplemental work in a classroom setting. I can see this book being entertaining for reluctant readers (listeners) or students curious about biology/science. The narrator does a great job of keeping things interesting! She reads at a nice pace, getting the facts across but letting the humor and excitement shine through her performance.

I'm definitely now hooked on these short audio books about science for kids. Always well done and perfect listening length for my daily commute to work. It's nice to start my day out with an interesting topic that isn't too heavy or negative. This is the first book I have read by Rebecca L. Johnson. She has written many science related books for kids about all sorts of subjects -- deserts, forests, the tundra, etc. I'm definitely on the lookout for more audio books of her work!

**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book from Lerner Audiobooks. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Nature's Ninja

Nature's Ninja: Animals with Spectacular Skills

Author: Rebecca L. Johnson

Some animals have mad ninja skills! Climbing, hiding, silent running, hunting, tracking -- animals have some awesome physical abilities they use to survive. 

Each chapter highlights a skill associated with ninja like climbing, thrown weapon skills, swordsmanship, swimming, and camouflage, and    then describes animals who use that skill. Johnson also includes facts about the scientists who study these talented animals. The types of animals are varied from geckos and otters to sea urchins and swordfish.

This is the second audio book by Johnson that I've listened to. I loved this one just as much as When Lunch Fights Back: Wickedly Clever Animal Defenses. 

It took me a bit to get used to the narrator....he over-enunciates and reads in an overly excited voice for the entire book. But.....this book is geared to children and the voice actor was trying to be entertaining. I got used to his voice quickly and just enjoyed the animal facts and humor. 

Great animal facts and very entertaining! I will definitely be reading/listening to more books by this author!

**I voluntarily listened to a review copy of this audio book from Lerner Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Vacation

The Vacation

Author: TM Logan

After this author previously traumatized me (in the great just-read-a-suspense-thriller way) with Lies and 29 Seconds, I knew this book would be another twisted, demented joy to read. And I was right! What was supposed to be an awesome vacation in the south of France turns into something quite different. And it's all kicked off by a wife reading text messages on her husband's phone..... 

Kate discovers her husband is having an affair. With one of her friends. Who are on the trip. But which one? But as she digs to get to the truth, she discovers something far worse. 

My thoughts on this book (and every TM Logan book I've read so far)....

Dark secrets never stay hidden. And when they come out -- or even threaten to come out -- it unravels people's lives. TM Logan has the power to take normal people....and deposit them in ghastly situations where twisted, horrible decisions, lies and betrayal seem the best choice. I think what creeps me out about Logan's novels is the fact that each time I'm left thinking "This could actually happen.....'' His characters seem like normal people....people you might know....people you work with.....people in your city. And then their lives start to fall apart, and they become.....terrible. It traumatizes me because then my brain pops to....if normal people can become so awful, then ANYBODY can descend to those depths. And if anybody can descend to those depths....what might it take to make ME descend to those depths???

*Shiver*

Great book! But I need to watch Disney movies for a couple days to recover.....

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Shadows

The Shadows

Author: Alex North

After 25 years, Paul Adams has come home. And he remembers.  He doesn't want to remember. He would much rather forget Charlie Crabtree, the lucid dreaming...and the murder. Now a copycat murder has occurred and his elderly, senile mother is convinced someone or something is in her house. And Paul is being followed.....

This book is a slow burn. The story takes a bit to rev up, but once the suspense kicks in the creepiness is just as potent as in North's earlier book, The Whisper Man. The timeline jumps between 25 years ago when Charlie Crabtree was weaving his creepy magic and the present. I don't normally care for time jumps, but for this story, it worked. 

I mixed things up a bit for my read of this book. I started out reading the ebook version, but then jumped into the audio book. Narrated by Hannah Arterton and John Hefferman, the audio really heightens the suspense of the story. The two voice actors give a great performance! At just over 9 hours, the audio is an entertaining, suspenseful listening experience!

I'm really enjoying Alex North's storytelling. I like a more subtle, slow-build suspense instead of fast, in-your-face abrupt shock. This story sneaks up on the reader a little bit at a time, revealing just a bit....then more....then more....until the stark realization of what happened 25 years ago hits the reader right in the face. 

Great book! I am definitely looking forward to the next book by this author!

**I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book from Celadon Books/Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Mystery of the Blue Train

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Author: Agatha Christie

The Mystery of the Blue Train is the 6th Hercule Poirot novel. The book was first published in 1929. 

The basics: A young heiress boards a train to the French Riviera where she meets Ruth Kettering. Kettering is running from a bad marriage to the arms of her lover. But sadly....the young woman never makes it. Her body is found, beaten to a pulp, in her train compartment. And a rather infamous ruby is missing. Luckily, among the other passengers on the train, is Hercule Poirot. Poirot immediately puts his little grey cells on the case to catch the killer!

I have been a huge Agatha Christie fan for more than 40 years since I purchased a set of Poirot novels at a garage sale when I was 9. And I'm glad that I decided to read her writing in publication order. It fulfills a decades-long quest to own all of her books....and I'm finding works by Christie that I have never read before. This was my first time reading this book! Very enjoyable story!

The plot has some nice twists and suspense. Christie was a master of the plot twist! Great read! I listened to the audiobook version of this story. Work is crazy right now given the pandemic and everything else going on....but I still need my book fix. So I'm turning to audio books more and more because I can listen during my commute to work, on breaks, at lunch....and leave my reality for awhile. I thoroughly enjoyed escaping my reality for a bit to peer over Poirot's shoulder in my mind as he investigated this crime! The audio book version was an enjoyable listen. Narrated by Hugh Fraser (the actor who played Captain Hastings in the Agatha Christie's Poirot television series), the audio is 7 hors long. Fraser reads at a nice pace and gives a great performance. 

All in all, an entertaining reading experience! 

As I listened, I finally had to research something that had been on my mind since I read The Big Four. Christie often refers to nefarious criminals or thugs as "apaches'' and I wanted to know why.  Turns out, in the 1920s, gangsters and dangerous criminal types in France were called apaches, in reference to the Native American tribe. Stories about Apaches depicted the tribe as cunning, violent and dangerous, often lying in wait for unsuspecting victims. Very racist...  But,  Christie was writing in an era almost 100 years in the past....and culturally at the time, racist terms and ideology were commonplace. In that era, it was viewed as ok for her to publish a book titled "Ten Little Niggers" -- the original title of Ten Little Indians (which wasn't much better), which was later changed to And Then There Were None.  I don't like the use of a tribal name to depict criminals and murderers. I'm glad that usage of the word was obscure enough that I had to research it online. Other than this one little thing that bothered me....I enjoyed the book. 

Agatha Christie's Poirot adapted this book as a special episode in Season 10 (2005), Episode 1. The adaptation makes several changes to characters and plot, but is still entertaining. 

On to the next -- The Seven Dials Mystery! Stepping away from Poirot -- Seven Dials features Superintendent Battle. Battle only appears in five of Christie's novels. 

REVIEW: Catastrophes and Heroes

Catastrophes & Heroes: True Stories of Man-Made Disasters

Author: Jerry Borrowman

The human race has come so far.....technology, transportation, medicine, science....our knowledge and skills have grown so much in the last 200 years. But with growth also comes mistakes and failures along the way. This book gathers 8 stories of disasters caused by mistakes, lack of judgement, poor planning or just plain faulty engineering. It isn't all dark and dismal though....the stories also feature heroes who stepped up to help save lives during these man-made disasters. 

Train wrecks. Dams breaking. Hurricane damage. The types of incidents are varied and the book goes in depth about what caused each disaster, the events leading up to the event, and the aftermath. Heroes who risked their lives to save others are also featured. All in all, an informative read and very interesting facts!

This is the first book by Jerry Borrowman that I've read. He has written several other books about historical events. I'm definitely going to read more! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Murder She Wrote - The Murder of Twelve

Murder She Wrote: The Murder of Twelve

Author: Jon Land

I love the television series with Angela Lansbury. It makes me happy every time I read (or listen to) one of these books! It's like revisiting old friends in Cabot Cove....even if it is the murder capital of Maine. :) 

The basics: Jessica Fletcher is still staying in a local hotel while her home is undergoing extensive repair. Hill House is comfortable enough, but a bit crowded when a wedding party come to stay. A blizzard hits dumping a huge amount of snow, stranding everyone.  That's bad enough....but when a killer starts picking off people one by one....Jessica is on the case! 

This was a fun book to read in July when it's hot as blazes outside. I was wishing the entire time that I could be snowed in! Without a killer on the loose, of course. The mystery was an entertaining and suspenseful read. And I enjoyed revisiting all my favorite characters from Cabot Cove again!

I listened to the audio book version of this story. The audio is just over 8 hours long. Narrated by Laural Merlington, the audio was a fun listen! Merlington does a great job of voicing Jessica Fletcher and the other characters. Very entertaining listening experience!

The Murder of Twelve is the 51st Murder She Wrote novel, so others must enjoy returning to Cabot Cove, too! I love seeing Angela Lansbury's smiling face on each cover! Keep 'em coming! I will read every single one! :) 

REVIEW: You Need More Sleep

You Need More Sleep: Advice from Cats

Author: Francesco Marciuliano

I firmly believe that everyone can benefit from reading self-help books that pertain to their life challenges. I own four cats. And they are four of the most chill beings that I have ever encountered. Nothing seems to faze any of them. So when I saw this book, I had to have it. Self-help quips from a feline perspective...what's not to love? 

This book joins several other books by Francesco Marciuliano on my keeper shelf. I love his collections of poetry by cats and dogs. Each has lovely, cute photographs....and wonderful humor. With everything going on in the world right now, I prize anything that can bring a smile and a laugh. You  Need More Sleep made me smile and even chuckle so many times! 

Each little snippet of advice has a bold headline and then a couple paragraphs of pithy feline advice on that subject. Many entries also have cute full-color photographs of cats. Fun book to read! The books are small (4" x 6") and are hardback with dustjackets. They look great on display! And make for attractive little gifts for animal lovers. :) 

Another great book in this series! I keep my collection of books by this author on my keeper shelf for whenever I need a quick smile! 

REVIEW: A Sprinkling of Murder

A Sprinkling of Murder
Author: Daryl Wood Gerber

Courtney Kelly's childhood was filled with magic and fairies until her mother died when she was 10. She lost all interest and moved on with life. But at 29, when she opened her own business building fairy gardens, she began seeing fairies again. And even gained one as a friend. One day, Fiona warns her that something bad is coming....and it does. When a man's lifeless body is discovered in her shop, Courtney finds herself a top suspect. Can she discover the true killer before it's pinned on her?

Cute start to a new series. This book is a light mix of paranormal and cozy mystery. There's a lot of setup for the series going on in this first book, but it didn't really over-shadow the mystery plot. The mystery moved along at a nice pace and had a few suspects and twists along the way. I liked the idea of the main character creating fairy gardens and having a shop called Open Your Imagination. Cute concept! And I would be a customer if the business were real! ;)

The next book in the series will be out in summer 2021. I will definitely be eager awaiting it. Great start to a new series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The House on Widows Hill

The House on Widows Hill
Author: Simon R. Green

I'm going to just come right out and say it at the very beginning.....get it out in the open....

I am a HUGE Simon R. Green fan! I loved his Nightside series and I have been a dedicated reader of the Ishmael Jones books since the first one. Green could write blurbs for toilet paper wrappers and I would buy megapacks just to read what he had to say.....

That being said....

I knew the minute this book popped up on my available-to-review list that I would love this book. I always do. Ishmael Jones. His sidekick Penny. The Organization. And......a haunted, creepy house. What's not to love?

And I was right, as usual. Green never lets me down. Great suspense, creepy and a fun, engaging read! The Ishmael Jones books are short -- about 120-150 pages each. The House on Widows Hill is the 9th book in the series. Jones is an alien. He's not exactly sure what type....or where he came from. He only vaguely remembers a crash...his ship going down. Then the onboard AI repaired him and wiped his memory so he could live as a human and survive until rescue. But no rescue ever came. Since he doesn't age -- he's been the same age since 1963 -- he trades protection and safety offered by a covert organization in return for handling strange cases for them. He and Penny have investigated some really really strange stuff.....and now, they are spending the night in an infamous supposedly haunted house. Their mission? Join a group of ghost hunters and determine if the house is really haunted. When one of the group mysteriously drops dead, Ishmael realizes this is going to be so much more than traipsing around with an EVP recorder and a body cam. This isn't reality tv.....Harrow House is real...and dangerous.

This story is a quick read as usual. Green expertly weaves a creepy story of suspense. He packs a lot into 150 pages! Lots of twisty-turny creepiness!

Great read!! Can't wait for the next adventure of Ishmael and Penny!

To Readers, Authors & Publishers.....

I work in the social services sector. The current Covid19 issues and its effects on my personal and working life have had a severe impact on my available time to read and write reviews. I am still plugging away.....and I will definitely review all of the books that are pending on my schedule ASAP. But for the forseeable future, I will be unable to guarantee daily blog posts. 

Books, audio books and the enjoyment of reading is very much helping keep me sane during all of this! My regional and local libraries have been WONDERFUL during all of this!! Blessings be upon every librarian in the entire world. I love each and every one of you! On the blog end of things, I'm working to get some posts up.....but that comes after obligations to my family, coworkers and clients. For now, I will post at least 2-3 times a week....with the hopes of getting back to a daily review. 

Authors -- feel free to still inquire about reviews. I'm always happy to read and review. But be aware: I need a 30 day window. 

Publishers -- I am still providing timely reviews. Just not finishing a book every day right now. Way, way too much going on. I'm sure you all understand -- you have jobs, families and all this weirdness going on, too. 

And readers, fellow bloggers, bibliophiles -- Love you guys! Sorry I'm less active online right now. Life has exploded. But please -- message to say hi anytime! I'm still here.....just toiling in the background trying to keep things going on the homefront. Thanks for all the book recommendations, interesting reviews and interaction.  Stay well -- Stay safe -- stay nerdy! 

Peace & Love

Juli

REVIEW: The Whisper Man

The Whisper Man
Author: Alex North

It took me awhile to get my hands on a digital copy of this book. The wait list at the library was longgggg. I had to wait twice, in fact. Covid19 had things so crazy at my job that when I finally got to the top of the list to check out the book I missed the deadline to do so.....and had to wait again. But that's ok....I waited on the audio version the second time. I can listen to an audio book anywhere even when work and homelife is a bit unsettled and chaotic.

This was a suspenseful story well worth waiting for -- twice! :)

If you leave a door half open, you'll hear the whisper spoken.
          If you play outside alone soon you won 't be going home.
If your Windows left unlatched, you'll hear him tapping at the glass.
          If your lonely, sad, and blue, the whisper man will come for you.


A playground sing-song telling the story of a local murder still haunts Featherbank when Tom Kennedy and his young son move there to start over. After losing his wife, Tom wants them to have a new life, to begin again, to get past her death. But it's not that easy.....Jake is talking to people who aren't there. And....a little boy disappears. The murderer from all those years ago is in prison....so is a new killer starting up the kidnapping and murders of children all over again?

There really isn't anything new here....jaded, grieving and exhausted former detective moves to a new town to start over....only to end up embroiled in a case. And Jake, reeling from the death of his mother sees people that others do not, making it difficult for him to fit in at a new school. It's been done before....BUT....Alex North tells this suspenseful tale perfectly! I was engrossed in the story from start to finish. 

I listened to the audio book version of this story. I wanted to read the first novel before I moved on to North's newest book, The Shadows. Narrated by Christopher Eccleston, the audio is just over 9.5 hours long. I love Eccleston as an actor on screen, but I have to be honest and say I did not enjoy his performance as a book narrator. His tone is often flat, verging on monotone. I love the accent....but he just didn't seem to put much umph into his reading performance. The story was captivating enough to keep me listening, even though I really didn't like Eccleston's narration. This is just my personal opinion/preference -- others might feel differently about his performance. For me -- it just didn't work. 

I love the front cover art for this book! Publishers hire such talented artists!

Great book! I have The Shadows on audio all ready to go! Can't wait to see what new creepiness Alex North has lurking in wait for me!

REVIEW: A Study in Murder

A Study in Murder
Author: Callie Hutton

I always love discovering a new-to-me author, especially when they write cozy mysteries! I enjoy cozies....relaxing, cute, fun reads with an edge of danger. Just a bit of murder. Not drippy, screamy, gore-filled murder....cozy murder. Very little blood....cute pets....interesting, fun background fluff. :) These books are my escape when work, life, other rough adult fiction get my mind in a state. With cozies, I return to calm, cool and collected.

I jumped at the chance to read this start to the Victorian Book Club mysteries because the basic plot synopsis appealed to me. Lady Amy Lovell lives in Bath. She's an author...but has to hide it because she is a woman. In 1890, writing about murder (or anything really) was just not something a lady should do. First she receives a letter revealing dark facts about her fiance. Then there is a murder....in her own house, and she is the main suspect. She teams up with a family friend to sleuth out the truth before it's too late.

I enjoyed this book! The characters are awesome! Amy and William are perfect sleuthing partners! I thought the end was perfect. The mystery moves along at a nice pace, with plenty of investigation, suspects and a few surprises. I wasn't that surprised at the reveal, but there were plenty of interesting tidbits at the end to leave me completely satisfied at the conclusion.

Great start to a new cozy series! Relaxing day of reading....and I'm definitely eagerly awaiting the next book in this new series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy from Crooked Lane. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**