It is always interesting to journey along with Hercule Poirot and see things the way he does. This is a compilation of short mysteries, each of which is set in a different interesting setting. I did this as an audio book on CDs and while I did enjoy it, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I done it as an actual book and been able to do it at a slower pace.

Guess who Mary Russell marries? Go on, guess! Nope, she marries Sherlock Holmes! And what a wonderful job this author does telling this tale. She crafts, for us, the background story of Mary, while keeping the personality of Holmes aligned during what would be an unlikely event for him. What a wonderful read!

This was an OK book, and while mostly the same as other romance stories, the ending was a bit more realistic. While waiting to start her new job, Josie takes a job at an Alaskan Lodge and, you guessed it, falls for someone she meets there. But while fighting her feelings, it becomes clear that what she thought would make her happy is no longer the case.

This is the second book I have read this summer by this author and I really enjoyed this one. It is an old time western, with the traditional “tenderfoot” family moving out west, but having no idea what they were up against which, in this case, is lack of law. Enter Con Vallian, a man who seems to live on the range with just his horse and who decides to stay around to help this family. What I liked most was how well developed the characters were, particularly Con. This author has opened up a whole new genre for me.

Absolutely devastating. Great world building, as always with Suzanne Collins. But wow, I didn't think these could get any more heartbreaking.

This book was absolutely hysterical! It’s done as a compilation of short stories, from the man’s point of view, about being a man. For Example, the first story is about the God Dionysus who has lost his immortality and is now 50 years old and who was previously in charge of wine and orgies, but because of his age is now only in charge of wine. If you want something to make you laugh out loud, this is it!

This is the story of a woman and her ex-lover who wind up running for governor at the same time. It’s wonderfully done, mixing the story with present day natation and that of the past. It also tells the story from both protagonists’ point of view. And there is so much more to this story than first appears, and even when you think you have the whole story a whole other layer appears. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

This might very well be the best book I read all summer. It combines two of the genres that I love, fantasy and horror. I am a Stephen King fan, and as I read this, I could hear him commenting “Well done”. A 9-year-old boy who is socially isolated becomes a central part of a series of horrific events, during which he is befriended by an 11-year-old girl who lives near him. But she and her family seem to understand what is happening and provide him with protection. And on top of all this wonderful action, the writer provides the perfect narrative with just the right amount of emotion and description. If you like these two genres, you’ve got to try this!

So here is a perfect example of why I prefer not to know too much about a book before I read it, because this is a western. It’s not a genre I would normally select, but this one was very enjoyable. On the surface, it’s a simple story about a man looking for gold, but it’s also the story of fear, loneliness, and hope. It’s about making tough choices and doing the right think. I look forward to reading something else by this author.

This translated book from Japanese was very interesting. A boy of high school age who works in his family’s bookstore has just lost his grandfather who he lived with. He shuts himself away in the bookstore until a strange visitor comes into the shop. I liked the different writing this book presented as well as the way it presents a different way of looking a books.