Where Will You Run?

Title:   Where Will You Run

Author: M E Franco

Series: The Dion Series

Type of book: Supernatural mystery romance

Why did I read it? Heard about the book and first time published author through a friend.

How did I read it?:  Kindle eReader

Level of captivity: Hard to put down after second chapter

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1=not so much,  5=so much fun I want more.)           4.2

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             3.5

What I got from the book: This is a new author so I definitely had no expectations. I was delighted to find I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to the second installment of this series. The characters Mari and Raith were developed just enough in this first book to leave me looking forward to more of their back-stories, especially Raith’s. I will tell you I had become bored with vampires but was finally happy to have a different twist on the lore. This is no Twilight. It is better and a little more grown up.

Samntha Sweet by Connie Shelton

Title:   Sweet Masterpieces and Sweet's Sweets

Author: Connie Shelton

Series: Samantha Sweet Mysteries

Type of book: Murder Mystery, Slightly Paranormal

Why did I read it? I liked the other series I recently finished by this same author

How did I read it?:  Kindle eReader

Level of captivity: Extremely captivating

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1=not so much,  5=so much fun I want more.)           4.9

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             4.3

What I got from the book: My only issue with reading these books (there are two so far) is I find myself wanting sugary goodies to snack on. Sam Sweet is an entrepreneurial sort just trying to survive and build up her savings account so she can realize a dream of opening her own bakery. Along the way she finds herself embroiled in finding dead bodies, magical boxes, and dare it be true, a handsome sheriff deputy that sets his sights on wooing her. I do look forward to reading more of her future crime solving adventures and I will attempt to resist my desire to find a local bakery that can provide some of the treats described in these stories. Of course, this is not the first time reading novels have fired up my sweet tooth. I sometimes wistfully long for cake when reading Stephanie Plum adventures as well. If you enjoy those books, you will enjoy these too.

Charlie Parker Murder Mysteries

Search Amazon.com for connie shelton

Titles: Deadly Gamble, Vacations Can Be Murder, Partnerships Can Kill, Small Towns Can Be Murder, Memories Can Be Murder, Holidays Can Be Murder, Honeymoons Can Be Murder, Reunions Can Be Murder, Competition Can Be Murder, Balloons Can Be Murder, Obsessions Can Be Murder, Gossip Can Be Murder, Stardom Can Be Murder.

Author: Connie Shelton

Series: Charlie Parker Murder Mysteries

Type of book: Murder Mysteries

Why did I read it? Since I have relocated from the Southern culture of North Carolina to the Southwestern Culture of New Mexico, finding this series based on characters that live right here in nearby Albuquerque, NM was a pleasant way for me to learn a little about my new home.

How did I read it?:  On My Kindle eBook of course.

Level of captivity: Once I started this series, I kept plowing through them.

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1=not so much, 5=so much fun I want more.)            4.9

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             4.7

What I got from the book: Reading this series; featuring a female PI (amateur at that); was made interesting as much by her character as by her location. Almost every book gave a little history of New Mexico and featured a beloved custom for me to explore. I was kept guessing as to the outcome of each crime usually and love how this author does not necessarily wimp out on her endings. I also loved that marriage does not take away from the romance in the story’s main love relationship. Yea for Charlie and finding her dream guy and making it work. I especially love that the last two books in this series (so far) took a little different direction in the narrative giving more to the other characters thinking. My favorite form of reading happens to be first person, but keeping Charlie’s views in first person and then telling other character’s part of the story in the third person worked very well for me. I look forward to more from this author about these wonderful characters, and I plan to read another series she has started featuring another character in another NM community.

Stephanie Plum Fun

Title:   Stephanie Plum Series 1-16
Author: Janet Evanovich
Series: Stephanie Plum
Type of book: Romantic mystery, comedy, mayhem
Why did I read it? In anticipation of number 17 coming out in June of 2011 I reread them all in order.
How did I read it?:  Kindle eReader
Level of captivity: Not able to stop until finished and completed them all in about a week.
Scale of Fun         (1-5, 1=not so much,  5=so much fun I want more.)           4.6
Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             4.9

What I got from the books: I love fun and I have given up television recently. These books are better than a TV series. I would not mind it if a made for TV series came of them. For some the books read very similarly but for me they were fun all the way through though many times I was frustrated at the endings. Fortunately, for me I only discovered these books this year and could jump right into the next one right away. Okay its true I have no life right now. Still if you need some light and fun reading you cannot go wrong with this series. I like reading a series in order but each one can be taken on its own. I do recommend that you start with One for the Dough if you haven’t read them yet. This does set the tone for Stephanie and wets the appetite for all the missed opportunities that happen throughout the books. I also recommend reading the first because it is about to be a movie coming out in January of 2012. No movie does a book full justice and I believe that having read the book will help fill in blanks that will undoubtedly be in the movie because of time constraints that are part of the media form.

Characters are richly developed and easily rooted for or hated in this series. Many of them arc through several books nicely. A few are present in all of them. There are also the in between stories as well that introduce a character that is starring in his own set of books beginning with Wicked Appetites by the same writer. Having completed 16 in the series it will be difficult to wait for 17 but I will be reading it on my Kindle as soon as it downloads.

Not One Clue

Title:   Not One Clue

Author: Lois Greiman

Series: Number 6

Type of book: Romantic Mystery and Suspense

Why did I read it? I have read all six of these and would read more if they existed.

How did I read it?:  Kindle eReader

Level of captivity: Had to read this one completely straight through

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1 = not so much, 5 = so much fun I want more.)        4.8

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             4.8

What I got from the book: Reading through this series featuring a Psychologist and a LAPD cop was like reading through five novels of foreplay before finally getting some satisfaction of a sort. Witty banter and SAT worthy vocabulary abound throughout all of the Christina McMullen series. None of them turns out the way you think they will, but they always make sense at the end. I do expect to have more of Christy and Jack in the future. If you like the fun and adventure of Evanovich’s novels you will want to give These a read while waiting for the next Plum adventure.
Not One Clue: A Mystery Unzipped Unplugged One Hot Mess Unmanned Unscrewed

Unzipped

Title:   Unzipped

Author: Lois Greiman

Series: first in 6

Type of book: Romantic murder mystery and humor

Why did I read it? Like the genre, liked the description in Kindle bookstore

How did I read it?:  Kindle eReader

Level of captivity: Hooked by the end of the first chapter

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1=not so much, 5=so much fun I want more.)            4.2

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             4.5

What I got from the book: I like the protagonist here, Christy McMullen, as a doctor of Psychology. She has a new twist on the feminine way of thinking and the author’s first person story telling had me giggling a lot throughout this book. I was very pleased that I did not guess the murderer until revealed. I love the unexpected ending and this one has it. Have fun reading this one. I hope to get to the second book really soon.
UnzippedUnpluggedUnscrewedOne Hot Mess

I, Spy?, Ugley Business, A is for Apple and Still Waters

Title:   I, Spy? And three more Sophie Green Mysteries

Author: Kate Johnson

Series: There are four and a short prequel

Type of book: Mystery, Romance

Why did I read it? Fell into the genre for a bit and found the books in a Kindle store search. Author was compared and rightfully so to Evanovich.

How did I read it?:  Kindle eReader

Level of captivity: I read all of them back to back. Would love to read more of the series but Johnson did not really leave it hanging much in the fourth novel. The very first chapter pulls you in with action.

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1=not so much, 5=so much fun I want more.)            4.7

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             4.0

What I got from the book: Sophie Green is accidentally pulled into a new job by a delightfully handsome fellow when she stumbles on his spy activity. In first person, we get inside of Sophie’s head as she figures out the spy game and how to balance every other aspect of her life. Homage is paid to other favored characters in other books I have read and to a beloved 90s TV series throughout all four books. This is most definitely a delightful and humorous series of British spy stories with a female spy as the star. ‘Ugley Business’, ‘A is for Apple’, and ‘Still Waters’ are the titles that round out this series of books.
Ugley Business (Sophie Green Mysteries, No. 2)Still Waters (Sophie Green Mysteries, No. 4)I, Spy? (Sophie Green Mysteries, No. 1)A is for Apple (Sophie Green Mysteries, No. 3)The Twelve Lies of Christmas (Sophie Green Prequel)

Heads You Lose

Title:   Heads You Lose

Author: Lisa Lutz & David Hayward

Series: no

Type of book: Murder mystery

Why did I read it? Heard about this book on NPR while driving. The authoers were bring interviewed and I felt I needed to check this book out.

How did I read it?:  Kindle Reader

Level of captivity: This was a little slow to get started but persistence paid off in the end with a surprise.

Scale of Fun

(1-5, 1=not so much,  5=so much fun I want more.)           3.9

Insomnia Scale

(1-5, 1=can stop reading and go to sleep at the proper bed time, 5=can’t sleep ‘til I am finished)                                                                             2

What I got from the book: The story itself was intriguing enough but the overlying story that unfolds between the chapters was most entertaining. Make sure you read the footnotes included. The authors have a kind of duel that goes along with the story and it gives an insight in how a collaborative work can be created. I had fun reading this book and if you want a good old-fashioned who-dun-nit, this is one to read.