Mystery
The Mercenaries: Blood Diamonds by P. W. Storm
It’s a complete mystery to me why this is filed under fantasy on my local library catalogue and this is the ebook catalogue nonetheless. The book cover also doesn’t speak fantasy either. Technically this is not a mystery like I usually read but a thriller about a job by a mercenary group and yes, the title speaks it all but the book itself has nothing to do with the Hollywood movie except it features blood diamonds.
For the book itself, I find it okay as in a solid read but I can’t say much more about it.
Cry Me a River by Nancy Holder
I somehow thought this would be more supernatural mystery but not really. It just reads as a straight mystery with religious vibes. It’s okay though, just not sure that it’s really my cup of tea. It does have the central case that keeps me reading till the end but I feel like the other stuff in there is a bit too cluttered for my taste.
The Body in the Bookcase by Katherine Hall Page
It’s okay for a cozy mystery- pace is pretty snappy and there are a couple places of good high tension in this book.
A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang
The fact that the protagonist is co-owner of a book store at a castle appeals to me. The writing is solid but not quite memorable.
Down to the Sea by Sue Lawrence
It is a parallel storyline mystery and I did think the earlier storyline was more engaging but the two storylines converge nicely and we had a quite nice bit of high tension right towards the end that counters the relatively cozy pace all throughout the novel. I feel like the cozy mystery sub-genre is perhaps growing on me- I know I used to like more plot-driven or past-faced mysteries.
Last Look by Mariah Stewart
The premise is rather intriguing: an old murder case has been blown open when the body of a girl who was supposed to have died in the 1980s turned up as a murdered prostitute. The main character is the daughter of the FBI agent who investigated the original case. So far, in the string of mysteries I’ve read this year, I feel like this is the first one where I feel like following the protagonist.
Tide of Death by Pauline Rowson
This is the story of a murder case but also a police officer who was framed and has a personal vendetta on the ringleader of an exclusive sexual club. I find the book quite engaging throughout. This is another potential series that I might want to follow.
Fantasy
The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
This is the first Russian fantasy I have read and it does bring a touch of freshness to this well-loved genre of mine. I find the plot engaging and the protagonist is driven enough for one to be engaged with her story (personally I can’t say I really like her but I don’t dislike her either). Overall, a well written novel.
Currently on the borderline on whether I read the next book of the series.
Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman
I had just started this today so nothing much to tell yet.
Historical Fiction
The Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell
So I went back to this series featuring Uhtred rather than continuing with the Russian fantasy series. There was some brief disorientation with characters but I conquered it rather easily. I still like this fourth book of the series and see myself continuing it until I think the seventh book (I did snoop into the blurb of most of the series, I think this was the second natural stopping point).
The Burning Land by Bernard Cornwell
What I like about this series is that the core struggle for Uhred has stayed the same but new twists keep being introduced such that you never get tired of reading the same thing over and over again. I’ve enjoyed the fifth book of this series and will continue with the next book.
Death of Kings by Bernard Cornwell
This book seems a bit of a turning point for Uhtred even though the core struggle reminds the same. As I’ve said before, I intend to go on to the next book and there I will assess whether I want to continue reading the later books. This book itself is solid work by the author, a continuation of this series.
The Pagan Lord by Bernard Cornwell
This is the novel where Uhtred has come the closest to his personal goal. I thought this is a natural stopping point for this round but it seems I am wrong. Overall, I do like this continuation. Onto the next book.
Moonlake's Fiction Space 