The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C. M. Waggoner

Sherry lives in small town Winesap. She’s very proud of the help that she’s given to the sheriff’s department in solving various murders. While older, she’s not exactly elderly but she IS a librarian. A perfect cozy novel heroine. Or is she? It seems odd that there are so many deaths in her town. And it’s even odder that so many people come to her to solve the murders. It all starts to go off the rails when someone close to her dies. Is this really her life or is there something more… demonic going on?
While there isn’t as much demon hunting as you might think based on the title, this book is laugh out loud funny in several places and I really, really hope that there are going to be more in the series.

Four and a half stars

This book comes out September 24, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Examiner A Novel by Janice Hallett

Hallett writes mysteries in a way that no one else does. She has tight stories that leave clues the whole way through but you never can quite tell where she’s heading until you get there.
Like most of her stories, this is told in two parts; one told in “present” time while the other is told as the bulk of the story unfolds. In this case, we have six students and a teacher who are embarking on a Multimedia Arts course teaching creative-types who to work in the “real world.” It is a prospective course and being added to the calendar full time means that Angela “Gela” will get to keep her job.
We watch the six students work their way through the nearly ten months of the course as they work through personality clashes and their assignments. But some of the students aren’t there just to take the class and at least one of them won’t be alive at the final presentation.
The last section dragged on a bit (the last day was maybe 1/4 -1/3 of the book) and the end was a bit over the top but always a fun read from Hallett.

Four stars

This came out September 10, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Atria Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Clean Sweep (the graphic novel) by Ilona Andrews

This book is great with setting up the world building. We've got Dina Demille who is an innkeeper. Her parents disappeared and she's wondering where they are. Her sister married and moved away. Her brother is a wanderer. Maybe not a hard world to build until you realize that Dina is actually linked to her inn and that they people that stay at her inn are beings from other planets using Earth as a place to stop on their travels. 

From the opening chapter, we actually get a glimpse of this one Dina approaches one of her neighbors. Something has been killing dogs in the neighborhood and she wants Sean Evans to take care of it. At first, he denies responsibility (and the fact that he's a werewolf) but she finds him staking his territory on her apple trees later that night. It's a hilarious encounter that only gets better

The graphic novel adaptation is pretty good but I still like the Graphic Audio better. 

Four stars

The adaptation came out March 5, 2024

Kindle ebook

Opinions are my own

Grit by Angela Duckworth

The title pretty much says it all. If you have stick-to-it-tive-ness, it will generally take you farther than innate skill. Duchworth's own father used to tell her that she was no genius but she stuck to it and turned out fabulous.
Do the stories start to sound the same? Yes. Does Duckworth tell you that you need to cut your losses sometimes? Yes. Did she tell us how to identify when that is? Not really.
I did overall enjoy this book but there is nothing new for regular self-help readers.

Three and a half  stars

This book May 3, 2016

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Strip Tease by Carl Hiaasen

This book is Hiaasen at his finest. We have the story of a stripper with a heart of gold. She was formerly a secretary for the FBI but her no-good husband is a felon so she got fired. To add insult to injury, he turned state’s witness so his record’s been expunged. The judge in their custody case only sees that Erin has a “bad job” so she is definitely an unfit mother. Meanwhile, her ex is still stealing wheel chairs and now he’s using their kid to do it.
While she’s dancing one night, a bachelor party gets a little rowdy and a stranger attacks the groom with a bottle hard enough to put him in the hospital. This sets off a chain of events that leads to a number of deaths and Erin being put in danger. Also included? A senator, a sugar plantation, and a kinkajou.
We do get to see Al Garcia from the Skink series as well. He’s trying to take some time off with his new wife Donna and her two kids when the son finds one fo the formerly mentioned dead people.
A wild ride this story is told cleanly with a few extra details that really make the story come alive.

Four stars

This book came out September 1, 1993

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

A Recipe for Murder by GS Revel Burroughs

A famous mystery writer/food show host that no one seems to like. An annual mystery weekend when he brings together other famous mystery authors for food and fun. A mysterious murder but a retired detective who was on site may turn the tide.

Max Wilde is almost as well known for his debauchery off screen as his food eating on. He's seduced any number of women and left them in his wake. He's screwed any number of business partners as well. Gemma thinks that, as the ghostwriter of his mysteries and being someone who works on his show as well, she is fairly untouchable. She may find out differently this weekend. His brother will be peeved to find that Max has sold his 51% of the family hotel. Four mystery writers (invited guests) have their own issues since Max has cost one a lucrative television series and seduced another's daughter. A third he has failed to seduce and the fourth unseated Max on the bestseller list; something Max is unwilling to forgive. Then, there is the police detective who just happened to be invited because Max recognized his name. 

I really enjoyed most of this book. The ending was a disappointment, mostly because it came out of nowhere. We got half the story but didn't learn the rest until the murderer was revealed. Also, I was expecting sort of a cozy mystery and this was rather raunchy. I don't mind when I'm expecting it but this was a pretty big surprise. 

Three star

This book comes out September 5, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Mr E Entertainment and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg

Goldberg weaves stories of her history meandering through the long past and the near past. Many stories include her mother and brother but not all of them. There are some stories that gloss over some deep issues and some that dig a little deeper. 

It is certainly interesting to hear how Goldberg ended up in Hollywood and how she got her name. There were parts where my mind wandered a bit but overall an enjoyable listen.

Four stars

This book came out May 7, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own