Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins

This book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. I wept through most of it even though it used a trope (time hopping) that I usually do not enjoy. It was just a little too woo for me and that brought it down but it was overall a highly enjoyable read. Higgins is usually a romance writer and, while I wouldn't put this book firmly in that category, regular readers won't be disappointed.

Joshua is on the autism spectrum and he knows that he will never find anyone who understands him as well as his wife Lauren. But Lauren is now dead having passed away from an incurable disease that slowly robbed her of her ability to breathe. It was a drawn-out process that hurt them both but also left Lauren enough time to leave Joshua a series of letters to be delivered roughly monthly. She knew that he would have time adapting and she wanted to make sure he had a life after her death. Some of the tasks are small, some are larger, but she hopes that they will help him recognize that there is life after death and that his next great love might have been in front of him all along.

Four stars

This book come out June 8th

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie

A series of short stories involving our favorite Belgian detective. It includes stories like “The Kidnapped Prime Minister,” and “The Adventure of ‘The Western Star.’” Stories are solid and short. Perfect for picking up and putting down if you’re at a point in your life where you only have snatches of time in which to read.

Three and a half stars

Follows The Murder on the Links

Followed by The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

This book came out March 1st, 1924

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible

Opinions are my own

Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews

In this book, Meg Langslow is involved with her brother Rob's burgeoning computer game company . He thinks there is something suspicious going on but he's not sure what. Since Meg recently hammered one of her hands, she isn't working her normal job so she's helping out while trying to figure out what is going on. If they could only keep a temp there long enough to answer the phones but they keep getting scared by the buzzard in the lobby and the pranks by the office workers. Then, one of the techies is killed and Meg has to help keep her brother out of jail.

Not my favorite book in the series but still good. The technology, of course, hasn't aged well but the rest of the story is good.

Three stars

Meg Langslow #4

This book came out September 6th, 2002

Follows Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos

Followed by We'll Always have Parrots

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Reread December 2022; September 2024 as Audible book

Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews

Meg is caught up in another murder, this time at a historical reenactment where Michael's mother is in charge. It's already a little tense and then a man no one really liked is found dead. He had stolen software from Tad, seems to be getting ready to steal Rob's new game, and is generally upsetting people. So there is no shortage of suspects.

Andrews is still finding her footing with this book but it is a fun read and we start to see Meg and Michael getting closer as well as dealing with some of the obstacles in their way.

Four stars

Meg Langslow #3

This book came out October 12th, 2001

Follows Murder With Puffins 

Followed by Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

Reread May 2022; As Audible book September 2024

The Wishing Star by Susan Hatler

The premise of this book is kind of crazy - ex-wife of rock star becomes soap star - but I thought it sounded light and fun. And a good half of the book is. But there is so much time in setting up Charlie Rockwell and her well-founded fears of being one half of someone famous that there is little time for anything else. Luke is sort of blandly wonderful except when he's a complete jerk. And for the BS that Luke pulls, there is not NEAR enough groveling for him unilaterally deciding to tank the relationship. The beginning of the book was sweet and fun but the ending... it was rough.

Charlie is licking her wounds but is running out of money. When her favorite soap opera offers to pay her at least a year's worth of money to use her house, she jumps at the chance. Her favorite character is an officer played by Luke Montgomery. When she steps in for a missing actor one day, she might just reclaim her dream of becoming a Hollywood star in her own right.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out June 4th, 2021 (originally published 2016)

ARC kindly provided by Hatco Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

May Rereads

As always, opinions are my own

Die Like an Eagle by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #20
Four stars
This book came out August  2nd, 2016

Follows Lord of the Wings
Followed by Gone Gull

Owl Be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews

Meg Lansglow #26

Follows Terns of Endearment

Followed by The Falcon Always Rings Twice

Four stars

Borrowed as ebook from Cloud Library

The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #27

Follows Owl be Home for Christmas

Followed by The Gift of the Magpie
This book comes out August 4, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from CloudLibrary

The Gift of the Magpie by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #28

Follows The Falcon Always Wings Twice

Followed by Murder Most Fowl

This book came out October 20th, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from CloudLibrary

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #7

This book came out March 11th, 2014
Follows River Marked
Followed by Night Broken
Borrowed as hard copy from Library

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #8

This book came out March 5th, 2013
Follows Frost Burned
Followed by Fire Touched
Borrowed as hard copy from Library

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #9

This book came out March 8th, 2016
Follows Night Broken
Followed by Silence Fallen
Ebook from Libby

Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #10

This book came out March 7th, 2017
Follows Fire Touched
Followed by Storm Cursed
Ebook from Libby

Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #11

Follows Silence Fallen
Followed by Smoke Bitten
Ebook from Libby

Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs

Mercy Thompson #12

This book came out March 17th, 2020
Follows Storm Cursed
Ebook from Libby

The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham

This book came out in 1927

Ebook from Libby

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews

Aurelia Ryder #1

Four stars

This book came out January 12th, 2021

Ebook borrowed from Libby

The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz

Three stars

Followed by All the Colors of the Night

This book came out January 7th, 2020

Borrowed as eBook from Libby

Lucky Score by Deborah Coonts

Lucky O'Toole isn't sure what's going on in her hotel and she doesn't like it. A man staggers into her lobby and dies and a Senator is implicated. It probably has to do with the football team coming to town which should be good for business but the players are causing more problems than they're worth. One of them is running a party out of her Secret Suite and Lucky knows nothing about it. Romeo, her cop friend and mentee, is keeping secrets. And then there's the fact that she's wondering whether her incomparable fiance is really the man for her.

Three stars
Follows Lucky Ride
Followed by Lucky Ce Soir
This book came out June 29th, 2018
Borrowed as an ebook from Hoopla
Opinions are my own