How Spider Saved Valentine's Day by Robert Kraus

I just rediscovered this book from my childhood and it is adorable. It has some good repetition that children will enjoy because they can participate.

In this book, it's Valentine's Day. Spider, Ladybug, and Fly remember valentine  for each other but forget about the two hungry caterpillars who sleep in the back. Luckily,  they come up with a plan. And the caterpillars have a surprise of their own.

Fours stars

This book came out in 1986

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

The Cheater's Game by C.J. Archer

Shenanigans abound when Buffalo Bill Cody's show comes to London. While India is impressed, Willie is not. But she doesn't mind playing cards with some of the men who were in the show. It's just too bad that Duke gets into a fight with one of them. And that man ends up dead.
While the "posse" is wrestling with that issue, India's got some added trouble. Her name is starting to get out in the magician's community and her grandfather seems more concerned about making sure people know they're related than keeping her safe.

Three stars

This book came out March 12, 2019

Glass and Steele #7

Follows The Ink Master's Silence
Followed by The Prisoner's Key

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Bonded in Death by J. D. Robb

We get to learn more about Summerset in this book which is always fascinating. It was sort of easy to tell where this book was heading when an older gentleman, one who was part of a super-secret group during the Urban war, arrives in New York. He has been summoned by an old friend and he wants to uphold the promise he made to that friend. Though they have not spoken in decades, they are bonded by war. So when that gentleman dies, and the case is handed off to Eve, the fat is in the fire. 

This book felt a little more formulaic than most and I'm not sure why. Maybe there was less of their lives outside of the mystery. I still enjoyed the story. 

Four stars

This book comes out February 4, 2025

In Death #60

Follows Passions in Death
Audiobook ARC from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley

Ebook ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Agatha Christie: First Lady of Crime, editor H.R.F. Keating

I got this in a blind date with a book bag and felt like it was worth reading. I probably wouldn't have picked it out myself but it was interesting. Keating brings together a number of authors to look at various aspects of Christie to look at why she was so successful. The essays are varied and topics include: dissecting her writing style, talking about times they met her/her personal life, her disappearance (about which much has been made), the things people don't think of like Mary Westmacott or Christie's 12 plays, her take on artists and writers (not complimentary), and the way her works have been adapted for movies. 

Three stars

This book came out 

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

The Bride's Runaway Billionaire by Pippa Grant

Both the hero and heroine have been side characters in previous Grant books. They've both also known the glare of the spotlight. Jonas Rutherford was a child star in his family's movies (and still is in movies.) Emma went viral as a bride who's wedding went off the rails when her fiance's misdeedsd came to light at the altar. The two meet each other at a low point in their lives and Emma ends up pregnant.

I didn't love the time jump but the after parts were pretty funny. Emma actually understood Jonah not contacting her after a relatively short amount of time (i.e. it didn't drag on too long.)

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 18, 2024

Three BFFs and a Wedding #2

Follows The Gossip and the Grump

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Murder at Westminster by Magda Alexander

Kitty's sister has a beau which is somewhat astonishing since Margaret has generally said that she would prefer not to be married. Even more astonishing for this nouveau riche family, Sebastian is the heir to an earldom. Sebastian has, more or less, become a part of the family, esting nearly every meal at the Worthingtons. They KNOW him which is why they are all quick to jump to his defense when he is accused of murdering his grandfather.

The two had quarreled. Most recently about the grandfather's treatment of Sebastian's sister, Lily. The man kept her locked up in the house and, now that she is grown, is peddling her hand in marriage tonthe highest bidder. When Sebastian is arrested, Lily is taken to the Worthingtons.

Of course, there are other suspects but the Inspector on the case doesn't seem to want to do any work now that he's arrested the future duke.

The focus of this book was a little scattered and i wasn't exactly sure how.Kitty got to the end but it was overall fast, fun, and fluffy.

Three stars

This book came out January 25, 2022

Kitty Worthington #2

Follows Murder on the Golden Arrow

Followed by Murder at the Masked Ball

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Until It Was Love by Pippa Grant

Fletcher Huxley was unceremoniously released from his English rugby sportsball contract. The man who let him go was a mentor to him and he is still licking his wounds. Just because he's in his mid-thirties, doesn't mean that he's out of the game. Rugby is his life. 

Jessica "Goldie" Collins is a trust fund baby but she works as a life coach and influencer. She knows about having a sports career end suddenly. She doesn't like Fletcher very much, especially since he has an obnoxious mustache (that plays just a little too much of a role in this book). But he is great for driving her brother absolutely crazy. Fletch is Silas's teammate and we know how (most) romance-novel-brothers feel about teammates dating their sisters.

This is a good Grant book. Fast, fun, and fluffy. 

Four stars

This book came out April 11, 2024

Followed by The Roommate Mistake

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own