Author: Erika K

Top Ten Halloween Themed Cozy Mysteries

~ Erika K ~ 29 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Every Tuesday they post a new Top Ten list prompt. This week’s list is a Halloween Freebie. I do enjoy reading spooky books at this time of year, but I also love to read fall themed cozies. I always have a stack of cozy mysteries on my night stand – I find them to be somewhat quick reads, and usually very enjoyable. With that said, here’s my list of the Top Ten Halloween Themed Cozy Mysteries. Let me know if you have a favorite Halloween mystery (cozy or not!) or leave a link to your top ten post in the comments.

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Thursday Quotables: Eleonora by Edgar Allan Poe

~ Erika K ~ 8 Comments

Since I had no review to post today, I decided to join Bookshelf Fantasies in the Thursday Quotables meme.

quotation-marks4

This isn’t actually from a book that I’m reading right now, but today’s #fallbookchallenge post on Instagram was a “favorite classic scary book”. I prefer gothic or atmospheric horror, so I chose Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Poe. That got me thinking about my favorite Poe stories, and this quote that I love:

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”  

~from Eleonora by Edgar Allan Poe 

 



Now be sure to visit Bookshelf Fantasies for links to more quotes!

 

 

 

What are you reading Wednesday – 10/21/15

~ Erika K ~ 3 Comments

What are you reading Wednesday – 10/21/15

whatareyoureadingwed

What Are You Reading Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by It’s A Reading Thing. (I’ve noticed that the last post on their site is from 10/7 – hopefully it is just a temporary hiatus!) To participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions.

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

As usual, I am reading several, but here’s one I haven’t mentioned yet…

1. The Victim by Eric Matheny
The Victim

2. Forgive me, but I don’t have the book with me right now so I can’t grab a quote! Here’s part of the Goodreads description instead, and I’ll come back later and add my sentences from page 34.

In the spring of 2003 on a desolate stretch of Arizona highway, Anton Mackey’s life was changed forever. A reckless decision to get behind the wheel when he was in no condition to drive spawned a moment that threatened to destroy everything the 21 year-old had spent his life working toward. In an instant, Anton made a decision to save himself. A decision that claimed the lives of two people.

UPDATE: Ok – finally came back to add my sentences! There’s nothing too exciting happening on page 34 though…

“She gathered a few stems in her fingers, pulled them out, creating a small bouquet. She slid the hair tie of her ponytail and used it to bind the stems.”

3. Takes place in modern day Miami – I wouldn’t mind visiting, but I can’t take the humidity so I have to say no, I wouldn’t want to live there.

Be sure to tell me what you are reading or leave a link to your post in the comments! And before I go….I just wanted to point out that today is National Reptile Awareness Day, in case you were not aware. You’re welcome. 🙂
National Reptile Awareness Day - October 21

Audiobook Review – The Hidden Child by Camilla Läckberg

~ Erika K ~ 2 Comments

The Hidden Child by Camilla Läckberg
Narrated by Simon Vance

Fjällbacka Series #5

The Hidden Child (Patrik Hedström, #5)Description from Goodreads:

Crime writer Erica Falck is shocked to discover a Nazi medal among her late mother’s possessions. Haunted by a childhood of neglect, she resolves to dig deep into her family’s past and finally uncover the reasons why.

Her enquiries lead her to the home of a retired history teacher. He was among her mother’s circle of friends during the Second World War but her questions are met with bizarre and evasive answers. Two days later he meets a violent death. Detective Patrik Hedström, Erica’s husband, is on paternity leave but soon becomes embroiled in the murder investigation. Who would kill so ruthlessly to bury secrets so old?

Genre: Mystery
Rating: **** (4 of 5 stars)

Had I realized when I picked it up that this was the 4th book in a series, I would have looked for the first book to start at the beginning. I didn’t feel like I was missing anything starting at this point in the story, however. The relationships between characters were either evident or explained well enough that you can easily read or listen to this book without having read the previous books, and not feel lost.

A lot of Swedish crime fiction has a particular melancholy feel to it, and The Hidden Child is no exception. The author did injected occasional brief moments of humor into the story that helped lighten the mood, however, and they kept it from feeling too dark.

The story is told in both in the present, and through flashbacks, in the time around WW2. It follows the police investigation into the murder of a local historian, as well as the family drama unfolding as Erica Faulk digs into her mother’s past. The two series of events turn out to be more intertwined than anyone could have imagined, and even though I could see where it was going, the story didn’t give everything away at once and I didn’t really know what had happened until the end.

Making the story even more enjoyable to listen to, Simon Vance did a great job narrating. He has a smooth, even voice that fit the story perfectly. He also either speaks Swedish or spent some quality time learning how to pronounce the Swedish names and places in the book! 🙂

If you are a fan of police procedural and / or historical mysteries, give this one a try!

What are you reading Wednesday – 10/14/15

~ Erika K ~ 6 Comments

What are you reading Wednesday – 10/14/15

whatareyoureadingwed

What Are You Reading Wednesdays is a weekly meme hosted by It’s A Reading Thing. To participate, open the book you are currently reading to page 34 (or 34% in your ebook) and answer these three questions.

The Questions are:
1. What’s the name of your current read?

2. Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a complete sentence. (or two!)

3. Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?

Now for my answers this week…

1. I’ve finally finished a few of the books I was reading and started some new ones. One book that I’m reading this week is Blue Karma by J.K. Ullrich.
Blue Karma

2. Totally destroyed. In a few hours I’m supposed to convince a roomful of investors that ice is our most secure source of water, and one of our key facilities is a smoking ruin.

3. NO – I would not want to live here. The place may be Earth, but it’s a dry, barren Earth with water privately owned and rationed.

Your turn! Leave a link to your own post in the comments if you have one, or just leave me your answers. Happy reading!

Review – Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

~ Erika K ~ 4 Comments

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

“I have loved you all my life, Mal,” I whispered through my tears. “There is no end to our story.” -Siege and Storm

Siege and Storm (The Grisha, #2)Description from Goodreads:

Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land. She finds starting new is not easy while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. She can’t outrun her past or her destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her–or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

The Grisha, #2

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Rating: **** (4 of 5 stars)

This is book #2 in the Grisha series, and now that I’ve finished, I can’t wait to pick up Ruin and Rising to see how it all ends. This continuation of the story started in Shadow and Bone has Alina running from the Darkling, the Apparat, and at times even trying to run from her own power and the person she is becoming.

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