The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

Goodreads Synopsis:
She is the girl with the dragon tattoo—a genius hacker and uncompromising misfit. He is a crusading journalist whose championing of the truth often brings him to the brink of prosecution.

Late one night, Blomkvist receives a phone call from a source claiming to have information vital to the United States. The source has been in contact with a young female superhacker—a hacker resembling someone Blomkvist knows all too well. The implications are staggering. Blomkvist, in desperate need of a scoop for Millennium, turns to Salander for help. She, as usual, has her own agenda. The secret they are both chasing is at the center of a tangled web of spies, cybercriminals, and governments around the world, and someone is prepared to kill to protect it . . . 


My Review:
I was worried I wasn't going to like this since it wasn't Stieg Larsson putting his final touches on it, but I really enjoyed book #4 in the Lisbeth Salander series. It's a bit slow in the beginning, but give it time. I think David Lagercrantz did a pretty good job reflecting Larsson's style and the Salander/Blomkvist bond that I absolutely love was expressed perfectly. 

There's also quite a bit of plot and drama going on in this one & that's just speaking of Lisbeth's storyline. It definitely delves deeper into her childhood and keeps you wanting to find out more. This does have some sensitive subject matter and references to abuse/rape, but I don't think it's to the same extent as the first book. If you enjoyed the first three books in this series but were hesitant to keep reading after Larsson's death then definitely give #4 a try. It looks like a fifth book came out last year, "The Girl who Takes an Eye for an Eye."

The Author

Author Tidbit: David Lagercrantz is a Swedish journalist.

Favorite Quote: "The doctor said that what matters is not that we believe in God. God is not small-minded. What matters is for us to understand that life is serious and rich. We should appreciate it and also try to make the world a better place. Whoever finds a balance between the two is close to God."

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

Goodreads Synopsis:
One late spring evening in 1912, in the kitchens at Sterne, preparations begin for an elegant supper party in honor of Emerald Torrington's twentieth birthday. But only a few miles away, a dreadful accident propels a crowd of mysterious and not altogether savory survivors to seek shelter at the ramshackle manor—and the household is thrown into confusion and mischief.

Evening turns to stormy night, and a most unpleasant parlor game threatens to blow respectability to smithereens: Smudge Torrington, the wayward youngest daughter of the house, decides that this is the perfect moment for her Great Undertaking.

The Uninvited Guests is the bewitching new novel from the critically acclaimed Sadie Jones. The prizewinning author triumphs in this frightening yet delicious drama of dark surprises—where social codes are uprooted and desire daringly trumps propriety—and all is alight with Edwardian wit and opulence.



My Review:
I looooooooved this book. This entire novel spans one evening of merriment and madness that is almost dream-like. The characters enter the story already well-developed, the dynamics of each relationship understood and entertaining. The problem these characters face seems simple at first. But there is a dark twist towards the end that throws everything into new light.

My absolute favorite character is the youngest daughter, nicknamed Smudge. Her Great Undertaking is a hilarious balance for what the rest of the characters are going through in their grown-up dinner party. The author creates a wonderful romantic tension between the younger characters as they see each other with new eyes, but the underlying menace of their mystery guest creates a darkness that stretches for the novel's duration. 

Another added treat is the author's use of language and imagery. When describing the dinner scene, she actually makes ox tongue sound sexy. Her style made me think of Elizabeth Cunningham's "The Wild Mother." Both have that delicious combination of English propriety set against the Wild Primitive. Sadie Jones can write a story.

The Author

Author Tidbit: Sadie Jones's first novel, "The Outcast," was adapted for television by the BBC.

Bite the Biscuit by Linda O. Johnston

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
Carrie Kennersly, a veterinary technician, has become known for offering healthy and popular dog treats at the clinic where she works. When the local bakery's owner moves away, Carrie jumps at the chance to convert it into the Barkery, a shop to make and sell her canine delights.

But Myra Ethman, co-owner of another pet product store, hates the new competition. At the Barkery's opening party, she badmouths Carrie's homemade dog biscuits, insisting she'll find a way to shut the place down. So when Myra is found dead with a Barkery biscuit beside her, Carrie must prove she didn't do it before she's collared for murder.

My Review:
If you're looking for a light cozy mystery then this book should meet your needs. The bakery environment gives it a cozy touch, but I would have been happy with more baking scenes. (In the author's bio she does mention that she doesn't cook very much and this shows in her novel.) Laura Childs is a mystery author who does a really good job making you salivate while reading. I wonder if she is a foodie? 

The main character was average. I didn't love her and I didn't hate her. I liked the pet element, but again, it could have been a bit more. Maybe give the main character two dogs instead of one and describe the interaction between the two animals. Pets can create a lot of humor that way. 

The writing style was very descriptive. Sometimes to the point of walking you through the entire day which wasn't always necessary. I've caught myself doing this while writing. After seeing it as a reader, I'll have to try to avoid that! As far as the mystery goes, the author does a pretty good job throwing suspicion around. This is a good read when you have stressful stuff going on. It doesn't require a ton of brain power and it's not emotional. Just a fun mystery.

Author Tidbit: Linda O. Johnston also volunteers at Pet Orphans of Southern California.

New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Abigail Irene Garrett drinks too much. She makes scandalous liaisons with inappropriate men, and if in her youth she was a famous beauty, now she is both formidable--and notorious. She is a forensic sorceress, and a dedicated officer of a Crown that does not deserve her loyalty. She has nothing, but obligations. Sebastien de Ulloa is the oldest creature she has ever known. He was no longer young at the Christian millennium, and that was nine hundred years ago. He has forgotten his birth-name, his birth-place, and even the year in which he was born, if he ever knew it. But he still remembers the woman who made him immortal. He has everything, but a reason to live. In a world where the sun never set on the British Empire, where Holland finally ceded New Amsterdam to the English only during the Napoleonic wars, and where the expansion of the American colonies was halted by the war magic of the Iroquois, they are exiles in the new world--and its only hope for justice.


My Thoughts:
This is the first in a series so if you love it then there's more. I'm probably not going to commit to the series, but that might have more to do with having way too many books to read. Despite that, I found myself really enjoying the characters and the way they interacted with each other. Bear is a wordsmith so keep a dictionary handy. She doesn't go overboard with it, just enough to make you wonder how on earth she managed to know that word and use it in a way that makes it settle down naturally into the sentence like "no big deal." 

I absolutely loved Abigail Irene Garrett, but how can one not love a female forensic sorceress working in the late 1800s? Sebastien grew on me and the subtle competition between Abigail and Jack (for Sebastien's attention) was always entertaining. Even more so, the friendship that grows out of it. All in all, this is definitely a book for someone who enjoys fantasy/mystery driven by its characters. That is what will keep you reading, not the plot. Just a heads-up, this book does not read like a typical novel. It's more like a collection of isolated mysteries that the characters float in and out of while performing their own special detective work. In fact, the first character mentioned in the synopsis doesn't even show up until the second chapter (62 pages in). Each story has its own thorough imagery (Bear gets 5 out of 5 stars for setting a scene), but do not expect continuity between each story.

The Author

Author Tidbit: Elizabeth has done a little bit of everything. She's worked as a stablehand, traffic manager, typesetter and donut maker.

The Secret of Excalibur by Andy McDermott

Book Synopsis from Goodreads:
Excalibur . . . Legend has it that he who carries King Arthur’s mighty sword into battle will be invincible. But for more than a thousand years, the secret to the whereabouts of this powerful weapon has been lost . . . until now.

Archaeologist Nina Wilde is hoping for a little R&R with her fiancé, former SAS bodyguard Eddie Chase. But the couple’s plans are dashed when a meeting with an old acquaintance propels Nina and Eddie into a razor’s-edge hunt across the globe—battling a team of elite mercenaries who will stop at nothing in order to claim a prize every treasure hunter has coveted since the final days of Camelot. Nina and Eddie must do everything they can to keep the legendary blade from falling into the wrong hands. Because the truth behind the sword’s power—and those who seek it—will not only shock the world but plunge it into a new and more devastating era of war.

My Thoughts:
Soooooo....I couldn't finish this book. I tried, I really did. I don't usually read books like this but I gave it a try in hopes that the Arthurian legend/history would keep my attention. Unfortunately, half way through and there wasn't that much legend or history. But there was action sequence after action sequence! So much that it started to drown out any chance of character development. Oh well. I think the chips were stacked against me because I don't read much from this genre. I think someone who does read a lot of books in this genre would probably enjoy it. So if you like books where action scenes dominate give it a try. 

Changes by Jim Butcher

Book synopsis from Goodreads: Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover—until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.

Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it—against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world...

He's fighting to save his--------DELETED FOR SPOILERS!

My Thoughts: This series has come a long way. This is not your typical fantasy/mystery. There is enough quirkiness to make it entirely unique and entertaining. The mysteries are good, but as the series progressed I became more interested in what was happening with and between the characters. There are some highly enjoyable elements in the Dresden Files. First and foremost...Harry Dresden. Think: Present day Chicago & Harry Potter all grown up and jaded with a really smart ass attitude. He's even in the Yellow Pages as Wizard for Hire. He's funny, he's gallant, and downright bad ass, but more than anything he's relatable. He's your average guy except he can blow shit up with his mind.

             And the side characters are just as good. Bob (the talking skull with an ancient spirit inside who is kind of pervy and loves to read dirty romances), Mouse (Harry's temple dog who's coolness I can't even begin to describe), Butters (the sad but adorable polka player that works at a mortuary) and Karrin Murphy (the toughest tiniest blonde cop that is just as impressive as Dresden but without magic). That's just a start. I'm leaving out a bunch more for the sake of your time. That being said, the first book in the series was good but not great. Just stick with it. It gets better and then it gets BETTER. Like in this one. Major life-changers happen in "Changes" #12. In fact, I had to immediately start the next one, "Ghost Story" because of the cliffhanger at the end of "Changes." And "Ghost Story" is now blowing my mind. 

            

            The writing is simple, but descriptive. Where Jim Butcher shines is in his action scenes and the personal back-and-forths between his characters. Those dynamics are what make this series one to read. 

Author Tidbit: Jim Butcher's love of science fiction and fantasy was kick-started by his sisters buying him "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hans Solo Adventures" to read while he was sick with strep throat.

The Author

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Book Synopsis from Goodreads:
Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough...


My Thoughts: This series is great if you need something light but entertaining with a sprinkling of sexy time. I tore through the first 8 or so on vacation. In fact, I had to stop at bookstores during vacation to find the next one in the series. Although these books, for me, are filler reading (meaning they don't serve a serious literary purpose but are solely entertainment/distraction) I really do love the main character, Sookie Stackhouse. Don't let her polite Southern demeanor fool you. She's a psychic Steel Magnolia with a touch of Fairy blood that drives the vampires wild. 
               All in all, the series is split pretty fairly between mystery, fantasy and romance. But if I had to choose I'd say it's a whodunit mystery before anything else. If you're bored and need a distraction, read it. If you like big blonde Viking vampires then you're gonna love #4 "Dead to the World." The book I just read is the last in the series, and although it's a good time to let it end, I will miss Sookie's attitude. If you finish the whole storyline then check out the author's other mystery series: Aurora Teagarden, Lily Bard (Shakespeare series) or Cemetery Girl.


*Author Tidbit:  She is a former weightlifter and karate student.

The Author