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Book Review: Good Dog, Bad Cop

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Good Dog, Bad Cop
The K-Team #4
by David Rosenfelt
read by Fred Berman

My rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Mystery

When asked to select a cold case to investigate for the Paterson police department, Corey Douglas insists on being allowed to work on the not-so-cold unsolved case of his old mentor. Though unsolved, it’s widely believed that the retired cop murdered a woman and then killed himself, but Corey is certain that he would have never done such a thing.

The plot of this book is overall decent, with some twisty conspiracies not dissimilar to those standard to the main series. It has an interesting ending that I didn’t see coming, though I could look back and see some hints to the final reveal. Still, Corey himself is just a bland main character to me. In this book, he points out that investigators need to be objective, but that in this case, he’s not going to be able to be, and I thought, “Just in this case? Because I remember another recent case where you set out to prove a guy you didn’t like was the bad guy from the get-go…” I just have a difficult time buying this guy was ever good at being a cop before he retired.

I’m always torn between being happy when Andy shows up in these books and being annoyed, because he comes across so much more snarky and annoying in this series. Maybe that’s intentional, due to that being the way Corey sees Andy, and if that’s the case, then it’s well done by Rosenfelt. I did manage to get used to Fred Berman’s narration, which really threw me off at first, but that’s most likely because I couldn’t help but compare him to Grover Gardner, the narrator for the Andy Carpenter series. If you’re a fan of the Andy Carpenter series and wonder if you should read this, I’d say give the first book in the series a try, because (minor spoiler) a recurring character from the main series comes to an end in that book. Then you can decide for yourself whether to continue on, but the other 3 books in the series don’t contain any major developments for the main series. If you haven’t read any of the main series, don’t start here. But definitely do start on the Andy Carpenter series if you’re interested.

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Book Review: Scarlet

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Scarlet
The Lunar Chronicles #2
by Marissa Meyer
read by Rebecca Soler

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi

Spoiler notice: The following review will contain some spoilers for the previous book in the series, Cinder.

Scarlet’s grandmother is missing, but the police don’t seem to care. She starts following clues to track her down on her own, somewhat reluctantly accepting the aid of a mysterious street fighter called Wolf. Meanwhile, Cinder has to escape from prison and figure out where to go next on her quest to understand her identity.

I didn’t love this book as much as the previous, but I did still enjoy it a lot. I think the main difference here is that there was a lot of focus on the building relationship between Scarlet and Wolf, and I just wasn’t really feeling it. On the plus side, though, since we have a new main character in this book, I was glad that Scarlet is different enough in her personality compared to Cinder that I didn’t feel like it was a repeat of Cinder and I didn’t have a hard time keeping the two characters separate in my mind when Cinder had her own POV scenes throughout this book. Scarlet is quick-tempered and stubborn, though maybe her personality is part of why I had a difficult time buying her growing relationship with Wolf.

Scarlet’s search for her grandmother was broken up by Cinder’s continuing story and, less often, Emperor Kai trying to prevent war with Queen Levana. My favorite thing about this book came in the form of a new side character—Thorne. Though he’s quite inappropriate at times, he’s a great comic relief. The overall advancement of plot in this book kept me invested, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job with the different characters, though she seemed to drop Scarlet’s slight accent now and then. I still recommend this book (though definitely start with Cinder; these are not stand-alone books) to fans of futuristic sci-fi and/or fairy tale retellings, maybe around age 15 and up (there was more in the way of physical interaction in this book than the previous, though it was still pretty clean overall).

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Book Review: Best in Snow

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Best in Snow
Andy Carpenter #24
by David Rosenfelt
read by Grover Gardner

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Mystery

Finding a dead body in the snow might not have been so bad if it hadn’t led to Andy Carpenter being asked to defend the man accused of the murder. But it’s hard to say “no” to a friend, even a friend like Vince Sanders, the gruff newspaperman who can’t believe that his protégé would commit murder.

Is it weird that I struggle so much with the reviews for this series, not feeling like I have more to say than I said in every review before it, yet I don’t see that as a bad thing? And when I’m ready to listen to the next book, I’m excited and it feels a bit like coming home? The series is formulaic in a good way, but that makes it difficult to know what to say that isn’t the same as I always say. So here goes…Andy is delightfully sarcastic and funny; I laughed out loud a couple of times during this book. Andy’s team is fun and efficient; it’s always fun to see the Boobalah Brigade, though I feel like they weren’t quite as involved in this time as they have been in the past. I can’t remember the last time Andy wasn’t brought into a case by a dog (other than his own), so even that small break in formula was kind of nice. My favorite thing about this book does involve the “dog of the week” though, since someone besides Andy takes the dog in and the whole sequence of what happens is in turns hilarious and endearing. Grover Gardner never fails to do a wonderful job narrating, and if it’s not clear, I recommend this book (especially the audio) for fans of mystery, crime fiction, and courtroom dramas, as well as the books that precede it in the series (and probably all that follow it, but I’m still working my way through).

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Book Review: The Scandal

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The Scandal
Theodore Boone #6
by John Grisham
read by Richard Thomas

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Middle grade fiction

No one likes standardized testing—not the teachers, not the students, and not the parents. Theodore Boone is no exception, but at least he can be happy when they’re over. But when he hears about a possible scandal at a nearby school involving the tests, he can’t help but be concerned that he’ll have to take them again. And that would be the worst thing ever…

The idea of someone cheating on state-wide standardized tests was interesting to me. I remember those tests in school (who doesn’t?), and I remember disliking them. And I remember hearing the phrase “teaching for the test” being used as a negative, and eventually coming to understand why it would be seen as a bad thing. Yet the tests persist, though that’s really a matter for a different discussion. Or maybe not, since, as has become typical in this series, the question of the wisdom of having these tests is brought up in the form of Theo’s parents disagreeing over them. I suppose young teens and pre-teens might not find the subject as interesting as I did, but Theo’s involvement in the scandal, as well as his attempts to not be involved in the scandal, keeps the book moving forward at a decent pace. I enjoyed the story and the characters here just as much as previous books. Poor Ike takes a bit of a hit in this book, but I still like him.

It’s strange that a series that I just discovered randomly when looking for something to listen to that I wouldn’t have to put on hold ended up being something I liked so much and that I’m sad to be near the end of. This book is probably the most stand-alone since the beginning of the series, though I’d recommend reading it all in order anyway. Overall, I’d say whether or not a teenager or pre-teen will be interested in this book will depend on what kind of fiction they like—if fast-paced action is important, this probably won’t suit them. If they’re interested in realistic fiction about crime and law and trials, this could be fascinating for them. And the audiobook is well-narrated, if that’s your/their speed.

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Book Review: Kristy’s Big Day

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Kristy’s Big Day
The Baby-Sitters Club #6
by Ann M. Martin

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: Children’s classic

For complete transparency, I’ll say up front that I read a lot of this series when I was a kid/pre-teen. And at the time, my name was the same as the founder of the BSC (with the first name spelled slightly different). Nostalgia will hugely affect my reviews for this series, and I have no plans to try to be objective.

The main story in this book involves a whole bunch of kids, aged 10 down to an infant, converging in Stoneybrook in advance of Kristy’s mom’s wedding. The entire Baby-sitters Club pitches in to keep the kids occupied for a full week while their parents help plan the short-notice wedding. I really related to what they went through, first making plans for how to pass the day and then having to alter the plan or even throw it out the window as the day gets going. I’ve totally been there. Sometimes I have to remind myself that these babysitters are only 12 years old and being left alone all day with around a dozen kids, a few of which are only 2-3 years younger than them. I can’t say how realistic it is, but I did enjoy it.

Whether or not this book will translate well to kids and pre-teens now, I couldn’t say. I wish I had thought to start reading this series to/with my daughter when she was around 8-10, because I think she would have enjoyed it, and we could have discussed the good and the bad of the books.

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Book Review: A Kingdom of Shadows

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A Kingdom of Shadows
Lightseekers #1
by Emily Bain Murphy

My rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Middle grade fantasy

The light is disappearing and shadows are increasing in the world that 12-year-old Finn inhabits, along with his best friend Adrion and little sister Lydia. They have a plan to escape their town and try to make their way in the dimming world, but that plan is derailed when they meet Ehrit, an older teen who promises that he can take them to a lake of light. It won’t be an easy journey, but just maybe it will be worth it.

This book is stated to be similar to both The Wingfeather Saga and The Chronicles of Narnia, which is a tall order on both counts. The first is one of my favorite series (and a big deal in my family in general) and though the latter series isn’t as meaningful to me, it’s obviously a well-loved classic series. And unfortunately, to me at least, it doesn’t really live up to any of that hype. The story isn’t bad, but it felt like it rambled along to me and things that happened were kind of random. I didn’t get into the story very much, at least partly because of the lack of cohesion, so it wasn’t as enjoyable as it might have been. The characters overall were fairly bland, except Finn himself, who at least had a decent arc. 

A lot of people see this as a Christian (or at least generally religious) allegory, and I can see why they do, especially considering the 2 series it’s compared to. However, I don’t see any indication that it’s meant to be such. I don’t see it listed as Christian fiction anywhere (except on Goodreads, but I’m pretty sure those labels aren’t official), and the author hasn’t written other Christian fiction that I can see. It has obvious themes of good vs. evil or light vs. dark, but felt much more mystical than faith-based to me, maybe even bordering on New Age, especially considering the bizarre “inner forest” sensing that Finn has. If it is supposed to be a Christian allegory, I can’t say I care for it. The expectation of any Christian themes aside, the book was decent enough to make me interested in continuing the series. I think that readers around the age it’s meant for (maybe 12-14) will probably enjoy the adventure more than I did, too. (For anyone like me with arachnophobia, be aware that there is a scene that might be an issue. I survived, but it wasn’t fun.)

Thank you to Netgalley and WaterBrook Children’s for providing me a copy of this book to review.

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Book Review: Luck and Judgement

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Luck and Judgement
DC Smith #3
by Peter Grainger
read by Gildart Jackson

My rating: 4.5 / 5
Genre: Detective procedural, mystery

When a man disappears from an offshore gas platform, it’s unclear whether foul play was involved or not. DC Smith and his team’s investigation leads them to some seedy parts of their town and involves some powerful people.

I think this was my favorite of the series so far, even if it did involve some very questionable elements, from a “married singles” club to DC’s own decision to bend the rules (quite a bit, really) for a matter unrelated to the case. Plus, the case was left a bit dangling at the end, but it’s really just a lack of a satisfying resolution. For all intents and purposes, we have an ending, just maybe not one we’d like. I don’t know if this will be continued in future books, but I could see it as a possibility, since cases from previous books are brought up here and there in this book as well.

DC is such a nuanced character, it’s difficult to get a handle on him. But I mean that in a good way. He feels a lot more realistic that way. I enjoy his ribbing with Waters yet also being stern when needed. And him being understanding with a new member of his team that has had a bit of a colorful and rough background. And the further crumbs we get about his history before the start of the series—both about his late wife and the difficult, high-profile case that apparently had some issues—continue to intrigue. Gildart Jackson unsurprisingly does a great job as narrator, bringing DC and all of the other characters to life. I recommend the book for fans of procedural crime dramas, especially with a seasoned detective and set in a small-town area of England, and I don’t think you’d really need to start at the beginning of the series.

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Book Review: Exiles

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Exiles
The Ilyon Chronicles #4
by Jaye L. Knight

My rating: 4 / 5
Genre: Christian fantasy

Spoiler notice: The following review will contain some spoilers for the previous book in the series, Samara’s Peril.

The resistance camp near Landale is growing all the time, and now the exiled rightful kind of Samara is part of the group. The rebels need more allies, so they travel to Dorland to try to enlist the help of the rest of the cretes and even the giants. Meanwhile, the heat is being turned up in both Landale and the capital, while more and more people turn to the one true God, Elôm, all the time.

It was nice to expand even further out in this book, seeing the homeland of the dragon-riding cretes and then meeting the giants. There is a lot of diplomacy and some more snatches of battle in this book. Some of my favorite parts involved Daniel, the son of the emperor, who has always been at odds with his father, but now there’s even more to separate them. There were some parts of the book that I was more interested in than others, and Kyrin is still a major character that I wish was more dynamic. In four books, she hasn’t really changed much, and she’s been pretty boring, overall. Jace annoyed me less in this book, though he did make me shake my head a few times.

Some major events happen in this book, and it ends with a promise of both danger and hope. With two books left in the series, I’m really looking forward to seeing how all of this plays out. My 15-year-old daughter continues to be a huge fan of this series, so it’s easy for me to recommend this book to older teens through adults (it’s not YA, but it’s very clean), fans of fiction with Christian elements, whether you’re really into fantasy or not.

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Book Review: How to Break a Dragon’s Heart

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How to Break a Dragon’s Heart
How to Train Your Dragon #8
by Cressida Cowell
read by David Tennant

My rating: 2 / 5
Genre: Middle grade fantasy

Camicazi is missing, and Hiccup goes with his tribe to try to find her. This leads to Hiccup becoming engaged to the daughter of a rival tribe’s leader and sent off on a quest to earn her hand and coming face to face with an old nemesis.

Hiccup and Fishlegs are, what, 13? But here we have a plot involving an older woman (I don’t remember it ever saying her age, but my guess is at least 18, if not older) that Fishlegs swoons over and Hiccup ends up pledging himself to. It’s just ridiculous. I can appreciate an over-the-top story now and then, but I just couldn’t get into the premise or the story here. I was touched by how Hiccup cared about Toothless when he was sick, but Toothless remains more of a menace than anything else.

Sadly, I realized part way through listening to this book that I was just bored. I can see from the synopses of the rest of the books in the series that a greater story is about to pick up here, but I find myself not caring enough to keep going. I’ve enjoyed a few of the books up to this point, but mostly it’s the ones that break the formula that I tend to like more, and that happens too little. David Tennant’s narration may have been what kept me going for this long, and it is still great, but I’m calling it here for my own journey through this series.

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Book Review: Cinder

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Cinder
The Lunar Chronicles #1
by Marissa Meyer
read by Rebecca Soler

My rating: 5 / 5
Genre: YA sci-fi

As a cyborg, Cinder and her kind are considered second-class citizens, so much so that cyborgs are chosen at random to be test subjects for possible cures to the plague that has been threatening New Beijing and the surrounding country. But when the nation’s prince brings Cinder, a gifted mechanic, an android to fix and then Cinder’s step-sister falls sick with the plague, events lead to a more dangerous adventure than Cinder ever could have anticipated. And her mysterious past will prove to be more of a liability than she ever knew.

There’s so much going on in this book, and while sometimes that can be bad in a book, it all worked together here. It’s no secret that this is a Cinderella retelling, but really, that’s just a small part of it (though it still made me think of Ever After a lot while I was reading). It’s a starting point and a vehicle for part of the plot, but the bulk of the story revolves around secrets that Cinder begins to learn throughout the story. I enjoyed the unfolding of all of these secrets and the connections that were made between seemingly separate subplots. There were several side characters that I also really enjoyed, including an android sidekick with a particularly perky personality chip.

There were a couple of revelations in this book that I predicted, at least one pretty early on, but I don’t think much of it was meant to be a huge twist or anything. I would have been pretty surprised and even a little disappointed if I’d turned out to be wrong. At the end of the book, I was surprised when the story ended on a cliffhanger. I’m not usually a fan, but I think I’m starting to realize that how much it bothers me depends a lot on how much I enjoyed the book up to that point (which makes a lot of sense, really). So though it felt abrupt, I’m pretty invested and am definitely happy to continue the series.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job with the different characters, including a couple of accents. My 15-year-old daughter has read most of this series and loves it so much that she kept wanting me to listen to the book when she could be around and listen with me. That’s an endorsement in itself, but I also recommend this to fans of futuristic sci-fi and/or fairy tale retellings around age 14 and up—it’s quite clean in all respects, which isn’t too common for YA these days.

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