The Boy on the Bridge (The Girl With All the Gifts #2) by M.R. Carey

The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey

My Rating: ★

I absolutely love The Girl With All the Gifts. It’s such a fresh and compelling take on the zombie genre. Naturally, I was excited about finally reading the second and final book in the series. Sadly, it was a miss for me. Its saving grace is the epilogue, but even that cannot save this lackluster prequel.

The prequel takes place on the Rosalind Franklin (Rosie), which is the special tank, RV, and lab that was seemingly lost to time and shrouded in mystery when it was discovered in The Girl With All the Gifts. We follow the lives of a group of scientists and military personnel who were specially selected and sent out to collect and study samples from the “hungries” a decade into the zombie apocalypse. Living in close confinement for several months, the crew of the Rosie is pushed to their limits before things start to go south, which is where the story begins.

Unfortunately, lightening does not strike twice with this prequel. One of the main problems is that there’s a classic stereotypical mystical autistic character, Stephen Greaves. He’s the smartest person present on Rosie. At some point he was actually fixing a part of Rosie based on a manual he once read and some questionable instructions from another character. Not only did he fix it, but he fixed it so fast that he had plenty of time to collect samples and return before anyone knew he was up to something. Stephen is a scientist, mechanic, midwife… you name it and he’s probably it.

The other problem is that so much of what goes on doesn’t make sense for a group of highly intelligent characters living in a small space. So much could’ve been prevented by simply communicating with one another. Plus, everyone but Stephen is unbelievably unobservant. I find it hard to believe that so much would go unnoticed, especially in such a small living and working space. I believe that they would get on each other’s nerves, grow sick of one another, and start fighting over petty things. What actually occurs doesn’t even make sense for these characters.

There are some good things about this story, such as the group of second generation hungries. The story expands on the social structure, how they operate, and how they are also friends and family rather than a random cluster of zombie kids on the move. However, it was slow going and I wish that Carey devoted more time to this since we were revisiting the second generation. It would’ve been interesting to have a couple chapters from the perspective of one of these kids.

I also enjoyed the epilogue, which sends us twenty years into the future, and let me know the fate of some of the surviving characters I grew to love in both installments of the series. Again, I wish that we could’ve seen how the second generation hungries, who are a combination of human and zombie, evolved over time. I’ll settle for the epilogue, which gives us a glimpse of how both species of humanity have survived and evolved over twenty years.

A Body in the Trunk (Myrtle Clover Mysteries #12) by Elizabeth Spann Craig

A Body in the Trunk by Elizabeth Spann Craig

My Rating: ★★★★

When one of Myrtle’s neighbors goes missing, she’s quick to aid his distraught wife in the search only to find him dead in the trunk of his car. With a new murderer on her hands, Myrtle and Miles investigate the life and death of their late neighbor and follow the clues the killer has left behind. Before they know it, the killer strikes again, pushing the duo to hurry up and find the murderer before he or she targets another poor soul.

I love this series. Myrtle’s antics never fail to make me laugh. Plus, the great cast of characters that make up her small town have been hilarious since the moment I started this series some time ago. We have Myrtle’s son, who irritates her more than usual because he thinks she’s having money troubles. Erma and her never ending ailments never fail to make me laugh, especially because she reminds me of my younger brother. Miles cousin and resident psychic, Wanda, is always a great addition. I love that she has been featured much more than I ever thought she would when I first started the series. There are so many wonderful characters in this book that I could go on about them for some time. They’re such a fun and goofy cast that I’ll miss when the series eventually comes to an end.

In addition to the characters, I love Myrtle’s hilariously large gnome collection that takes over her lawn every time she’s irritated with Red. It’s even more fun now that her gnome collection has been spruced up by some questionable gardening in another one of her daughter-in-law’s new hobbies. I think it’s wonderful that the gnomes have been getting some extra love in the last few novels. I wouldn’t mind if she had another temporary art installation done with them in the future.

The mystery itself was another good one. I figured out who it was around halfway through the book, which didn’t take away from the story. It was still interesting to watch Myrtle and her sometimes reluctant sleuthing partner, Miles, investigate as well as continuing to live their lives. They have such a wonderful friendship and Miles tries his best to hold Myrtle back when he can. I like that we visit characters and locations that we see in past novels as well as slowly venture into different areas of Myrtles life as the series continues. I can’t wait to read the next installment when it drops!

Murder on the Green by H.V. Coombs

Murder on the Green by H.V. Coombs

My Rating: ★★★★

I received a copy from Avon Books UK through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ben Hunter is running himself down while running his restaurant when he gets a surprise offer from a celebrity chef, Justin McCleish. Justin wants to hire Ben to join his temporary kitchen at the local opera festival only to reveal that he really wants to hire Ben as his muscle. You see, Justin is being blackmailed and word is that Ben will find the blackmailer and put the hurt on them for a price. Disappointed, Ben takes the offer because the money is good without the intention of roughing anyone up. As he looks into the blackmailer, it quickly goes from blackmail to murder, throwing him into the arms of danger.

Coombs brings us a variety of characters that are interesting to meet and follow throughout his story. Ben is an interesting character that I wasn’t sure if I was going to like at first. He’s stubborn and very stuck in his ways, but he’s also activity working to make positive changes. The main thing that he’s working on is his anger management issues, which we watch him struggle with on and off throughout the book. It’s also the main reason why he is disappointed in the real reason Justin approached him. Ben’s staff is wonderful and caring, and then there’s Justin’s staff, which are each complex once Ben digs below the surface. I also loved meeting many of the characters that pop in and out of the story, like the coven of witches and Slattery.

The mystery is an entertaining one as well. What starts out as a simple case of blackmail quickly turns into a murder mystery, which then transforms into yet another mystery that throws Ben through a loop. It was so much fun watching the twists and turns unfold as well as how the characters deal with it. Every time Ben thinks he’s got a handle on things, something new gets tossed his way and we get to watch him hunt down new leads and come up with theories.

My only complaint is that there are a few passages that reference something that occurred in the past. These passages made it seem like there was a previous book rather than something that is just backstory to these characters. It was enough to make me check to see if there was a previous book because I seriously questioned whether or not I accidentally started on the second in a series. All in all, it’s a funny and entertaining book that takes on some serious subjects in addition to the murder, such as drug abuse and physical violence. If this is something up your alley, I highly recommend picking up this book.

Spell on Wheels, Vol. 1 (Spell on Wheels) by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, Marissa Louise, Jen Bartel, Nate Piekos

Spell on Wheels, Vol. 1 by Kate Leth, Megan Levens, Marissa Louise, Jen Bartel, Nate Piekos

My Rating: ★★★★★

When Andy, Jolene, and Claire’s place is broken into by a jealous ex who is being aided by an unknown powerful entity, the three witchy friends embark on a magical road trip to retrieve their belongings and face off with those who wronged them. We learn about the trio, their relationship with one another, and their magical abilities as we follow them on their journey. Along the way, we meet a variety of interesting characters who unknowingly purchased their stolen goods and learn more about the magical world.

I was excited to finally start reading this graphic novel and it did not disappoint! I loved the three main characters, Andy, Jolene, and Claire, as well as learning about how they became friends and their magical abilities. It was so much fun following them as they used their abilities to track their stolen items and get closer to cornering Claire’s foul and jealous ex. Not only are the main characters fun and interesting, but the people they meet along the way are as well. I love that each person they tracked down were full of surprises as well as unique and memorable. I’m excited to hopefully meet at least one of these characters again in future volumes, should there be any.

It’s also wonderful that the cast of characters introduce us to a variety of people from different walks of life. There are LGBT relationships, mystical beings, supportive friendships, and members of the occult. I love that the story reflects reality because there have been so many cases of all white stories when that’s just not the way life works, so it’s a huge plus when stories include people of color and that they aren’t stereotypes. There’s also feminist themes, a lot of humor, and it really takes a dig at emotionally abusive relationship and supports positive relationships.

Plus, the artwork is absolutely stunning. Every single panel is gorgeous and I loved looking at the sketches and concept art featured at the end of the volume. It was a joy to admire.

Say No Moor (Passport to Peril #11) by Maddy Hunter

Say No Moor by Maddy Hunter

My Rating: ★★★★★

In an attempt to expand the client list for their travel agency, Emily and her husband offer big discounts to the bloggers who travel with them to Cornwall, England. The only thing the bloggers have to do is cover their travels on their respective blogs. Emily hopes this will be the trip that will go off without a hitch, but things quickly go awry when two of the bloggers bump heads, a pipe bursts at the inn, and someone gets murdered all on the first day of the trip. Stressed about the blogger’s coverage of their trip, Emily strives to make everything right when she’s suddenly expected to run the inn and one of the travelers go missing.

While Emily and the gang are in England, they spend most of their time at the inn with some exploring and touring thrown in. I promise you that it is the furthest thing from boring. I found myself laughing so hard that I had to put my book down and dab my eyes with tissue. Hunter did it again and busted out yet another hilarious installment. The entertaining cast of characters worked well with the new characters that popped in and out throughout the story. I loved the interactions we got between the bloggers, although we seemed to only see a couple of them most of the time. It was a fun new addition to the cast of usual characters.

Speaking of the bloggers, I wish that we saw a little more of them than we did. Only three of the bloggers were distinctive and had their roles in the story expanded. The others popped their heads in every so often and that was that. I know that it’s likely these aren’t characters we’ll see again in the future, but I wish we saw a little more of the ones who were barely there because they didn’t make much of an impression on me. However, I think I’ll be okay with it because Jackie was featured a lot more than usual and I loved it. She’s one of my favorite characters, so I’m always excited when she appears.

I will say that the murder mystery is a secondary storyline, but that doesn’t bother me. I was having so much fun reading the series of hilarious events unfold that it doesn’t seem farfetched for the mystery to be secondary. We have the bloggers and the shenanigans going on between two of them, a theft, natural disasters, Emily and Wally having to man the inn, and nana showing off her cooking skills. Plus, one of the regulars goes missing, which adds yet another crisis to the mix.

All in all, Hunter does not disappoint. This is yet another sidesplitting installment that did not fail to entertain. It’s action packed, fun, and heartwarming. I’m looking forward to the next book!

My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 (Otouto no Otto #1) by Gengoroh Tagame

My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 by Gengoroh Tagame

My Rating: ★★★★★

A decade ago, Ryoji moved to Canada and eventually met and fell in love with his husband, Mike. Sadly, Ryoji died a month before the story starts, and Mike has come to visit his in-laws in Japan. He meets his brother-in-law and Ryoji’s twin brother, Yaichi, and his niece, Kana. Mike is in mourning, but he is excited to meet his husband’s family and go to the places that Ryoji always talked about. Yaichi struggles with previous misconceptions about his brother as well as the LGBT community, which he doesn’t know much about, and Kana is excited to have an uncle.

If you heard someone crying while yelling, “My heart!” in the distance, it was probably me while I was reading the first volume of this manga. It’s an incredibly heartwarming as well as sad story that had me clutching my box of tissue. Mike is a new widower and his grief is fresh and raw, which we slowly see as the story progresses. He’s taking the time to get to know his husband’s family as well as visit the places that Ryoji spoke about and frequented during his upbringing. During the story, he answers any questions that Yaichi and Kana ask.

Kana is just a kid and she has many questions, as kids do. She’s sweet and open to learning about the world without judgement. She quickly cares for Mike and is fascinated by the stories he has to share, which also allows her father to learn and receive answers to some of the questions that he wouldn’t dare to ask. Meanwhile, we watch Yaichi struggle with the silent grief of losing his parents as well as his brother, who he was not close with once Ryoji came out to him. We also watch Yaichi struggle with his homophobic thoughts as he learns about Mike as well as Ryoji’s life. As the story progresses, we see him learn and slowly start to accept his brother for who he was. This is a story that I highly recommend.

Plus One (Plus One #1) by Elizabeth Fama

Plus One by Elizabeth Fama

My Rating: ★★★★

Sol was born into a world divided by day and night. Night dwellers are known as Smudges, and day dwellers are known as Rays. As a Smudge, Sol lives her life in the night. She is allowed to exit her home, work, and live her life at night. During the day, she must be home and inside unless she is given a Day Pass that allows. She’s never seen daylight except through a curtain. Sol’s grandfather, Poppu, is dying from terminal cancer and just wants to see his great granddaughter one time before he dies. However, she and Poppu haven’t seen her older brother since he was upgraded to being a day dweller, so there’s no way Poppu will be able to meet his granddaughter. Sol decides to purposely injure finger and abduct her newborn niece from the hospital and grant Poppu’s final wish, but things don’t go as planned. She finds herself under arrest and an official plus one of a day dweller with a baby who is not her niece.

I was excited to read this book for a long time, so let’s get the bad out of the way before I can get to all the good stuff. For some reason, the reasons behind people are either Smudges or Rays are not explained until about 32% into the book. This is a major world building snafu. There’s mention of a disease, and it’s clear that day and night dwelling is government enforced, but it’s not explained why that is until later. Why everyone lives this way doesn’t make a lot of sense until it’s finally explained. It’s unfortunate that this occurs so late in the book. What is this disease? Does it make people allergic to either sunlight or moonlight? And then if that’s the case, why is being a day dweller or night dweller government enforced? How can a day dweller become a night dweller and vice versa if it began as the result of a disease? These questions are not answered until well in the book, which overshadows the story as well as the world building that occurs up until this point.

Now that I’ve gotten the bad out of the way, let’s get to all of the good stuff. I love how incredibly complex the characters are. It’s clear that there’s a lot more behind the surface for every character we meet even if we won’t be seeing them again. It truly brings this world to life because everyone seems so real. I love how much this is explored with the main and supporting characters. Everyone has a backstory that impacts who they’ve become. They are so well developed that I can see how and why they are the way they are as each layer is revealed. It’s so refreshing to see this occur even with minor characters that aren’t featured for long.

At the end of the day, the two primary characters are teenagers and it’s clear in their thought process and the actions they choose to take. They’re on the cusp of adulthood and are forced to become adults early, but it’s clear that they’re teenagers deeply affected by the prejudiced world they live in. I like the way the story is resolved as well, and we’re left wondering if Sol and D’Arcy are ever able to connect again. We can also imagine the impact of their final bargain has on the world even if we don’t see it unfold on the story. All in all, this is a wonderful book that I plan on reading again.