Review: The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner

The Amalfi Curse

by Sarah Penner

Release Date: April 29, 2025

2025 Park Row

Ebook ARC; 336 Pages

ISBN: 978-0778308003

ASIN: B0DGLJCW8P

Audiobook: B0K438DPL

Genre: Fiction / Historical / Magical Realism / Contemporary

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. 

 

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

 

My Thoughts

The Amalfi Curse definitely had a lot going for it: the setting was amazing and I could just picture myself looking at the blue waters the author was describing and eating the food; the historical fantasy was very well-researched and worked rather well; the connection to the water and the impact it had on people's daily lives was amazing; and, the themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, passion, trust, and miscommunication were all on display.  So, why the rating? Personally, I felt like the character development was somewhat lacking, I wasn't a fan of the romantic relationships, and I thought the whole story line revolving around one person's mother didn't quite ring true.  

The character development was the weakest point of the book for me overall. Reading Haven's story line almost put me to sleep as there was basically no story. You would think a story about a marine archaeologist on a treasure hunt would be rather interesting. No dice. Her treasure chasing amounted to very little time on the water and chasing some guy named Enzo. And being at odds with some friends of her father's who pulled some dirty tricks on her that weren't even believable.  Her character was supposed to be this independent women who had fought to get where she was, but I didn't see that at all.

Now Mari is another tale indeed as I thought her story line was rather interesting. She was a fighter, one who did what needed to be done, and I thoroughly loved her story line.  Her story is gritty, believable, made me empathize with her situation, and I was rooting for her the whole time.  The magic system that Mari could wield was rather intriguing, but like a lot of things in this book, the setup was there, but the author forgot to light the match.  Which was disappointing as I really enjoyed this story line much more than Haven's. That being said, I did like the conclusion to this one.

 

The plot itself was sort of meandering, especially when it came to Haven's story. I did like the research she did to find out more as that was interesting, but the actual plot was kind of a letdown. I thought there would be more action, more diving, more fun stuff to hunt down, but we got a meandering plot that really went...nowhere. And the whole thing revolving around Enzo's mother made me raise my eyebrows a time or two.  It just wasn't believable.

 

Verdict

The Amalfi Curse had a beautiful setting and atmosphere and I will give kudos for making me want to get on a plane and go to Italy again right now. There were definitely some moments that really stood out, but they were mostly in Mari's story line, one that I really preferred over Haven's. I did think the overall plot was predictable and meandered quite a bit, in particular Haven's story line. If you like historical fiction with a touch of magical realism that is light, then this might be the book for you.  For me, it just didn't work. 

 

 

Review: The Murder Show by Matt Goldman

The Murder Show

by Matt Goldman

Release Date: April 15, 2025

2025 Forge Books

Ebook ARC; 304 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250325723

ASIN: B0D1P94NH1

Audiobook: B0D3QQHN7N

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Showrunner Ethan Harris had a hit with The Murder Show, a television crime drama that features a private detective who solves cases the police can’t. But after his pitch for the fourth season is rejected by the network, he returns home to Minnesota looking for inspiration.

His timing is fortunate — his former classmate Ro Greeman is now a local police officer, and she's uncovered new information about the devastating hit and run that killed their mutual friend Ricky the summer after high school. Ethan is skeptical that Ricky's death was anything but a horrible accident, but with the clock running out on his career, he's willing to try anything. It doesn't take long for them to realize they've dug up more than they bargained for. Someone is dead set on stopping Ethan and Ro from looking too closely into Ricky’s death — even if keeping them quiet means killing again...

 

My Thoughts

The Murder Show focuses on Ethan Harris, a script writer who is having difficulty coming up with a great idea for the fourth season of his hit television show, The Murder Show. Hit with a writers' strike, he decides to go home and visit his parents hoping for inspiration to hit. Instead, he returns to an old flame and an unsolved murder that has affected his life and those around him for years. The premise of this story was pretty interesting and I was actually engaged throughout the book, but unfortunately, I did find the character development somewhat lacking and overall, felt somewhat underwhelmed by the actual hunt for clues and the ending.

 

To be honest, I wasn't overly thrilled with the character development in this book. I thought most of the characters were pretty one-dimensional and stereotypical; it would have been nice to have more quirky characters in the story which is probably why I really liked the older policemen as they were different. Nils, dear Nils, wasn't a fan of how he was portrayed here, but we'll see how it goes. It's not the stay-at-home dad vibe that was the issue, it was his lack of personality as he felt different. To be fair, I really did enjoy Ethan and Ro for the first half of the book, liked their chemistry, but thought it lost something in the second half of the book. 

 

The author definitely has an engaging writing style, something that kept me flipping through the pages. But, in hindsight, I realized the story wasn't quite satisfactory for me. First of all, I really wanted more from The Murder Show premise considering the author kept throwing that in our faces throughout the book. I did find the actual murder to be somewhat predictable, once you wove through the dialogue and the interactions between the characters, and I figured out who it was quite early. 

 

Verdict

The Murder Show was a decent read, one that actually moved rather quickly. I did find that some threads were dropped throughout the book as if the author was hoping the reader wouldn't notice, but they are there if you pay attention, something that I think contributes to that feeling of not feeling satisfied in the end. I don't think the characters were fully developed and were often stereotypical without having their own quirks and foibles. However, if you like a fast-paced mystery with an interesting premise, you will probably still enjoy this book despite the flaws. 

 

Review: Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #2)

by Matt Dinniman

Release Date: September 24, 2024

2024 Ace

Hardcover Edition; 384 Pages

ISBN: 978-1593820261

ASIN: B08PBCD9Y7

Audiobook: B09345T1HY

Genre: Fiction / LITRPG / Fantasy

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

The ratings and views are off the chart. The fans just can't get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day. But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to survive.

They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.

Carl still has no pants. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.

 

My Thoughts

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario is the second book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and this book takes us deeper into the dungeon, onto level three. As a result, the stakes are greater, the views are higher, and Carl and Donut are learning the political structure of this dungeon and all its affiliations. And while there are definitely comedic laugh-out-loud moments, this book is darker than the previous one as certain themes are explored and developed.

Carl is an interesting character as at first, he seems to comply with the challenges and quests that are set for him and Donut. But as he races through the levels and learns about the political structure, you realize it is far deeper and more complex than you first thought. I have to give the author credit for developing these subtle story lines, and while Carl seems to take everything at face value, he turns it all upside down by doing things his way and utter chaos ensues. It’s fun to see the characters learn to rely on each other as they go through some dangerous things, and you get some emotional conversations at the end of some of it which helps you understand them better and what they are thinking. Personally, I have enjoyed all the characters and I like the fact the author gives a ‘voice’ to a lot of them so even if you don’t necessarily agree with their actions, you can sympathize with what they are going through, what happened to them, or what they are being forced to do for entertainment.

The author weaves all of this bonding and character development into some very entertaining story lines. Carl is grasping a lot of the political structures of the dungeon, but there is still so much he does not know which is why he inadvertently turns everything on its head quite often because he doesn’t understand. As a result, the powers that be are left floundering, and in one case, almost went bankrupt because of his actions and had to act decisively. Carl does the challenges, but he does them his way. And this is where the philosophical parts of the novel come into play, something I really like. You know, just because someone tells you to do something, should you? What are the consequences? Are there other things one can do instead? Will I destroy an entire world government if I do this? The reader is learning the political structures with Carl and Donut, so I find it fascinating when something unexpected happens; the discussions at the ‘round tables’ are always fun.

Verdict
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario was a worthy sequel and I really appreciated the comedy, the humour, the fun characters (including a really weird AI with a foot fetish), and the unique plot. For a novel that seems rather light-hearted, there are some interesting themes running through it that I think will get darker as the series progresses.  And if you love audiobooks, then get running and grab this one, as this has one of the best narrations of any of them; Jeff Hayes is phenomenal. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

 

Review: Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd

Murder at Gulls Nest (Nora Breen Investigates, #1)

by Jess Kidd

Release Date: March 11, 2025

2025 Atria Books

Ebook ARC; 325 Pages

ISBN: 978-1668034033

ASIN: B0CW8F28XD

Audiobook: B0DC16HGZH

Genre: Fiction / Cozy Mystery / Historical

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests—but when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind.

 

 

 

 

My Thoughts

Murder at Gulls Nest is the first book in a new cozy mystery series featuring a nun looking for a fresh start after leaving her convent. Hiding her identity after arriving at a seaside town, Nora is really there to search for someone dear to her who has gone missing, but she doesn't want anyone to know she has a connection to the missing woman. I thought the author did a great job describing the time period and the atmosphere of the book really came through on the pages.  And while I thought the mystery itself was fairly predictable, I did enjoy the character development and thought each one was distinct and interesting.

 

This is the second book in recent months whereby the main character was a nun who left her convent for personal reasons, and I found the concept of Nora's re-integration into mainstream society quite interesting. There were so many things she didn't know how to do or had not seen in such a long time that it was fascinating to see how she responded to the changes and adapted. But while her convent was a cloistered one, she was a nurse and had a bit of an advantage as she was able to consult with other convents and learn about events through those consultations. The other characters, while not quite as developed, had their own secrets and I found them to be diverse and quirky so I rather enjoyed them as a whole.

 

While the author did a great job describing the time period, I did feel like the mystery was a bit lacking and fairly predictable. There were great moments that were quite interesting, but there were actually times when I thought some of it was more filler material. It's not that it wasn't interesting, it just seemed to slow down and bog up the overall story.  The author seemed to focus more on character development over story development, which is fine, but it does tend to slow down story lines when this happens, especially in a medium like a cozy mystery.

 

Verdict

Murder at Gulls Nest focuses quite a bit on character development so the overall mystery was a bit slower and relied on reveals rather than action. It was done quite well however, but it did slow down the overall reading experience, at least for me.  There were quite a few secrets uncovered that really had nothing to do with this mystery however, so I am looking forward to seeing how they will be incorporated in future books. 

 

 

Review: Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes

Cold Eternity

by S.A. Barnes

Release Date: April 8, 2025

2025 Tor Nightfire

Ebook ARC; 293 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250884954

ASIN: B0D1PQ139Y

Audiobook: B0D3QRG2JR

Genre: Fiction / Horror / Science-Fiction

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth’s most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago…

The ship feels like a crypt, and the isolation gets to Halley almost immediately. She starts to see figures crawling in the hallways, and there’s a constant scraping, slithering, and rattling echoing in the vents. It’s not long before Halley realizes she may have gotten herself trapped in an even more dangerous situation than the one she was running from….

 

My Thoughts

Cold Eternity is another space horror novel and after reading the previous two books this author has written, I really wasn't sure what to expect as I had mixed feelings about both those books. And yet again, the same thing has happened with this one as I enjoyed the setting a lot, liked the creepy feeling that was being set up, then felt the let down at the conclusion of the book.  Personally, it just didn't quite deliver the goods.

 

I didn't mind the main character, Halley, who is on the run for something in her political past. We learn quite early that Halley is not her real name and that quite a few people are after her; either they want her dead or they want the information she carries. The desperation she felt as she hunted for a job to protect herself was well-written, and I liked the way she still tried to protect herself from predators despite her qualms. When she arrived at the job, it was eerie as anything, but she managed to keep her cool and do her job. Personally, I think anyone in her position would ignore the clues that were abundant around her because she was so desperate to earn money and get away. When you are desperate, you will do anything, and ignore anything, to get what you need to escape. I didn't actually mind that aspect of her personality as I understood her desperation. And it's not like she didn't see what was in front of her, she just chose to ignore what was there because it helped her to survive and cope.

 

The plot itself was actually quite interesting the first half of the book, and I found it eerie and downright creepy. I couldn't figure out why Halley just accepted meeting the mechanic the way she did, but I guess there are some things you are just supposed to ignore as you read.  *Sarcasm   The ship itself it pretty much a graveyard, with bodies frozen in a cryogenic state aboard. And it was downright creepy. And to be fair, I love eerie ghost ships and stories that revolve around this premise so the creepiness was right up my alley. And you would think the second half of the book would up the creepiness factor, but yet again, the author ruined it by going the paranormal route instead of the horror route.  Up to this point, the horror element was actually quite good and I was thinking the author had upped the game and would bypass the previous books, then bam, the paranormal stuff, which totally ruined the horror element for me.  

Verdict

Cold Eternity was actually quite good until about two-thirds of the way into the book, with good atmospheric horror elements and a creepiness that can only come when aboard an empty ship full of cryogenic people that no one knows what to do with. The character development was fine, and although Halley did some things that made me roll my eyes at times, it was more out of desperation than because her character was silly as she was desperate to get away from people who were hunting her. However, I wasn't keen on the last third of the book as an element was introduced that spoiled the overall creepy effect and left me feeling a bit disappointed in the ending. That being said, it was still an engaging read and worth your while if you like sci-fi horror.

 

Review: The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women who Served the Tudor Queens by Nicola Clark

The Waiting Game: The Untold Story of the Women who Served the Tudor Queens

by Nicola Clark

Release Date: January 7, 2025

2025 Pegasus Books 

Ebook ARC; 400 Pages

ISBN: 978-1639368099

ASIN: B0CW1MJXTT

Audiobook: B0DPLFGY72

Genre: Non-Fiction / Historical / Tudor Period

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

4 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

The Waiting Game explores the daily lives of ladies-in-waiting, revealing the secrets of recruitment, costume, what they ate, where (and with whom) they slept. We meet María de Salinas, who traveled to England with Catherine of Aragon when just a teenager and spied for her during the divorce from Henry VIII. Anne Boleyn's lady-in-waiting Jane Parker [Jane Boleyn] was instrumental in the execution of not one, but two queens. And maid-of-honor Anne Basset kept her place through the last four consorts, negotiating the conflicting loyalties of her birth family, her mistress the Queen, and even the desires of the King himself.

As Henry changed wives—and changed the very fabric of the country's structure besides—these women had to make choices about loyalty that simply didn't exist before. The Waiting Game is the first time their vital story has been told.

 

My Thoughts

The Waiting Game focuses on the lives of the women who played a pivotal role in the service of King Henry VIII’s wives. Through their stories, their roles, their influences, their relationships and their actions, as they navigated a very difficult and dangerous time period, we get an understanding of the important roles they played as well as the treacherous path they sometimes had to lead. I found this quite interesting even with a background in this time period.

Ladies-in waiting were the closest to the queens and it was very difficult to hide anything from them. But, they played a much larger role than how they are portrayed in film and television as their access to the queen gave them an advantage that was often used and exploited, sometimes to the woman’s advantage, sometimes to her detriment. They were advisors, spies, messengers, nurses, chaperones, and so much more, often being sought out by those seeking favours from the queen. Because of this position, it could be used to manipulate and coerce as well and not all of the ladies were friendly to those they served.

The author focuses on the women surrounding the six wives of Henry VIII and highlights as many of them as possible. Because women were so marginalized during this time period, not a lot of paperwork or correspondence exists today in comparison to the men, so it is often difficult to piece together the full lives of these women, what they thought about events (such as the imprisonment and execution of Anne Boleyn) or other people, including their spouses. But the documentation that does exist shows women were quite skilled at playing the courtly game, were used as spies, and were quite manipulative; they had to be in order to survive in a world that valued men’s contributions and might over women’s.  As Henry’s reign continued, it also became a lot more dangerous for these ladies-in-waiting, and the author includes a lot of women who were in his crosshairs and how he changed the laws to prosecute them, women like Anne Askew or Jane Boleyn. And while the author tries to stick to the research that is available, I did like it when theories were included (based on research, technology, and medical knowledge available to us today) due to scarcity of information as it made you think.   

Verdict
The Waiting Game was a fascinating look at the women who were fundamental to Henry VIII’s reign. The writing was quite clear and accessible, though I would think it would still be a more difficult read for those who are new to reading this time period as the similar names and the way the titles are used can be quite confusing.  The book shows the author spent a lot of time in the archives and includes a lot of original quotes, but does leave it to the reader at times to interpret them, something that is not always easy to do as the language during that time period is a bit more difficult to read. However, the story was in chronological order and did focus on some women we don’t often read about so I did find that intriguing. This time period is so incredibly chaotic, but personally, I think I keep coming back to it for that reason. What I really liked was how pragmatic the women were with the shifting alliances, but then, they didn’t really have much of a choice unless they played the game.

 

 

Review: The Last Orphan by Gregg Hurwitz

The Last Orphan (Orphan X, #8)

by Gregg Hurwitz

Release Date: February 14, 2023

2023 Minotaur Books

Audiobook & Ebook; 352 Pages & 11h32min

ISBN: 978-1250252326

ASIN: B09TYQVFJ5

Audiobook: B09YGFNHX1

Genre: Fiction / Thriller

Source: Copy from publisher

 

3.75 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

When Evan Smoak broke with an off-the-books assassin program for the government and went deep underground, he left with a lot of secrets in his head that the government would do anything to make sure never got out. Having eliminated most of the Orphans in the program, the government will stop at nothing to eliminate the threat they see in Evan. But Orphan X has always been several steps ahead of his pursuers. Until he makes one little mistake...

Now the President has him in her control and offers Evan a deal - eliminate a rich, powerful man she says is too dangerous to live and, in turn, she'll let Evan survive. But when Evan left the Program he swore to only use his skills against those who really deserve it. Now he has to decide what's more important - his principles or his life.

 

My Thoughts

The Last Orphan is the eighth book in the best-selling Orphan X series, and while this one was somewhat different from previous entries, I liked the change. And by different, I mean Evan was off his game just the slightest which made him question a lot of things in his life including his morals, his values, who he could trust, and what he wants from life.

One of the highlights for me has always been Evan’s personal evolution as he learns about the world and how to interact within it. This is especially interesting as he continues to navigate, and develop, his relationship with Joey as well as the newish people he has met over time. I was glad to see some previous characters included in this book and that Evan has kept in contact with them; this continues his character development and his learning process to develop friendships and not just use people for those situations in which he finds himself. While I was disappointed not to have too much of Mia and Peter in this installment, I did understand the reasons why.

The actual plot felt a little flat and tired, but I also felt like the author is taking this series in a new direction and this book is needed in order to do so. And by flat and tired, I am comparing it to previous books in this series so it was still quite good, with lots of action and all the usual stuff you would expect in an Orphan X novel.  When Evan was tasked with the job in this book by the president of the US, despite everything I learned about Evan, I still wasn’t sure what he would do when he eventually found his target.

Verdict
The Last Orphan had lots of twists and turns, and while not quite as good as previous novels in this series, it still delivered.  The characters are always complex, and you never know what is going to happen from one scene to the next.  I love listening to this series as the narrator, Scott Brick, is outstanding and really brings the story to life. While you could read this as a standalone, I do not recommend it as you will gain a better appreciation for Joey and Orphan V if you are familiar with the background stories.

 

Review: The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

The Boy Who Cried Bear (Haven's Rock, #2)

by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: February 20, 2024

2024 Minotaur Books

E-book; 339 Pages

ISBN: 978-1250865441

ASIN: B0C1X77GLZ

Audiobook: B0C3NQ5YSY

Genre: Fiction / Mystery

Source: Copy from publisher

 

3 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Haven’s Rock is a well-hidden town surrounded by forest. And it’s supposed to be, being that it’s a refuge for those who need to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton already feel at home in their new town.

When Max, the town’s youngest resident—taught to track animals by Eric—fears a bear is stalking a hiking party, alarms are raised. Even stranger, the ten-year-old swears the bear had human eyes. Casey and Eric know the dangers a bear can present, so they’re taking it seriously. But odd occurrences are happening all around them, and when a dead body turns up, they’re not sure what they’re up against.

 

My Thoughts

The Boy Who Cried Bear is the second book in the Haven’s Rock series. This series revolves around the “new” Rockton, an isolated town in Yukon Territory, a place of refuge for those who have nowhere else to go. I like the title as it seems to be a twist on the fable “The Boy who Cried Wolf” whereby when you say you have seen a thing too often and nobody else sees it but you, people will stop believing you have seen it. An interesting title for a story set in an isolated wilderness.

The story features Max who kept insisting he saw something in the woods. And while Casey and Eric believed him, you get a real sense of his feelings and emotions as he relates his experiences of fear and foreboding. Max had already been through a lot, and he and his mom and brother were in the wilderness hiding from some people who want to harm them. His older brother was not handling the situation well and his mother was quite protective of Max. Everyone was hiding something, and it is always fun when you learn something new about the characters as the author reveals information about them quite slowly, as events happen. This can sometimes be frustrating as I want to know about them, but due to the absolute secrecy of why they are there, it is also necessary to do it this way and reveal things as they come up in the story line.  

What the author does really well is give you a clear picture of the difficulty of living in such a remote environment with little luxury. People have to rely on each other to build a thriving community and everyone pitches in. Personally, I found the actual mystery to be a tough one as I didn’t find it that intriguing as too many other things seemed to interfere with the tension and the horrifying situation that happened to Max. When a child disappears, there should be more outrage, more tension, more stress, and while there was some of that, I felt like what was happening with Casey kind of overshadowed that aspect of the story.  Questioning whether children should even be allowed in the town because of the situation that arose is mind-boggling considering some of the issues they have already faced.  I personally don’t care either way, but the justification needs to change. Overall, I found it somewhat predictable and the twists and turns easy to figure out.

Verdict
The Boy Who Cried Bear was not as strong as the first book in the series, but it was still a good book. I enjoyed the descriptions of the wilderness, the characters, and the interactions with the mining camp, something that will probably be a problem in the future.  I have gone in the wilderness to go camping and canoeing and it is a completely different experience than going to a provincial park, so I really like the emphasis on the dangers and the limits that are put on people not to go too far in unless you have experience. While you could read this on its own, you will get a richer experience if you have read the first book and an even better one if you have read the previous series, the Rockton/Casey Duncan books.