Following up from It Ends With Us, Hoover follows the interaction of Lily and Atlas, as they navigate what a new, adult relationship could be like while dealing with all the baggage of their lives without each other.
Significant life changes are sort of, kind of happening for Minnie in this one. One being the relationship with Rafe that she absolutely didn't see coming in the last book. But there is of course another mystery to solve and Rafe wants to be involved, at least to try to keep Minnie out of trouble.
It's not the ideal crime-fighting duo when Rafe is also trying to finish the house he's been building so that Minnie can move out of her houseboat before it's too cold to stay there. And Minnie is not terribly helpful at making the choices she needs to make to expedite that process. Some of her phobias are absolutely ridiculous, but they are also endearing, so I won't critique them too much.
This is the last of the series at the moment - a new one comes out in October and I'm kind of excited about it. Let's see what future mischief Minnie and Eddie can get into.
(#70-2022)
It's summer season in Chilton, and Minnie has taken in her niece for the summer. Katrina is an interesting addition to the dynamic of Minnie's life and her roommate doesn't exactly fit into the idyllic aunt/niece summer fun expectation that Minnie held for the event.
Especially when Katrina haphazardly comes across a murder victim at the 4th of July celebrations. We see how Katrina copes with trauma (and how similar she is to her aunt) while both of them try to solve the mystery and come to terms with some significant changes in their lives.
This is the novel that really turned me around on Minnie. She's been growing on me novel by novel, but this one really made her feel like a person. There are some pretty significant changes to her life here, and the way she deals with them and still keeps things stable on some level are telling. She acted like a real person, rather than just a character in a book.
The events are still a bit outlandish, but I wouldn't want to read the story if things weren't at least a little bit crazy.
(#69-2022)
A new library Board Chair may throw a wrench into Minnie's days of spreading reading and cheer aboard the Chilton Library Bookmobile.
And then, of course, there's the murder of a Bookmobile regular. Minnie, Eddie and friends need to find out what happened, and why at the same time as they try to save the Bookmobile from whatever fate could be heading its way.
There are always a lot of conclusions that are needlessly jumped to in a cozy mystery novel, and this book is absolutely no different. Minnie is the queen of assumptions and jumping ahead to get where she wants to be. But in the safest, least athletic way possible.
In almost all cases, it turns out the right way for her and that's just part of what makes these a joy to read. You might not always be stumped by the whodunit portion, but it very rarely gets there in a way that you'd expect.
(#67-2022)
I read through these as a series, so I will also write this as a compilation.
I read these first when I was the target age and I think I've probably read them multiple times since then. The idea of a mouse who yearned for adventure and a different kind of life somehow spoke to me as a child. I don't relate to it the same way as an adult, but it's still incredibly endearing
(#63, 64, 65-2022)
I don't even know how to summarize this one. A story of love and loss and grief and pain. I was emotionally wrung out by the time I was done - and that was all in one day because I just couldn't put it down. I was immediately attached to the characters and was both afraid and excited to see where the story went and how it ended. It left me with sorrow and also relief with a little joy mixed in.
It didn't end in exactly the way I expected or maybe I hoped it would, but it was satisfying and while I know there is a prequel being released soon which I am planning to read, I don't want anything further into the future of this story.
(#62-2022)
Another crazy caper for librarian Minnie Hamilton and her cat, Eddie as they travel around a region of Northern Michigan on the Chilton Library Bookmobile.
This time around, we widen Minnie's circle of friends and benefactors and also negotiate Minnie's relationships. I've gotten used to some of the quirks about Minnie that used to make me dislike the character and now find her endearing. Most of the time.
The mysteries get stranger and stranger and this one is no different. The comparisons between Minnie and Aurora Teagarden (Charlaine Harris' librarian crime-solver) are still very obvious, but the addition of the Bookmobile and of course Eddie make this series just different enough to keep my attention.
(#61-2022)
I can't possibly write my thoughts on this without ruining the movie, so let's just say that it lives up to the rest of the series. I'm interested to know where they'll take certain characters and stories moving forward, and of course, it's the Harry Potter world, so despite any misgivings about the author, I will continue to follow the story.
(#58-2022)
Minnie Hamilton once again finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation - this time when she finds a body in her very own library. Chilson also experiences a number of very strange break-ins so Minnie, and of course, Eddie, find themselves doing whatever they can to solve the crime and stop terrible rumours swirling around town.
Celeste has moved to rural Florida, to nurse her ailing grandmother and now to accept the inheritance left from said grandmother. But now, there is a woman living in Celeste's shed who should definitely not be there.
When she meets the woman, Celeste is surprised to learn that Daisy is personable and helpful. They begin an awkward and beneficial friendship, for both of them. But clearly, both of them have secrets. And it might be the death of both of them.
Rowan's final expedition, meant to prove that she's worthy of being called the Royal Monster Hunter. With the resources provided by her friends and companions and the knowledge she's gained from past trials, Rowan will surely escape the final trial unscathed and victorious.
I'm sure by now everyone has seen the trailers (or the entire movie) that was created from this book. Main character Kya raised herself in the marshlands of North Carolina after being abandoned by her family. Known in the nearby town as "the Marsh Gil", she is isolated from the community of Barkley Cove, until she finds her life intertwined with first one local boy, and then another. When one of the boys is found dead, Kya is the main suspect. As the story unfolds, it threatens to reveal a great many secrets of Kya and the rest of the town.
The last book in the first Baby-Sitters Club Book Collection tin is the ending we were all looking for. Kristy's mom is marrying Watson. And while not everyone in the family is entirely excited about all the changes that the event brings, they do manage to make it through the weeks leading up to the big day with minimal disruption. And the Baby-Sitters Club remains intact.
(#51-2022)
Dawn is the newest member of the Baby-Sitters Club. She also might be hated by the club President. But Mary Anne is her friend and Dawn is willing to work, so she takes on a new client, whose kids just might be impossible.
I didn't really need to read these. I didn't gain anything from it. Usually, I enjoy the extra glimpses into the lives of the characters I've read, but this one just felt redundant, unfortunately.
(#49-2022)
The series closes with a twist on Sleeping Beauty. This one was probably the most unique take on the story it's meant to relate to. It may actually be my favourite of the series.
(#48-2022)
The twisted, dark and dirty Little Mermaid variation. Once again, highly adult but quirky and kind of fun.
(#47-2022)
Mary Anne saves the day in more ways that one in this novel. The Baby-Sitters Club is falling apart due to a disagreement between friends. Mary Anne is left to fend for herself at school, and while babysitting. When her charge gets sick, she's left to her own devices, and maybe to a new friend that she's met along the way.
The ultimate twist on Beauty and the Beast. I wasn't looking forward to this one because the glimpses we'd had of these characters earlier hadn't attracted me at all. But it turned out all right. Definitely not for the faint of heart (or pearl clutches.)
(#44-2022)
Stacey is hiding something. Not just that she has diabetes, but her parents aren't handling it well, and won't let Stacey learn to live with it before bringing her to every doctor they can find who might magically fix everything. Stacey's tired of it.
