Here at Chapter Break, we don’t always write a full review of every book we read. Well, now we decided to do these monthly wrap-up posts with roundups of our reviews this month and mini-reviews to fill in the gaps. Enjoy!
Mini Book Reviews
Oscar the Ferry Cat Oscar the Ferry Cat is about a cat that gets separated from his family on a ferry boat. I was quite concerned that the family wasn’t looking for him, but then realized the book is about coping with loss and finding your new path. The lovely cat meets a variety of characters around the ferry and struggles with fitting in until he finds his place. It has a bittersweet ending but is a great way to show kids that loss is a change and change can be managed. The illustrations are cute and nicely done.
Harold Heard Butt Cake This was a silly read about a boy who mishears things in a funny way but it also causes him trouble at home and at school. I read this with my son and he and I bought thought it was a book about the child being hard of hearing and he would end up with a hearing aid. But the real issue was quite a bit more silly and simple. Cute silly read, not a serious book with an underlying message, just a fun read for a young reader.
MORIARTY: THE SILENT ORDER: Another great Audible Originals. I really love the flip on Moriarty and Holmes in these stories. Sure. Holmes has always been a jerk. That’s kind of the point. But this time around, he’s a real a$$hole. And that’s saying something. Great anarchist\evil cabal plotline here, with lots of twists and turns as to who’s pulling the strings. Awesome narration by a full cast, including Helen Mirren as the baddie! Overall great listen.
THE FINAL GAMBIT: Clues upon clues. Puzzles upon puzzles. And so many red herrings that I didn’t care after awhile. Plus more which brother will Avery end up with? Again – didn’t care. But I will say the last hour of the book changed this from barely a 3 star to 3 1/2 stars. The ending was *chef’s kiss*. Not sure where the next book in the series goes. Or if I’m interested enough to read it.
FORTUNE AND GLORY: Here we are, Stephanie Plum #27 and I may have hit my max with this series. I couldn’t really rustle up any enthusiasm for Stephanie’s antics. Probably due to Stephanie’s own life crisis. The back and forth with Ranger and Morelli. The incompetence at her job. The blowing up even more cars. All meh and done before.
THE DOOMSDAY KEY: Back with the Sigma group to end my year on a high point. Loved having Painter back in the field! Appreciated:
- The game of who on the team can you trust and who is the traitor. Or traitors!
- Yet another example of Rollins proving he’s on top of all the calamities that could destroy humans. This time, over-population and controlling food production to curb it. Kind of disturbing to think about.
- Rotating villains with the shadowy Guild always in the background.
- Kowalski is a big teddy bear. And I need more of him in books!
HOW THE DUKES STOLE CHRISTMAS: I needed to cross off some bingo squares and this one fit the bill. Plus 3 of the four authors are ones I’ve read and enjoyed previously. Double bonus! But here’s the thing. I only really enjoyed one of these stories. Sarah MacLean’s Duke of Christmas Present. In this one, Eben and Jacqueline have a history, and a passionate one at that. After years apart, Eben and Jack are back together, working out their mutual issues and passion for each other. Definitely passion. And even with the short story nature, MacLean does a great job weaving together their backstory\history with the current story. 5 Stars for this one! The other three novellas are all insta-love, which really isn’t my thing. I’m supposed to believe people who just met ‘love each other’ after a week in each other’s presence? More like lust each other in a physical way. 3 Stars for the other books in this collection. I did appreciate how the 4 stories are interlinked with a recipe for shortbread, which is a MacLean family recipe shared at the end of the collection. I like when multiple stories in an anthology are linked together with a common theme or idea.
Books we reviewed this month:
- [9 Dec] Let’s Talk about Body Boundaries: Body Safety Book for Kids about Consent, Personal Space, Private Parts and Friendship, that helps toddlers and children recognize their own emotions and feelings by Julia Emote ★★★★½
- [11 Dec] Marco the Great and the History of Numberville by S.K. Bennett, Carla Dupont ★★★★
- [19 Dec] Conquergood & the Center of the Intelligible Mystery of Being by C.G. Fewston ★★★½
- [28 Dec] Coasters Rule by Danar Burkard ★★★
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It’s great to see the diversity in your December 2023 mini-reviews at Chapter Break. “Oscar the Ferry Cat” stands out for its delicate handling of loss and change, crucial for children’s literature. The flipped dynamics in “Moriarty: The Silent Order” sound intriguing, especially with Helen Mirren’s role. Your thoughts on “How the Dukes Stole Christmas” highlight the hit-or-miss nature of anthologies. It raises an interesting question about long-running series like Stephanie Plum – when should they evolve or conclude?
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Thanks, Lucas!
And as of now – I’d say yes to concluding those Stephanie Plum books. I can’t even figure out how time moves in that series!