Tag: Series

Online Reading Challenge – November Wrap-Up

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How did your reading go this month? Did you read a detective or crime fiction title for November? Share in the comments!

I read our main title: The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King.  Originally published in 1994, The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (Or On the Segregation of the Queen) is the first book in the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King. This title was also a nominee for the Agatha Award for Best Novel in 1995.

When searching for a book to read for this month, I knew I wanted to pay homage to the great Sherlock Holmes, but I didn’t want to read something written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, which led me to exploring spinoffs. I eventually found Laurie R. King and her Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. This series started in 1994 and has a total of 19 books so far. The latest book in the series, Knave of Diamonds, was published in 2025.

Let’s get into The Beekeeper’s Apprentice. It’s 1915 and Sherlock Holmes has been retired for quite a number of years. When a young Mary Russell stumbles upon an older gentleman on the Sussex Downs studying honeybees, she doesn’t realize that he is Sherlock Holmes at first. Russell is gawky, exceptionally smart, and recently orphaned, but her intellect is what attracts her to Holmes. Holmes decides to tutor Russell, which eventually leads them on a variety of cases throughout this first book. Eventually they are called to Scotland Yard to assist with finding the kidnapped daughter of an American senator. This case ends up being connected to Holmes’ past in a significant way and has deep repercussions for Holmes and Russell’s futures.

My thoughts: I quite enjoyed the fact that Sherlock Holmes was coming out of retirement a bit reluctantly in this book. Russell and Sherlock’s relationship was also intriguing. They become reluctant friends throughout this book with a relationship that changes the more they learn about each other. The disguises, danger, and problem solving was top-notch in this book. I also quite enjoyed that this book was told from young Mary Russell’s point of view which allowed me to take a step back and see Holmes through different eyes. All in all, a sold start to the series.

Next month, we will be reading historical fiction!

In addition to following the Online Reading Challenge here on our Info Cafe blog, you can join our Online Reading Challenge group on Goodreads and discuss your reads!

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

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“Perhaps the logical conclusion of everyone looking the same is everyone thinking the same.”
― Scott Westerfeld, Uglies

Uglies is the first book in the series of the same name written by Scott Westerfeld. Published in 2005, Uglies is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and anyone interested in young adult dystopian novels.

Tally Youngblood is about to turn 16 and she couldn’t be more excited. In Tally’s world, every 16 year old is required to have a surgery that turns them pretty. Tally is ready to leave the wrong side of town, turn pretty, and join her best friend in New Pretty Town. This mandatory plastic surgery will alter everything about Tally, turning Uglies into Pretties and eliminating any issues of jealousy, insecurity, suffering, and inequality across the world.

Sounds too good to be true, right? Enter Shay, who wants to leave before her surgery and run to the Smoke, a band of rebels who are opposed to everything that Pretty Town stands for. Tally can’t understand why Shay would want to leave, but circumstances soon drastically change for Tally, leaving her with no choice but to hunt down Shay. This book was rich with symbolism and had me on the edge of my seat, thinking about the consequences of a society so caught up on beauty and appearances that they are willing to sacrifice anything for the chance to be pretty.

“What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.”
― Scott Westerfeld, Uglies

Interested in this book? Uglies is the December See YA Book Club pick. We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, December 3rd at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

Books in the Uglies series

  1. Uglies (2005)
  2. Pretties (2005)
  3. Specials (2006)
  4. Extras (2007)

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

Wednesday March 4th session will be meeting in the Story Room.

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

January 7 – She is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran

February 4 – Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

March 4 – The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera

April 1 – Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell

May 6 – If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

June 3 – Shut Up, This is Serious by Carolina Ixta

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

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“I feel special. Like maybe I deserve to be here.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid

Is there an author you have seen everywhere that you have been reluctant to read? For me, this author is Freida McFadden. Her books are flying off the shelves at the library with her new ones having long holds lists. In an effort to figure out her popularity, I decided to listen to The Housemaid, the first book in her Housemaid series. Before I get into the book, let me share something: I love psychological thrillers and the twists, turns, and brutal endings they can have. Because of this, I am a bit picky about what psychological thrillers I read, but I still wanted to give Freida McFadden a try.

Here’s a brief synopsis: Millie is looking for a fresh start. She has been let go from her last job and is sleeping in her car, so when she scores an interview to be a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family, she is surprised. Given her previous work history and her past, Millie knows she probably won’t get the job, but surprise, she is offered the job! She is tasked with cleaning the house from top to bottom, picking up the Winchesters’ daughter from school, making their meals, and a myriad of other tasks. The lady of the house, Nina, at first seems like a dream, but soon turns into a nightmare. She rips up the house, making messes and blaming Millie. She repeatedly tells lies and gaslights Millie. The constant whiplash between nice and angry pushes Millie close to Nina’s husband, Andrew. Millie doesn’t see how the two could have ended up together. Andrew is extremely attractive, while Nina doesn’t take pride in her appearance and has let herself go. As Nina continues to deteriorate, Andrew grows more broken. Soon Millie believes that Andrew deserves better and that she appreciates him more than Nina does. When Andrew and Millie are given the opportunity to act out their desires, Millie feels like her dreams have come true. She doesn’t realize it’s a trap until it’s too late, but unfortunately for the Winchesters, they have underestimated Millie.

My thoughts: While I enjoyed the twists and the ending, there were other parts I found repetitive. Some scenes also felt tedious and at times I felt this book could have benefitted from another editing round. The Housemaid was a good thriller, but honestly I was hit with dejavu many times, like I had read this book or plot before. This was a solid three star read because of its predictability.

The Housemaid series

Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam

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Michelle Lam’s juvenile graphic novel debut, Meesh the Bad Demon, is the story of unlikely heroes, bad guys, and the stereotypes and myths that surround them. Meesh, a bad demon, tries to find her place, but instead discovers that she doesn’t quite fit in with her peers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though!

Twelve-year-old Meesh would rather read magazines from Plumeria City (the fairy realm), watch fairy television shows, and talk to flowers instead of doing typical demon things. She spends her days seeing the good in people and the world around her. That, unfortunately makes Meesh a ‘bad’ demon in the eyes of her peers. Meesh struggles with fire breathing, acid-puking, horn-sharpening, lava-molding, and many other skills that her school in Mount Magma works to teach young demons to prepare them for the world. Luckily for Meesh, her grandma is there to listen and to try to understand her problems.

When disaster strikes Mount Magma, Meesh is at first confused and scared. Running to her grandma for help, Meesh discovers that her grandma is in danger. All of demon-kind is in trouble and Meesh must find help. Escaping from Mount Magma, Meesh is on the lookout for other worlds. Stumbling upon the fairy realm, Meesh is convinced that the fairies will be able to help her save the other demons. Just when she thinks her problems are solved, Meesh realizes that something is not quite right in the fairy realm. They aren’t the perfect creatures she always thought, but Meesh is determined to solve her problem and ends up making new friends along the way. Meesh and her group of outcast friends all learn that there’s more to themselves than the stereotypical things others think about them. Learning to love yourself and knowing your own strengths while being able to ask for help are just some of the important lessons that readers will learn in this book.

Meesh the Bad Demon was absolutely adorable. While I am definitely not the target audience of this juvenile graphic novel, I appreciated the author’s clear determination to teach readers about the importance of understanding and accepting others’ differences. Highly recommend.

Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

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“We show the people we love the ugliest parts of ourselves, and we tell them the truth even when it hurts, because that’s what intimacy is.”
― Ivy Fairbanks, Morbidly Yours

Morbidly Yours is the first book in the Love in Galway series by Ivy Fairbanks. This series starter was a sweet, yet spicy, open door romance between a demisexual Irish mortician and a Texan widow who moves across the world to escape her past.

Callum Flannelly is painfully shy. He has been working at the family undertaking business for years, but after learning that his grandfather updated his will before he died, his life and business are in jeopardy if Callum can’t meet one major stipulation. Callum must marry before his thirty-fifth birthday if he wants to inherit the business. The main problem: he has no romantic prospects and the few dates he has been on have not ended well.

Lark Thompson has left Texas to restart her life and career in Galway, Ireland. Having found her rental site unseen, Lark was excited to be moving next door to a quaint bed and breakfast. Imagine her surprise when she learns that, instead of the bed and breakfast, she is living next to an undertaking business! The last thing Lark wants is to be reminded of the death of her husband by living next to a funeral home.

When she meets Callum though, Lark is intrigued. After Callum shares his dating dilemma, Lark decides to help him on his quest to find the one. The tiny issue is that the more time they spend together, the more she grows to like Callum and vice versa. The two develop a chemistry that they are both scared to investigate further because their time together is limited. Their connection grows stronger by the day though and it quickly becomes obvious that something has to give.

I absolutely adored the chemistry between the two main characters, but there was a bit of a miscommunication between them that could have been fixed if they *just talked to each other*. Still recommend this title and I will definitely be reading the second in the series, Heart Strings.

Love in Galway series (so far)

  1. Morbidly Yours (2023)
  2. Heart Strings (2025)

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

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“What’s wrong with me? … I might seem like the ideal student: homework always in early, every extra credit and extra curricular I can get my hands on, the good girl and the high achiever. But I realized something just now: it’s not ambition, not entirely. It’s fear. Because I don’t know who I am when I’m not working, when I’m not focused on or totally consumed by a task. Who am I between the projects and the assignments, when there’s nothing to do? I haven’t found her yet and it scares me. Maybe that’s why, for my senior capstone project this year, I decided to solve a murder.”
― Holly Jackson, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Every community has a story that haunts the residents. The town of Fairview is not exception to this. Five years ago, popular high school senior Andie Bell went missing and her boyfriend, Sal Singh, was accused of her murder. Not long after Andie went missing, Sal killed himself, leaving the community bereft with questions and her family without a body. It was all anyone could talk about for years. Now five years later, senior Pippa Fitz-Amobi has decided to reopen the Andie Bell case as her senior capstone project. Pip believes that Sal was innocent and that the only way to find the real killer is to do her own investigation. This means digging for answers to a case that everyone else believes is closed. With the help of Sal’s younger brother, Pip reexamines this closed case. It doesn’t take long before Pip ruffles someone’s feathers enough that they start threatening her. This case takes a dangerous turn for all those involved.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the first book in the series of the same name by Holly Jackson. This series debut was intriguing from the start. Pip is smart and driven to solve this case, sometimes to the detriment of her own safety. Each character in this story is well-developed, while the plot wasn’t too predictable. The plot twists were unexpected. I also enjoyed that the author was able to weave in multiple storylines without it becoming too convoluted and confusing. All in all, a great read for both teens and adults.

Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series

  1. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (2019)
  2. Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020)
  3. As Good as Dead (2021)

Interested in this book? A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is the October See YA Book Club pick (it was also made into a series on Netflix!). We will be discussing this book on Wednesday, October 1st at 6:30pm at our Eastern Avenue branch. For more information about future See YA book picks, visit our website.

See YA Book Club

Join our adult book club with a teen book twist. See why so many teen books are being turned into movies and are taking over the best seller lists.

Registration is not required. Books are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Eastern Avenue library. We meet the first Wednesday of the month at Eastern at 6:30pm. Stop by the service desk for more information.

October 1 – A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

November 5 – Rez Ball by Byron Graves

December 3 – Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

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“Cin, I can barely breathe when you are not near. If anything were to happen to you, if you left me to be alone again, these memories of you would kill me.”
― Kimberly Lemming, That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon

I checked out That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming purely because of what the cover looked like. This book reminded me of the classic romance novel covers – think Fabio shirtless with his long hair blowing in the wind (highly recommend you look this up for *research* purposes). I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I enjoyed this read! That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon is the first book the Mead Mishaps series by Kimberly Lemming.

Cinnamon lives a quiet life as a spice trader. Having taken over part of her family’s spice farm, all Cinnamon wants to do is get a cat, expand her business, and actively avoid any adventuring. Stumbling her way home from a town party late one night, Cinnamon bumps into a demon that she decides, in her wine-drunk state, to save. Coming to her senses, Cinnamon runs to her parents’ house for safety. Upon awaking the next morning, she is shocked to see that the demon is still around and that he needs her help. Fallon, the demon, is on a mission to kill an evil witch that has been enslaving demons for centuries. Why should Cinnamon care? Well it turns out this evil witch also has her hands in the operations of her town and basically the entire country. Shocked, Cinnamon has no choice to go along with Fallon in their attempt to kill off the witch and rescue the enslaved demon. It doesn’t hurt matters that Fallon is easy on eyes and just so happens to keep burning off his shirt.

This was an adorably hilarious and steamy read. The spicy scenes take place on page, so be prepared if you decide to give this a read. I found myself laughing out loud in places because Cinnamon is quite funny. Fallon is intense, but his intensity helped balance out Cinnamon’s quirkiness. Their relationship started slow, but things got steamy once they decided to be serious. If you’re looking for a blend of romance, humor, and adventure, dive into this series debut!

Mead Mishaps series

  1. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon (2021)
  2. That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf (2023)
  3. That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human (2023)

Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

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“Everyone drifts from their path once in a while. But your path is still there waiting. It’s a perfectly good one.”
― Tessa Bailey, Fangirl Down

Fangirl Down is the first book in the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey. Wells Whitaker used to be golf’s biggest, and hottest, rising star, but lately his game has been of and his attitude is trash. Instead of amassing wins, he’s gathering hangovers, a stash of broken clubs, and is left with one lonely supporter. His last fan is a gorgeous redhead who is positive no matter how badly Wells plays. The angrier he gets, the perkier and louder she cheers. Wells’ frustration hits its peak, leaving him to quit the game forever in a flurry of rage. He speaks angrily to his last fan and she finally leaves him. As soon as they are separated, Wells knows he has messed up and regrets his actions, but doesn’t know what to do.

Josephine Doyle has believed in Wells for as long as she can remembers. She can see the promise in this cantankerous golfer even when he doesn’t believe in himself. When he finally quits and treats her so poorly, Josephine is left to wonder if her belief was misguided. Making her way home, Josephine is left to work in her family’s shop, but when an act of nature destroys the shop, Josephine isn’t sure what she will find the money to rebuild her family’s dream and legacy. When Wells shows up at her door out of nowhere, Josephine is shocked. When he suggest a wild business proposal that will benefit both of them, her shock reaches new levels. Wells offers Josephine the position as his new caddy where she will help him improve his game and where she will leave with a big chunk of the prize money. Josephine takes him up on his offer and the two start traveling together.

This innocent business proposal quickly spirals out of control as sparks fly between the two. They become inseparable, fighting for each other in front of the press and in front of the other golfers and caddies. Wells starts winning again, Josephine starts to rebuild her family’s business, and the two grow closer and closer. Their professional relationship as boss and employee is tested as they start to explore the possibilities of a romantic relationship.

Fangirl Down was a spicy read with the romance and sexy scenes happening on the page for you to read. There is a reason why some readers call Tessa Bailey the queen of dirty talk. This sports romance has some intriguing tropes: grumpy x sunshine, insta love, he falls first, just to name a few. The banter between Wells and Josephine flies off the pages. The main characters have a palpable attraction, chemistry that ripples between the two, and a verbal wit that can’t be matched. Check out this book if you like your romance on the spicier side.

This title is also available in large print and Playaway audiobooks.

Big Shots series

  1. Fangirl Down (2024)
  2. The Au Pair Affair (2024)
  3. Dream Girl Drama (2025)
  4. Pitcher Perfect (2025)
  5. Catch Her If You Can (2026)

The Crime Brûlée Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly

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The Crime Brûlée Bake Off is the first book in the Claire Walker Mystery series by Rebecca Connolly. This book reminded me of The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell as both are murder mysteries that take place during British baking competitions. Think of a mix between Clue and The Great British Baking Show and that’s exactly what these books are.

Claire Walker has been selected as a contestant on Britain’s Battle of the Bakers, an incredibly popular cooking show. To say she’s thrilled would be an understatement. If she wins, Claire wants to stop teaching and kick off her career as a baker. Turning up at Blackfirth Park where the show is to take place, Claire and the other contestants are introduced to Johnathan Ainsley, the Viscount of Colburn, and the ghost rumors that surround the family and the grounds.

Jonathan is not happy that the cooking competition will be filming on his estate, but the visibility should hopefully help the estate and the town. He doesn’t want to be involved with the show or the contestants and thankfully his staff understands and is keeping them away. When someone is found murdered on the grounds, Jonathan founds himself drawn into the case . . . and drawn to Claire. The two start working together to solve the crime. Through their investigation, they discover similarities between the current case and the death of the tenth Viscountess of Colburn over 200 years ago. Claire and Jonathan also start to feel a romantic connection and can’t stay away from each other. Their budding romance combined with the murder sends the two down a road that could either lead to disaster or happiness.

I am excited to see how the romance progresses in the book and if the characters remain friends in the next books in the series. This was a fun read, but the mystery elements were too predictable for my liking. (ALSO in every other cozy mystery I have read, the police repeatedly tell citizens not to get involved, but in the story, the detective actively sought out two people to help him investigate! What?!)

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara

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“Life is for making messes, my girl. That’s living. That’s a privilege we only get for maybe eighty years at a go. We’re given this wonderful, beautiful sandbox to play in, and what a waste it is to never try and build something from it, even if the rain sweeps it away in the end.”
― Maxie Dara, A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer

In A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer, author Maxie Dara takes the concept of grim reapers and flips it on its head. This delightful series debut introduces readers to the employees of S.C.Y.T.H.E., also known as Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences. These employees are modern day grim reapers without the black cloaks and scythes. Instead they are handled the case files of the recently departed, tasked with finding their souls and delivering them to processing as soon as they can. They must complete their jobs within 45 days or the souls are trapped on Earth, forced to haunt as ghosts.

Kathy Valence is in her early forties going through a divorce from her almost ex-husband Simon. Her job at S.C.Y.T.H.E. is the easiest part of her life, at least until she goes to collect the soul of her latest client, seventeen-year-old Conner Ortiz, and discovers that his soul is missing. Kathy must track down Conner in 45 days, but this proves tricky. When she eventually finds Conner, he is beyond angry. He insists that someone who works with Kathy killed him. Conner refuses to go with Kathy until she figures out who killed him and why.

This series debut was hilarious. Each character’s backstory was fascinating and allowed room for growth in the next books. While this book is billed as a paranormal mystery, that was not the vibe. This book read more as introductions to each of the characters with less focus on the mystery. I would have liked more information about S.C.Y.T.H.E. though! Kathy didn’t know much about how S.C.Y.T.H.E. actually worked, which was a red flag for me, but the ending made it seem like she was interested in finding out. The relationship between Connor and Kathy, plus how Kathy’s coworker Jo played into the story, kept me reading. Solid 4 star read!