Holding Every Breath

Every Breath (Every #1) by Ellie Marney

Rating: 5 out of 5 hearts
335 pages
Released: September 2013
Buy it @ Angus & Robertson

Rachel Watts is an unwilling new arrival to Melbourne from the country. James Mycroft is her neighbour, an intriguingly troubled seventeen-year-old genius with a passion for forensics. Despite her misgivings, Rachel finds herself unable to resist Mycroft when he wants her help investigating a murder. And when Watts and Mycroft follow a trail to the cold-blooded killer, they find themselves in the lion's den - literally.

A night at the zoo will never have quite the same meaning again...

Review

Such a captivating story with a modern twist to that detective everyone loves so much. I was sucked in from the first few pages. Ellie Marney has a fantastic way of capturing Melbourne so that I could picture every detail in my mind so clearly. 

Rachel Watts is a fresh, new type of character who I liked straight away! A country girl trying to fit in while in the big city. The romance between Mycroft and Watts was something, after hearing reviews, that I was looking forward to and boy was I happy with what I got. It slowly crept up on me, it happened so quickly and all of a sudden I was left feeling all warm and gooey inside. 

There was also a lot of depth to both Mycroft and Watts. Their friendship is something I savoured and enjoyed. I was learning things about them that they were finding out for themselves and because of this I could really connect with them. 

The grisly murder that kick starts Mycroft and Watts into a duo detective team was developed perfectly. Little tastes of what may have happened were ever so slowly revealed until the most unlikely character is found out. I liked how the whole story seemed real, I didn't think while reading that certain things they were doing seemed too ridiculous. I believed that two teenagers can solve a murder. Although there is quite a unique and frightening escape made by Mycroft and Watts at the end which I found to be a bit unbelievable, but I can let that slide because it was so quirky. (there are others books in the series so I'm not giving any spoilers away by telling you they lived!)

I have heard even better things about "Every Word", so I'll have my magnifying glass ready. I fell into this book head first hoping and wishing for it to be wonderful, and I got that and SO much more! The game's afoot and I never want it to end!

On the cover

It's so awesome to see a local landmark on a book!! It's Flinders street station from Melbourne in the background. Both people on the front look very alike what I imagine the main characters to look like. It's a shame though that the girl on the cover is the same girl on the cover of "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher.

What I'm reading next: Stolen by Lucy Christopher

Mary Quinn is on the job

The Traitor and the Tunnel (The Agency #3) by Y. S. Lee
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
373 pages
Buy it @ book depository

Get steeped in suspense, romance, and high Victorian intrigue as Mary goes undercover at Buckingham Palace - and learns a startling secret at the Tower of London.

Queen Victoria has a little problem: there's a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary's onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary's most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn't be higher - and she has everything to lose.

Review: I love these books. Mary Quinn is an awesome character; she's witty, brave and independent which a big thing for a women living in the 19th century. 

Some time has passed since the previous book and Mary has finally graduated and become an official detective with The Agency. She has been given her first assignment since graduating to work as a maid in the Buckingham Palace to find out who has been stealing knick knacks from the Queen. These novels are light mystery stories with no horrible murders and light humor. Perfect for teenagers or anyone looking for something a little different but nothing too heavy. There's also some interesting history going on, after reading this it makes me want to research Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales to find out if they were really like they were portrayed in the book. 

Oh and James! At the end of the previous book Mary had told James something about her childhood which left him upset at her and not wanting to have anything to do with her. I was completely shattered! Their relationship up until then had been so fiery, what with their constant arguing with each other one moment and then passionately making up the next! So you can see why I got quite upset when I thought this will never happen again. Well, he doesn't get away so easily! He's back and oh so swoony *dreamy eyes* 

In the last book Mary found some information regarding her father and in this book we find out what really happened to him after all these years. I found this part of the story a little disappointing and that's why I took a star off. That's the only small thing I could fault with this otherwise I highly recommend this fantastic series!

To read my review of 'The Body at the Tower' click here
(My review seems a bit harsh, not sure why I didn't like it as much because I really liked this one...)

On the cover: So this cover is ok, but I would've prefered the other one on the goodreads page. This cover does depict a moment in the books though which is cool!

What I'm reading next: Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Do you like Historical novels?

What's happened to a great series?

The Full Cupboard of Life (No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency #5) 

By Alexander McCall Smith

Rating: 2 out of 5

Mma Ramotswe and Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni are still engaged, but with no immediate plans to get married. Mma Ramotswe wonders when a wedding date will be named, but she is anxious to avoid putting pressure on her fiancé. For indeed he has other things on his mind -- particularly a frightening request (involving a parachute jump) made by Mma Potokwani, the persuasive matron of the orphan farm.

Mma Ramotswe herself has weighty matters on her mind. She has been approached by a wealthy lady to check up on several suitors. Are these men interested in her or just her money? This may be difficult to find out, but it’s just the kind of case Mma Ramotswe likes and she is, as we know, a very intuitive lady.

Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi -- plucky assistant detective and deputy manager of the Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors garage -- is moving. Her entrepreneurial venture, the Kalahari Typing School for Men, is thriving and with this new income she has rented two rooms in a house. Her spare time is occupied with planning the move, the décor and her new life in a house with running water all to herself.

In the background of all this is Botswana, a country of empty spaces and echoing skies, a country so beautiful and entrancing that it breaks your heart. Mma Ramotswe has prepared the bush tea and is waiting for us to join her.

Review: I was really disappointed with this installment because I felt like it wasn’t about the mystery as much as being about boring daily Botswana stuff. Now I know these books are a light detective story and I usually like learning all about life in Botswana but this time it wasn’t doing anything for me and I got bored. I loved the other four because they had a really interesting mystery intertwined with the daily story of Mma Ramotswe but this one took quite a few chapters before we came across our mystery. In the end, I hate to say this, I didn’t finish the audiobook. Instead I looked online to find out what happened in the end and I kinda wished I had finished the book because something really important happened. Oh well! I think i’ll wait a while before I read the next one.

On the cover: It's not a very exciting cover and I don't see how it speaks specifically about the story because there wasn't really much to the story. I suppose the book is called "Full Cupboard of Life" and this a full cupboard?? 

Listening on Audio to next: Purity in Death by J. D. Robb

Have you read this series? What did you think?

The Skeleton Detective has done it again!

Playing with fire (Skulduggery Pleasant #2) by Derek Landy
Rating 4 out of 5 stars

"Skulduggery and Valkyrie are facing a new enemy: Baron Vengeous, who is determined to bring back the terrifying Faceless Ones and is crafting an army of evil to help him. Added to that, Vengeous is about to enlist a new ally (if he can raise it from the dead): the horrible Grotesquery, a very unlikable monster of legend.

Once Vengeous is on the loose, dead bodies and vampires start showing up all over Ireland. Now pretty much everybody is out to kill Valkyrie, and the daring detective duo faces its biggest challenge yet.

But what if the greatest threat to Valkyrie is just a little closer to home?"




Review: After listening on Audio to the first book in the ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ series I couldn’t wait to read the second. The first book was funny, magical and full of adventure, and this one also delivers all of those things. I love the soundtrack and special effect sounds on the audio book, it really sets the scene and makes the story more exciting! In the first book there were so many laugh out loud moments but I didn’t feel like there were as many in this one. I still really love the banter between main characters, Skulduggery & Valkyrie, at times I was amazed at what kind of comebacks a 13 year old could come up with (some were hilarious!) My favourite Skulduggery quote in this book would have to be “We aren’t retreating... we’re advancing in reverse”. These books are quick and easy to read and fill the time quite easily, So if you’re looking for a book full of fun then this series is what you’re looking for. Even though it wasn’t as funny as the first I still had a great time listening to it and I look forward to continuing the adventures with Skulduggery & Valkyrie. Keep up the good work of saving the world!!

On the cover: I LOVE these covers! They are so cool, the colors are very eye-catching against the black & whites and the catch phrase at the bottom is the perfect explanation of what is to come. Doesn't Skulduggery look fly in his suit :)


To see my review of the first book in the series click here

*Picture & blurb taken from goodreads


Listening to next: Then by Morris Gleitzman

Bye for now ~ Sami X