The Body falls by andrea carter

Rating: 5*****

Published: April 2nd 2020 by Constable

Synopsis:

April in Florida and Ben O’Keeffe is enjoying balmy temperatures, working the last few days of a six-month stint with her old law firm. A week later she returns to Glendara, Inishowen where a charity cycle race is taking place. But it starts to rain, causing the cyclists to postpone the start of their event and stay overnight in the town. But the rain doesn’t stop; it increases to become relentless, torrential.

In the middle of the night Sergeant Tom Molloy is called out to Mamore Gap, where a body, dislodged from a high bank by the heavy rain, has fallen onto the vet’s jeep. It is identified as Bob Jameson ,a well known local charities boss, and the organizer of the cycling event. Stunned, the local GP confirms that the cause of death was a snakebite.

Terrible weather persists and soon bridges are down and roads are impassable. Glendara is completely cut off, with a killer at the heart of the community. Who is responsible for Bob Jameson’s death? One of the strangers in town or someone closer to home? It’s left to Molloy, with Ben’s assistance, to find out what is going on.

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Another brilliantly written! It’s when you pick up a book in the bookstore and you just literally can’t wait to get home and start reading it, bringing you back to the favorite main characters and county Donegal, Ireland. Not many books are set there, but you will recognize the setting if you have been there for a visit when reading Inishoven Mysteries.

The death of the man takes place while many have come to participate in cycling charity event. Due to terrible rain fall weather conditions, the event is postponed for later. However you may think the road closures and bridge falls can only happen in the books, this one brings close to the reality at the time when Inishowen was cut off from all the roads due to massive flooding in August 2017.

The Body Falls is intriguing from cover to cover read, and sad once the book is over, as would have to wait for the next one to meet the characters again. They are so vivid live, that I feel I know them. Ben’s views in this book has matured and she is not running anymore, but faces whatever the situation may bring on. She is always curious and happy to be back to her home and people around, esp.Molloy whom in the last book she left off for States, without giving an answer to proposal. The thing is, even sh though she will think of it while working and living in States, but she finds herself being back – where she left…

When Ben arrives back and stays overnight at her parents place, it pass quite better than her regular quick, short visits…but then there’s a man in the house who is a stranger, but it seems he feels very cozy as if it was his house and the moment Ben meets him, he studies HER parents fridge as NOT being a guest there…who is he??

Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber

Rating: 5*****

Published:  May 31st 2018 by Hodder & Stoughton

Synopsis: A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.
After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister Scarlett from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more – and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets . . . including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice. But now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about – maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . the games have only just begun.

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The cover is gorgeous, and represents the very finale of the book, grand fireworks on display..

This book! Oh, my! Complete 5 starred rating in one go! Without going much into paraphrasing what has been told on synopsis, this was amazing read, I absolutely loved the suspense, mystery about who the Legend will be, which new character will appear and how will it be handled as it start to become more and more complex. I have read the great reviews and still was skeptical to the series, as very often second book messes the first one, this is not the case. The plot developed, characters grow throughout the book, it handles the multiple climaxes excellent way, and is wrapped in wonderful, smooth language. The little pinch of romance included adds the charm.

I loved the focus on this book was for Donaltella and Dante, and i am happy the book was not only about Scarlett and Julian, although I did enjoyed their story in previous book Caraval. The Legendary is written from Tella’s point of view, we, readers get to know below surface, her sister Scarlet has never known about, and we had no idea what was going on book #1, which creates the urge to re-read the book again to understand with this extra knowledge now, why Tella’s actions were as they were in Caraval’s first play this year.

Tella is acting first and thinking later, often it has led her to troubles and now that’s exactly what happens again and again. She is someone who is not afraid to take a risk and jumps for it, hoping it will work out and she will find a way to tackle the problems, the aims and her dreams she have had forever and which ones have kept her going. Don’t we can refer to this? Sometimes we just jump for a thought it may work and whatever happens we could deal with any consequences…

Tella doesn’t believe in love, but still she dreams of having this one for her she has been fantasising about. She has kissed many boys and knows she can’t trust them or they are willing to promise million things for kisses and love makes people stupid. Still she wonders how it is to kiss when you could die for that one kiss…is that even possible? Can a kiss cause such emotions? Donatella believes being in love makes person stupid and sooner or later it will die. She fights her own demons and game she has been playing in order to pay debts of requests she has made, which has led her here where she is now… some are deadly and some are adventurous. I loved her wicked tongue and that we can read how she is weighting her thoughts for which decision to take. We learn more about her mother and how her disappearance seems too mysterious and it also opens more questions for the next finale book!

In Legendary we have a new character Jack, he is well-known for his skills by killing each of his finances, everyone is scared by him and he also has a wicked humor as much as Tella and Dante has. It’s fun to read and yes, as you may have read Caraval or have heard, the both books are united by one common thing – nothing is as it seems – its way crazier and there’s always possibility of betrayal when you can’t rely on anything, unless you hold a strong believe and hope.

The Caraval series have become one of my new favorites. Which means I will be trying to get those for my bookshelf. Thank you for reading!

The Call of the Swamp by Davide Cali, Marco Somà (Illustrations)

Rating: 5*****

Release day:  September 25th 2017 by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

I received the e-arc from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company EBYR for an honest review.

This is interesting children book about adoption topic, it opens a lot of space for parents and kids to talk through as well as provides and interesting story.

The plot is about a boy who knows his parents have adopted him and he enjoys living with them, enjoys learning new things such as riding bicycle with others, knowing he is different, but never have felt different among the rest of the kids. Boris knows his parents loves him that’s why they took him home when they found him at the swamp. One day he breathes the air and feels he is in the wrong place and that the swamp is calling him, he leaves and goes to live in the swamp among the others who seems to be similar to him. His loving parents leaves him messages he is still loved even he chose to live elsewhere and one day he realizes swamp is not his place after all.

Which I would see as a stage where adopted child discovers his origins and think it is the place where he belongs, leaving all the “home” feeling he has ever experienced together with his adoptive parents and following his heart. The adoptive parents trust him and let him find his own answers to questions that bothers him and letting him know he is always a loved son of theirs.  I think that is a great message to be discussed with parents at young age and it follows as a base for more open conversations between a kid and a parent.

I found the illustrations adorable and unique, so full of details and loads of what to explore mathing the plot line.