Pleasant Nights

Title: The Puzzle Master

Author: Danielle Trussoni

Genre: mystery

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This book was a ton of fun. Mike sustained a head injury as a teenager, which unlocked his brain, and he can now see puzzles, do extensive math, and has an eidetic memory. He spends most of his time creating puzzles for newspapers. However, when a convicted murderer demands to speak with him, he’s drawn into a puzzle he’s never seen before.

Jess Price was convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend, but she claims she is innocent. When Mike meets her, she gives him a puzzle he cannot solve. But that puzzle is the key to understanding what happened to her. It happens to be the God Puzzle, created centuries earlier. And the story of whose hands that puzzle got into is pretty crazy.

I really enjoyed this book, even though math and puzzles aren’t my thing. The author did a great job of not leaving me behind in the explanations. Mike is a fun character, and I look forward to the sequel.

Title: Identikill

Author: KR Alexander

Genre: Middle grade horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Twins Chelsea and Angelica are inseparable, even though Angelica died several years ago. No one believes that Chelsea can still see her twin, and she has lost several friends who think she’s crazy when she tells them.

However, Chelsea befriends a new girl who is kind and thoughtful. She and Jeanette get to know one another, and Angelica is jealous. As her jealousy grows, so does her strength. Soon, Chelsea becomes weaker as her twin gets stronger. Angelica can also impact the real world by moving things.

This book was a lot of fun. A quick read at under 200 pages, perfect for middle school kids. I loved the twist at the end, as well. Really enjoyable and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

Title: Name Not Taken

Author: Madeleine Henry

Genre: thriller

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Devon and Richard are madly in love, engaged, and she is finally going to meet his parents. But the welcome is quite frigid and critical. As a painter, Devon isn’t a traditional career woman and keeps odd hours. His parents make snide comments about her health and emotional stability, which causes Devon to become angry and frustrated.

As the wedge between Devon and Richard further divides them, his mother goes missing, causing Devon to become suspicious of the entire situation. The timing seemed too perfect for this to be a coincidence. But Richard pulls close to his family and farther from her.

This book was really good, and Devon was an excellent unreliable narrator. The ending didn’t come together as well as it could have, but overall, this is definitely one worth reading.

Title: The Thirteenth Child

Author: Erin A. Craig

Genre: fantasy

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I’m not a big fantasy fan, but this felt more like magical realism to me. I read Small Favors previously and enjoyed it, but this book was just wonderful and will stick with me for a while.

Hazel is the thirteenth child in her family, and before she was even born, the god of Death claimed her as his own goddaughter. He vowed to take care of her and train her to be a healer. Although he waited twelve years to fulfill that promise, Hazel became well-trained in her craft.

As she grows older, she realizes that the gods are much more impactful and difficult to deal with than she had expected. And the devotion of their followers isn’t always for the good of humanity. When Hazel is tasked with saving the king, her outlook on how the world works is changed forever. This book was really great, and I definitely recommend it.