Review: A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since the final season of the HBO Game of Thrones series is being aired, I decided it was time to get on the bandwagon and read the books and watch the series. A Game of Thrones takes place in medieval times and centers around the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It centers around several warring families including the Starks, Baratheons, Lannisters, and the Targaryens. Each family either has designs to rule the lands of these continents or have a hand in helping someone out, ergo, it is a "game of thrones" between these families to see who will take the throne as King. The Starks are generally the good guys who butt heads with the Lannisters who are trying to gain the throne through their marriage into the Baratheon family.

As the series begins, Robert Baratheon is King of the realm and his wife (evil) Cersis Lannister is Queen. King Robert's "right hand" man Lord Jon Arryn suddenly dies, and the good King selects Lord Eddard Stark as his new right hand. Although he doesn't want the job, he takes it to hopefully keep peace in the land and to keep the evil Lannisters from taking over the kingdom. Lord Ed and his wife Lady Catelyn suspect the Lannisters of killing King Robert's hand Lord Jon. Taking the job is King Roberts new hand, Lord Ed can hopefully find out if their suspicions are correct. Then there are the Targaryens who have their own little plot to take over. Well, this leads to all kinds of scheming, colluding, and downright evilness. Many are killed and many end up in bad places.

I have enjoyed this first book in the series and will continue on. It is very well crafted with a little humor sprinkled among the dark and incestuous scenes throughout the book.

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Review: Dyeing Season

Dyeing Season by Karen MacInerney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Spring has arrived in the little town of Buttercup, Texas and once again a killer is loose. Buttercup is the home of novice farm girl Lucy Resnick who is struggling to maintain her grandmother's farm. The town is in the throes of Easter season when a spring thunderstorm produces a tornado in the quiet Texas community. Lucy and her friend Quinn rush next door to check on her neighbor, Dottie, who is an elderly housebound senior. The group weathers the storm but missing from the area is Dottie's home health worker Eva and Lucy's new baby goat, Cinnamon. As Lucy ventures out to survey the damage and search for Cinnamon, she discovers a body whose demise was far from weather-related, but points to murder.

Lucy, who is a former investigative reporter, goes in search of the killer and motive behind the murder and uncovers a fraudulent scam aimed at the local senior citizens of the community. Can Lucy put the pieces of the scam together before she meets her own demise?

I thoroughly enjoy all of Karen MacInerney's cozy mystery series. I especially enjoy her Dewberry Farm Mysteries for the Texas references and setting. I am looking forward to furthering adventures of Lucy in Buttercup, Texas.

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Review: Grand Slam Murders

Grand Slam Murders by R.J. Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The "Gin Girls" of the Rosalie Bridge Club meet for an afternoon of card playing and strategy planning before their next tournament and turn up dead before the first hand is dealt. Known for their wild and crazy antics in their youth, these four widowed women are the social elite of the area harboring secrets about their past. They are still the pride of Rosalie but their deaths cast quite a bit of suspicion and fingerpointing to the housekeeper and groundskeeper of the club's host Miz Liddie.

Wendy Winchester, local newspaper columnist and daughter of Officer Bax Winchester is assigned to cover the life story of the wealthy widows. As their stories start to unravel, Wendy begins putting the pieces of the mystery together as to who would off the entire group of Gin Girls. Along with her dad and her policeman boyfriend Ross, Wendy rushes to solve the mystery behind the last hand played and keep herself from being the next victim.

This is a great start to a new series by R. J. Lee. It is full of southern charm and great characters. Looking forward to the next in the series.

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Review: Civil War Springfield

Civil War Springfield by Larry Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a short but thorough look at the battles and occupation of Springfield, Missouri during the Civil War. Soon after Fort Sumter, Union forces moved into Springfield with Confederate troops arriving soon after. The constant back and forth between the two sides lead to the battle of Wilson's Creek and two "skirmishes" in Springfield that kept the city in the Ozarks a pivotal area during the war in Missouri. Larry Wood covers all aspects of the area from the time the first troops arrived until they left in 1865. Beyond the military movement, Wood details life in the Ozarks for the 2000 inhabitants, medical concerns after a very bloody battle, and the political pulse of the citizens of southwest Missouri.

This is a great little book full of information and perfect for the person who is looking for details of Springfield during the Civil War.

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