What Toi Read in February

We aim to please here at Lit Carnivale. You have the option to read the reviews below or scroll down to watch the review video . In February 2020, Toi read 1 nonfiction book (still in progress), 2 mystery books, 1 book with a black or marginalized main character, 1 graphic novel (nonfiction), 1 picture book, and 1 steampunk anthology. Check it out.

Bodies in the Boatyard (Mollie McGhie Sailing Mystery #2) 
Rating 4.0, Actual rating 4.25.

This was a fun follow-up to an overall fun series, which I am completely reading out of order.

The main reason I didn’t give this book a 5 is that I guessed who the bad guy was early in the book. Still, Jacobson entertained me throughout the story leading up to the big reveal.

There were more characters introduced in this installment and sometimes I got a little lost, but since each book includes a cool rundown of all the characters, I quickly got back on track and simply enjoyed the story.

The suspense level increased in this volume and there was a bit more violence, but nothing graphic and mostly happening “off-screen”, if that makes sense.

Highly recommended to fans of cozy mysteries, humor, and this series.

Dead in the Dinghy (A Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery Book 4) 
Rating 5.0
This is my favorite of the series so far and the whole series has been a fun ride. I am glad to know that more installments, at least one, is on the way.

I barely figured out who did it before the big reveal and wasn’t sure I was right until that moment. Nicely done on Jacobson’s part.

What really made me love this installment:
1) Mollie gets to show off her sailing skills and finally embraces a marina life. I’m happy to know that she’s content in her life.

2) Mollie finally gets some respect for her role as an investigator. I won’t give away spoilers but it’s nice when a character like Mollie receives respect from her peers.

3) Mollie has made mistakes in the past that haven’t given me much confidence in her abilities, but she’s always made me laugh. In this book, even her mistakes make sense. I was right there with her.

4) Mrs. Moto never stops being cute.

5) Sailing/boating rituals.

6) Some real touching moments that evoked real emotion.

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC of this book for an honest review.

Another really fun read. Highly recommended to fans of cozy mysteries, humor, and this series.

Sam The Speedy Sloth 
Rating 4.0
This was a cute story with vibrant images and fun rhyming words.

The story has a nice lesson for kids- being willing to accept a challenge and then knowing what your limits are. I’ve shared it with a few of my students and they really enjoyed the rhyming.

It works as a bedtime story, considering the end, but also works well as a storytime/carpet time read.

Recommended.

Healing Hannah’s Heart 
Rating 5.0, Actual rating, 4.5.

** spoiler alert ** This was an experimental read for me. I don’t read a lot of books with heavy drama, but I really wanted to read this book since I met the author at a local author event I attended. I also read this as part of my Black History Month 2020 reading. Overall, the experience was emotional. The author’s style of writing is very inviting and personal. She is clearly talented in developing complex stories with highly flawed characters and produces something that should indulge lovers of drama. I am not a lover of drama but still recognize this book’s ability to make me angry as a clear sign that the author and her publishing team did something right. I’m glad I’ve read this book and have been recommending it to people I think will like it, but I didn’t like it. I do appreciate the experience of stepping out of my comfort zone to read something so well-developed and well-written that it’s okay that I didn’t love it.

Why this book made me angry:
1) I didn’t like any of the characters, especially the main character. With that said, I understand that in order to share a redemption tale you must have somewhere to start. Still, by the end of this book, I only kind of liked Hanna. I’m hoping that her hypocritical and woe-is-me outlook on like was intentional. There were tragic and violent things happening to this character that was completely outside of her control, but her reaction to these tragedies was all her. Most of the issues I had with her throughout 90% of the book were resolved in the last 10% but some stuff was never addressed. There was never any real acceptance, on the part of Hanna, for the wrong she did to her life and marriage by not telling anyone about what happened to her. Her choice to withhold the truth was just as bad as entering a marriage under a lie. Yes, she has a long-running internal monologue where she said something to the effect of “maybe things would have been different if I told him,” but she never says that to him. And while they are in marriage counseling, she never pursues trauma counseling. Plus, there were other things she did that just didn’t sit right with me. I felt like her story only worked because she was a famous model. Had she been an average woman, her life wouldn’t have bounced back so easily, not that it was easy to her.

2) I really didn’t like that the most likable character in this story, to me, was the husband who cheated on his wife. I pray daily to get over my hatred of people who cheat, but honestly, he was the most likable character, except for the fact he chose to abandon his child to please a wife that was, quite frankly, impossible to please until after being tragically burned. There are so many men in this world who want nothing to do with their kids and this man wanted to be part of his child’s life but walked away to try to fix his broken marriage (which was broken the day they said I do).

3) All the parents in this book made me mad: Jake, Hanna, their parent’s, etc…

4) It was unsettling the lack of remorse Tim had for his actions until he realized he would get in trouble. Clearly, this kid had been let down by every adult in his life, but to do what he did and then spend time with one of his victims and not really care or feel a need to confess until told to do so, was just weird. The kid might be a sociopath and now he’ll be molded into a truly hardened criminal behind penitentiary walls.

5) The racial stuff in this book was pretty accurate. Any anger I felt towards that part was simply because it was such a good reflection of reality. It’s the sad truth of the world we live in.

So, I know that was a lot, but just remember, these are only my feelings based on reading outside my comfort zone. I’ll gladly return to my world of escapism with fantasy and sci-fi for a few months. Still, I’d like to read more from this author.

Highly recommended if you love drama. If you don’t, proceed with caution.

March: Book Two
Rating 5.0

This was a re-read for me, but I never left a review the first time around. I rushed through the book trying to complete a reading challenge and decided this series deserved better than that. Re-reading it this year allowed me to focus on the images that accompanied the words and pick up on things I missed with the rushed first read.

Like the first book in the series, this book evokes emotions and memories. For anyone who hasn’t really experienced racial hatred, this may seem like a work of fiction, but it’s not. I get that schools can only teach so much in school, but I feel like that kids could be taught more about what happens in this book instead of memorizing Dr. King’s speech. I love Dr. King’s speech and want it to keep being presented to US youth, but if more of what’s in this book was taught, I think kids would seek out and memorize that speech on their own.

I’ll get off my soapbox and simply say thanks to those who helped put this series out. I’ll be re-reading the 3rd book also, but that may take some time. After reading this, I need a break from reliving the past… but I will be back. I will not be afraid to face the truth of US history.

Highly recommended

Gears, Ghouls, and Gauges: A Steampunk Anthology
Rating 4.0, Actual rating 4.25.

This was a fun read and much-needed escapism after a few highly dramatic reads. As much as I enjoyed this collection, something kept me from going completely gaga over it. There was one story that has stuck with me and thus, an additional 0.25 to my rating. Still, I would read this again when wanting something light and fun to pass the time. There’s a companion to this collection I’ll start next and hopefully, that one will make me go gaga.

Here are my overall thoughts:
The Mechanist’s daughter by Tracie MsBride- Clever and sweet. 4.0
The Lady Defiance by Mandy Burkhead- Romantic. I could read more about the Captain and her crew. 4.5
An Evening on Harbor Ridge by Mark Rivett- Military drama is not really my thing, but it was told very well. 3.5
In the Cavern of Sleepers by Ali Abbas- Magical. 4.0
Fractured Moonlight by W.T. Paterson- Sad, but hopeful. 4.0
Basic Black by K.A. Fox- Love this world. My favorite in the collection. 5.0
The Grand Assault by J. Woolston Carr- Clever and suspenseful. 3.75
The Steam Horses of Stem Park by Robert B Read, Jr- Whimsical. 4.5
Jewels from the Deep by Nils Nisse Visser- A kind of “sticking it to the man” tale. 4.0
The Bronze Bomer by Briant Laslo- Clever and complex. 3.75
La Muerda by Mercury- Daring and provocative. 4.0
Divine by E. A. Catania. Fun and suspenseful. I like the mythical references. 5.0

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC with no expectation to review.

Highly recommended to fans of steampunk and anthologies

So, did you read any good books in February? What did you think of the ones I read? Until next time, I hope you love books as much as #carnieluvsboox.

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