forgive my mouth

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells, The Body in the Garden (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman, and Martinis and Mayhem (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) by Donald Bain.


What I am Currently Reading: Water Like a Stone (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.


What I Plan to Read Next: Still a variety of library books out and even more on request, so a library book.

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Book 43 of 2025: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)

This book was so good! Poor traumatized Murderbot! As if it wasn't bad enough that it was depressed, now it has PTSD! I love how much its humans care about it. I also love the relationship between Murderbot and ART so much! And I'm so happy that Murderbot is staying with ART!!!! I like Iris and Tarik, so I look forward to seeing more of them (if there are more books to come). I wonder whether we will see Ratthi and the others again? As for the mission, I like how it worked out, especially the one SecUnit disabling its governor module and warning them! I also liked how Three liked non-fiction and was willing to listen to the other ship. (I wonder why ART doesn't like the other ship; did it once try to steal its humans?)

So good! I still have one book left because I was forewarned that this one immediately followed Network Effect. I’m obviously giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 44 of 2025: The Body in the Garden (A Lily Adler Mystery) (Katharine Schellman)

I liked this book a lot. I really liked Lily, and her mystery-solving-cohorts, Jack and Ofelia. The mystery was interesting, though I did guess who the murderer was (mainly because I just didn't care for her, so clearly she had to be the murderer). I was disappointed that Lily and her friend Serena had a bit of a falling out. I disagree with Serena, but I can see her reasoning. At that point in time all a woman had was what her husband could give her and if anything happened to that she was screwed. I'm glad that Jack took on Jem.

I enjoyed this book and have already requested the second in the series from the library. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 45 of 2025: Martinis & Mayhem (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) (Donald Bain)

I enjoyed this book (though you know I'll have something to say about it in a future M[F]M post). We got to see George Sutherland again and watch the relationship between he and Jessica deepen. Also, I loved that he returned to Cabot Cove with her, and that they're making plans for her to go to Scotland.

I love that Jessica and George worked to solve a murder that got an innocent woman out of jail. And I loved that her step-daughter helped get her out. I like the notion of the two of them living as happily ever after together as they can.

I'm happy to see that these books are getting better, even though there are still some inconsistencies (within the book and with the show). I'm giving it four hearts.

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