This is the weakest of the O'Malley series, but its right in the middle, so no biggie. Jack and Cassie are goofy, rambunctious, and childlike. Makes perfect sense that their "Christian conflict" theme would be Jesus. Henderson is one of the more talented Christian authors you'll find, but this book didn't highlight her skills are a writer. If you're looking for a mystery/romance/Christian book for Christmas, this is a good bet.

I was skeptical when I picked this book up, and I admit that I do judge a book by its cover. It seemed like many of the books I've read before, and I'd just tried Shadow and Bone etc. But this one is a bit different - its of the up and coming New Adult genre, with YA overtones and adult themes. Honestly this book makes no sense - a post-Apocalyptic world with Middle Age technology, sorcery, and magic stones. It throws in some feminism, slavery and rape, and the issue of separation of church and state. Its trying to do a lot, but kind of like a J.J. Abrams TV show, it works because the elements are all familiar. Erika Johansen has created an interesting world. I'm intrigued enough to read the next one.

Note: The "Tearling" initially confused me, because while the "Darkling" is a character in Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone series, the Tearling is a country. Or province. Or territory. Whatever. Also, Emma Watson is going to play Queen Kelsea. But Queen Kelsea is ugly. Again, whatever.

Miss Jane Marple is always trying to combat the "little old lady" stereotypes, which she does quite well in this volume. I also enjoyed Lucy's character, which seemed so random, and made me like it all the more. I definitely know what to expect from Miss Marple books, and this fit the bill.

I'm reading Miss Marple in the order on Agatha Christie's website, so this book was actually part of a large collection. It was short, sweet, and to the point. Read it in 20 minutes.

Rachel is the most emotional O'Malley, and this book is all heart. School shootings are relevant hot topics right now, and I found Rachel's job title (trauma psychologist) fascinating and I wondered, Does this profession actually exist? It would be heart-breaking job. The book is again a current read, and Dee Henderson seems to know you'll be invested in the series, so she doesn't pull out all the stops like in The Negotiator. There is no real compelling mystery, its more romance and Christian themes. 3 stars.

A fun whodunit mystery of the week type. There are several suspects, and I spent the time narrowing down the possibilities. In the end, Jane Marple figured it out before me. Of course she did.

Not quite as exciting as Poldark, this one still brought me back to Cornwall and the daily lives and struggles of the people there. An adequate sequel.

Ah, we're back to the old-fashioned Miss Marple, but set in the Caribbean. This mystery didn't have me scratching my head as much, but its a welcome atmosphere and change of pace. Kind of read like a mystery dinner theatre.

I reached the end of the O'Malley series, and Steven's story is one of the more interesting of the six books because he gets the ultimate "Christian-y" message - death and its meaning. There's a lot of material in this one, and there's a reason Henderson saved his story for last. Of course, the women who "leads him to Christ" is blind and has experienced tragedy. Its gently preachy, with a little jewel heist mystery thrown in. You've been warned.

A more intriguing mystery, a shady hotel with "danger in the shadows" around every corner. I didn't figure this one out til the very end. The mystery was front and center, with lots of clues in every scene. Enjoyed this one a lot.