Quick Synopsis: Viv is a battle orc ready to retire and open the first coffee shop in Thune. While building and eventually running the shop, she makes friends and enemies.

Thoughts: There isn’t much plot, but it was adorable. I kind of thought of it as a paint-by-number. Viv needs a location; she finds a location. She needs a construction worker; she sees one. She wants to serve food; she finds a baker. And so on, building a small group of employees, friends, and customers. But it’s a beautiful story about people who shouldn’t be judged by their appearances and how you can find friendship in the most unlikely places.

The Eighth Sister is about Charles Jenkins, a former CIA agent. He is currently running a security consulting company that is not doing well and has a new baby. He is unexpectedly approached by his former boss for a classified mission. He is to go to Russia to find the identity of the person who is killing US spy cells known as the Seven Sisters. On the verge of bankruptcy and wanting to help protect the identities of the remaining Sisters, Jenkins accepts the job. 

I am a big fan of Robert Dugoni’s Tracy Crosswhite series, so I tried his Charles Jenkins series. My main issue is with Charles. He was such a good spy after being retired for almost 40 years. He was able to make contacts within hours, and when shit hit the fan, he was able to stay ahead of the Russians. At the same time, he was either the dumbest person or the most susceptible. 

. He completely took the word of his former boss and did not stop to think about it. He believed he was the only person capable of doing this job in the CIA. He’s been retired for almost 40 years. Also, why didn’t he do more due diligence with the company for which he was a security consultant? How could he not realize the company was a CIA front?

Even with my issues, this is a decent spy thriller.