Book and Cosplay Item Reviews by Jess D Cosplay

  The 7th novel in the Tennison series, "Unholy Murder" by Lynda La Plante starts off slow with the discovery of a coffin in a dig site.  Over the course of the book, many mysteries are unveiled as Jane Tennison tries to get justice for the dead nun.  Relationships are tense, broken and strengthened, as new information is found.  Will justice ever be served or will they perp(s) escape once again?  Though the story is slow to get into, it does become more engaging as it nears the climax and reveals.  There are lots of red herrings and little details that add up to understanding the case.  What is nice about "Unholy Murder" is that you do not need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this book.  Any details that you need from the previous books are woven in nicely throughout the natural thread of the story and plot line.  I also liked how detailed the investigation process was as it really gives you insight to what takes place in a murder investigati

  Time for a Book Review! This time, it is "Fruits Basket another" by Natsuki Takaya, an adorable sequel featuring the kids of the original Fruits Basket cast. Ever wonder what happened to Kyo, Yuki, Akito, and the gang? This sequel hints at what has happened since the original series ended through the perspectives of their children. You can usually tell who each kid belongs to based on their personalities and what they think about their parents. Emotions run wild in the series, as we go from despair, hope, concern, love, etc. as the characters learn how to stand on their own as they come of age and take a few more steps towards adulthood. As a teacher, I am a full supporter of using comics for teaching, and even in this three volume series, there are lots of lessons to be learned such as actions have consequences and you can't judge a person based on who their parents are, how rich they are, or what they look like. The stories may be relatable to students in high s

  Time for a Book Review! "Deny All Charges" by Eion Colfer https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0008324867/ Another great sequel to the Artemis Fowl Twins series as "Deny All Charges" explores the newest adventure of Miles, Beckett, and Lazuli as they deal with kidnappers and the quest to reclaim lost fairy gold for the imfamous Horteknut dwarves. Miles must make tough choices as Beckett and Lazuli are in danger and Lazuli's magic is sealed. Eventually, the crew must separate to use their strengths to save the day and many innocent lives. Will the heroes be successful? What will they learn through these dangerous challenges. A thrilling adventure where the heroes have to explore outside their comfort zones. As a teacher, this is a fun story as preteens have to make hard choices and learn to deal with consequences, not that the twins are very good at following punishments. I can see students enjoying the twins clever antics and enjoying the story overall. St

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZNTFPBW As a fan of stories based in mythology, I was delighted to receive an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) of "The New Kingdom" by Wilbur Smith. This was my first encounter with Smith's writings and I can honestly say I will likely at least pick up the original 6 novels in his Egyptian series and have already shoved "The New Kingdom" at my husband and told him it was a must read.  It kind of made me think of Rick Riordan for adults, though I do love his books as well. I was entranced from the get go as we are thrown right into the action, as Hui, the main character, his friend, and his brother attempt to steal the Ka Stone. This event set everything in motion and is an event that will be important throughout the story. Every little detail has meaning and Smith neatly wraps up those details in the end.  Without giving to much spoilers, each small detail has a purpose that is well woven throughout the story.  It is a story of bet