REVIEW: Sister Agatha: The World's Oldest Serial Killer by Domhnall O'Donoghue

Title: Sister Agatha: The World’s Oldest Serial Killer
Author: Domhnall O’Donoghue
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Publication Date: August 2016
Genre: General Fiction / Humor / Mystery
Buy The Book: Amazon

Description: Sister Agatha is a colossal 118 years of age, whose vim and vigour would put the most robust athletes to shame. During a routine check-up, however, her doctor claims she has just a week to live, news that proves to be quite inconvenient, seeing as the beloved sister has one ambition in life: to be the oldest person in the world. At last count, she was the fifth.

However, never one to admit defeat, Sister Agatha concocts a bold Plan B. Dusting off her passport, she decides to leave Irish shores for the first time in her very long life, and using the few days remaining, plans to travel across three continents and meet the only four people whose birthday cakes boast more candles than hers.

And then, one by one, she intends on killing them.

My Thoughts: Please, for the love of God, don’t follow in my steps and wait too bloody long to read this book. I say “Bollocks!” to real life and anything else that might interfere with picking up this book right now and diving in.

The former Butsy Miller, now known as Sister Agatha, has been on this Earth for a very long time and has seen her share of trials and tribulations. She’s known love and heartbreak. At the spry age of 118, she has lived through quite a bit and outlived her family and friends. She has no reason to think that this will change, but during a routine visit to her doctor for her check-up, she is given the impression through a major misunderstanding that she has about a week to live.

Obviously, this will not do, as it has long been her aspiration and goal to be the oldest person alive on the planet. The problem is that she’s the fifth oldest living person, so she decides she will abscond with the convent’s debit card and travel the globe to locate the four older persons…and kill them. Yes, you heard correctly. This sweet, very old and innocent appearing nun is out for blood. Her quest will take her to Tunisia, Chicago, Warsaw and Venice.

First, I need to extend all love, appreciation and many kudos to the very talented Domhnall O’Donoghue for giving us a story that has so many twists and turns, but keeps the reader fully engaged. The story switches between the past and present so seamlessly and sidebar snippets are inserted that, at first glance, appear irrelevant to the story, but quickly and cleanly tie in and connect to the story. A very brilliant writing technique that I have never seen done so successfully.

I had so much fun tagging along with Sister Agatha. I liked her immensely and really didn’t want to see her start murdering people, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. She’s already in trouble with the man upstairs for the theft of the debit card, so she really doesn’t have anything to lose, right? Along the way, she meets many interesting and entertaining characters that added to my enjoyment of this story.

My Final Verdict: This story shocked me, surprised me and made me laugh aloud numerous times. I also got a little misty-eyed at parts. Sister Agatha felt like family and I felt quite protective of her. I highly recommend this book to everyone to read right now and many thanks to Domhnall O’Donoghue for giving Sister Agatha to me. I shall cherish her always.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Sister Agatha: The World’s Oldest Serial Killer from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Love and Blarney by Zara Keane

Title: Love and Blarney (Ballybeg #2)
Author: Zara Keane
Publisher: Beaverstone Press LLC
Publication Date: August 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Married in Manhattan…
Ruairí MacCarthy abandoned his life in New York to deal with a family crisis in Ireland. Twelve months later, he’s traded his three-piece suits and Wall Street career for jeans and a job managing his family’s pub in Ballybeg. When his estranged wife bursts back into his life looking for reconciliation, Ruairí must decide if home is where the heart is.

…True Love in Ballybeg.
Jayme King wants Ruairí back. She’s prepared to battle sheep, floods, and crazy Irish in-laws to get him. Discovering he lied about his past was a shock, but Jayme’s had months come to terms with the betrayal. Letting Ruairí go was the biggest mistake of her life. Can she persuade him to return to America and give their marriage a second chance?

My Thoughts: A short, sweet and quite predictable story of a married couple on the verge of divorce being given an opportunity to resolve their differences against the backdrop of a quaint Irish village.

The story moved smoothly, and I enjoyed meeting Ruairi and Jayme but didn’t feel as deep a connection to them as I did the couple in the first book of this series. I honestly spent most of my time reading this book repeating Ruairi’s name and hoping I was pronouncing it correctly. Roo Ree, not Roar Ree. His name didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story, but it certainly distracted me several times.

The conflict between these two characters was resolved so quickly, I had to stop and think about what the problem between them actually was and why they were living on separate continents to begin with. With the exception of Ruairi’s father, I enjoyed meeting his family and touring the area, especially Blarney Castle. I will have to side with Ruairi, however, and decline getting on my hands and knees to kiss the Blarney Stone.

I enjoy this author’s writing style and voice and if romance isn’t your preferred genre, she has a seven (so far) book mystery series that looks to be a lot of fun that I also have on my to be read pile. Start with Dial P For Poison .

My Final Verdict: Overall, an enjoyable addition to this series and though they can be read as stand-alone stories, I recommend reading them in order to enjoy the development of the secondary characters. I’m looking forward to continuing this series with Love and Leprechauns .

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Love and Blarney from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Confessions of a First Time Mum by Poppy Dolan

Title: Confessions of a First Time Mum
Author: Poppy Dolan
Publisher: Canelo
Publication Date: June 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Stevie’s life has changed beyond recognition since having her first baby. Stevie loves being a mum, but between the isolation and being vomited on five times a day, she really wishes she had someone to talk to.

With husband Ted working hard to keep the family afloat, Stevie really doesn’t want to burden him with her feelings. Turning to the internet, Stevie starts the anonymous First-Time Mum blog and blasts the rose-tinted glasses of parenthood right off her readers.

In the real world, Stevie meets the formidable Nelle and gorgeous Will, along with their own little treasures, and starts to realize that being a ‘perfect mum’ isn’t everything. But when the secret blog goes viral, Stevie must make some tough choices about who she wants to be, and whether she’s ready for the world to know the truth…

My Thoughts: Confessions of a First Time Mum by new to me author Poppy Dolan introduces us to former PR executive Stevie and her day-to-day struggles and challenges with being a first-time mother. That, in and of itself, doesn’t sound all that exciting and interesting, or easy to relate to for people who have not experienced parenthood. The wonderful thing about this book is it is easy to relate to Stevie as we all have been in her place, striving to succeed in a world where most days are an uphill climb, trying to make ends meet and bring each day into some sort of semblance of balance and structured order.

I thought Stevie was a riot and her PR background really came into play when she decides to start a blog to strip bare the fantasy of parenthood with the brutal and sometimes horrifying reality of being a first-time parent. The constant crying; the demonic projectile vomiting; the poo explosions; the post-partum saggy bits of skin and what the heck happened to my breasts!?

Stevie feels like she is travelling this road by herself; that she has somehow lost herself and her self-worth along the way. She doesn’t feel like she can talk to her husband and forget about making any Mom mates as they will most likely run screaming in the opposite direction. Fortunately, Stevie does meet and make friends with other parents and even discovers that she still has a lot of talent in promoting not just herself, but also her friends and helping to organize a parent’s festival.

In addition to a plot that flowed smoothly and characters that were easy to empathize with and relate to, I had the added benefit of listening to the audiobook edition narrated by Lizzie Wofford. If, like me, you are a fan of audiobooks, the narrator can make or break the story. The pairing of Poppy Dolan’s books with Lizzie Wofford’s narration is brilliant. On the page and in my ear, they both bring these characters to life and provided many hours of laugh aloud moments.

My Final Verdict: I loved this book and highly recommend it to readers who like stories that center around really flawed characters who are trying their best and sometimes get it wrong, but don’t give up. I also highly recommend this book to readers who love stories that give them stitches from laughing so hard or draws them so fully into the story, they feel like they know these characters and are right beside them every step of the way.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Confessions of a First Time Mum from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Xoe: Vampires, Werewolves and Demons, Oh My! by Sara C. Roethle

Title: Xoe: Vampires, Werewolves and Demons, Oh My! (Xoe Meyers #1)
Author: Sara C. Roethle
Publisher: Vulture’s Eye Publications
Publication Date: October 2009
Genre: Fantasy / Teen / Young Adult
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Xoe Meyers had a normal life. So she was stuck going to high school, and she only had a few friends to call her own. She liked her normal life. Things were about to change though, because there's a new guy in her small town, and he is anything but normal.

Before Xoe can say, "Werewolf," her best friend's life is in peril, and Xoe's world is turned upside-down. Then, of course, there's Jason. Xoe doesn't trust him as far as she can throw him, and given that he's a vampire, she'd have to be able to catch him first.

My Thoughts: New to me author Sara Roethle offers up a passable story about a high school student who learns that supernatural beings exist in the most abrupt and shocking of ways. Xoe Meyers is a typical teenager, though her life is about to become the most untypical of lives trying to deal with the knowledge that werewolves, vampires and demons exist among us and the danger this knowledge puts her and her friends in.

I thought this was an interesting take on werewolf and vampire fiction. Xoe is a likable character though she comes across as anti-social. Her friends Lucy and Allison are polar opposites of Xoe and I marveled at their compatibility, but it worked well. Xoe’s trust issues are clearly evident from the start and learning that her father abandoned her and her mother when she was a baby sheds a lot of light on Xoe’s personality. Unlike Xoe, I liked Jason from the start and was glad that he is an ally.

I had some issues with the Dan character. He could have been fleshed out more to give the reader more clarity and understanding about his intentions and motives. He comes across as very mysterious and intriguing in the beginning and when we begin to see him for who he really is, it felt like there was a large hole that needed filling but was left empty, leaving this reader flat with unresolved feelings.

I also had some issues with Xoe’s friend, Brian. I found him to be very likable and I wish he were brought into the circle and told what was going on. This is the first story in a series of eight (so far) books, so having cliff-hangers and conflicts with no closure are to be expected. Brian and Xoe’s friendship presents one such conflict offering no closure that I hope will be addressed in the series.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this is a good start to what appears to be an interesting series. It is important for the reader to have patience as there is a lot to learn yet about all of the characters. For me, there were a lot of unanswered questions about what transpired in this story so I will continue the series.

REVIEW: Six Dates by Jennifer Joyce

Title: Six Dates
Author: Jennifer Joyce
Publisher: Jennifer Joyce
Publication Date: November 2018
Genre: Chick-Lit

Description: Natalie attends a speed-dating event where hopefully the dates are as delicious as the desserts.

My Thoughts: A super short story featuring Natalie attending her first speed-dating event where with the ring of the bell, she meets a new man and gets to sample a new dessert. This is my first time reading this author and I found her writing to be fun and witty. I liked Natalie and felt loads of empathy for her as she has to meet and get to know five different men in 15-minute rounds. I loved the idea of each round bringing a different dessert but 15 minutes is not nearly enough time to ascertain if the person sitting in front of you is compatible.

As is the case in real life, dating is a gamble and you don’t know what you’re going to end up with at first glance. Each of the five men Natalie meets are different and some were just awful, but thankfully Natalie does meet a winner.

My Final Verdict: Cute story with recipes for each of the desserts featured. If you are going to subject yourself to speed dating, hopefully the desserts make it all the more sweeter. I look forward to reading more from this author.

REVIEW: Seeking Philbert Woodbead by Anya Wylde

Title: Seeking Philbert Woodbead (Fairweather Sisters #2)
Author: Anya Wylde
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: June 2015
Genre: Historical Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Miss Celine Fairweather's life was bobbing along like a boat on a tranquil stream when a summons from her beloved sister Penelope Radclyff, the Duchess of Blackthorne, changed it all. Celine hurtles off to the London to help the duchess run the Blackthorne Mansion and to discover the whereabouts of her lost love Philbert Woodbead.

Celine manages to keep things deathly dull and under control for a whole week until she enlists the help of the handsome Lord Elmer-a mischievous rogue, an ex-pirate, and an incorrigible flirt who is wanted dead by all of England's husbands with attractive wives. They scurry from one giddy escapade to another seeking Philbert in musty inns and dusty streets, and through it all Celine tries to keep her bonnet straight, her gloves spotless and her heart in tune with her head.

Life has suddenly turned exciting, and love has well and truly bitten her rosy buttocks. Now the only question is ... who has done the biting?

My Thoughts: When I pick up an Anya Wylde title, I know I am in for a madcap adventure leading to the most unexpected of outcomes and filled with fun and frivolity the entire way. Seeking Philbert Woodbead does not disappoint. Reuniting with characters from Penelope, Philbert introduces us to another Fairweather sister, Celine, who comes to Blackthorne Manor to assist Penelope, who is very pregnant and has been put on limited activities. Unbeknownst to all in residence at the Manor, Celine is on a mission of her own; to locate her true love, a poet named Philbert Woodbead who has left her with god-awful poetry and vague clues as to his whereabouts. To assist her in her endeavors, Celine enlists help from Lord Elmer, another guest at the Manor and with a reputation that Celine would do well to avoid being connected with.

First of all, I admired Celine’s spirit and her dedication to finding her poet, though I had to question her taste as well as her sanity as Philbert does not sound at all like someone she is suited for. Secondly, I found Lord Elmer a delight. His deliberate mispronunciations of Philbert’s name and his loony plans for finding him had me laughing aloud numerous times. I enjoyed spending time with Penelope and Charles again and found them to be wonderful additions to this story.

This story is silly, cheeky and oh so much fun! There are nasty villains afoot looking for Lord Elmer, daring rescues from pirates, horrible poetry that incites a gag reflex instead of hearts aflutter. There are fake moustaches, dinner parties and a ball. I could go on and on about all of the fun Celine and Lord Elmer have while trying to ignore the fact they are perfectly suited for one another, but you should really read the book and enjoy seeing it happen for yourself.

My Final Verdict: If you haven’t read Penelope’s story first, I recommend you start there, just to get a feel of the characters and to understand the background. As of this review, there are four books in this series, and I expect Dorothy’s story will be just as much fun as the first two.