PostApoc by Liz Worth

I just finished PostApoc, and I am floored.  It's the most (I can only guess) accurate depiction of what the apocalypse will really be like.  Full of drugs, alcohol, and despair.

I loved this book.  I need time to wallow in my misery that it's all over.  Like ALL over.

More to come.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

The Flavia de Luce series has been one of my favorite mystery series for years.  Flavia is the most endearing pre-teen chemist and detective I've ever met.  And now that she's nearly 12, she's starting to mature.  Emotionally anyway, as she was pretty mature to start.

The mystery in the 6th book of the series takes a back seat as the de Luces attend to the return of their mother, Harriet. More of the character's backstories are revealed through Flavia's snooping and constant questioning.

It seems that the series will move out of Buckshaw, which is both heartbreaking and a bit of a relief.  There have been so many murders there in such a short time that it's only natural Bradley would choose to change the venue.

As I read The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, I heard Jayne Entwistle's perfect depiction of Flavia in my head.  When it comes out, I will be buying the audiobook to hear Jayne's sweet voice again.  And to pick up on some clues I missed on the first read. 

My rating on Goodreads: 4 stars
What I'm reading now: PostApoc by Liz Worth
What I'm listening to now: A Dance with Dragons by George RR Martin

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

I read The Casual Vacancy about a year after it came out, but that's way sooner than I got on board the Harry Potter train.  But it really felt like J.K. Rowling's first book after her juggernaut Harry Potter series didn't have much of a following, which is a shame.



I was immediately drawn in to this small English town, and loved the segues that took you from character to character.  This is a device that is continued throughout the book, and there are a lot of characters to keep track of.  I enjoyed it, but it is something that other readers criticized.  While most of the main characters are adults involved in the Parish emergency election after the liberal Barry Fairbrother's death, the most endearing characters are their children.  The kids sabotage their parent's campaigns in intentional and unintentional ways, and watching these events unfold while unearthing the town's secrets kept me up well past my bedtime.

I think the ending kept a lot of the Harry Potter fans from raving over this book.  It's sad, with a small silver lining, but realistic.

My Goodreads Rating: 4 stars