TESSA TALKS BOOKS

Holmesian Mystery/Fantasy

The Tainted Cup by Robert Bennett

• One-word review: Perfection
• Emojis: 🌳🤯🫣
• Rating: 5 🌟s

My thoughts:

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is the most effective mashup of fantasy and mystery I have ever read. The fantasy is high fantasy with a complex and detailed world that I had to spend the first 5-10% just trying to get acclimated to. And then comes the murder mystery, which is strange but perfect for this strange world. The two genres are blended so seamlessly and artfully that, looking back, I’m still in awe.

Dinios Kol is the eyes and ears of an eccentric Holmesian-type detective, Ana Dolabra. This arrangement works perfectly for the pair since Kol has received an enhancement that allows him complete recall. Ana can take the details Kol recalls for her and deduce the who and why of most situations. When a puzzling case falls in their lap – a man is killed by a tree erupting from his body, and he is visiting one of the homes of this world’s most influential families – their dangerous and compelling journey begins and took me on such a wild ride that I don’t even know how to begin to describe it.

Amazingly, the story has extraordinary character development and is equally character-driven and plot-driven. I loved that these characters, Ana and Kol, in particular, are as complex as the world they live in. Although their world is alien, these characters’ layers, struggles, and scars are decidedly relatable and establish their connection with the reader. So, while I only sometimes understood the world, I always understood the characters and their motivations.

If you are looking for a reading experience beyond compare, you must read The Tainted Cup and then come back and tell me your thoughts.

Thriller/Procedural Series

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman

• One-word review: Rivetting
• Emojis: 🧐🫣🤫
• Rating: 5 🌟s

My thoughts:

This is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series and the third one I’ve read.  As with all of the books, this can be read as a standalone, but they are a much richer experience if you have the back story between Alex and Milo that the previous books give you.

Alex and Milo’s relationship takes a story that would typically be a traditional police procedural and turns it into much more.  The development of their friendship and interactions adds a layer that most similar stories lack.  I loved witnessing Alex and Milo traverse this period after Alex was injured on a case with Milo and Milo’s reluctance to put Alex again in a dangerous situation.  It felt authentic and provided an exciting plotline as the case progressed.

This is a thriller, so I don’t want to say too much about it, but I have one non-spoiler tidbit to share.  This story has two murders, and our duo doesn’t know which person was the target.  So not only does the reader have a murder mystery they can solve, but they also can solve the mystery of who was the target.  It was so much fun and helped keep the pacing consistent, the suspense level high, and me focused. 

This is another excellent story in the Alex Delaware series!

Fantasy Thriller

These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang

• One-word review: Entertaining
• Emojis: 🤔🫣🤯
• Rating: 4.5  🌟s

My thoughts:

These Deadly Prophecies was such an entertaining read. I didn’t want to put it down because it was so much fun.

The narrator, Tabatha Zeng, is an apprentice to one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world. She has a talent for prophecy, which is a rare talent. I loved her quirkiness and her determination to follow her own path. And, when she speaks directly to the reader, it’s such a delightful surprise that pulled me in even more because now I was part of the story.

The pacing is breakneck, as the story is full of danger, suspense, and action. Lots of thrills are always a good thing, in my opinion. And it’s surprising! I didn’t expect the who or the why, and the story ended much differently than I expected it to – which I think is good because it shook me up just a bit.

These Deadly Prophecies is technically YA, but it will be equally as appealing to the adult reader who enjoys a magical Knives Out type of story. The mix of fantasy and mystery/thriller takes over, and age is quickly forgotten. 

The family dynamics are fun, creating an entertaining aspect, and the magical world is surprisingly well-developed and explained. I just loved this novel and will watch for more books by Andrea Tang.