I remembered what I was like as a teenager, nosy and up for an adventure. So the idea of a confident young girl, joined by two friends and her uncle, not forgetting her bulldog Boris (in real life he’s my dog, Watson, and has become part of my investigation team) was irresistible – and I loved writing about them as they began to unravel the secrets of the afterlife, whilst helping some lost souls on the way. Even if the country was beginning to modernize, and we glimpse it with the horse powered threshing machine toward the end, the industrial revolution had yet to come to Wisconsin. The Ingalls family lived according to the seasons of the year, was a devout Christian family, and each member of the family worked from morning to night doing their share of chores. Pa hunted and farmed while Ma cooked, baked, and sewed the entire family's clothing from scratch. Mary and Laura were expected to do their share of chores as well, including helping with the dishes and basic needlepoint and cross stitch. Both girls were model citizens who children of today could learn many lessons from, especially in obeying their parents and knowing to be seen and not heard. To be honest, I didn't know how this particular reading experience was going to go. This child, my third child, is my “Janis Joplin.” She moves around quite a bit while I'm reading to her, often humming or singing under her breath, and she's the most challenging of my kids to engage.

The problem with new series is the book takes longer for it to gel for me as I assume everything I read is important going forward. Not just to build the plot in the story I’m reading but the characters who will continue in the books. So thanks to my mad girl crush on Reese that I’ve had since I was a child and she starred in The Man in the Moon, I can’t resist her siren’s song and her (nearly always) awful book choices. In all honesty, I live in perpetual fear that I will miss out on another Paper Palace which earned a rare 5 Star from me and was one of the best things I read that year. Buuuuuuuuut, most of the time they are pretty crappy and this was no exception. Atticus Priest is a layered and relatable main character, flawed in all the ways we humans are flawed. Just when I thought I’d figured it out, the story turns another corner. I think this may be up there with the scariest books I've ever read, and I genuinely love adult horror! Scarier than all Stephen King's I've read, and even the modern horrors... The first half is supposed to be scary – I think – but instead of creating a slow, creeping spookiness, the author tries to make every sentence/action scary. This results in absolutely nothing being scary instead.Overall, we enjoyed this story and have plans to finish the entire series. I always admire themes of family and kindness, and the love this family shares is something special. Times spent singing and listening to Pa’s fiddle by the fire were my favorites. The children do find ways to have fun during their chores which is nice. It’s such a cozy tale at times, written well with beautiful descriptions, and one we’ll likely revisit in the future. My daughter was chomping on a big wad of gum at this moment, and she pointed at the corncob doll and said, “That? That piece of corn was her doll?” I liked the general idea for this book, but not the execution. Here is a list of other things I wasn't a fan of: This has a bit of everything. An ex copper turned private investigator and a DCI who both have history. We get to see the investigation side of things as well as what goes on in the court room. I’m not usually a lover of stories in a court room as can find all the technical jargon goes over my head. This though was such riveting stuff and having done jury service myself, spot on. The author’s descriptions brought it all to life and it made for some edge of your seat reading. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a story that tells of Laura’s early childhood and upbringing in Wisconsin during the 1870s. Readers learn how her family had to live and survive in a little log cabin during pioneer times.Perfect for fans of crime, mystery and detective thrillers by authors including Robert Galbraith, Karin Slaughter, Joy Ellis, Faith Martin, LJ Ross, JD Kirk, Rachel McLean and JM Dalgliesh.

So, why did I come away from this feeling "Well, that was a fun, easy read. A bit meh, but still, a nice easy read"?

About Yvette Fielding

As expected, the book is an incredibly easy read and on the shorter side but it is still very exciting! The characters are super likeable; the scenery and world that Yvette paints, pictures in your mind really well. But I am also pretty sure that this is the only book I read in the series. I never moved on to Little House on the Prairie and I never watched the television show. Maybe this time I will move on to the second book with my family. Seems like I really must at some point to get the full feel of this classic series. Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Groping Dutton for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts. Am ashamed to say that this is the first book I have read by Mark Dawson. He has been on my reading radar for a while now but The House In The Woods is my first opportunity and introduction to his work. What an introduction as well!