Customer Reviews

Death By Latte

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Aphra now knows where her mother has been for the past four years. She knows that she must go to Seattle to seek her out before it's too late, and her mother moves on to a new city.

When Aphra shows up in the markets looking for her mom, she doesn't receive the warm welcome she was hoping for. Actually, she's told to get on a plane and go back home, and treated rudely by her mother's partner Joe.

When Joe dies suddenly, Aphra knows that things haven't changed at all with her mother. She knows that even though she isn't working for the CIA anymore, that danger is imminent. Things don't get any better once Seth shows up rudely brushing Aphra off, and demanding that she give him his father's ring back. What secret does the ring hold, and what trouble has Aphra caused by showing up in Seattle wanting to reunite with her mother?

Death by Latte is definitely ACTION packed, it almost never stops. It keeps the story moving along, but makes it difficult to get to know the characters better. The relationship between Aphra and her mother is strained at first, but mostly because her mom wants to keep her guard up for impending dangers towards Aphra. There are a few moments when you see her mom's nurturing side, and it was nice to see her support finally Aphra's decisions and ideas while trying to find their way out of the forest. Even though Seth shows up and is cold towards Aphra, they end up working really well together and sharing some gentle touching moments.

Overall I thought Death by Latte was good Young Adult book. It's a short read, and definitely has a lot going on plot wise. I recommend picking up the first book Death by Bikini, if you want to start this series.

DEATH BY LATTE
LINDA GERBER
YA Mystery

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Aphra Connelly returns in this second book in Ms. Gerber's popular DEATH BY series. This time she's going to Seattle to track down her mother. Thanks to the Mulos appearance on the island and Seth's information, she knows where she is and how to reach her. It should be the perfect mother-daughter reunion--except that it isn't. From the first moment Natalie Connelly lays eyes on her daughter, it's pretty clear that Aphra's unexpected presence isn't welcome, by her or her associates. But that's not the worst thing that could happen. When her mom's partner, Joe, ends up dead in a café that afternoon, and Aphra spots a familiar face on her tail, things really take a dangerous turn. Add in Seth's surprising appearance, demanding back the ring back he gave her that's suddenly missing and what was originally meant to be an uneventful trip to see her mother is anything but.

What a great second book in the series! The danger is really ramped up in this one now that Aphra is reunited with her CIA agent mother, who is on the run from a dangerous mole that's out for revenge on all those who helped put his boss behind bars. Ms. Garber's voice pulls the reader right into the story so they feel like they are right there along with Aphra. I have to say the unexpected twists and turns to the story were very unexpected and I literally gasped out loud when the identity of the mole was revealed.
DEATH BY LATTE is a fast paced page turner that really has it all: mystery, suspense, and romance. Can Aphra help Seth save his father or will she be the unlikely pawn that helps the mole track down her mom and the Mulos? You'll have to read this one to find out.

Ms. Gerber's lived in Utah, California, Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, Washington D.C., Finland and Japan, and has traveled through Europe and Asia, Mexico, Australia, Hawaii and Micronesia. [...]

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
September 2008

Now that Aphra knows where to find her mom, it seems inevitable that she would go seek her out. And so she tells her father that she will be visiting a friend in South Carolina, but instead Aphra boards a plane to Seattle.

The reunion, is far from what Aphra expected. No sooner does she finally find her mother, and she informs her to board another plane back to the island. Even though Aphra's mom stopped working for the CIA it seems that the drama hasn't stopped. When her mother's partner, Joe, ends up dead, it only confirms Aphra's fears. She is in over her head again!

Just when she thinks things can't get worse, Seth, her Seth, shows up demanding the ring that he had given her. Why does he want to ring so badly and why does Aphra's mom want her out of the picture?



Full of action, suspense, and mystery, Death by Latte is a thrilling edition to the Death by series! I enjoyed the change of scenery is this novel! And is there any better way to associate Seattle than with a latte!! I enjoyed the authentic relationship dynamic between Aphra and her mother and of course the sentimental moments between Seth and Aphra. The plot twists where a plenty and they kept me guessing throughout the entire novel! Even though I really enjoyed Death by Bikini, I have to say that Death by Latte was a step up! And Death by Denim looks to continue the trend!

Four years have past since her dad Frank Connolly took his daughter Aphra to Open and Run an exclusive Pacific island resort; her mom Natalie remained in the States allegedly seeking to find herself as an artisan. Aphra has not seen her mom in four years and after the recent harrowing experiences with the "Smith" family nee Mulo (see DEATH BY BIKINI) decides to confront her in Seattle. She tells her dad, still recovering from poisoning, that she is going to see a friend in South Carolina.

Her mom is stunned when Aphra shows up at Pike's Pottery. She tells her daughter she is leaving for the island immediately. Aphra realizes her mom still works for the CIA and her partners Joe and Stuart are undercover with her trying to know who has betrayed the agency by going after family members. Matters turn frightening when teenage Seth Mulo arrives asking Aphra for a ring he gave her that some thugs now are demanding or they will slice off his father's body parts one at a time; a finger has already arrived special delivery. About the same time Joe dies from a poisoned latte; it is too late for Aphra to leave town as she has been spotted.

The second Death by young adult mystery suspense thriller is an exciting sequel with the action switching from the Pacific island to the American Northwest Pacific coast. The story line is fast-paced from the moment a stunned Natalie sees her daughter innocently step into the danger that mom sent her and her beloved spouse away from. Although this is a stand alone, reading DEATH BY BIKINI helps set the table for DEATH BY LATTE as the audience better understands motives especially Seth. Linda Gerber provides an entertaining Seattle joy ride that middle school teens will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

This title really fits: Death by Bikini certainly had suspense (plus the cutest jacket design EVER), but was in some ways a lazy island adventure, given its tropical setting. Add caffeine, and what have you got? A fast-paced thriller for teens set in Seattle. Linda Gerber's tongue-in-cheek touches are a lot of fun, starting with a literal murder by latte. Other aspects of the plot are more poignant; what would it be like to track down your missing mother after four years, only to watch her face fall at the sight of you?

Of course, Natalie Connolly has her reasons for not wanting to see Aphra--she's an undercover CIA operative tracking down a murderous double agent, and she's been trying to protect her daughter by keeping her well out of it. Aphra quickly finds herself knee-deep in espionage. Then Seth Mulo shows up wanting his ring back. (So much for romance!) Seth has his reasons, though, just like Natalie. Aphra eventually discovers the reasons beneath the reasons, coming to understand that neither her mother nor her love interest is really rejecting her, after all.

Death by Latte manages to be action-packed without stooping to extreme violence or sleaze, offering up chases on foot, chases in cars, and plane crashes, among other adventures. There's also a whole lot of "who can you trust?" going on, adding to the suspense. Once again, Aphra Connolly is worth cheering for. Can't wait to see what she's up to in Death by Denim!

Death By Latte is Awesome! great sequel to Death By Bikini. I found Death By Latte exiting and i couldn't put it down. i thoroughly enjoyed it!

Aphra lied to her father and hopped a plane to Seattle to try to catch a glimpse of her mother - whom she hasn't seen in four years. She finds her in the market place, selling pottery. But when her mother looks up and notices her daughter, her first reaction isn't happy. Immediately she takes her daughter back to her apartment base and looks into a flight back. Where her mother looks at her child and sees danger, Aphra just wants to see her mom. On the way back to the airport, her mom receives a phone call. Since there's time before the flight Alphra doesn't mind her mother running an errand. But the errand turns into something much more dangerous involving hiking down a rocky mountain side, kayaking through treacherous waters, and escaping rogue CIA agents gunning for them.

My Thoughts: This is the Sequel to Death By Latte and as far as I'm concerned Death by Denim can't come out quickly enough. I want to find out: what happens with Seth and Aphra, what her father thinks of the whole mess, and if the agents are still after Aphra. The action made me fly through the book, hooking me at every possible point. if you're into suspenseful mysteries, give this one a try.

Seriously, the CIA? When am I ever going to get a good mystery that doesn't involve any types of government agencies? It's like telling me you know your book won't sell unless you make it as James Bond as possible. The plot is soooo overused.

Unconvincing protagonist. I didn't read the first book, but just the name Aphra irked me. It sounds like Alpha. Too pretentious. I know it seems shallow to dissect a name, but Aphra does not match the character. She was quite dumb despite what is led to be believed. She has the intolerably gullible attribute that made me wonder whether the author was a non-feminist. She's constantly getting herself twisted in sticky situations and needing some mysterious stranger to help her (like how ridiculous the appearance of both Seth and Ryan were; Yeah, just throw some more characters into the book randomly, why don't you?).

Boring plot. Maybe I've seen too much movies with these predictable plot lines, but this wasn't original. I wasn't interested, I wasn't kept on the edge of my seat, and I wasn't enthused by the idea of dying by latte. I felt like the whole DEATH BY something idea was forced. First, bikini, now latte. A friend of mine, who was sitting next to me at the time, looked over and the title and said, "Ooooh, what's next? Death by iPod?" Exactly my sentiments. It seems so random.

If you have read death by bikini you must be hooked this book will not dissapoint. If you thought the first book was action packed yo wont believe what happens to Aphra (pronounced Afra) and Seth. After you finish this book check out death by denim. Also lets hope that mrs. Gerber writes another book in the series.

One major conflict in this book is when Aphra gets to Seattle and her mom is unhappy to see her. Finally after searching for four years, Aphra has tracked down her mom and found her. For a while, Aphra's mom is angry with her but then finally, loosens up and is a little happier to see her. Aphra's mom then tells her the real reason she didn't wan t her there and Aphra understands. In the end, Aphra and her mom understand each other a little better and love each other a lot more.

Aphra Connolly vs. Emma MacIvey. I think that Aphra and Emma would get a long pretty well. Aphra and Emma are both independent, don't ask for much, and are very understanding, most of the time. Aphra and Emma would probably hurt each other and some ways and help each other in others. They would help each other by keeping each other focused because they are both determined. On the other hand, they might hurt each other because they both would want to do their own thing. So in the End Aphra and Emma pretty good pairing but could be better.

This is an amazing book full of mystery with an boat load of action. Anyone who enjoys mysteries will be captivated by this book and taken into a different world. The description makes you feel like you're exactly in their place and could jump right into the story. This book has lots of hills and valleys but they're all different and more interesting then the last. Finally, Death by Latte is an amazingly enticing book! Once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down!

I would recommend this book to other people and not just people into mysteries, everyone. This book wasn't your regular mystery so it is better for people who aren't into mysteries. I really enjoyed reading this book because it was very descriptively written and had lots of suspense. Although this book had a wonderful story, every once in a while, a word came along that I didn't know so younger readers might need a dictionary. Don't be afraid to go out and get this book because it is an amazing book and a quick read.

One of the continual themes in this book is man vs. man conflicts. Throughout the book Aphra has many arguments with her mom and that relates to me. At my house, my mom and I argue sometimes, but in the end, just like in the book, we're friends. I think that I should also learn from this book not to fight with my mom, because it can end up badly. Another thing that I can learn is to trust her more, because in this book there is a lot of trust, and I need that much trust in my mom.