ARC Review: The Accomplice

 

Publication Date: January 25th, 2022

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is a book that has left me unsure exactly how I feel about it.

 And that may be the point? That it makes me like the characters, who all seem to be left unsure how they feel about each other and their lives by the end. Lisa Lutz is a great author, so I could absolutely see her playing with her readers' emotions that way.

In The Accomplice, Owen and Luna have been extremely close since college. They've never dated, no one else is really sure why, but they've always been each other's person. They've been there for each other through two murders now (one? three? the book keeps this secret for the perfect amount of time), but both think they still have secrets from each other-and from the reader.

I was really into this book up until around the last quarter. I loved the reveals of the (many) secrets, and found myself completely shocked every time. I just felt like the last quarter didn't entirely work for me, but that feeling seems a lot like personal preference and not a commentary on the actual book. I wanted the characters to make different choices, but in the world of the book, I honestly don't think they could have. 

ARC Review: Reckless Girls

 

Publication Date: January 28th, 2022

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is a good book. It's a gripping read. I was a big fan of The Wife Upstairs by this same author.

But the way it was described made it sound way more like an Agatha Christie-type, killer among us on a deserted island vibe. And it really didn't come across that way for me.

Hawkins did a fantastic job on slowly building suspense, but not so slowly that I lost interest. I thought the flashbacks were really effective, and definitely hooked me on trying to deduce everyone's true backstory. Lux is a great narrator because she feels real, drifting around after a terrible loss and hoping that the man she is in love with will heal her. When another character's flashback starts, they read as a completely different person to Lux, and the way relationships form on the island as their found family crashes together is really compelling.

What I wasn't as in love with was that with so much suspense, the ending felt a little rushed, and almost a little pat. I did really enjoy the twists and turns, but I was hoping for more buildup Christie style.

ARC Review: My Sweet Girl

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is the definition of a haunting read.

Paloma was plucked from a Sri Lankan orphanage and taken to America, her new parents promising everything she and the other girls had always dreamed of. But now an adult Paloma is estranged from her supposed saviours, viewed as a disappointment by everyone who knows her, and threatened by the man subletting in her apartment, who has discovered her deepest most devestating secret.

But when that man is found dead by Paloma in her apartment, and then the body and blood disappear by the time the police arrive, Paloma feels the increasingly creeping dread that her past has come back to find her and this time it's not letting go.

What's especially eerie with this unreliable narrator is that sometimes even she isn't sure how unreliable she is. Is she really seeing the terrifying ghost of her childhood? Why doesn't she remember strange actions others swear they saw her do? Is it the drinking or something else? 

Then there are the things we readers know Paloma isn't telling us, in particular the overhanging life changing shattering secret that keeps being mentioned but never told. And I have to admit, when that secret was revealed, I was completely shaken. I never saw it coming, and everything that it meant just ripped everything that had come before out at the foundations. I'm honestly still thinking about those last few chapters and what they meant.

I would definitely recommend this book. It's eerie, it's an unreliable narrator who can't even trust herself, it's a giant secret from the past slowly brought into the light through tense flashbacks. It's a social commentary on what it means to be seen as a "brown person" an "Indian person" by those around you who don't try to know any better, it's seemingly small lies that shock when the truth behind them is finally revealed. It's women's faces in the windows in the pitch black night and the knowledge that maybe that ghost story from your childhood just might be real and looking straight back at you.

ARC Review: How to Kill Your Best Friend

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In How to Kill Your Best Friend, a group of long-time friends, brought together by a passion for swimming, gathers to memoralize a murdered member of their group, Lissa. Staying at a failing island resort, quickly emptying of all other guests, Georgie and Bron become aware that something else beyond a funeral is going on, and that there might be more deaths before the trip is over.

The tension is high from the very beginning, when a main character shows up dressed the complete opposite of the funeral's requested dress code. Readers learn more about what has happened through the eyes of the deceased's best friend, Georgie, who was not present at the last group reunion, and so has a lot of questions she needs answers to. Georgie and another friend, Bron, take turns as the first person narrator and guide for readers, as they try to stay safe and determine what exactly is occurring and why.

It's a great premise, and there's definitely a lot of suspense. Elliott knows how to write well, that's for sure. But the main big twist just didn't completely work for me personally. It fell a little flat with all the build up that had come before. The second big twist however, which readers don't find out until the very end, was a huge surprise and brilliantly done.

ARC Review: The Dead and the Dark

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Ashley Barton's boyfriend is missing, but she's seeing his ghost everywhere. Logan Ortiz-Woodley's dads are ghost hunters with a highly successful TV show. And Snakebite, Oregon is the small town full of darkness that brings them all together. 

This is a stunningly written, haunting, heartbreaking, hopeful read. Gould creates such a frightening eerie atmosphere hanging over every word, and her characters are so compelling and complex. There are so many different kinds of relationships explored within the story: the hope of the deep developing feelings between Ashley and Logan, the established deep love between Logan's dads, the undying but complicated bond between parents and their children, the ties to childhood friends and the love we so desperately try to make ourselves feel.

I absolutely recommend getting a copy of this book and diving straight in. While it would be a great spooky October read, it's well worth reading right now. I know I couldn't wait.

ARC Review: Lake Crescent

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In Newfoundland to film the latest episode of their cryptozoological documentary series, Laura is ready for a great shoot, without any distractions getting in the way. But things are already starting to fall off the rails even before the dead body turns up.

Cressie, the giant eel Laura and her team are searching for, is very cool and very fascinating. I loved how Dupuis weaved in quotes from other sources at the beginning of every chapter. I also really enjoyed learning about the science behind how and why a creature could grow to such an unusually enormous size, and the mythology that the townspeople had weaved around supposed sightings and experiences.

This is a slower moving book, which actually worked really well for me here. I kind of just got swept up in the minutiae of the search, and the small town cold weather vibe, and let myself enjoy the ride. When the ending happens and events start happening really fast, the previously slower nature just adds to the punch of the final incidents and reveals.

ARC Review: For Your Own Good

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I have been really excited about this book since I first heard about it, and it definitely lived up the hype and even surpassed my expectations.

For Your Own Good is set in an elite private school, with lots of hidden secrets (and everyone trying to find out those secrets), mysterious deaths, and complicated characters. Readers get put in the heads of a lot of different people, but each character is distinct and fascinating in their own right.

And the twists! So many twists, so many reveals, and I don't think I saw a single one coming, though every single one made sense looking back and was essential to the plot moving forward.

Every choice in this book felt like Downing made it very deliberately, and it shows. I definitely recommend this book, and absolutely intend to go read Downing's previous work now too.

ARC Review: Golden Boy

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Golden Boy tells the truly harrowing tale of Thomas Gilbert Jr., who shot and killed his own father. That he committed the crime was not in dispute; however, if he was legally insane when he did it is the source of intense media speculation and endless debates in the courtroom.

That is what Grant expertly explores in this book. Gilbert Jr. was born into an extravagant and privileged life, where he was still receiving an allowance from his parents even in his twenties, and many of his shocking or disturbing behaviors were brushed off as eccentricities. Grant examines if this lifestyle actually did him a grave disservice in covering his paranoia, agressive tendencies, and other signs of deep mental illness.

Did not only society, but the very law itself do Gilbert Jr. a great disservice? Should he have been deemed fit to stand trial? What would life have been like if Gilbert Jr. had been able to be helped before he spiraled downward so completely?

Grant does an especially great job of showing both sides of the issue while still highlighting the stigma surrounding mental illness, and the tendency to sweep things under the rug or completely deny they are happening. Golden Boy is a devestating true crime tale that also manages to be a scathing social commentary.

ARC Review: The Last Nomad

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Shugri Said Salh has spun a powerful true tale of her life growing up in Africa, and her journey that eventually led her to have to flee her homeland.

When Salh was six years old, she was sent as an extra daughter to assist her grandmother. Salh's grandmother was a nomad, among the last to truly live that way of life, before political upheaval and truly threatening practices changed everything Salh had ever known. Salh describes this time of her life, not only that of standing guard over her goats and listening to stories shared at night, but including the difficulties women faced-such as being blamed if a man assaulted them and thus took their virginity in the eyes of the community-and the torturous detail of Salh and her sister going through the rite of female circumcision. 

Salh weaves her truth to take readers with her as her father (a frightening and violent figure) makes a series of choices that bring heartache and danger to bear on the family, as they find themselves refugees at an orphange, then fleeing to whatever town they can find that has not been swallowed by war. Salh shows us how she continued to rise from the ashes, to find a fierceness and a light and a strength within herself, and she makes sure to honor all those who gave her hope along the way.

ARC Review: Kill All Your Darlings

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

So here's the thing. With Kill All Your Darlings and The Plot both coming out within months of each other, and having many similarities in their storylines, it's inevitable that they will be compared. Some of the reviews even suggest Kill All Your Darlings for fans of The Plot. 

Both feature a creative writing professor, who has a student who writes an incredible story better than anything the professor has read before. Both professors find themselves with a decision to make when their students disappear/never publish, and both professors choose to publish the respective stories under their own names, effectively stealing the words of their students. Both professors have to reckon with what happens when someone threatens to expose them, and when the stories they stole have similarities with real life crimes.

The thing is, The Plot does it better, much better.

I've enjoyed Bell's books in the past, but this one just felt so slow and stretched out to me. The story dragged and felt repetitious. I definitely appreciated Bell writing about a really relevant and important topic, and there were parts that were really suspenseful and interesting. But by the time I got to those last chapters I had lost a lot of my interest, and then the ending was so abrupt.

I think Kill All Your Darlings does suffer for coming out within a few months of The Plot. That said, I don't think I would have loved Kill All Your Darlings regardless.

ARC Review: The Final Girl Support Group

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is a very unique and terrifying book, examining what could happen to those famous final girls of horror, when the killer is dead and real life begins again. 

Lynette, the final girl whose eyes and mind we see the rest of the story through, survived a massacre that took the lives of her family, boyfriend and local police officers. She is technically still surviving. But life for her now entails hiding in her fortified apartment, memorizing people's shoes, and all of her possible escape routes, when she goes outside once a month to her group therapy-a gathering of other women who are also Final Girls. 

But when someone doesn't show up to the group, Lynette becomes convinced there's a villain out there coming for them, and she's determined to survive again.

This is a super unique read-a horror story combined with a meta commentary on how "final girls" are treated after surviving unspeakable trauma, utilizing (fictional) magazine articles, essays, reddit posts, and interviews. This is also definitely a really dark, intense read, sometimes so dark that I debated if I was going to be able to finish the book, but the thing is that the story is so compelling and the mystery so intriguing, that I had to keep reading, and I'm definitely glad I did. The ending packs a real punch.

I would recommend this book, but just go in knowing that you are entering a dark and twisty world with almost no light. This was definitely not an easy read.

ARC Review: The Stranger in the Mirror

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Addison is haunted by her unknown past, every moment of her seemingly happy life darkened by the fact that she remembers nothing of the last two years. Even her upcoming gallery show and wedding can't seem to fill the hole in her history.

Then there is Julian, desperately missing his wife while trying to make things perfect for their daughter. 

What I've always loved about the books written by the very talented Constantine sisters (the author name is a combination of their two names) is how nothing is ever what it seems. There tend to be big twists leading to surprising reveals that leave you flipping back pages to see just how it was all pulled off.

The thing with this being the tried and true formula for an author/authors is that there can come a point when readers become a bit better at predicting what is coming, depending on the author and the story being told. This mean that with this book, I was able to make some guesses that turned out to be pretty accurate, such as when that big moment-when the narrative is completely flipped on its head- will occur, as well as part of the truth behind a character's facade.

This does not mean in any way that I did not enjoy the book. I've just enjoyed their other books more. They felt more like genuine surprises, and they felt a bit more grounded. The ending with this one just didn't leave me as satisfied as I would have liked. 

That said, this is absolutely an enjoyable read. There is so much suspense, lots of interesting characters, and plenty of secrets from the past to keep readers invested and engaged. Just know that, at least in my opinion, this is not the strongest story by these authors.

ARC Review: The Temple House Vanishing

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Once there was a sixteen year old girl named Louisa, who attended Temple House as a student. Longing to feel seen, she became deeply intertwined with Victoria, a fellow student, and Mr. Lavelle, their art teacher. But one day Lousia and Mr. Lavelle disappeared without a trace. As the twenty-fifth anniversary of this unsolved mystery approaches, a journalist begins to dig deeper into what everyone thinks they know.

This was a haunting beauty of a book. Every character is complex and captivating, and the alternating perspectives the reader gets provide a look into the characters' motivations, thoughts and desires. Temple House itself becomes a character as well, damp and dank and cold and frightening. 

I could not put this book down. I became so caught up in the characters' world and having to know what really happened. I also became completely caught up in Donohue's writing style, where every single word truly felt like it mattered, and every sentence managed to be both beautiful and intense. The ending came as a complete shock to me (and the beginning came as quite a gut punch as well), but fit perfectly with what had come before. 

I'm still thinking about this story even after I finished it, and I highly recommend this book.

ARC Review: The Disappearing Act

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Mia Eliot has just hit it big as an actress in her native London, which leads to her agent sending her to L.A. for pilot season. But when Mia does a favor for another aspiring actress, Emily, and then Emily disappears, Mia is unable to stop herself from trying to help her fellow actress and solve the mystery-especially when Emily supposedly reappears but is not the person Mia remembers meeting.

This was definitely a very suspenseful and at times scary read. Steadman knows how to build up tension and does that expertly here. Just like Mia, readers don't know who to trust, or even if Emily is completely fine somewhere and Mia is just reading too much into everything. Setting the story during L.A.'s pilot season also ups the dramatics as well. Technology is also well-used here, as characters' cell phones and laptops become crucial to unraveling the plot.

Reading this, I had this whole complex conspiracy theory in my head about what was going on and how it would play out. While I was completely wrong (and thus a little disappointed), the ending did still work for me and wrap everything up well. 

Steadman is a steady writer who always seems to produce a well thought out suspenseful thriller, and this is no exception.

ARC Review: Shutter

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

First things first: this cover is absolutely gorgeous, one of the best covers I've seen this year.

Now on to the story: After Betty's father's death, she flees her entire life, leaving everyone and everything behind to sleep on a childhood friend's lumpy couch in NYC. Her friend and her friend's boyfriend, it turns out, have connections to the infamous filmmaker Anthony Marino, who is finally making his second film. After meeting Anthony, Betty gets offered the role of Lola, and told the film will entail spending a month living in a cabin, on an isolated island, with just the other four people involved in making the movie. 

Betty has reservations, but she is already completely enthralled by Anthony, and it isn't until they arrive on the island that Betty truly realizes what Anthony meant when he titled his new film Fear.

This is one very creepy book. The scares build slowly, shrouded in mist and the forest, reminding readers just how isolated Betty is and how little she knows about what is happening around her and to her. By the time I reached those last few chapters, I was holding my breath and turning pages frantically, completely caught up in the terror.

This is a quick, gripping read, one I was very glad I was reading in the middle of a bustling city.

ARC Review: A Dark and Secret Place

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Heather Evans has returned home after her mother's suicide. As she's sorting through the attic, Heather discovers a pile of letters from serial killer Michael Reave, the "Red Wolf", known for a series of particularly grotesque murders over twenty years ago. Desperate to know what her mother's connection was to Reave, and attempting to help the police catch the person now committing copycat murders, Heather agrees to visit Reave in jail in hopes of getting him to talk. But Heather may not like what the Red Wolf has to say.

At first, I had a hard time getting into this book. The start was a little slow and confusing, and I had some trouble settling into Wiliams' writing style. But the plot intrigued me enough to keep going, and I'm glad I did. 

The story progressed into a suspenseful, scary tale containing complex characters, big reveals, creepy forests (stay out of the forest, fellow Murderinos!), serial killers, a commune that may be a ritualistic cult, families that are not okay, dark fairytales, very spooky birds, and a lot of secrets from the past. While this may not be the best book I've ever read, this certainly was a unique and creepy story that I couldn't put down.

ARC Review: The Queer Principles of Kit Webb

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This is one sweet, suspenseful, smoldering book.

Kit Webb used to be a highwayman, but tragic circumstances have left him running a coffee shop. Feeling unfulfilled and melancholy, he feels stuck in a rut, until one day Lord Holland (Percy) enters his shop with a job offer. Percy wants to rob his father, the Duke, of a special book, to protect himself and a childhood friend. Refusing the job, Kit nevertheless agrees to train Percy so he can pull off the job himself. As the two men grow closer, the deadline for the robbery grows nearer, and everything they want from life may be pulled from their grasp.

Sebastian has a great writing style that really makes the characters come alive, and the chemistry between Kit and Percy is palpable from the start. I was really rooting for them, their romance, and the success of their plan. They are both complex characters who learn from each other and are able to grow and change together. There are a lot of interesting side characters as well who all have an important part to play.

There are some great humorous moments, and some really suspenseful ones as well. The story is fast paced and kept me consistently engaged and invested. This was a book I really enjoyed reading.

ARC Review: Rabbits

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

I remember listening to the Rabbits podcast when it first came out, and like essentially all of the Pacific Northwest Stories podcasts (The Black Tapes, Tanis, The Last Movie...) I found it absolutely fascinating, loved the twists and turns, and was left relatively satisfied but also confused and a bit frustrated.

I had a very similar experience with the Rabbits novel.

Our protagonist is K, who sees patterns and connections everywhere, and has been fixated on the game Rabbits since a traumatizing incident from his childhood. Rabbits is a game you don't talk in detail about, for fear of severe repercussions, a game most people have never heard of, but one that could take players anywhere. A clue could be a building that you swear wasn't there just a second ago, three people you meet in the span of three minutes who all share the same three-lettered name, or a hidden track on a vinyl record only available in one store you don't remember ever seeing before. 

This is the absolutely fascinating part, following along as clues are found, connections are made, and more is learned about the game. I love the idea so much of a mysterious game that is just hidden out there in everyday life, with what frequently seem to be the coolest clues and connections. I could read an entire series of novels where each book is a different iteration of the game, and we follow along with a player or players as they work their way through the clues.

Where the problem comes in for me, and has since the podcast (though it definitely felt more prominent here) is the extreme confusion that can come with some of the explanations and reasonings, in particular the reasoning behind the game and all the strange things that have been occurring. We get these explanations at various points in the story, but in particular towards the end. A lot of that aspect just did not make sense to me, I honestly could not grasp or understand what was being said. And I love a good fake out, or a twist within a twist, or a possibly unreliable narrator, but when in the last few chapters all that is thrown together plus maybe add in another level and some highly complicated scientific discussions, you have a story you still enjoy but that also becomes frustrating and somewhat unsatisfying.

I definitely liked the book. I was completely caught up in it, and enjoyed reading it a lot. It just felt like it fell into a trap-one that has led many fans of Pacific Northwest Stories' podcasts to get frustrated and stop listening to a show they once absolutely loved-of getting caught up in its own greatness and just not knowing when it's time to settle on one singular satisfying ending.

ARC Review: One Last Stop

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Casey McQuiston's previous book, Red, White & Royal Blue is one of my all-time favorite reads (and re reads). RWRB feels like one of those magic books where quite literally everything works, a book I find myself returning to, especially during 2020, because it is wonderful and beautiful and gives me hope for a better future for the world. Just thinking about Alex and Henry makes me smile.

So I was crossing all my fingers and toes that One Last Stop would also be full of McQuiston's magic, and it absolutely was.

Our main character, August, has learned to keep herself closed off, and she thought moving to New York City would solidfy that. Instead, she's immediately adopted into her roommates' found family, and meets Jane on the subway. As she becomes closer and closer to Jane, August discovers that Jane is actually from the 1970s, somehow stuck in time and stuck in the train.

McQuiston makes this premise work so well. As a reader, I completely bought into it from the first page, no questions, no hesitations. There is a reason behind Jane's predictment, but I didn't need to know it to lose myself completely in the world McQuiston created. New York comes alive through the most vivid prose, almost its own character, and Jane makes the New York of the past come alive as well.

Every character in this book is fantastic, from August's group of roommates to the drag queen accountant down to the hall to her coworkers at the diner. I cared so deeply about every single one of them and their relationships and their lives. I was so invested in every single bit of this book, and McQuiston's incredible writing made me feel like I was right there with them, in a dirty subway car, at an epic drag show, in a booth at the diner.

This is absolutely a favorite read of the year, and I cannot recommend this book enough. I can't wait to read McQuiston's next magical story.

ARC Review: Playing the Palace

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

What happens when an American event planner meets the openly gay and absolutely gorgeous Prince of Wales? 

A ton of fluffy fun that feels like a rom-com that leapt off the big screen.

You've got the openly gay but still conflicted over loyalty to his country Edgar, the just getting over a terrible break up with an actor Carter, and a meet cute at a political event Carter happens to be planning. There's chemistry, flirtation, and love at first sight. There's big humor that had me genuinally laughing out loud multiple times (who knew the Queen of England would end up being one of the funniest characters?). There's wry and supportive members of the Prince's team, very enthusiastic big sisters, and an aunt who always put a bread roll in her purse for later. There's big breakups and big makeups and lots of romantic drama. There's too many second hand embarrassment sequences for my taste, but that kind of thing always makes me cringe.

This may not be the greatest work of literature ever written, but that's not what I wanted when I picked it up. What I wanted wasa exactly what I got, a book that made me smile and laugh and feel good.

ARC Review: The Hunting Wives

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Having decided the seeming idyllic life in small town Texas is what she wants for her and her family, Sophie now finds herself less interested in growing her lifestyle blog, and more intrigued by finding a way into the elite company of women who call themselves The Hunting Wives. Obsession, desire, and illicit activities soon have Sophie completely ensnared...and that's all before the murder occurs.

Cobb has done an excellent job of creating a story thick with atmosphere: lake houses and endless glasses of wine and seedy clubs and four wheelers driving towards a secret shooting range. 

It's the characters themselves I really struggled with. That they are deeply flawed, frustrating, and sometimes completely unlikable makes complete sense within the story and world Cobb has created, but that also meant I was reading about characters I did not like and/or just plain wanted to scream at for the choices they were making.

The ending twist was a really great one, and caught me completely by surprise, and I appreciate that Cobb went for it with darker themes and tones. I just personally tend to struggle with books where I essentially can't stand anybody I'm reading about.

ARC Review: The Plot

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This review is going to be a short one, because I absolutely refuse to be the one who spoils any part of this brilliant book for anyone who hasn't read it yet.

Go in knowing more than the basic plot (and isn't this word played with so cleverly by Korelitz) that you can find on the inside cover or in the summary section of an online retailer:

Writer wrote a first book that was well-received but doesn't make a huge splash. Second book ends up not even making a ripple. So writer becomes a reluctant teacher at a barely-acknowledged program, where one of his students describes one of the most incredible plots for a book he's ever heard. When the writer hears this student has died, writer takes said plot, writes it, and becomes earthshakingly famous for his new book. 

And then the writer gets an email from someone who knows exactly what he did, leading the writer to try to discover the story behind the plot.

Now go get the book. 

I'm not kidding. 

Don't read any spoilers, don't do more research, just go get the book and read it. 

The ending...it's still with me. This book is a series of jaw dropping twists that all work, with a finale that will leave you absolutely stunned. 

This book is amazing.

ARC Review: The Ghost and the Haunted Portrait

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Penelope owns a bookstore in Rhode Island, and also happens to have a PI ghost from the 1940s named Jack who comes with the territory. Only Penelope can hear Jack, and when a supposedly cursed portrait suddenly starts seemingly causing mischef and murder, she definitely needs his help to solve the case.

In lesser hands, this cozy mystery premise could come off as ridiculous or silly, but it actually really works here. Jack is wry and street smart, and makes a great friend and foil for Penelope, who is a fun and smart character in her own right. I especially liked that Penelope could enter Jack's memories in her dreams, as this not only allowed readers to experience one of Jack's cases from the past, but enables Jack and Penelope to have physical interactions.

The mystery was clever, with a surprising reveal and a satisfying ending. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book, and made me want to read more of the series.

ARC Review: Counting Down with You

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Also, an important note: Much of the conversation and concern surrounding this book in its ARC form centers around how race, religion, and culture are depicted. I do not feel I am qualified to do this very important issue justice, and recommend going on Goodreads to read the in depth and insightful reviews surrounding this topic. It appears that the author had plans to make some changes in response to those reviews, so please remember my review here is based solely off the ARC and not off the final published book.

This is a story about many, many things, but at its romantic heart, it is a story about fake dating suddenly showing the potential to become real love. Karina Ahmed agrees to tutor Ace Clyde  (long known as the high school's resident "bad boy" who doesn't care about his education) for their English class because of her deep love for literature and poetry. When Ace introduces her as his girlfriend to his family, Karina is horrified, and afraid her parents will find out. But with her parents out of the country, Karina finds herself with the chance to explore how she truly feels about her life, her future, and Ace.

I really appreciated that the main character, Karina, is a character with anxiety. The book discusses how her anxiety manifests itself mentally, emotionally, and physically, and rang very true for me as someone with anxiety. I think it's so important to have more YA main characters with realistically depicted mental health, and I thought that was well done here.

Karina's two best friends are really great characters. They are girls who all have each other's backs no matter what. There is no drama, nothing coming between them, and they provide an incredibly beautiful support system for each other. This was really refreshing and lovely to see in a YA book.

I also found the romance between Karina and Ace charming and I was definitely rooting for them. I really liked that Ace, instead of finding Karina's anxiety off putting or too much to handle, chose to do research and find new ways to help her cope when she felt overwhelmed. 

The ending, while enjoyable, felt way too pat for me, though. It just didn't seem possible, given everything the characters had gone through and were still up against, that everything would work out the way it did. I would say this book had a lot of potential, and it mostly lived up to my expectations.

ARC Review: Ruby Falls

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Paying homage to Rebecca, Ruby Falls is narrated by Eleanor Russell, a fired former soap opera actress whose father left her in an underground cave and completely disappeared when she was six, and who now has married a man she barely knows and is starring in a remake of the movie version of Rebecca. 

If this sounds like a lot, it is. If this sounds strange, it is. But somehow Goodrich Royce makes it work. The first few chapters did leave me confused and unsure if I wanted to continue reading. I am glad I kept going. It's an intense read, that becomes masterfully creepy at times, and is absolutely fascinating. The ending left me stunned, but fit when I looked back at everything I had previously read.

If this sounds interesting to you, I would definitely give this book a chance. Give it a couple chapters before you decide how you feel. I don't think this is a book everyone will like, but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down.

ARC Review: A Tale of Two Cookies

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In this third entry in the Cookie House cozy mystery series, Kate McGuire-pastery chef and now partner in The Cookie House-must help a friend find her missing groom, even if his family and the media are all saying there was never actually a wedding planned. At the same time, a reality show is filming in a house with a lot of pleasant and unpleasant memories. 

Honestly, what is there not to love about this series? There's colorful and caring characters, a vibrant setting, an adorable dog, delicious sounding cookies, and a mystery that always gets solved by the end of the book. The world of Coral Cay is one you will want to keep visiting-just make sure you have some cookies nearby, because you will definitely have a craving!

ARC: Girl, 11

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Elle Castillo has always focused her work on helping children, and her now-popular true crime podcast examines unsolved cases of missing children. This season her podcast is centering around The Countdown Killer, a numerically-fixated child murderer who seemed to vanish himself years ago, but just might be back in action.

This was definitely a really intense, dark read. Had it been a true crime book rather than the fictional novel it luckily is, there is no way I would have been able to finish reading. You should definitely know going in that children are harmed. I normally don't read books where children get harmed in any way, but I think the podcast concept caught my attention (and the podcast idea is used really effectively here), but this was definitely a hard read in places.

So what I would say is, if you're interested, give this book a read. The podcast transcripts are powerful and interesting, and there is a really amazing twist that had me gasping out loud (though I did call a different big plot point within the first chapters). Just know you will be on a dark ride.

ARC Review: Mirrorland

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Cat hasn't spoken to her twin sister, El, in a long time, so when El goes missing, Cat feels like she's stepping back into a life she tried so hard to forget about. Cat especially feels herself drawn back to Mirrorland, the space in their childhood home they turned into a gothic conglomeration of fearful fits of imagination. El seems to be leading Cat on a dark treasure hunt, one that threatens to bring back memories Cat's not sure she wants returned, but she's already in too deep to walk away.

This is a strange book, but that's not a bad thing. At first, I thought this was going to be a DNF (do not finish) for me. The first chapter was already so confusing, and I had a really hard time getting into the story. In looking at other reviews, it seems I was in no way alone in this. This is a book that seems to really divide readers, a one star or a five star read.

I am definitely glad I kept reading. By the time I hit 20%, I was completely hooked. There were so many twists I never saw coming, and I was really invested in the story. This is a dark read for sure, so be prepared for that, but it is a fascinatingly creative and creepy read as well. 

ARC Review: The Sky Blues

 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

For openly gay Sky, life isn't easy in his small town. The car accident that killed his father left him with physical and emotional scars, his mother kicked him out of the house after he came out, and his classmate Cliff is constantly bullying him. Wanting to reclaim his senior year, Sky is determined to produce an epic promposal for his longtime crush, Ali.

When pictures of his promposal plan are leaked to the whole school (and then spread to the whole town), Sky just wants to hide away again. But the actions of his classmates and town just may surprise him in the best possible way.

I loved this book so much. Every character is complex, nuanaced, and feels so real. Sky himself admits he isn't perfect, but that he's learning and trying. Sky's found family are so wonderful, I was rooting for them and Sky so much. Every storyline works, and many of them come together in unexpected ways. The hurt that Sky endures from his mother and brother, from Cliff, from his past, is real and palable. But so is the love that surrounds him.

This is a beautiful book, filled with so much light, the overcoming of obstacles and the power of coming together, loving yourself and loving others, embracing differences, finding your family, and achieving your dreams. I recommend this book so highly. It gave me hope and brought me joy.

ARC Review: Deadly Editions

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In a bookstore in Edinburgh, Delaney Nichols, bookseller, is presented with a unique opportunity-an invitation to join a literary treasure hunt. The person making the offer may be a bit mysterious and even suspicious, but it's hard to resist the promise of not only a first edition of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but the guarantee of being gifted the organizer's entire library of highly valuable books. But when events from the past seem to be repeating themselves, Delaney has more than one mystery to solve.

I absolutely love Edinburgh, I've visited there twice now, so the location had me hooked from the start. Shelton made me want to travel back to Edinburgh right away and hit up all the bookshops and pubs. Delaney is a likable character, a smart and geninually kind book lover who makes a great team with her husband, pub owner Tom. The characters that surround them are unique and interesting, and all add to the story.

The mystery was a really fun one, especially as it was woven around the characters and ideas of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a book I love. I definitely did not see the ending coming, but it made sense looking back, which is always a plus for me.

The only thing I wasn't crazy about is that Delaney's intuition comes to her in the form of book characters and authors talking to her inside her head at important moments. I liked the integration of story and author quotes, but it just felt strange and out of place. Granted, I have not read the other books in this series, so it may be this would make more sense to me if I started from the beginning.

This was a fun, charming book with a fantastic setting, fun characters, and an enjoyable mystery. If the rest of the series is just like this entry, it's a world I would like to revisit.

ARC Review: The Drowning Kind

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

In The Drowning Kind, readers meet Jax, a social worker who has worked hard in her own therapy sessions to draw firm boundaries between herself and her sister, Lexie. Both Lexie and their father, Ted, have had manic episodes for as long as Jax can remember, so when Lexie calls over and over again, Jax ignores her. 

Then she gets the call that Lexie is dead, found drowned outside her home in the famous natural pool-famous because for decades, people have believed the springs feeding the pool can cure ailments and grant wishes. 

But everything comes with a price.

I am a big fan of Jennifer McMahon. My collection of her books has a special space all to itself. And while Burntown and The Invited, her two most recent full-length novels, were not my favorites of hers, I still enjoyed them.

But oh how I loved her newest book. The Drowning Kind is right up there for me, giving me The Night Sister (another McMahon book) vibes in all the best ways. McMahon does a really great job of weaving in journal entries from the past, building a crucial backstory using the personal papers of a woman visiting the "miracle springs" when there was an entire hotel built around the waters. The Drowning Kind is that fabulous kind of creepy where you don't quite know what is real, because the characters don't either. There is so much eerie suspense here, I still get chills thinking about the ending paragraphs. 

When you draw the curtains to settle down at night and read this chilling tale, make sure to light a candle to keep you safe. In the world of The Drowning Kind, they can get to you in the darkness.

ARC Review: Broken (in the best possible way)

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.

I should start by saying, I am a huge fan of Jenny Lawson. She is not only so open and honest about her mental and physical illnesses, but she is also so, so funny. When someone asks me for recommendations of books about mental health, anything by Jenny Lawson is always at the top of my list.

Broken (in the best possible way) just continues my love for Lawson. Some chapters had me laughing so hard for minutes on end, and some chapters were so personal and meaningful they almost made me cry. Lawson not only keeps this balance beautifully, but she also makes sure all her readers know that they are not alone. She is such an important voice in the mental health community, and I absolutely recommend reading not only this book, but every other one of her previous books.

ARC Review: At Any Cost

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Title: At Any Cost: A Father's Betrayal, A Wife's Murder, and a Ten-Year War for Justice

Authors: Rebecca Rosenberg and Selim Algar

Genres: True Crime/Non-Fiction

Publication Date: April 6, 2021

Right away, my first thought about this book is how in the world I had never heard of this crime before. There are so many twists and turns, so many egregious actions by both the murderer and the police--if this was the plot of a fiction book, I would have dismissed it as being far too unbelievable. But this is all too true. I won't spoil anything for anyone who like me walked into this knowing nothing about the case, but there are moments after moments that will make your jaw drop. 

My second thought is how well-written this book is. The facts are laid out in a narrative format, which really helps the reader get to know the people involved, the crime itself, and the shocking aftermath. Despite how complex and complicated the layers upon layers could get, Rosenberg and Algar make sure that the reader never gets lost.

I have read a lot of true crime over the years, and this is an excellent addition to the genre. It will open your eyes, engage your mind, and tug on every single one of your heartstrings. 

ARC Review: Under the Cover of Murder

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion or my review itself.

Addie is known both as a bookseller and as a bit of an amateur detective, someone who can't help but be intrigued by the mystery of a crime. So when one body is found, and then another, surrounding the luxury yacht where an over-the-top wedding has just occurred, Addie starts exploring the library in the hope of picking up some clues. When the guests and staff are all kept on the yacht as suspects, Addie knows she must hurry before the killer strikes again.

This was a fun, enjoyable read. Even though I haven't read the rest of the series, I didn't really feel confused or unable to follow the relationships and side plots. I really liked the relationships between Addie and her close friends, and Addie and her boyfriend. 

The solution to the mystery seemed a bit out of left field-there didn't really seem to be any way a reader could have figured it out from the previous pages. But the characters were well-done, and I loved that the mystery centered around books, especially an Agatha Christie.

ARC Review: She's Too Pretty to Burn

 

I've received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The Book:

Where Veronica, Nico, and Mick collide, chaos sparks.

Nico and Veronica have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Nico is an installation artist consumed by his plans to truly make a statement, while Veronica is a photographer looking for her inspiration. Then Veronica meets Mick at a party, and sparks fly immediately. But Mick is a girl who hates having her photograph taken.

As Veronica and Mick fall in love, they are pinned in on all sides by Nico's fevered determination, Veronica's desire for fame, and Mick's desperate hope to find somewhere she truly belongs. This is not a trio meant to live life peacefully...or possibly to live at all.

What I Liked:

I love the book The Picture of Dorian Gray, which the author credits as an inspiration, and I thought centering around a photograph instead of a painting was a really clever and unique take. 

This book is full on suspense, with heightened emotions and situations on almost every page. I truly did not know what to expect from one chapter to the next, let alone one word to the next.

The look into the different aspects and impacts of being an artist was fascinating, as Heard truly takes the readers on a ride into the extreme possibilities of what this world can hold.

Anything I Didn't Like?

I had a really hard time liking the main characters at many points in the book. They felt self-centered, or cold, or cruel. But to Heard's credit, I think this was truly the point, and the ones you need to be redeemed really are as you get to understand more of their motivations and internal struggles.

So...?

This book is like a wild fever dream, you truly never know where it is going to go next. I got completely lost in it and could not put it down.

ARC Review: The Lost Village

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

This book had my attention from the very start. The premise is absolutely fascinating, and the kind guaranteed to hook me right away. An entire village disappeared in 1959, and now a documentary filmmaker with familial ties to the village's past has arrived to try to make the film that will save her career. 

Though the village has supposedly been completely abandoned, Alice and her ragtag crew with complicated pasts keep seeing shadows out of the corners of their eyes, and would swear they are not the ones breaking their filming epuipment. And then someone goes missing.

This is one scary eerie creepy book. Sten does an amazing job of setting the scene, and I really felt like I was right there with the characters. The use of the occasional flashes of "Then" that build to a crescendo as you near the end of the story served to heighten the suspense and keep you guessing. 

Ok, so this is definitely a strange book, but Sten makes it work. In the hands of someone else, I really think this story would have fallen apart, but Sten makes it all come together.

ARC Review: Forget Me Not

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

When I had just started this book, and was trying to explain what I was reading to a librarian friend, I prefaced the description by saying "I know this sounds like a very different book than I usually read", a statement that is definitely true. My desire to read this particular book stemmed from how much I loved Oliva's previous book The Last One.

Forget Me Not is definitely a book that makes me very glad I tried something new.

From the start of the book, readers are immediately thrust into Linda's difficult and overwhelming world. She was raised completely isolated from the rest of the world, and after even the only family she had ever known left, she climbed the wall and found herself out in a brand new world. Every facet of life outside her previous home is baffling, frightening, and anxiety provoking, especially the realization that her mother had carefully crafted her birth in an attempt to genetically resurrect her dead daughter.

Social media (hashtag #CloneGirl) continues to make Linda feel hunted and afraid, and her tenuous connection with her biological father doesn't bring her much comfort. So when her childhood home suddenly catches on fire, Linda finds herself drawn back into a reckoning of what happens when the past you thought you understood suddenly meets the truth.

This book is fascinating and completely gripping. There is a mysteriousness to it that calls what readers and Linda think they know into question constantly, which is what grabbed me the most about this book. There were also these strange chapters that seemed to be completely disconnected from the rest of the story, but came back to matter in a big way, and I liked the guessing game of trying to figure out where those fit in.

 Oliva does not pull her punches when it comes to the big twists, and this book had them in spades-I was completely shocked by the way things unfolded, but everything made sense looking back. The ending also left me feeling really satisfied. 

ARC Review: The Postscript Murders

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

What I think I loved most about this book is that Griffiths has managed to create a mystery that feels cozy but also has a lot of thriller elements. There are small country inns, and cups of tea, and lots of books, but there are also masked gunmen and threatening postcards. It's the kind of book that has been perfect for the current weather here, rainy and overcast and gloomy, just the kind of story you want to curl up with under a blanket and have a cup of tea yourself.

The main premise is the death of an elderly woman who, it turns out, has been thanked by numerous mystery and thriller novelists in their dedications or postscripts. When a masked gunman then appears in her apartment to steal a book, and authors start turning up dead themselves, a small group of unlikely friends deem themselves amateur sleuths and begin working closely with a local police woman.

The cast of characters is such a great group. The main three "amateur detectives" are a wonderfully eclectic found family: a former monk who now runs a cafe, a young woman from Ukraine who now works as a carer for the elderly, and an elderly man who dresses impecably and used to work for the BBC. The police woman is complex and funny, and makes a great addition to the group with the three others.

I love Griffiths playing with the idea of people who read and write murder mysteries suddenly being pulled into one of their own that has a very direct impact on their lives (and in some cases, deaths). This is a really clever fun book with great locations, great characters, and lots of surprises.

ARC Review: Every Last Fear

 

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

It is hard for a book to live up to the hype surrounding it, especially so in today's world where the many forms of media make it so the hype can be literally everywhere.

This is a book that absolutely lives up to the hype.

As perfectly described by other authors and publicists: 

"One of the most anticipated thrillers of 2021, Every Last Fear is about a family, made infamous by a true crime documentary, found dead. A mourning son risks his life to uncover the truth about their final days. A must-read!"

Finlay has created a gripping psychological thriller that itself employs multiple types of media woven throughout the text. We never see the videos, but they are described so that we feel like we do. The same is true for social media posts, a Netflix documentary, and various websites and internet searches. A poster (see above) was even created for the documentary (which does not actually exist outside the world of the book).

This is what I want every book centered around a fictional true crime documentary or podcast to be like (and there are many out there). There was so much suspense, so many shocking moments, and everything was weaved together expertly. The ending completely shocked me, and worked so well. I'm really excited to see what Alex Finlay does next.