ARC Review: The Last to Vanish

 

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 worked at the Passage Inn for a decade, Abigail has heard all the stories about the people who have gone missing. When a journalist investigating the disappearances himself disappears, and his brother shows up at the inn, Abigail finds herself drawn into the search for the truth.

Miranda doesn't disappoint. This is another suspenseful book with a ton of twists and turns, complex characters, and a protagonist who draws the readers in. The setting is a character in itself, and the ending was completely shocking to me. I definitely recommend this book.

ARC Reviews: Things We Do in the Dark, and Just Like Home

 I received ARCs of these books from the publisher in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinions of the books or my reviews themselves.

You would think being found next to your husband's dead body, covered in blood, holding a razor believed to be a murder weapon, would be the worst thing that could happen to you.

But you would be wrong.

Or at least Paris Peralta feels that way.

To her, the worst thing that could happen would be her past being drummed up. And with her now-dead husband a celebrity, it seems inevitable. Especially when a famous murderess, nicknamed the Ice Queen, knows her secret.

This was a gripping read. I'm always into a true crime podcast angle, and having one of the main characters be a creator of one such podcast drew me right in. The characters are very complex in a really compelling way that makes them feel very human and very real. The suspense is high and maintained throughout the whole novel, especially the conclusion. I would recommend this read.

Vera has gone back to her childhood home to take care of her dying mother, who has summoned her back to the very place she kicked her out of. And this is no normal home-this is the home a serial killer built with their bare hands. There are forces at play Vera is just beginning to understand, including an artist who insists he is using the energy of the home as his muse. 

This is not a book for the faint of heart. I actually struggled making my way through it because of some of the gruesomeness, but found it compelling enough to keep going. There were some really shocking moments I never saw coming. However, the ending really let me down. This is a personal reaction, and I cannot speak for others, but the ending just plain did not work for me. I wanted something more, something different, after all the build up. 

ARC Review: Upgrade

 

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.

Logan Ramsey is haunted by his family history, hoping to use his job to make up for the past. After a mission gone wrong, he finds he feels different-very different. His abilities have changed dramatically. His entire genome has changed dramatically. And now he may be the only one who can stop what's about to descend on humanity, while being forced to decide if he should even be trying to stop it at all. 

There is so much science in this book. I am not typically a science fiction reader, especially not when the science gets technical. But I loved this book. Crouch has this amazing ability to make science fiction that is not only accessible to readers like me, but that is absolutely gripping. I could not put this book down. 

ARC Review: Castle Deadly, Castle Deep

 

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.

Nora Blake is an actress with a very cool job-doing murder mystery dinner theater while living in the very castle it's set in. For the Fall season, the mystery takes place in the catacombs, a place Nora finds extremely creepy even before a real murder occurs there during one of their shows. There is seemingly no motive for the murder of the well-liked man, which means Nora and her police officer boyfriend have to work twice as hard to solve the crime.

This was a fun read. The setting is excellent, lending itself to all kinds of mysterious places and spots for meet ups. The characters are all well-done, with even the three kittens named after the Bronte sisters being their own individualized selves. There is some great romance between Nora and her boyfriend Dash, and also between some other characters and their respective paramours. I also really enjoyed the acting aspects of the book, with Nora also in an Ibsen play.

If I had to find a negative, it's that the solution to the mystery comes a little early, which means the ending of the book felt like it dragged on a bit for me. 

ARC Reviews: Donut Disturb, and The Finalists

 I received ARCS of these books from the publishers in exchange for honest reviews. This did not affect my opinions of the books or my reviews themselves.

In the latest installement in the Bakeshop Mystery series, the small town of Ashland, Oregon has come together to organize and ceebrate the wedding of two of the town's beloved citizens. But then the bride's father shows up unannounced, and the bassist of the wedding band is found murdered, and Juliet, owner and operator of bakeshop Torte, must once again put on her amateur detective hat and solve the mystery.

I love this series. The characters are so endearing, it's like a warm hug reading about them again. There is no shortage of suspects or twists and turns, and the solution to the mystery is a surprise that makes sense. The beautiful descriptions of the town make it its own character. I'm always happy to revisit Ashland, and I highly recommend other readers take the trip too.

In The Finalists, Bell sets his mystery in the academic world. Six college students are locked in a building, just like students for years before them have done, to take place in a ritual of sorts. They are the finalists for an extremely generous and long-running fellowship, and must now compete in an essay portion and interview to determine the winner. The bylaws are rigid, the representative of the family running the fellowship is drunk, and no one can leave until a winner is selected.

Then one of the students dies.

Bell creates a tense "murderer among us" atmosphere with locked doors and no one coming until the designated time. He also delves into the politics and policies of the behind the scenes workings of academia, which escalate the tension between the characters. The ending is a little pat, but still a surprise.