Going off the blurb, I thought this book would have been a bit different. I was expecting something more eerie and sinister, possibly with more paranoGoing off the blurb, I thought this book would have been a bit different. I was expecting something more eerie and sinister, possibly with more paranormal activity. This book did not give what I expected it to, however ,what it did give not disappoint! The entire read is suspenseful and I did not want to put this book down! Karen Marie Moning has such a way of writing, one that will grasp hold of you and suck you in completely. This book is exciting and suspenseful, and the cliffhanger at the end has me already for the next book in this trilogy! Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Karen Marie Moning for this captivating ARC!...more
A locked room mystery where a famous author goes missing while in her massive English estate just days before Christmas - sign me up! This book definiA locked room mystery where a famous author goes missing while in her massive English estate just days before Christmas - sign me up! This book definitely gives Clue vibes, with holiday rom-com and it couldn't have been more perfect! Maggie and her arch nemesis, Ethan, are writers who have never seen eye to eye and literally hate each other. One day, they both receive a mysterious invitation to spend the holidays at an English estate. They have no idea the other person is going, nor do they know the details of this stay. When they reach the manor, they learn it is the home of famous writer Eleanor Ashley. Things quickly go awry when Eleanor goes missing. Maggie and Ethan are the only strangers there, with the rest of the visitors being family and close friends of Eleanor. With everyone else seeming to have possible motive to want Eleanor gone (unalive), Maggie and Ethan take it upon themselves to find out what's really going on.
I absolutely loved this read! It's enjoyable from start to finish. I loved all of the characters, especially our main characters, Maggie and Ethan. I appreciate how the author added flashbacks from both POVs and gave us an idea of how and why their relationship is the way it is. I loved watching Ethan slowly crack and become transparent with Maggie, and I loved watching Maggie lower her guard in return. The author was also very generous with the amount of banter she incorporated into this book. Every other line had me laughing (a true rom com!) The premise, of course, is wonderful! I enjoyed the Clue meets Knives Out vibes it gave, and I didn't feel like anything was lacking as far as character or plot build-up. 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Ally Carter for this ARC!...more
"Nowhere, Ohio" is a supernatural horror set in the 80s, where mysterious werewolf attacks plagued the town. The premise was great, however, the execu"Nowhere, Ohio" is a supernatural horror set in the 80s, where mysterious werewolf attacks plagued the town. The premise was great, however, the execution wasn't so great. The story itself felt flat, and a lot of sentences and even chapters felt like fillers. I wasn't a fan of the style of writing either. It just made the story feel underdeveloped. Thank you NetGalley, Anthropolis Publishing, and Bryan Wayne Dull for this ARC....more
Mrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's is the fifth installment in Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series and can be read and enjoyed as a standaloneMrs. Claus and the Nightmare Before New Year's is the fifth installment in Liz Ireland's Mrs. Claus series and can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. It's a cozy murder mystery, where April Claus finds herself caught up in solving a murder mystery in Santa's absence. This book is cute and fun, probably a little too cozy and fluffy for my liking, but would definitely appeal to the right audience. Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Liz Ireland for this ARC!...more
I wanted to love this book - the cover seemed promising, and the blurb was right up my alley. Unfortunately, when I opened the book, I was taken by shI wanted to love this book - the cover seemed promising, and the blurb was right up my alley. Unfortunately, when I opened the book, I was taken by shock. It was nothing I anticipated. I have nothing against insta-romance, however, this was a little much. The book begins with Lyric & Devon accidentally being booked in the same villa. They decide to stay and start smashing immediately. We're talking less than 10 pages in. I thought it odd to begin a romance that quickly. There was no character build-up, no romantic build-up, just "Hello. Same room? Let's smash."
Things got a little more awkward around the end of their 7-day stay, when Lyric got emotional and started crying because she convinced herself she saw a future with Devon, although she barely knows the basics when it comes to him. They've agreed to a fling so they haven't shared anything personal about themselves, just their age, occupation, and relationship status, and now Lyric is pretty much heartbroken.
Devon was a very difficult character to like. I honestly didn't like him at all. At first, he is presented to still be distraught and grieving his wife's death, but when we later touch on the situation with his wife, it's "My wife died in a tragic car accident. And not to speak ill of the dead, but she was a b*tch and a terrible person." That, along with several other moments (like when he walked past Lyric on the plane and had a random "I don't need anyone!" outburst, or how he didn't want his young daughter to dance) made it so hard to accept his character. He was a walking red flag and needed therapy, badly.
The story overall, just like the relationship, felt very rushed. I don't mind a short, quick read, however, this didn't feel like it could have been executed better. Unfortunately, this was not one for me.
Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin-Romance, and Yahrah St. John for this ARC....more
The Lies We Conjure is a wonderfully captivating read, filled with magic, mystery, and suspense. During the first half of the book, I felt it would haThe Lies We Conjure is a wonderfully captivating read, filled with magic, mystery, and suspense. During the first half of the book, I felt it would have been your typical locked room mystery/ whodunit/ murder at the dinner table case, but it turned out to be far more than that.
The book is based in Colorado, where two sisters, Ruby and Wren, decide to take a random woman up on her offer to impersonate her granddaughters. Little do they know, they're in for a wild (magical) ride. These grandkids aren't your typical grandkids- they are part of a secret society of witches. Ruby and Wren, however, learn that a little too late. After the Hegemony family matriarch and keyholder/ regulator of magic is murdered at dinner, Ruby and Wren's (along with the other witches) lives are now at stake. The witches are tasked with finding the murderer, and with only hours to do so. If they fail, they're stuck in the manor forever.
This book is a great witchy murder mystery. I would love to say it's a quick read, but the pacing in the second half did slow down a bit. The plot overall is very intriguing and entertaining enough to keep you tied to the story. The characters work well together, and I particularly enjoyed the drastic difference between Wren and Ruby and the real Blackwell sisters. A solid 4-star read!...more
I usually enjoy a fake dating romance however this one didn't seem to do it for me. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it didn't suck me in the wI usually enjoy a fake dating romance however this one didn't seem to do it for me. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it didn't suck me in the way I would have liked. I liked the main characters, Will and Lexi, however, everything between them just felt very rushed. I loved the meet and the random "this is my fiancé" introduction that sparked their relationship, but everything after that felt fake, and not because it was, but because it happened so fast. Will fell in love with Lexi in less than a month, within days he knew she was the one.. it was very, unreal. I also despised Lexi's mother. I understand grief can be difficult to deal with, but she just seemed immature and unwilling to progress and move on. Also, the cover is a bit misleading. I thought it would've been more seasonal and fall-like, but it wasn't. I did love the family dynamic - Will's sisters were wonderful, and I loved how open and accepting they were. Overall, I'd say this is an alright read and will do great when presented to its targeted audience, but unfortunately, it wasn't my favorite.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sophie Sullivan for this ARC....more
I enjoy a good romance, but I love it even more when it's based around the holidays, a dual romance, or a house swap, and this book has all three! I lI enjoy a good romance, but I love it even more when it's based around the holidays, a dual romance, or a house swap, and this book has all three! I loved the characters and the plot of it all. Bee and Clover are two women who are practically opposites, however the both need a break, so they decide to swap homes around Christmas. Both women find themselves someplace they'd never thought they'd be, yet deep down, both places hold something they both internally desire. Of course, they gain love interests while on vacation - Bee starts falling for Clover's ex fiancé, Knox, while Clover falls for Bee's twin sister, Beth. This book is such a sweet, cozy read, perfect for the upcoming holidays. It definitely gives big city girl/ small town girl vibes, grumpy x sunshine vibes, and everything in between! Absolutely loved it!
Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Georgia K. Boone for this wonderful ARC!...more
After reading House of Marionne and loving it, I was pretty excited for the sequel, Shadows of Perl. Unfortunately, it did not deliver the way the firAfter reading House of Marionne and loving it, I was pretty excited for the sequel, Shadows of Perl. Unfortunately, it did not deliver the way the first book did. This book felt very slow and uneventful. Most of the book focused on our MCs carrying on with a single task, and it felt like they didn't make much advancement. After reading the book and reflecting back, most of the plot felt very stagnant. Overall, this book was difficult for me to really get into and I enjoyed it less than I thought I would. 2.5 roundes up to 3 stars. Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group, and J. Elle for this ARC....more
A true rivals-to-lovers novel! By the end of this book, I ended up loving Rosie and Aiden together! In the beginning, however, I did not like Rosie onA true rivals-to-lovers novel! By the end of this book, I ended up loving Rosie and Aiden together! In the beginning, however, I did not like Rosie one bit. She's a 26 year old Peruvian-American student at NYU, with dreams of becoming a romance writer. Aiden is her rival, and it's apparent they hate each other. Rosie's reason for hating Aiden was very childish and reminded me of middle school, where girls used to bully boys because they liked them. Aiden seemed very straightforward and chill from the beginning and gave Rosie honest constructive criticism, which she clearly found it hard to accept. Once Rosie and Aiden started working together and building on their chemistry, I was able to get past Rosie's childish ways. It quickly went from childish to cute and sweet for me and then picked up to spicy! Aiden's a hot character for sure! Thank you NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Katie Holt for this ARC!...more
A magical dark academia with a vampire-human romance - I loved every page of this book! (Huge plus for it having Ethopian characters!) This book suckeA magical dark academia with a vampire-human romance - I loved every page of this book! (Huge plus for it having Ethopian characters!) This book sucked me in from the very first page, and I found it impossible to put down! I loved the enemy-to-(kinda sorta) lovers relationship between Kidan and Susenyos. Their relationship was definitely intense - they absolutely hated each other, but when they lusted for each other, the author made sure we really felt it. The two are opposites in many ways, with the main being their view on life. One yearns to live, while the other craves an easier way out- death. It is a very intense read with lots of mystery and magic, and of course lust and violence. The discovery and conversation between Kidan and Susenyos near the end had me on the edge of my seat, nervous and anxious for what would come. I have mixed feelings about the ending itself only because it was so good, then came to an abrupt stop. A cliffhanger, yes, but I'm only upset because I need to know what happened! 5 stars, all the way through! Tigest Girma is such a skilled writer with talent, and I am looking forward to the release of this book on September 3rd!
Thank you NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Tigest Girma for this ARC!...more
This book was quite.. interesting. By the end of the book, I found myself going back to the synopsis with one question in mind- What was that? The synThis book was quite.. interesting. By the end of the book, I found myself going back to the synopsis with one question in mind- What was that? The synopsis sounds so promising - a divided kingdom, a tribute bride, poison-making, magic, ruthless gangs, monsters, dragon riders, and of course, dragons. Unfortunately, this book did not dive deep into any of that. It focused mainly on the divided kingdom, but in a very mild manner- there are mentions of war but no first-hand action of the war, no uprising, only talks of it, basically none of the action and suspense we usually get when we travel into other divided kingdoms. We have a tribute bride who spends half the book practicing mannerisms, and the other half wishing her master was there to teach her about poisons. She mentions poisons quite a bit and in her current role as an infiltrator, she is heavily reliant upon it, however, when the poison comes into play, it is very, very brief. It was along the lines of "He took another sip, turned blue, yelled, then fell." Very uneventful. I was also excited for the magic, but that too was very lackluster. One day, Naili finds out she, along with the other laundresses, have powers, unsure of how they came about, but can only assume it was the alchemist's doing. Naili gets tricked by another laundress into going to meet the alchemist, where the laundress later kidnaps her and brings her to a gang, which she is later initiated into. That all sounds great on paper, but the execution was done poorly. How and what goes on in between all of that are just little filler details - too much for such little action. The magic could have been great, however Naili only used it once, and it was to basically play Jack from Jack & the Beanstalk & shimmy down a plant. Once again, very unexciting. Naili spends half her time in the book picking flowers off her arms, and the other half lusting over everyone she lays eyes on. After she is forced to enter the gang, you would have thought some action would have happened there, but it remained flat. I'm not even sure where Naili's story ended to be honest- it wasn't quite memorable. Most of the book centered around Ash, a dragon rider, who we know rides a dragon. (Dragon riding, divided lands, war, monsters.. great.) But he's ridden his dragon twice in the book - once when we first meet him (no action), and the second time when his dragon is pierced through her scales. We don't get any real edge-of-your-seat dragon action however. It felt like Ash was joy-riding on his dragon, viewing the ground from above, and then his dragon (whom he spoke to by the way, although all she did was insult him), was shot. And then the dragon disappears and we have no more of the dragon for the remainder of the book up until the very last paragraphs.This would have been alright, had this not happened in the first half of the book. Most of Ash's storyline is centered around his watcher. He has a crush on him but he's questioning his potential role in his life because of his nobility. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this book. It felt like I was listening to a very, very, very long backstory or introduction. A 15-hr long introduction to be exact, while waiting for it to get good. There was no action, and I found it difficult to find a climax or suspense from each POV. The way the book ended was also very uneventful and flat, and when I was done, I was left feeling disappointed. After completing the book and gathering my thoughts, I read over the synopsis again, as well as the title and studied the cover. Unfortunately, my feelings remained - everything inside did not deliver what the outside seemed to promise.
I received this ARC courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my honest review....more
I love a good historical fiction, huge plus it's gothic! The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen is a wonderful historical fiction novel based on true stories anI love a good historical fiction, huge plus it's gothic! The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen is a wonderful historical fiction novel based on true stories and events that happened in history, but of course, with a creative twist. It tells the story of a woman, Isobel Tait, and her journey as she seeks justice for her son who was stolen from her and robbed of his heart. I enjoyed this story a lot - I love historical fiction that includes the dark things that occurred throughout history, like grave robbing, resurrectionists/ body snatching, and scientists on the verge on ground-breaking medical discoveries. This book gives us that, plus paranormal activity- hearing ghosts, hearing beating hearts of the dead, etc. All of that helped add to the already atmospheric setting of this book and an all-consuming plot! 5 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Jaima Fixsen for this captivating read!...more
Of Kindgoms and Curses is a YA romantasy and the first installment in the Blood and Curses series. It has magic, curses, a fae realm, insane plot twisOf Kindgoms and Curses is a YA romantasy and the first installment in the Blood and Curses series. It has magic, curses, a fae realm, insane plot twists, and a mind-blowing cliffhanger that will leave you anticipating the next book!
In this book, we follow Bridget, who is a human currently living in the fae realm of Elyria. All humans are placed under a curse when they cross over to Elyria, a curse that causes them memory loss. Bridget has no recollection of the past 7 months. And if things can't get any worse, she is forced to enter a tournament to win the hand of the prince. Bridget has no interest in winning (or even being part of this tournament), but she does see this as the perfect opportunity to escape from her captor. Her captor, however, has other motives. She needs Bridget to find the second gate to the human realm, for reasons unknown. Of course, Bridget falls in love along the way, and it just may cause her her life.
This book took me on quite the ride! It is exciting, it is engulfing, and all-around captivating! The tournaments had me on the edge of my seat and the plot-twists were unreal! The epilogue was short, however, it was exactly what we needed to keep us wanting more! 5 stars, hands down!
Thank you NetGalley, City Owl Press, and Amy Woodruff for this riveting ARC!...more
Elizabeth of East Hampton is a fun, modern retelling of Jane Austen's Price and Prejudice. Overall, I enjoyed this book, however, I didn't feel it hadElizabeth of East Hampton is a fun, modern retelling of Jane Austen's Price and Prejudice. Overall, I enjoyed this book, however, I didn't feel it had that slightly original twist that Emma of 83rd Street did. This book felt too close to the classic to the point where I felt I knew exactly what was going to happen. I did appreciate it was a quick read, with great characters.
Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books, Audrey Bellezza, and Emily Harding for this read!...more
Talk about holiday fun! This cookbook is wonderful, creative, and fun for the whole family! It's packed with sweet recipes and everything for beginnerTalk about holiday fun! This cookbook is wonderful, creative, and fun for the whole family! It's packed with sweet recipes and everything for beginner cooks and bakers - tips and pointers, kitchen and pantry staples, baking terms and how-to's, and more! There are fun pages in-between, like seek-and-find, mini interview with the elves, name generator, and even a Christmas playlist (not to mention Halloween and Easter treat!) I am looking forward to trying out several of these fun recipes with my 3 and 5 year olds!
Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Chanda A. Bell for the holiday magic!...more
A gothic fantasy with romance, deadly competition, magic, devils, ghosts, and phantoms.. this book is it! It definitely gives Caraval vibes, however, A gothic fantasy with romance, deadly competition, magic, devils, ghosts, and phantoms.. this book is it! It definitely gives Caraval vibes, however, taken to the next level! In this romantasy, we follow a necromancer, Ophelia, as she follows her sister to a deadly competition based on the 9 levels of Hell. The devils who put on the show (based on the 9 levels of Hell) find pleasure in watching humans compete, and as you can probably guess, with each level, the stakes are higher. One of Phantasma's rules- do not fall in love while in Phantasma. One of Ophelia's mother's rules- never make a deal with a devil.. however, when Ophelia meets Blackwell, she can not help her heart. There are dark secrets that slowly come to light, & Ophelia finds herself facing battles she'd never thought she'd face.
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It is dark, it is haunted, is it suspenseful, and of course, I couldn't get enough of Ophelia and Blackwell. Just think Scarlett and Jax, but make it spicy.. and make Jax a phantom! Wonderfully captivating, with an enthralling plot! 5 stars all the way. I can't wait for the next book!
Thank you NetGalley, Second Sky/ Forever, and Kaylie Smith for this captivating read!...more
The Story Collector is a delightful novel, however, I didn't really connect with it the way I thought I would. I expected there to be more of a connecThe Story Collector is a delightful novel, however, I didn't really connect with it the way I thought I would. I expected there to be more of a connection between Sarah and the diary but there wasn't. I enjoyed Anna's story, even though it didn't feel like diary entries but more of a story being read from a regular book. The Irish folklore and mention of fairies had to be my favorite part, but aside from that, the story itself felt very flat. I wanted to love it but it was just mediocre to me. 3 stars Thank you NetGalley, Harper360, and Evie Woods for this read....more
Ghost Mother is a suspenseful gothic/paranormal horror that had me eagerly turning pages. It is eerie, it is haunting, and it is thrilling- everythingGhost Mother is a suspenseful gothic/paranormal horror that had me eagerly turning pages. It is eerie, it is haunting, and it is thrilling- everything that makes a horror great!
Lilly Bly and her husband Jack find themselves moving into a dilapidated house in Wisconsin after Lilly absolutely fell in love with it. After moving there, Lilly learns of its terrible past and slowly starts believing it just may be haunted. A family has died in that house, mother, father. And young daughter, and when Lilly starts hearing voices and seeing things, she feels compelled to find out what really happened to the family. Her urge is driven by her desire to stay in that house. She believes that house will be the place she finally gets pregnant and creates not only a family but a home.
The paranormal activities in this book are insane! I found myself jaw-dropped at several moments, however, there were many where I found myself thinking the events occurring were completely outlandish and far-fetched. Those moments took me away from the story a bit, but they were usually followed by something insane and jaw-dropping that instantly reeled me right back in. Overall, it is a ghost story and the narration was perfectly executed.3 stars!
Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Kelly Dwyer for an intriguing read!...more
The Mole People is an intense, heart-wrenching read, one that will make you feel for the main character as we take a deeper look into mental illness aThe Mole People is an intense, heart-wrenching read, one that will make you feel for the main character as we take a deeper look into mental illness and drug addiction. In this book, we follow Suzie Franks, a college student who struggles with schizophrenia and paranoia. Suzie has the support of her mother and boyfriend, however, it isn't enough. Every day for her is a battle, as she struggles to cope with her illness, and her environment doesn't make it any better. She is teased at school for her differences and, as a result, turns to drugs as a temporary release. Eventually, as things worsen, Suzie finds herself running away from her life and everyone she knows in Oregon. She ends up in Las Vegas amongst the mole people, an underground community that promises to protect her. Her life starts spiraling further downhill, and it soon becomes apparent to Suzie that if she wants to live, she's going to have to fight.
This book broke me. I felt for Suzie in so many ways. Although we did not get Suzie's very beginnings, we do get flashbacks which give us an idea of the life Suzie has lived. We meet Suzie at a vulnerable time in her life, and it is heartbreaking to see her fall into a very dark place. I was rooting for Suzie the entire boom through, and the ending gave some sort of comfort, although it was a very rough journey getting there. I appreciate the author for touching on sensitive topics in today's society and shining light on the internal battles that many people are silently fighting.
Thank you NetGalley, Kevin Landt, and Ryland Publishing for this read....more
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