Review: The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully

The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties Program.  In full transparency I did end up listening to the audiobook via my library, but as usual all opinions are my own.

This was such a fun cozy mystery.  I hope this ends up being a series, I would love to go on future cases with Olivia and Merritt.  Aubrey Merritt is a renowned Private Investigator, and she is looking for an assistant.  Enter Olivia Blunt, a fact checker for an online news outlet with no investigative experience but a fascination in detectives and mysteries.  Eager to learn the business and earn the respect of the famous PI, Olivia is determined to do her best and become a PI herself.

When a case takes them to Vermont, Olivia and Merritt must determine if a socialite and matriarch of the Summersworth family took her own life or was murdered.  Olivia's empathy for the family, the deceased, and the suspects often leaves her questioning Merritt's tactics and investigative practices.  She often jumps to conclusions and goes with the easiest solution instead of slowing down and looking at the bigger picture, something Merritt coaches her on.  As the duo questions friends and family members the case has many red herrings and slowly reveals several different motives.  Olivia makes lots of mistakes and thinks she is doing a terrible job on the case, however she uncovers several key clues that Merritt is able to use to solve the case.  

I thought this was really entertaining and fun.  Olivia at times bumbles around trying to please Merritt and ultimately displeases her grumpy boss, but she learns new skills and finds clues at every turn.  Merritt was very gruff and stoic and essentially impossible to impress, so nothing Olivia ever does is going to be right which adds to the humor of the book.  The banter and sarcasm isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but I enjoyed it.  I expect if the series continues these two are eventually going to get along swimmingly.  I liked how the author kept you guessing who-dun-it with all of the characters and plot lines.  I wasn't sure until the very end, I was close, but who I thought ended up not being the culprit.

Overall if you are looking for a fun, cozy mystery, I highly recommend this one.  

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Review: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This book was the cozy hug I needed.  Sera lost most of her magic when she cast a spell to save her beloved Aunt Jasmine.  Sera is always sacrificing and taking care of others, despite the grumpy facade she puts on.  She helps Jasmine run the Batty Hole Inn (great and appropriate name by the way), where people who need a comfortable and safe place to stay always find one for as long as they need.  Together they have built a wonderful found family with a skeleton chicken, a talking fox, a knight, and a quirky gardener among others.  When an old friend gives Sera the key to gaining her magic back, it just so happens that Luke Larsen is the only one who can help her translate the spell and he and his sister happened to show up at the inn shortly after the spell lands in Sera's hands.  Coincidence?  I think not!  Luke much like Sera will do anything to take care of his sister Posy and the people who mean something to him, but he has spent years building walls and conforming to the rules of magical society.  He wants nothing to do with the shenanigans that make up the inn, but soon realizes that it might be what is best for Posy and maybe for himself.

I absolutely loved the dynamics of the Inn and Sera's family and friends.  While I don't run an inn, I related to her so well with taking care of the people around me.  I wish I could magic all the laundry away and make my appliances more efficient with magic.  I really loved that we got to see her both with an without magic in the book on her journey of self discovery.    Sera and Luke's romance was super slow burn, but they were really cute together.  Every character was so lovable and while there were big conversations on big topics, at the end of the day they just wanted to be near each other  The characters were wonderful, the messages this book holds are even more wonderful, and I delighted in every moment spent within the pages of this book!

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Review: Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley

Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  I did end up listening to the audiobook which I borrowed from my library as this has been sitting on my TBR for a while.  I'm sorry it took me so long to read this as this was really great!  This is the kind of fantasy that I love to get lost in.

I don't know why more people aren't talking about this book!  It had everything I look for in a fantasy.  There are some dark moments, trials, interesting magic, interesting fae creatures and characters, betrayal, and a bit of romance.

Kenna is not well liked in her village.  She is always collecting things from the bog to sell or trade to survive.  Her best friend is selected along with several other women to be sent to the fae in Mistei as tribute.  The people of Kenna's town believe this to be a great honor, but Kenna isn't so sure.  She offers to help her friend and the women travel the dark path on their journey only to become trapped in the fae land her self and find herself enslaved.  She is assigned to a fae who is about to undergo trials to prove her worth and grant her immortality and power.  Kenna must aid her mistress or face death.  Armed only with her wits and a strange magical dagger she found in the bog before entering Mistei, Kenna finds that the world she has entered is wrought with secrets and plots to overthrow the mad king.  She also finds herself being courted by a handsome fae prince.  

I really enjoyed this.  Kenna develops so much as she helps Lara through the trials.  She is always wandering around gathering information wherever she can to ensure that Lara will successfully pass.  Kenna is always getting herself into sticky situations, but she is clever and finds a way out of them.  I loved the addition of the dagger, which is sentient, and a character in its own right.  I expect we will see more out of the dagger in book 2 as there were some pretty big revelations at the end of this book.  I really enjoyed the characters and the world building.  I can't wait for book 2 out later this year and to find out where Kenna the now Princess of Blood ends up in this magical world.

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Review: An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided and ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions re my own.

If you like dark academia with a hint of horror and gothic fantasy, this is a wild ride. The concept was really unique, but this book is either one you are really going to love or it is going to leave you wondering "what just happened?". It certainly left me thinking "Did I even like this?" There were aspects that I enjoyed, while others I thought fell flat in execution.

This follows Lennon in the wake of discovering her fiancé's infidelity. Her self worth is wrapped up in her relationship which is a theme that continues throughout the book, but a mysterious phone call invites her to an interview at the strange and exclusive Drayton University. Upon her arrival at Drayton she is put through a very odd admittance process which includes a written exam as well an in person interview. Lennon finds that she has the gift of persuasion, where she can assert her will on others and at Drayton she will learn to hone that gift and in her case her abilities surpass those of her classmates. She struggles with the morality of persuasion and the mission of Drayton. Her abilities put her in a different category of student and she is pushed harder to develop these abilities than the others for reasons that are revealed much later in the book. Lennon has some issues with her self-worth, so when she is given an opportunity to be loved and praised by her professors, she jumps at the chance and poor decisions are made for the sake of progress. I found Lennon to be immature and unlikable, but I think that was done purposely by the author. The author had the opportunity to explore mental illness, jealousy, toxic relationships, and boundaries but none of those were really fleshed out in the book as Lennon figures out where she fits at Drayton and in the world.

This book is very atmospheric, but left me with a feeling of dissatisfaction. There really isn't a ton of world building as this takes place in Savannah, Georgia; however I thought that the campus of Drayton and the "magic system" could have been described much better. The characters just accept everything a bit to easily when they arrive and the training they participate in. I really liked the idea of the magic and the concepts presented at Drayton, but I would have liked more explanation of how it all worked and more development of the characters. There are a ton of side characters that we never really get to know. There is mention toward the end that "they are Lennon's friends" but they never really develop relationships with her and she is kind of a terrible friend.

In the end, there were concepts I enjoyed but I wanted more explanation of what was going on. I was often confused about what was happening. I feel like the author was trying not to give too much away until the twists and reveals, however by the time we get to the end I wasn't satisfied with the conclusion. I do think there are readers who are absolutely going to love this, but I didn't connect with it the way I had hoped.

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Review: The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea

The Jewel of the Isle by Kerry Rea
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program.

Emily is not an outdoorsy person.  She loves her creature comforts, but her father was an adventurer at heart and loved exploring.  He had a bucket list of places to visit, and he wanted his daughters to experience them with him.  Life and anxiety got in the way, but his untimely passing has Emily determined to visit some of the places he wanted to see and face some of her fears.  Ryder is also not and outdoors expert, he is more of the behind the scenes marketing guy.  He co-owned an adventure company with his beloved older brother Caleb, but when he was left to run the business alone after a horrible accident Ryder is crippled by his grief and the business is failing.  In an attempt to save Caleb's beloved boat from being sold, Ryder takes on Emily as a client and agrees to guide her through Isle Royale National Park, but it quickly becomes apparent that they both don't have a clue what they are doing.  They also get caught up in an Indiana Jones type of archaeologist jewel hunt and murder situation that leaves them running through the park for their lives.  Armed with a compass they can barely use and some protein bars, they have to learn to work together to escape with their lives.

This had some really  great discussions about anxiety, paranoia, grief, guilt, and loss of a loved one.  I thought the author captured the adventure and action parts well.  There were some humorous moments threaded throughout the book, but given how often our main characters were stumbling around with their lack of outdoorsmanship and the frequent mention of glow-in-the-dark toilet paper (I didn't know that existed and I've been tent camping all my life), I expected more of a laugh out loud book from start to finish.  I wanted a bit more comedy given all of the ridiculous situations our characters are put in in this romcom.  

Overall this was a fun book.  If you like opposites attract, adventure style romances with a bit of comedy, give this a go.  

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Review: Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan

Her Knight at the Museum by Bryn Donovan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was a fun romcom with a historical twist. It was a bit cheesy at times, but it was perfect for this time of year when everything is chaotic around the holidays and in our house it is the height of basketball season so it is extra busy. This has great humor, some decent spice, and fun characters.

This follows Emily, a art conservator who is restoring a medieval statue. She gets a vibe from the statue that there is more to his story than just the rock that he is made of. When she starts hearing voices and having dreams about the knight, things start to get a little strange. Sir Griffin de Beauford was cursed into the statue Emily is restoring several centuries ago. He can see and hear what is going on around him, and he can visit his owners in their dreams. For some reason he can connect with Emily while she is awake as well. Emily takes a chance to break the curse while working on Griffin's statue, and to her surprise it works making her prime suspect #1 in an art heist investigation. She can't exactly explain what happened without looking crazy. She has to help her knight in shining armor navigate current day Chicago and everything that has changed since he was in the flesh last. He learns quickly and most people find his old fashioned speech and behavior charming.

I enjoyed getting to know Griffin and Emily. They don't jump right into a relationship, despite a very spicy scene in the beginning. They do eventually develop a romantic relationship, and more spicy scenes ensue. Griffin doesn't understand much about the current times and there are some misunderstandings, which adds to the comedy of the book. Emily is patient and understanding with him, it helps that she appreciates the history of his time due to her knowledge of art. Emily's lack of stress about being the suspect of the art theft was a bit unbelievable, so there is a bit of suspension of disbelief needed for part of the plot, but that's also what adds to the comedy aspect of the plot and what makes this book so fun. I mean you have a cursed statue come to life, so there are going to be some unbelievable things going on. I also enjoyed getting to hang out in Chicago with our characters, I haven't been there before other than inside the airport, but I thought the author did a good job describing the city.

Overall, I thought this was a really fun, cozy book. If you are in the mood for a romcom with a little bit of history give this one a chance.

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Review: The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was an emotional second chance romance.  Both Eli and Georgia have some hang-ups when it comes to relationships and self-worth.  Instability in their childhood has caused lasting trauma.  They have known each other since high school, and their best friend Adam is about to marry the love of his life.  Unfortunately for Adam and his bride to be everything that could go wrong does, and Eli an Georgia need to step in and save the wedding.  Their friendship turned romance has been on frosty terms since their breakup several years ago, but they love Adam and will do anything to make his special day be as perfect as possible.  Unfortunately, the universe has other plans for everyone.  The day is one to remember, but the journey to get there is one too.  Georgia and Eli skirt around old issues and messy feelings for the week they rush around putting the wedding together.  It quickly becomes clear that they still have feelings for one another and they will have to face all of those feelings and unresolved emotions from their breakup.

This was fun, but it was missing something for me. The wedding disasters were funny and the couple had good banter.  While I understand why Georgia felt the way she did regarding abandonment and worthiness in her relationships it seemed to overtake her entire personality.  I wanted to get to know her as a person outside of her lists and trauma.  The same goes for Eli, I needed more than the workaholic guy who broke Georgia's heart.  Maybe it was a bit too angsty for me.  I did like how the author brought it all together and resolved things for everyone.  I enjoyed the side characters, the brought in good support for both characters.

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Review: The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.  This was published about a month ago, so in an attempt to get my review out a bit quicker (I'm a bit behind) I did borrow the audiobook from my library.

The audiobook was great.  The narrator did a great job with the characters, which only added to the humor of this cozy mystery.

I'll admit I was a bit confused at first when this book starts out with no demon hunting or paranormal aspect.  I was wondering how the author was going to smoothly transition that into the story, but I was pleasantly surprised with the way it was added into the storyline.  Sherry Pinkwhistle is a local librarian in a small town of Winesap, NY.  She lives alone, has a cat, has a few good friends, and often helps the local Sherriff's department solve crimes.  Their small town seems to have a murder problem and Sherry is always there to lend a hand.  Her character reminded me a lot of Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote, but with more humor.  

When her gentleman friend Alan is murdered, and strange things start happening around her insisting she investigate she calls on her friends, the new priest in town, and forms the Demon Hunting Society.  She is sure there is something otherworldly going on in Winesap and she must use her investigative talents to figure out what is going on or determine if she is losing her mind.  Her list of suspects keeps growing to include Alan's family, his colleagues in the antiques business, and some local townsfolk.  With the help of her friends and her cat she is able to piece together what happened.

Overall this was a fun cozy mystery.  It doesn't take itself too seriously and has some laugh out loud moments.  It is silly at times, but sometimes you need a fun book.  I thought this was a great fall read with Halloween approaching and the leaves beginning to turn.  There was a hint of this becoming a series and I would happily read more about Sherry and her sleuthing in the future with a cup of tea snuggled under a blanket.

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Review: We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties Program.

This was a cute contemporary fiction with a hint of what I felt was magical realism that follows five different people as they search for a solution to their life's problems.  Through word of mouth they are sent to a strange clinic where the prescription is always a cat, because "Cats can solve most problems."  Each person goes through a soul searching and self-discovery journey during their prescription time with their cat.

This was very heartwarming and really shows the healing power of pets, in this case cats.  I'm a dog person myself, and my pups have always brought joy and happiness to my home.  We got our current dog about a month before the COVID shut down, and about a year before our beloved older dog passed from old age.  He is almost 5 now, and he helped us get through that tough time and completes our family.  This made me think of that as the cats in the book provided each of the humans with something else to focus on and some much needed emotional support.

This book is set in Kyoto, Japan and is translated.  As someone who is not 100% familiar with all of the customs and cultural references, I'm sure I missed some of the references as there is always something lost in translation.  There was some humor that I found a bit dry, which I often find to be the case in translated books.  It has nothing to do with the skill of the author,   Overall I thought this was super cute and cozy.  If you are a cat lover or an animal lover in general you will really appreciate this!

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Review: The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore

The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was a very interesting gothic historical tale with romantic and paranormal elements to keep the reader interested.  This follows two sisters, whos family has fallen from the aristocracy in post revolutionary Russia.  Their family and ancient mansion referred to as Moscow House keeps many secrets, and Irina and Lili have to uncover the most devastating of the secrets known only by their beloved uncle who passed several years ago and their strange aunt who currently lives with them in order to save what is left of their family.  Lili uncovers her uncle's diaries and learns some of those secrets and how to fight some of the strange and terrible things that have been happening in their home.

In the meantime both Lili and Irina have taken jobs with the American Relief Administration in an attempt to feed the remaining members of their family.  They are barely surviving, but their new jobs may be seen as treason by the current regime, especially the men who have taken over their house.  Both girls must carefully navigate tricky family and political situations while also developing romantic relationships.  

I thought this was entertaining enough, but it didn't have enough paranormal elements for a haunted house story in my opinion.  This was more character driven and centered around the familial relationships and relationships the sisters had with the people around them.   The research that went into the time period and the setting was excellent! 

Overall, this was a great fall read.  It is spooky with the creepy house and gothic elements.  Slavic folklore is fascinating and it has great characters.  

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Review: We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Koller Croft

We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Koller Croft
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was an interesting trip through the nightlife of the late 70's and early 80's disco scene in London.  Amber is an American who loves to dance and visit the many disco clubs the city has to offer.  Her husband prefers a quiet night at home.  Enter Nicola, another fun disco loving party girl who befriends Amber with her glitz and glamour.  Unbeknownst to Amber, Nicola is a vampire and she is looking for someone to be her companion as the years go by.

Fast forward 50 years and Amber has had enough of Nicola and her manipulative ways.  She forms a plan to get away from her maker, but things go off the rails when Nicola decides they should open their own disco club reminiscent of the clubs they used to visit when they first met.  Can they reignite the friendship they once had or will everything go up in flames?

This is a book you are either really love or be indifferent to.  I fall in the latter, I also don't typically care for character driven novels.  I found the pacing a bit slow for my taste.  The friendship between Nicola and Amber was toxic from the start, but you still want to know what is going to happen between them  Nicola's anti-hero persona was kind of compelling despite her being kind of evil and manipulative in the end.  Amber was kind of a pushover which is why she was kind of the perfect companion for so long, but I did like the twist in the end where she finally finds a backbone.

Overall, this wasn't bad, it wasn't necessarily to my taste but I think people that like a more contemporary spin to their fantasy will really enjoy it.  I prefer more fantasy in my vampire books.

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Review: Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was adorable and if I could visit Boneyard Key as a tourist I would!  I love Halloween and all things spooky, so this sounds like my kind of town.

This follows Cassie, an Orlando native, who recently moved to the small town of Boneyard Key, where tourists flock to visit for the towns local haunts pun intended.  Nick runs the local coffee shop, and he happens to have a very special roommate, Elmer is the original owner of Hallowed Grounds and loves to tell Nick what to do.  Cassie and Nick don't get off to the best start, but her frequent trips to the coffee shop quickly turn things around as they get to know each other.  Her laptop won't charge and it is a critical part of her work from home job, especially now that she has a mortgage.  Everything checks out with her electricity, and her laptop charges fine at the coffee shop or when someone else plugs it in at home, so she turns to the paranormal experts in the Key to see if there is something else wrong in her house.  Turns out Cassie has an unexpected roommate too.  Her house is famous around Boneyard Key, but it turns out the stories aren't exactly true, Cassie is determined to find out the truth about the Hawkins House and learn more about her spectral roomie.

This was such a fun book as we learn about the history of the town and Cassie and Nick get to know each other.  I really like the way the author had both of them communicate with their ghosts, it was really creative and something I don't think I've seen before.  Nick and Cassie take their time getting to know one another, and it seems like every time they take a step forward in their relationship something gets in the way and sends them two steps backward.  I actually appreciated this, because while you knew there was going to be a romantic element between them it didn't take center stage and they actually got to know each other a bit first and got to have some serious conversations before making big declarations.  I love a slow burn romance when done well and I really enjoyed this one!  This is low on the spice scale.

I don't believe I've read anything else by the author in the past, but I am certainly in if there are more books in the series and I'll be checking out more books.  Overall I loved this small town romance with a paranormal twist.  It was really unique and I really enjoyed the creativity the author brought to the table with the plot and the characters.

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Review: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program.

This is a zany story that follows Ember as one little white lie on her resume snowballs into more lies than she can keep track of.  Some of them are innocent, while others start to get serious and impact her life, relationships, and even her new job.  I didn't have an issue with her fibbing about her ethnicity on her job application. I know that is a real thing that happens and I wish companies would stop asking those demographic question.  None of that actually matters when it comes to job performance.  I had an issue when she started lying about her cat allergy and continues to lie about completely stupid stuff and then lies about stuff she knows is unethical but does it anyway.  I know it was supposed to add an element of humor to the book, but the humor didn't always hit.  It felt like she kept making a bigger mess of things instead of trying to straighten things out.

The author did a great job capturing the various types of aggressions that one experiences in an office environment.  I've never worked at a start-up but I've worked in the corporate world for almost 20 years and have certainly experienced or seen misogyny and other types of questionable behavior during my career.  Ember was really naïve and lacked experience, so  I kept hoping she would ask someone for help or mentorship, even if it were Danuwoa.  The two of them had great chemistry first as friends and then as a couple.  If she were going to trust anyone it should have been him.  It is addressed in the book why she has a hard time asking for help, and that makes some of her decisions and actions make more sense as we approach the end of the book.

I'm so glad that Berkley published this Own Voices Rom Com, and I hope to see more of them in the future.  

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Review: Looking for Smoke by K. A. Cobell

Looking for Smoke by K.A. Cobell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  I did however end up listening to the final publication version of the audiobook.  I highly recommend the audiobook, as it is narrated by a full cast, which really helps bring the story together.

This follows four teenagers in the wake of one of their own being murdered.  As the murder investigation proceeds, it looks like it may be connected to another murder victim.  All four teens band together to try to figure out what is going on and how Rayanne and Samantha's murders are connected.  As we get to know the characters it is clear that everyone is hiding something, while they may not be the murderer they each have a secret that could ruin them.  During the course of the investigation, everyone is a suspect and you aren't really sure who to point the finger at until the very end.  The way the story was told was engaging and kept me on my toes wanting to know what was going to happen next.

This book while fictional shines a light on very real issues within the Native American community.  There is very real issue with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, drugs, violence, and a broken justice system.  I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.  It is perfect for teen readers as there isn't anything overly graphic in the book, but I think readers of all ages will enjoy it.  

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Review: The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic

The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This follows Anna, a detective with a secretive backstory that not even she completely remembers. When Anna shoots a perpetrator in the line of duty and is dosed with PCP suppressed memories from her childhood begin to surface. She thought she buried the person she used to be, but with the help of her therapist she is able to piece together her past with what she is experiencing now. This is especially helpful when she finds herself tangled up in a murder investigation that appears to be a copycat of her serial killer father. Unable to detach herself from the case, Anna is determined to use her knowledge of her father's case, and the outdoor skills he taught her to figure out the current case or if her father has returned from the dead to haunt her once more.

I found it hard to believe that Anna was able to hide her identity from so many people for so long. It is one of those plot points where you have to suspend your disbelief for the storyline to work. No one recognizes her and she makes really poor decisions throughout the investigation, yet no one picks up on it.  This might be a spoiler, but this leans heavily on the paranormal aspect, which I didn't mind, I love a good paranormal storyline but I wanted more information on that part. I love a good mythological element, however I appreciate when it is well explained and I felt it was a bit lacking in information on how the connection was made.  As for the thriller aspect, this has plenty of red herrings to keep the reader on their toes and adds in a nice bit of police procedural.

Overall, this was an interesting thriller and a solid debut.

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Review: Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina

Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program.

This book has a lot going on and addresses some pretty heavy topics.  This spans several genres, to name a few it is a bit horror, mythological/folklore, and mystery/thriller.  The author takes a deep look into very real issues that Native and Indigenous people face such as suicide, substance abuse, and trauma.

This follows alternating points of view Louie in the past, and Noemi in the present.  In Louie's chapters he is a teenager, and much of his time is spent babysitting his toddler aged niece Noemi and being the man of the house for his sister and mom.  He does his best to take care of them and uphold customs and traditions.  During the summer the story takes place the reservation they live on is plagued with several deaths, all of which end up having some strange circumstances or occurrences.  Louie is caught up in the legends and lore of his people as more strange things happen that summer.  He tries to understand what is going on and get to the bottom of things

In Noemi's chapters, she is in her late thirties and has just learned that the love of her life has been involved in a fatal car accident, and his death has been ruled suicide.  She is adamant that he would never do that, so she tries to figure out what really happened.  With Uncle Louie's help she tries to find out if it truly was an accident or if Roddy was hiding his internal pain and trauma from her.  

I found the pacing of this book to be very slow and there are a ton of characters to keep track of.  The vast majority of the story is told from Louie's POV in the 1980's, with Noemi's POV sprinkled throughout.  The past and the present are connected, however I felt like there were two distinct books as Noemi's chapters felt a bit disconnected from Louie's.  I expected Noemi to go on a similar path of discovery as Louie did to discover what happened to Roddy, but that doesn't happen.  The folklore aspect was interesting and I liked the way the author wove that into the horror elements.  

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Review: The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton

The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was a super cute romance.  Amerie aka Mimi to her close friends and family, is going through a rough time.  She had a successful career as an event planner, but when an event went poorly and her focus was on her ailing mom she was let go from her firm and her life has been spiraling ever since.  Now she is ready to take control and branch out on her own, but she is struggling to get her business off the ground and make rent.  Enter Vincent, a successful and handsome astronaut about to launch into space on his biggest mission yet.  His family isn't the most supportive of his career choice, but he loves what he does.  They want him to settle down, or at least find someone.  When he and Amerie collide at their favorite coffee shop, and a little white lie about a fake relationship quickly morphs into something much more.

I completely related to Amerie's dad making PB&J with butter, my dad also made them that way when we were kids.  That made me smile and that bit of nostalgia really hit home for me.  I really loved the family aspect for both main characters.  As we get to know both Amerie and Vincent, we get to understand them both and their personalities.  Vincent is driven and like a scientist likes to control the variables.  Amerie is risk adverse, doesn't deal well with her emotions, and she too likes everything controlled and perfect.  They are kind of perfect for each other and shaped by their life experiences.  I really enjoyed getting to know them, their families, and watching them fall for one another.  They have good banter with one another, and 

Overall I this was a solid debut romance.  I really enjoyed the characters and the slow burn pacing worked really well.  This has a bit of spice but isn't overly detailed in that area which I actually prefer in my romances.  

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Review: Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa

Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the Berkley Besties program and Netgalley, I did however end up listening to the final production version of the audiobook.  As always all opinions are my own.

This is a bit of a genre mashup.  It blends folklore, historical fiction, feminism, horror and more all into one package.  Set in 19th century Sri Lanka when the traditional religious practices and beliefs are being overtaken by the  influence of the British Colonizers, Amara and her family are seen as outcasts.  Her father's role as Capuwa was once respected, and his practices are being twisted into something sinister.  Amara is constantly accused of practicing witchcraft, which leaves her frustrated and isolated.  When the men in her village are attacked, her father is immediately the suspect.  Amara knows he would never hurt anyone, but when she begins having odd dreams and waking up in strange places she is determined to sort out what really happened.

I really enjoyed how the author blended the historical colonization of Sri Lanka and the lore into the storyline.  Amara tries to be a dutiful daughter, but her family situation and the loss of her home and traditions have so much to do with what is going on in the storyline.  She is 18, and at times she reads very young as her parents have kept her sheltered, this leads to her being impulsive and irresponsible at times.  There are other times when she is very mature, sticks up for herself and her family because she believes in doing what is right not what is expected and polite.  The build up is slow but it leads to an explosive ending when she discovers what is at the center of the attacks and when she finally embraces her own trauma and unleashes her rage on the world.  Amara's character development is at the center of the story as she comes to learn of betrayal and broken trust.   

Overall, this was an unsettling book.  If you are looking for a slow burn, coming of age, folklore laden novel with a feminine rage horror twist give this a go.  I'd check trigger warnings before picking this up because it mentions some pretty heavy topics and it is pretty dark.

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Review: Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This was super cute. It has some somber and serious moments which are balanced out with sweeter moments and a bit of magic. This is what I consider a clean romance, which I really appreciated. While the book does focus on the romance it is so much more than that. This book is about self discovery, family dynamics, forgiveness, and finding magic in the world. Georgia goes on quite the journey to recovery her sense of taste, but she also discovers things about herself and her life for each taste she gains back. I thought the character development and the descriptions of the food and the locations were very well done.

This follows Georgia, an aspiring chef who is just about to get the big promotion to run her own restaurant in Paris, when everything goes sideways for her. She finds out her boyfriend is cheating on her, her friends all knew about it, and to top it all of she has lost her sense of taste. She finds herself homeless, jobless, and a bit lost when she gets an email from her long lost mother whom she hasn't seen in 30 years. Her mentor tells her to get away from Paris for a while and let the dust settle and find her inspiration again. Georgia decides to reconnect with her mother and hopefully reignite the spark and inspiration she had for food and cooking. What she didn't plan for was falling for the handsome oysterman that lives next door in the process. Georgia finds herself asking lots of questions about her past and her future. In the end she has to decide where she wants to be and what will make her happy? Is it the being the chef at the fancy French restaurant in Paris, or is it being with the people she loves cooking what makes her happy?

Overall, I really enjoyed this. It had a nice mix of romance with a bit of family drama and self discovery. This does have a touch of magical realism, which worked well with Georgia's profession as a chef. I loved all the references to the food and cooking. If nothing else this book will make you hungry.

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Review: Housebroke by Jaci Burton

Housebroke by Jaci Burton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.

This follows down on her luck Hazel, who is trying to put the pieces of her life back together after a divorce that left her homeless and broke.  Her friends are letting her stay in their house while it sits on the market until she can find a suitable place for herself and her five foster dogs.  Enter Lincoln aka Linc, the man who has purchased said house.  Linc buys and renovates homes, so imagine his surprise when he finds a woman and 5 dogs occupying his latest project.  Quickly realizing that he can't throw her and her pack out on the street, he offers her a place to stay.  Hazel is no slouch and offers to be Linc's personal chef in exchange for a small salary and a room in the guest house until she can find a suitable place to stay.  She and the pups quickly get to know Linc and they get along great.  Linc is quickly enamored with Hazel, her cooking, and her dogs.  They have alot in common and they both have a hard time trusting others after being burned by past relationships.  

This was really cute.  I loved the dogs and the love Hazel had for them.  My dog is a member of our family and acts like he's king of the castle.  Linc and Hazel take their time getting to know each other before romantic feelings come into play which I really appreciated.  The way they meet and some of their interactions are a bit unrealistic and you have to suspend your belief about their relationship at times, but it is a rom-com so I'm willing to do that a little.  Some of their conversations feel a little bit forced and repetitive, but overall they were a cute couple and eventually worked things out.

Overall, this is a cute rom-com with two unlikely people bonding over their love of good food and great dogs.

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