In The Solarium

  3.5/5 ⭐ As a perpetual fan of an English detective, it was high time that I read an Agatha Raisin mystery. I had seen some of the tv series and I had really enjoyed them. This book, however, was a little painful for me. It started off okay. Maybe a little sudden when it got to the murder part but eh it's a murder mystery what do you expect? We're quickly introduced to the cast of characters in this book. One right after another. Repeated what felt like 100 times. There were so many characters, I kept forgetting who was who. Plus some we only say once or twice the entire book. Of which they ended up playing a major role in the story but we only saw them maybe three times. Obviously, there is no mistaking or forgetting Agatha Raisin. But this book left something to be desired in regards to her character. I wasn't looking for a goody two-shoes or anything like that. That's a different book. I can't say I was bored but I was over it after the fourth scene of her inter...

5/5 ⭐ 💜   Possible Spoilers - Read with care Whatever I expected before picking this one up was thrown out the window and obliterated. I had known that TJ Klune was a popular and well-written author. I knew that this book was going to be good. I just didn't realize how good it would be. There is something reassuring about his writing that doesn't drag you down into it or anything like that. Rather it welcomes you in, offers you something comforting, and invites you to stay. And that is an invitation you can't turn down. Because you don't want to. You want to sit and stay and feel every emotion and feeling he writes, the happy and the sad. Because it feels genuine. This is a story that talks about death at length and at points in vivid detail. It walks you through the five stages of grief in such a way that you almost forget that it is essential to the story. Not that it becomes insignificant, rather it happens so fluidly and naturally. It's never choppy or overly i...

3/5 ⭐ Possible Spoilers - Read with care Snowed in on the French Alps, a cozy chalet filled with execs from a social media company, and murder. What started as a intriguing murder mystery said to be inspired by one of the greatest mystery writers, quickly fell down the slopes the author wrote about. I had heard mixed reviews about Ruth Ware's novels, some said they were great, some said they were left disappointed. I thought it only fair to read one and see for myself. Unfortunately, I felt disappointed. This one was talked up a lot in it's homage to  Agatha Christie's arguably best work 'And Then There Were None' which is why I decided to start with this one. Maybe that was my fault. Maybe I should have started with another one. But this one also sounded the most interesting to me anyways. It started off strong, introducing the characters and setting. Building the suspense before the first crime took place. But between the flipping back and forth POV and the dragge...

5/5 ⭐ Told completely from the female lead's POV, this one-of-a-kind romcom will leave you pleasantly satisfied. Olive is a third-year Ph.D. student who is desperate to convince her best friend that she is happily dating even though she doesn't believe in dating. Or relationships. Then in steps, the intimidating, scary, but still very attractive Dr. Adam Carlsen saves her from a mess of her own making. What happens between these two is nothing short of adorable and quirky with just a few spicy moments to tide you over. As for their budding romance, it is definitely among the opposites attract the line. He is grumpy and takes his coffee black. And she is sunshine and loves all things sweet. But it is the cutest. He is only sweet towards her and takes care of her and who doesn't love that in a fictional character. I was rooting for them from the very beginning. Like many others, I am a fan of the fake dating trope and even the professor-student relationship. Two very cliché a...

  5/5 ⭐ I couldn't resist the call of Beauty and the Beast retelling, not with the promises of twisted shadows and something I had never read before. Add in the manga format of the story I just knew this would be promising. And I wasn't disappointed.  From the beginning, it was clear this would be no ordinary retelling of the popular fairy tale. I am already on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next. Because I have no clue where this story is going. It is unlike any other Beauty and the Beast retelling I have ever experienced.  Worth the read for anyone who likes the original fairy tale but looking for something different. If you like twisted fairy tales and manga, this one is for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.   9/11/21 *This review was previously posted on my Google Site.

5/5 ⭐ A fresh take on the old classic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia manages to reimagine vampire lore into something completely unique. Take whatever previous notions you have of vampire stories and toss them out the window. She managed to introduce such an interesting take on vampires, ones that take on aspects from their cultures like Alt with ties to Aztec mythology and so on.  All of these subspecies of vampire builds on the richness of the world Moreno-Garcia created. Alt flees to Mexico City, a closed nation free from any vampire after her family is killed by a rival gang of Necro vampires(a deadly European subspecies of vampires). With only Cualli, her loyal and deadly dog, and a garbage boy named Domingo helping her, she has to flee both the Necros and human gangs who wish her dead.  Vampire gangs are definitely a new one for me. The characters come to life on the page within the excellent worldbuilding. You just get lost in the story, captivated until the very end.  The ...

  4/5 ⭐ A family brought up learning about everything through the lens of true crime. Murder, mayhem, and death are the Lighthouse family's close companions. I was looking forward to this book since reading the summary. I have a mild interest in true crime and was interested in seeing how this story would incorporate such a widely talked about topic. For some, true crime is overdone and saturates media. And if anything, I think Collins does a fantastic job of acknowledging that fact and takes on true crime in a new and unique fashion. We are immediately introduced to the main setting, Blackburn Island, home to a serial killer who was never caught and the home of the 4 Lighthouse children and their... peculiar parents. I thought that Collins did a good job with the characters introducing them one right after another without it feeling rushed or like we were missing something. If anything it felt as though we learned a lot about the family within just the first few chapters. Without ...