Review: Woman Last Seen

Woman Last Seen by Adele Parks
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
This is the story of two wives who go missing on the same day. One is the step-mother of two boys who spends Monday through Thursday of every week out of town for work. The other is the wife of an extremely rich man who goes out of town every Thursday through Sunday to care for her ill mother... So, just by reading the synopsis, what do you think is going on...? It really is too obvious, isn't it? I think this was supposed to be a big reveal or twist, and I honestly figured it out before I even started reading the book. So I wasn't impressed. As the book went on, I kept feeling like I was slogging through and really didn't care about the characters or what was happening to them. I realized about halfway through that this was because pretty much all of the characters were extremely unlikable. Now, a character can do things that the reader might not agree with, but in this book the characters just had very little redeeming qualities. And then to top it off, pages and pages and PAGES were spent on interminable internal monologs--mainly of the characters trying to justify their self-indulgent actions over and over again--that it just got so terribly boring. I started to skim over chapters because I found I just didn't care. Then when conversations and actual ACTION were taking place, we didn't get to see it happen, it was just skimmed over in passing. I was incredibly frustrated. By the time I got to the end of the book I found I just didn't care anymore. I didn't care what happened to the missing "wives," I didn't care what became of their sad misled husbands, and I didn't care about who the culprit was and whether or not they would get away with it.
I did not enjoy this book and would not recommend it.

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Review: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I recieved an ARC of this book.

I am rounding up a bit on this second installment in the Finlay Donovan series. In Book 2 Finlay is faced with another contract hit, but this time on her ex-husband. She has to figure out how to keep him safe, figure out who put the hit out, deal with dead bodies, juggle the young law student and handsome detective, and get some book pages to her agent while avoiding the wrath of a Russian gangster.
The first thing I can say, is that if you haven't read the first book in the series, you will be LOST reading this book. Read Finlay Donovan Is Killing It before you read this book. There are so many characters and plot points from the first book that I even got a bit confused, and I did read Book 1.
I really like Finlay and her madcap adventures, and in the first book in the series, although everything was a bit over the top, I was able to suspend belief and go along for the crazy ride. But for some reason in this book, all of the car chases, dead body parts, impersonations, and close calls were just too much for me, and took away from my ability to enjoy the story. Maybe because in the first book Finlay and Vero had an air of incredulity and "why is this happening to us?!" about everything that made it *kind of* believable, but in this book they just seem to take a deep breath and handle it all without missing a beat, even though some of their decisions are questionable (how do you miss a whole torso in your trunk, and then why would you put it in your washing machine...?). I also wanted a little more out of Finlay's relationships with both Julian and Nick. I know Finlay is realizing she doesn't have to have a man in her life, but these two guys are part of what makes the books so engaging. The resolution of the book was just a bit far-fetched for me, as well. BUT, I was absolutely left wanting to know what would happen next after I read the last sentence.
So, because of all that, I am rounding up from a 3.5 for this book. But it is still a quick, fun read about a very engaging character and all of the crazy things that happen to her. If you enjoyed Book 1, then I would check out Book 2, but just be prepared that you might not enjoy it as much. AND I will definitely read the next book because the characters are so engaging.

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Review: The Killer in the Snow

The Killer in the Snow by Alex Pine
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book, and I did not finish it.
I had a very hard time getting into this book. The writing style was just not engaging at all. I did not feel like I was reading a novel, it was more like a news report or something. The characters felt two-dimensional, and their conversations read like they were robots trying to impersonate humans. Everything felt stilted and kept me from being immersed in the action and story of the book. I would not recommend this one.

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Review: His Lessons on Love

His Lessons on Love by Cathy Maxwell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
This is the first book I have read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it until just after halfway through, when everything sort of fizzled out. Up to that point, the book was great. The main characters (and the secondary characters) were lots of fun. I was worried they would get annoying, but they were actually compelling and some of the scenes actually brought a smile to my face. The plot moved along well, and the main characters' journey toward having a real relationship was very believable. I appreciated the fact that they didn't let silly misunderstandings or perceived slights cause serious issues. They were both willing to admit when they were wrong or had done something they shouldn't, and that was very refreshing for a Regency Romance! They were able to be honest with each other for the most part, which made their relationship really worth rooting for.
But after the two consummated their marriage things just took a down-hill turn for me. A "love scene" does not have to be graphic or include lascivious details to be meaningful and make an impact. But it does need to suitably reveal the feelings of the characters and convey why this is a momentous event--honestly, that's why people read romance novels! But the love scene between our main characters in this book left a lot to be desired. It was short, very to-the-point, lackluster, and felt rote. The lack of real emotion made the few parts that were graphic extremely jarring and off-putting. I, as the reader, was expecting a much bigger payoff after watching their relationship organically grow, and I didn't get it here. And once that happened I really kind of lost interest in the book. It was obvious that a duel was coming. When it did, I didn't care. I knew our two main characters would get mad at each other, and when it happened, again, I didn't really care. I knew our heroine would get self-righteously infuriated at our hero, who would have to ride furiously to her to abjectly beg her forgiveness. I ended up skimming it. So the last third of the book really just disappointed me. I've been reading Regency Romance for about 30 years, and I knew exactly what was coming in this book, because I've read it over and over again hundreds of times.
I will probably try another book by this author, because the first portion of the book was great, but I don't think I would recommend this book, unless you want to be disappointed.

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Review: Just Like the Other Girls

Just Like the Other Girls by Claire Douglas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
This was a mystery that kept me interested and turning the pages. Una takes a job as a live-in companion and carer for a wealthy elderly woman and soon discovers that the young women who held her job previously all died under slightly mysterious circumstances. Not only that, but the other girls both bore a striking resemblance to Una. Now, as strange things start happening and Una begins to feel like secrets are being kept from her, she wonders if she might be in danger herself. Why do young girls keep disappearing from the grand old house?
This was definitely a page-turner for me, and I really had no idea who could be behind everything going on--I did have a suspicion that turned out to be correct, but there were several very well-done red herrings, so I was never really certain. I was not quite sure what to think when I got to Part II--if you know, you know! Some may love it and some may hate it. I am STILL not sure what I think about it, but, that being said, I did really enjoy the book.
The characters were well-developed and the plot was well-paced. I would recommend this one if you enjoy a good mystery.

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Review: The Maid

The Maid by Nita Prose
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed reading this book! It wasn't perfect, and I did have a couple of issues with it towards the end, but all in all this was the best book I have read in months.
In this book we follow Molly, who is a maid at an art nouveau boutique hotel. She thoroughly enjoys her job, because she thoroughly enjoys cleaning. Molly is not neurotypical, and is perhaps on the autism spectrum. Her grandmother recently died and Molly is facing serious financial issues, but her job is the place she feels safe and needed, despite knowing that not everyone at the hotel quite appreciates her attention to detail. The book opens on the day that Molly discovers a dead body in the room she is cleaning. She must figure out how to deal with this serious occurrence, maneuver police questioning, help her friends at the hotel, and keep doing her job to the best of her capabilities.
It was compelling to read about Molly and how she moves throughout her days. Learning about how she thinks, how she feels, and how she behaves was fascinating, in addition to how her particular way of thinking could be an advantage or a disadvantage. I was rooting for her through the whole book and couldn't wait to see how everything would end. The cast of secondary characters was well-developed even as they were seen through Molly's slightly different lens.
I know some reviewers have not liked the big "reveal" at the end and felt like it was cheating or something, but I caught on to the clue right when it happened at the beginning, so I knew something was going on and was very eager to see how it would all play out.
I did have just a few issues with this book towards the end. The actions of Gran at the very end really bothered me. I will try not to give away any spoilers here, but I really don't think Gran should have done what she did, in relation to Molly. As her "parent" essentially, and knowing how Molly was, I just was shocked that Gran would do what she did and leave Molly have to deal with that for the rest of her life, all alone. My other problem with the book wasn't really a problem so much as a personal preference. I think if the "Several Months Later" and the "Epilogue" had been combined, it would have packed a much bigger punch at the end and wrapped things up much better.  But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.
I would recommend this book. It was a great, fun, different mystery.

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Review: Blindsighted

Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a good read! I enjoyed the characters and the plot. There were quite a few gory details, but that goes along with the nature of the crimes in the book. I didn't always agree with the characters and the decisions they were making in their personal lives (they seemed to keep getting mad at each other for very stupid things, and then acting like serious issues shouldn't be that big of a deal), but I did like the way the mystery unfolded. I had a pretty good guess as to who the culprit was, but that did not take away from my ability to follow along with the end of the story. I would definitely read more books in the Grant County series.

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Review: The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections

The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections by Eva Jurczyk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I enjoyed this book. And this is despite the fact that I think it is being falsely marketed as a whodunnit mystery. While there is a strong mystery component that does really drive the story, it is not really the focus of the book. The focus is Liesl, a librarian on the cusp of retirement who is called back in from her sabbatical to fill in when the director of her library suffers a debilitating stroke. Leisl finds that she does not enjoy the mantle of leadership, full of appeasing donors, following the wishes of out-of-touch administrators, and mediating between feuding co-workers. Matters are made worse when it is discovered that a priceless new acquisition has disappeared into thin air, at almost the same time a quiet employee of the library goes missing. Why is the book gone? Why is the employee gone? Why are her boss and so many of her friends and colleagues telling her to NOT contact the police? Liesl has to decide how to proceed and how to figure out the right course of action--right for her library, the missing book, her missing employee, and her own peace of mind. What ensues is not a twisty mystery full of false leads, red herrings, and crafty deductive reasoning. Instead, the story more closely follows Liesl's journey as she attempts to come to terms with where her choices in life have led her and then how to proceed in the future.
I would definitely classify this book more as literary fiction than mystery. That did not take away from my enjoyment of the book, however. Liesl is a well-drawn character and it is compelling to watch her develop over the course of the book. The secondary characters are very interesting as well. I also enjoyed the details about the library and the rare book collection.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves books and libraries and enjoys a VERY slow-burn mystery mixed in with a great fiction book.

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Review: To Have and to Hoax

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.

This book sounded wonderful and I was very excited to read it! What an interesting premise--a husband and wife who are estranged and find themselves in a competition to one-up the other in an attempt to force the other one to admit to still having feelings for the other one... Sound complicated? I expected a funny, farcical, laugh-out loud story about 2 adults who should know better and yet can't help themselves. That wasn't quite what I got, however.
I did like the fact that the book started with the first meeting of our two main characters, and then jumped ahead several years. The reader knew that our hero and heroine had made a love match and enjoyed their marriage for a full year before a horrendous fight caused a Cold War between the two. The real cause of the big fight, and why the characters were mad at each other was not truly revealed until half-way through the book, however. For a large portion of that time, it looked like they were fighting over how much time the husband spent at work. To me, it felt like a very silly reason to not speak to one's spouse for 4 years.
That in turn made the behavior of the two main characters feel immature and childish, instead of funny and irreverent. When the real cause of the fight was finally revealed, I thought, "Oh, that does make sense. No wonder she has been so mad at him!" But it was kind of too little, too late--I had already read half of the book and formed my opinion of the characters.
The "games" that the two characters played with each other began to get tedious, as well, as the book progressed. How did the heroine think she was going to recover from a terminal illness? It seemed a little heartless and ill-conceived. Perhaps a rare infectious disease, or a head injury just like her husband? I began to find myself bored with their actions, instead of amused.
The side-plot of the hero's relationship with his father also didn't deliver. Much of the action of the book apparently hinged on how they related to each other, and yet the reader was "told" (in a very off-hand manner) about their problems instead of "shown." And the reader was not told enough to really make it a salient point.
This book could have been great. But it just failed to deliver for me. I found myself skimming towards the end, just waiting for the two characters to get over themselves and say "I'm sorry. And I mean it. And I won't get mad at you again tomorrow."
This book did feel like the beginning of a series, and I enjoyed the secondary characters enough to come back to see what will happened to them. I am not sure that I would recommend this book to lovers of Regency Romance however, as it left me disappointed and dissatisfied.

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Review: The Overnight Guest

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller about a true crime writer confronted with a mysterious "guest" during a terrible snow storm. Wylie has isolated herself in a secluded old farmhouse that was once the scene of a horrific crime. She is researching the tragic events for her next book and, one evening as a massive storm blows in, she discovers a young boy outside half frozen in the snow. As she attempts to help the boy and find out why he has showed up at her door, she realizes he has escaped from someone or something very bad, and is not yet out of danger. The book also bounces back to the timeline of the crime that occurred in the old house, and the reader learns about a young girl named Josie, who was the only survivor of the grisly events of that summer night.
This story was compelling and drew me in. I really felt the tension as Wylie found herself cut off by the storm and discovered the child outside her house. At the same time, Josie's storyline was sad, horrific, and mesmerizing. The icy winds and freezing snow were described just as well as the sweltering heat and oppressive summer sun.
One big twist I figured out fairly quickly, but another twist did surprise me. Once all of the events really came to a head and Wylie was confronted with true danger, the action kind of felt a little unbelievable and there was a loose end or two that I felt needed to be addressed. But I really did enjoy this book and read it pretty much in one sitting.
If you enjoy thrillers, suspense, and mystery, I would recommend this book.

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Review: Anatomy: A Love Story

Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
The cover of this book is stunning. The description/synopsis is amazing. I was so excited to read this book. 

But it just did not live up to my expectations. At all.
The first part of the book seemed to be about a young girl trying to fight the strictures of her society in early 1800s Scotland and pursue a career in the medical field. It was very atmospheric, describing resurrection men moving about misty and gloomy cemeteries in the dark of night and the grimy realities of surgery and medical practices at the time. But then it changed direction and kind of got lost in the vague details of Hazel's family and her mother's aim to ensure Hazel marries her cousin ASAP. The story lost focus and some things that had no bearing on the story were described in excruciating detail, while other things were skimmed over in such a way that ended up just making me confused. When, almost halfway through the book--after meeting for about the 3rd time and actually having a real conversation for the first time--Hazel and Jack fall into insta-love, the pacing of the story got even more jerky and disjointed. And I wasn't sure if this was supposed to be a YA romance, a creepy mystery about grave robbing and nefarious "doctors," a coming-of-age story, or what... I found myself skimming over large portions, not really caring to come back to the story when I put the book down, and not at all interested in what became of two rather boring characters in Jack and Hazel. (And all of this on top of glaring anachronism, inaccurate historical detail, and continuity issues.)
I really wanted to like this book, and was excited to read it. But that excitement soon dwindled. I would not recommend this book.

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Review: Ready or Not

Ready or Not by Alex Lake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I am definitely rounding up on this book. It was a fast, thrilling read, and I enjoyed trying to figure out who was killing random people and threatening young journalist and mother Alice. But this book also had some serious issues.
The story line of the emotionless serial killer was tense and engrossing. I was drawn in to wondering who exactly was responsible for the murders. The impending threat to the health and safety of infant Jo was also quite gripping. It seemed as though everyone in her life loved her dearly, so who was hurting her?
But right in the middle of the book, **spoiler alert** when the serial killer left another note for Alice at her home, I began to have issues with the story, however. Why did no one question how the note got INSIDE the house?! At this point I had kind of guessed the real identity of Alice, and so I kept wondering why the police were not asking the OBVIOUS question. I did still however enjoy watching the plot unfold, even though what should have been a tense climax was a bit drawn out and the ending left me a bit unsatisfied.
This was not a fabulous suspense thriller, but it was a good read that I definitely had a hard time putting down.

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Review: The Ex-Husband

The Ex-Husband by Karen Hamilton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I enjoyed this book. This story of a former con artist who fears her past may be about to catch up with her as she works on a luxury yacht in the Caribbean was a fast, fun, thrilling read.
Charlotte was a great character and learning about her shady past while watching her try to figure out who is threatening her in the present made this a book that was hard to put down. The lush setting of an extravagant yacht full of people for whom money is no object really transported me to the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters of the Caribbean. As the story unfolded and Charlotte struggled to uncover the identity of who exactly was after her while trying to find a way out of her tense situation, I was sucked into the book and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. The ending was perfect.
This would be a wonderful book to read if you are tired of the cold winter weather and want to be transported to a tropical paradise where no expense is spared, but danger is most likely waiting in the wings. It was quick, extravagant, soapy, and full of suspense. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers.


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Review: The Chateau

The Chateau by Catherine Cooper
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I am not sure how to review this book. It was a bit disjointed, included quite a bit of filler and "details" that didn't have much bearing on the story, was full of very unlikeable characters, and the ending left me a bit unsatisfied. And yet...I couldn't put the book down! So I'm not sure how I feel about it.
As the book began, told from Aura's POV, I knew some twists would ensue and as strange occurrences and disturbing events took place I wasn't sure what would happen next. When I got to Part II and saw things from Nick's POV I was delightedly shocked and my opinion of Aura completely changed. I was, however, incredibly confused as to what was going on and how this part of the story really fit into the whole "chateau" premise. When the story finally returned to France it seemed to have lost its flow, and when the second death in France occurred, I was thrown completely off-balance--and not in a good way.
At the conclusion of the book, when the two "twists" were revealed, one left me feeling quite unsatisfied while one made me feel quite the opposite.[ the two "twists" were revealed, one left me feeling quite unsatisfied while one made me feel quite the opposite. (hide spoiler)]
This is definitely not the best suspense/thriller I've ever read. But if you want a quick escapist read and can overlook some flaws in logic, then this is the book for you.

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Review: A Flicker in the Dark

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

I am rounding up a bit on this book. This is the story of Chloe, a woman whose father was convicted of killing several young girls when she was young and now in the present-day it seems history is repeating itself. Young girls have started to disappear again and Chloe begins to worry that somehow the events of her past are linked to what is happening now.
The book starts off a bit disjointed and slow. I wasn't quite sure what was going on and I had a hard time really getting interested in what was going on. About half-way through the story started to pick up and really became more interesting and, even though I was pretty sure where everything was headed, I really wanted to see how the author would get us there. Then when there was about 1/3 left, the story got a bit unbelievable again: Chloe, who had never been a reliable or even sympathetic narrator, really started to make dumb decisions and I really wanted to scream at her. Then during the big "reveal," it just seemed tacked on and inorganic. There were so many red herrings that the "truth" just felt underwhelming.
This story had great bones, and at times was compelling and intriguing. But it also was slow, a bit heavy-handed, and aimless in spots. It wasn't an amazing book, but it was pretty good. I would definitely read something else by this author.

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Review: The Family Plot

The Family Plot by Megan Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've heard a lot about this book and was eager to read it. The premise of a reclusive family living in an isolated house, homeschooling their children with true crime "curriculum" and research projects based on serial killers was intriguing and definitely piqued my interest. The execution of the story, however, left me a bit confused, disappointed, and underwhelmed.
To begin with, the way that the children in the family (Dahlia, Andy, Tate, and Charlie--all named after murder victims) were raised was just a bit over the top. I wasn't sure if the author was intentionally going for that--emphasizing their "quirkiness"--to make them truly bizarre or if it was just accidental. Either way, it was just a bit too unbelievable for me. Having children light candles almost every night of the year and recite the names of murder victims to "honor" them was weird. Anyone at all should recognize that. That no one in this family really thought much of it until the children had grown and left home did not feel at all realistic to me. And at this point I wasn't sure if I was supposed to take anything else in the book seriously... Were these people supposed to be caricatures or real? And because I wasn't sure (and also because I was being TOLD more about the characters feelings and actions than being SHOWN) I just had a very hard time identifying with them. The whole book evolved into some kind of strange fable or fairy tale to me, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be taking the events of the book at face value, or if everything was some kind of strange metaphor. By the end, when all the "twists" were revealed, I kept waiting to feel some emotional impact--the characters were all showing gobs and gobs of emotion--but none of it resonated with me. I will try not to reveal any spoilers, but the last couple of pages were extremely disappointing in my opinion.
I really don't think I would recommend this book. I think it tried too hard to emphasize the "unnaturalness" of this family and just ended up being underwhelming.

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2021 Reading Challenge

 Here are all the books I read this past year for my 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge. I didn't think that 75 books would be too difficult, due to the fact that I read 97 books in 2020, but I almost didn't make it! I finished my 75th book at about 11:15 on December 31st! (So just to be safe I set my goal for 2022 at 76...)

Review: True Crime Story

True Crime Story by Joseph Knox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book through Early Reads.
I think this is either one of those books you are going to love or you are going to hate. I was reluctant to read it because of all the negative reviews I saw, but I decided to go ahead and give it a chance, and I am very glad I did. This is a very different take on a mystery/crime novel, in that it is "told" as interviews done by a true crime author named Evelyn who has been researching the disappearance of a young college-aged woman named Zoe for her new book. This author interviewed everyone she could find who knew Zoe at the time, including her twin sister, her parents, her boyfriend, and her flatmates. She also conducted interviews with people who might have had something to do with her disappearance or who might be able to shed light on Zoe's state of mind. The interviews conducted by Evelyn are sent to another author, named Joseph Knox (yes, the author of this book), and emails between Evelyn and Joseph are also included in the book. As the interviews progress and the emails continue, more and more insights are revealed about Zoe, her personality, and what was happening in her life in the months before she vanished.
All of this might sound confusing, and this is possibly why some people don't like the book. But I found it to all flow together quite nicely. As the events leading up to Zoe's disappearance were revealed by many different people and their differing points of view, an interesting picture slowly but surely came into view. I found myself completely drawn in and did not want to put the book down. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but it did not take away from my enjoyment of the book at all.
If you enjoy true crime, slightly "meta" stories, mystery, and suspense, I would absolutely recommend this book.

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Review: The Blood is Still

The Blood is Still by Douglas Skelton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed the second installment of this series. The characters were well-drawn, the setting was immersive, and the story drew me in very quickly. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries.

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Review: The Shadow in the Glass

The Shadow in the Glass by J.J.A. Harwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book.
This book sounded amazing and I was excited to read it, but I just didn't like it. In this very loose retelling of Cinderella, Ella finds herself the recipient of 7 wishes. She also realizes each wish granted comes with a price. The story follows Ella through her life and her relationships, and as time goes on the reader begins to wonder if Ella is willing to pay the ultimate price to have all her wishes granted.
While the story started off quite promising, it was soon bogged down in dreary repetitive descriptions. And as time went on Ella became less and less sympathetic, as did most of the characters in the book. The ending was unsatisfying and disappointing. I would not recommend this book.

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