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onmalsshelf's reviews
1283 reviews
In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial by Mona Chollet
informative
medium-paced
4.0
I originally DNFd this one at 18% in 2023, but picked it up in 2025 for a little book club discussion.
I hate that this book is still so timely. We live in a society where women shouldn't be treated like this.
I hate that this book is still so timely. We live in a society where women shouldn't be treated like this.
The Devil's Feather by Minette Walters
Did not finish book. Stopped at 65%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 65%.
I don’t have a nice thing to say about this. It was written in the early 2000s and does not stand up to 2020s standards.
Upholds white colonialism of Africa. Upholds wars in the Middle East and the use of “defense contractors”. The part of this book that takes place in Africa, all Black people described to be either bad people or women who work as sex workers.
The main character is the worst. She’s horrible to her parents.
The author needed to choose a plot and stick with it instead of flipping between the hijacking and the relationship between Lilly/Jess/Peter etc
Upholds white colonialism of Africa. Upholds wars in the Middle East and the use of “defense contractors”. The part of this book that takes place in Africa, all Black people described to be either bad people or women who work as sex workers.
The main character is the worst. She’s horrible to her parents.
The author needed to choose a plot and stick with it instead of flipping between the hijacking and the relationship between Lilly/Jess/Peter etc
If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A contemporary Japanese inspired fantasy that leans on the cozy side. This could possibly be described as a cozy fantasy by some, and I could be convinced to agree.
This book was like a nice bowl of ramen on a rainy day. I just wanted to eat it all up.
Samantha Sotto Yamato created a story centered around choice and regret while artfully creating masterful ‘magical’ (for a lack of a better term at the moment) world.
This book was like a nice bowl of ramen on a rainy day. I just wanted to eat it all up.
Samantha Sotto Yamato created a story centered around choice and regret while artfully creating masterful ‘magical’ (for a lack of a better term at the moment) world.
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Frida just gets on my nerves. I can read about depression, but god it’s hard to read stupidity of someone with degrees from TWO Ivy League schools.
The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thanks to St Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC!
Marie Benedict stays being one of my favorite historical fiction writers and we’re lucky enough to have another book that stars Agatha Christie in it along with four other Queens of Crime.
Queens of Crime follows mystery authors Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy as they attempt to solve a murder of an Englishwoman killed just across the channel in France in 1930. It’s all Dorthy’s idea and when her husband Mac gets assigned to report on the case in France, she knows they have an in to do their own investigation.
The women deal with period typical misogyny from reporters, police, husbands, sisters, and rich men while piecing together the crime by traveling all around England and going over to France.
There’s secrets of both the main characters and the side characters that brilliantly tie this together.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? I think this one had a very slow start. It’s for sure a slow start with a great finish.
In the end it’s still a great historical fiction with the usual Benedict special - following important women of history and bringing stories to light. Plus it has a locker room mystery spin.
Marie Benedict stays being one of my favorite historical fiction writers and we’re lucky enough to have another book that stars Agatha Christie in it along with four other Queens of Crime.
Queens of Crime follows mystery authors Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy as they attempt to solve a murder of an Englishwoman killed just across the channel in France in 1930. It’s all Dorthy’s idea and when her husband Mac gets assigned to report on the case in France, she knows they have an in to do their own investigation.
The women deal with period typical misogyny from reporters, police, husbands, sisters, and rich men while piecing together the crime by traveling all around England and going over to France.
There’s secrets of both the main characters and the side characters that brilliantly tie this together.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? I think this one had a very slow start. It’s for sure a slow start with a great finish.
In the end it’s still a great historical fiction with the usual Benedict special - following important women of history and bringing stories to light. Plus it has a locker room mystery spin.
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Only the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Overall, I think I’m giving this a 3.5
A book following survivor of a cult in northern Michigan? Sold
I think this was successful in what the author set out to do, but there were a few things that kept me from enjoying it more.
First, I’d classify this more of a literary mystery or suspense over a thriller.
The author did a great job of setting the scene in both timelines and got that eerie feeling going right from the start.
Ten years ago there was a mass murder of the Flock in northern Michigan after another member goes missing. Claire is the sole survivor besides the missing the cult founder Dom. He’s in the wind and suspicion still falls on Claire ten years later.
There’s now a podcaster making a show in this cold case and he’s determined to get Claire to talk, but her father and husband want to shelter her because she can’t remember anything from that time. Or can she?
What happened that summer of 2012 and who murdered Lollie before the Flock died?
A book following survivor of a cult in northern Michigan? Sold
I think this was successful in what the author set out to do, but there were a few things that kept me from enjoying it more.
First, I’d classify this more of a literary mystery or suspense over a thriller.
The author did a great job of setting the scene in both timelines and got that eerie feeling going right from the start.
Ten years ago there was a mass murder of the Flock in northern Michigan after another member goes missing. Claire is the sole survivor besides the missing the cult founder Dom. He’s in the wind and suspicion still falls on Claire ten years later.
There’s now a podcaster making a show in this cold case and he’s determined to get Claire to talk, but her father and husband want to shelter her because she can’t remember anything from that time. Or can she?
What happened that summer of 2012 and who murdered Lollie before the Flock died?
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
The Unlucky Ones by Hannah Morrissey
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
There’s no doubt that Morrissey is the queen of Midwestern Noir and Black Harbor is at its center.
This end to the series ties up things perfectly, both case wise and relationship wise.
Hazel and Kole have always been an interesting duo to follow and the Kole’s detectives round out the crew. Behind Black Harbor and all of its cases is an issue found in many Midwestern towns and to see a crew work these cases has been entertaining.
This end to the series ties up things perfectly, both case wise and relationship wise.
Hazel and Kole have always been an interesting duo to follow and the Kole’s detectives round out the crew. Behind Black Harbor and all of its cases is an issue found in many Midwestern towns and to see a crew work these cases has been entertaining.