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1547 reviews

Death in the Hills by Kate Wells

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dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

 4 Stars 

One Liner: Another good mystery

Jude Gray accepts DI Binnie Khatri’s invitation to join the local walking group in Malvern Hills. However, what’s supposed to be a peaceful outing ends up with a few scuffles and what seems like an unfortunate car accident where one of the walking members dies. 

Jude cannot ignore the tingling feeling that the accident might be deliberate. But, there’s no proof; not until another death happens in a totally different manner. As Jude and Binnie start to dig, they realize there’s a lot to uncover! 

The story comes in Jude’s third-person POV. 

 My Thoughts:  

This is the fourth book in the series but the mystery works as a standalone. It is a dark cozy, so there might be a couple of triggers. 

It doesn’t take long to notice that things aren’t great with the walking group. The characters stand out making it easy to track who is who despite being introduced to a bunch of them at once. 

Jude and Binnie give everything to investigate the case(s) as always. Of course, Jude does a lot more since she is the heroine of the series. She also has a farm to manage and a neverending list of tasks. 

I like that Granny Margot has more presence in the book. Moreover, she shares vital insights that guide Jude in a new direction. Hoping to read more of her in the coming books. 

The reveal comes in stages with a few red herrings and keeps the reader hooked. While the details and the rest make sense, I wish they weren’t revealed so easily (yeah, there’s some risk involved but still). 

Jude seems to be in two minds about her love life or the lack of it. I can’t understand her thought process here. It’s too mercurial. Since I didn’t particularly like Marco, I don’t care one way or the other. 

The family element really shines. Jude’s relationship with her sister, nephew, and Noah is heartwarming. I like the progress here. An important step for sure. 

In the author’s note, the author mentions there will be eight more books (the series should conclude by the end of 2027). Count me in!  

To summarize, Death in the Hills is steady paced dark cozy mystery with enough secrets and suspects to keep you reading. 

Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley 

The Antique Store Detective and the May Day Murder by Clare Chase

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mysterious slow-paced

3.5

 3.5 Stars

One Liner: Nice enough!

Hope Eaton, the cozy little town, is all geared up for May Day to climb the hill to Sweet Agnes’ Spring and watch the first days of sunlight bless their land. Bella Winters, the owner of the new antique store, joins the group and feels the effort was worth it. She also sees one of the residents, Mary Roberts bullied by a young man. Mary seems to take the legends seriously even if Bella thinks it is all nonsense. 

However, the threat is real when Mary is found dead in her home, the cottage she was ready to sell. A statue of Sweet Agnes is missing from her home. Bella decides to investigate since the police are too busy. There is no lack of suspects after all! Soon, Bella realizes there’s a lot she needs to find out before the clues lead her to the killer. 

The story comes in Bella’s third-person POV. 

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone but it might help to read the first one as well (there are too many characters to track). 

In some ways, the book is good. The mystery is twisted and has many threads. There are quite a few red herrings, too. The reveal and conclusion are solid. They make sense and bring everything together. 

However, what I loved in the first book was missing here. The FMC does run her shop, but we get very little detail about the antique pieces or sales. Moreover, she is more worried about the case than her livelihood. She may be her father’s daughter (her dad was a sergeant) but even she needs money to live and that wouldn’t come if she had to shut the store. A bit of balance would have helped. 

The slow pacing continues but I got better at reading the writing style. Still, I wish it was a bit lighter and flows faster. I like dark cozies but this is just heavy in text and not really dark. 

The side characters are a part of the series. John seems to be a little better. Matt has a bit more space in this one, and I hope we get to see him more. He does sound like an interesting guy, never mind the FMC’s judgmental tone whenever she thinks/ talks of him. 

I did enjoy the conversations with the DI. It is frustrating for the character but fun in a twisted way, especially since… no spoilers! 

To summarize, The Antique Store Detective and the May Day Murder is a slow-paced cozy mystery with many red herrings and twists. While I liked it enough, I can’t say I love it. That said, I’ll read the next book to see how things go. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheAntiqueStoreDetectiveAndTheMayDayMurder 


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Parva by S.L. Bhyrappa

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dark informative reflective slow-paced

4.5

 4.5 Stars

One Liner: A lot to discuss!

I’ve written a super long review (and plan to get it published on a third-party site). This is a shorter version, so I’ll keep it in pointers. 

·       Read Mahabharata (critical/ complete edition) to enjoy Parva better. Don’t start with this book. It won’t be easy. 
·       There is no magic or fantasy. Most events/ incidents have a logical explanation or probable theory. 
·       The book doesn’t glorify anyone. Everyone has flaws, and it’s these flaws that come under the magnifying glass but without being twisted beyond recognition. 
·       A non-linear narration with multiple POVs. Plenty of flashbacks that switch from first-person to second to third to first. 
·       Much to unpack and discuss about Dharma, human weaknesses, power games, manipulation, body autonomy, control, family, relationships, war, etc. A great choice for book club discussions. 
·       Slow-paced as expected but possibly slower due to the English translation and formatting. 
·       Character arcs we cannot help but think about long after the book ends, especially Bhima, Draupadi, Arjuna, and Kunti. 
·       Sexuality is a strong theme and has many facets. Not everyone will like it but that’s exactly the point. 
·       A vivid portrayal of the dark/ smelly side of war and its aftermath. 
·       A doomsday-style ending that’s somehow fitting and aligns with the dark themes in the book. 

To summarize, Parva is an exploration of human fallacies using Mahabharata and its characters as the core framework. It is Mahabharata but it is much more too! 

Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett

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informative slow-paced

3.25

 3.2 Stars

One Liner: Oh, Emily!

Emily and Wendell (with some reinforcements) enter his kingdom to stake claim to the throne. Of course, it’s not easy. Emily, with all her scholarly interest in the fae world, doesn’t feel comfortable being a queen. However, she has no time to deal with this. Wendell’s stepmother has placed a curse on the kingdom. They need to use all her knowledge and Wendell’s powers to break the curse and save the kingdom. 

The story comes in Emily’s first-person (through her journal writings). 

My Thoughts:

Well, I’ve been excited to read this since I finished book #2. I had to wait for a while but I did get approved for the ARC and then planned a buddy read with Rosh (we read the previous books together). Sadly, the results are mixed. 

The book takes off where the second one ends (though it took me some time to remember that part). Anyway, I soon got into the setting and the mood. The stakes were high this time, and I was ready for a lot of danger and action. 

Somehow, the pacing was decent for the first 10% and then became slower than a snail. Since the previous two were also slow, I was sort of used to it. It does get better in the last quarter. 

There’s some action here and there with Wendell showcasing his swordsmanship. However, it is not as much as I hoped for. 

But… my major disappointment comes from the execution of the premise. The stepmother’s curse, fighting her, etc., should have been more gripping and engaging. Instead, we get a mild version (the whole book has YA vibes) with more focus on scholarly research than actual implementation. Balancing both elements might have helped. The action, when it takes place, is short and over in a few paragraphs. Easy peasy and convenient! 

Instead of having so many developments and rushing through them with easy solutions, there should have been one or two tension-filled dark scenes with details. 

For a book with such high stakes, the approach is more of a cozy fantasy. This was supposed to be the last of the trilogy, but I feel there will be more books. Even the open-ish ending (also lukewarm) gives the same feeling. 

What with Emily and Wendell being a couple, we don’t get much banter either. Also, they don’t spend time together much. The only highlight of this is Wendell’s letters to Emily. Those were adorable. 

Shadow and Orga were cool (Orga was a lot more fun). Poe had a tiny role but shined in it. Snowball had more space and brought some laughs. Not sure about say about Deilah’s character either. What was the purpose? It would make sense if there was another book with her having some role. She couldn’t have been only for comic relief surely? 

To summarize, Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales wasn’t as good as the previous books but managed to be a decent read. I like it okay but man, I wanted so much more! Might as well give us book four next. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Del Rey), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

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lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

 3.7 Stars

One Liner: Mindless fun!

~1818 

Lydia Hope-Wallace is a shy heiress who spent her life cocooned by her brothers. Her disastrous Seasons make it easy for her to become a wallflower and pen seditious pamphlets anonymously. This led to her correspondence with the Earl of Strathrannoch, a man with the same political ideas as her. 

After three years of correspondence, the earl admits to financial troubles. Lydia goes to Scotland to offer help and support – a marriage of convenience (with herself) so that he can revive his beloved castle. However, a rude shock greets Lydia in Scotland. Arthur, the Earl of Strathrannoch, has no idea who she is. Turns out, it was his brother using his name. Moreover, the same brother has stolen an important item from the earl. 

Together, they try to find where the missing man is. If only the attraction between them wasn’t so strong. ;) 

The story comes in the third-person POV of Lydia and Arthur. 

My Thoughts:

Firstly, this is a silly kind of read with some OTT elements. Don’t take anything seriously. Just enjoy the silliness, and you’ll have more fun that way. 

Initially, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it much. But it was an easy read so I kept swiping the pages. After the initial 20% or so, I realized the book would be fluffy with a touch of absurdity. It was funny in its own way and made me happy. I can’t complain much if I’m enjoying it, right?  

The plot has many elements but they are all surface-level stuff most of the time. This is a romance before anything else. The characters are attracted to each other pretty much from the start. It’s spicy too. There’s a Verity-inspired scene as well (IYKYK). 

Each chapter starts with a short excerpt from a letter/ journal written by one of the characters. Some of these were so much fun, especially the ones by the side characters. 

Apart from a pet dog (Bacon), this book happens to have some zebras and a degu (a rodent apparently) as well. We don’t meet the degu personally, though I wish we did. She has a name too! 

There’s some drama in the climax and towards the end, which is expected. It does get sorted after a couple of scenes. It would have been nice to read a proper conversation between two certain characters which was only mentioned afterward. I feel it would have made a difference. 

Anyway, the epilogue is well done. I won’t reveal spoilers but the presentation was interesting. I like it! 

To summarize, Earl Crush is entertaining as long as you don’t think too much about the contents. The writing style is easy and light, so you can finish the book in a couple of sittings. 

I think this will be a standalone series since the blurb for the next book is out on GR (it’ll be a Sapphic romance!) and some eligible bachelors are waiting for their turn. 

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #EarlCrush 

The Conjurer's Wife by Sarah Penner

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mysterious reflective fast-paced

4.0

 4 Stars 

One Liner: Nice!

1821, Italy 

Olivia Van Hoff is the wife and assistant of famous conjurer and illusionist Oscar Van Hoff. The crowd goes crazy to attend his shows, and Olivia wonders about his magic acts. Her routine job of smiling and reciting the same lines for every show bores her. When a random act leads her to a secret, Olivia decides to take control of the situation. 

The story comes in Olivia’s third-person POV. 

My Thoughts:

This 40-page short story uses the craze for illusionists and ‘spiritual stuff’ in the 19th century as the backdrop to talk about the identity crisis, the role of women, the art of magic, etc. 

Though people flock to see professional illusionists and are proud that they don’t encourage fraudsters, they also have a generational hatred for witches (pagan magic and women).  

For a short piece, this establishes both characters, provides intrigue, reveals a few secrets, and leads the finale to an open ending. In a way, the end suits the character arc and lets readers come to their own conclusions. 

The atmosphere and setting are well done despite the word limit. It is easy to visualize the scenes and characters, especially Marmalade (read to find out who/ what it is). 

Though the story has a slightly heavier vibe, there’s a sense of lightness too. The balance is quite good and makes the story engaging. It’s a quick read as well. 

To summarize, The Conjurer's Wife is an interesting and entertaining short story that touches on a few important themes. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #TheConjurersWife 

No Purchase Necessary by Maria Marianayagam

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reflective medium-paced

3.5

 3.5 Stars

One Liner: More like a children’s book for adults

Ajay Anthonipillai has followed the rules all his life. However, his desire to make friends with Jacob, the famous kid in school leads him to steal and lie. Worse, the Mercury chocolate bar he stole is special. It has the Twenty-fifth Anniversary Grand Prize offered by the company – a million dollars! 

But how can Ajay claim the prize when he stole the chocolate? As his lies spiral out of control, Ajay needs to reevaluate his actions and decisions. 

The story comes in Ajay’s first-person POV. 

My Thoughts:

I was curious to read a book about a Sri Lankan immigrant family in the US. Their struggles, the desire to do their best at the cost of interpersonal relationships, the racism they face, etc., are well presented and appropriate for the age group. 

It was easy to empathize with Ajay’s situation in school even though he managed to irritate me a few times. But it only proves a point so I can see it as a part of character and story development. 

It was a bit of surprise to see Ajay’s family as Christians but it shouldn’t have been. What I didn’t expect was the extent of faith in the content. Nothing against it but I don’t think I’ve read an MG book where the main character talks often about god. Just not what I was expecting. That said, Father Freddie sounds cool! 

As you can guess from the official blurb, the MC’s parents are typical Asian tiger mom and dad. That’s something I don’t particularly relate to. Yeah, I had friends whose parents were like that. Luckily, mine were and are cool with what I do. I didn’t have to be a topper (I wasn’t either). 

A couple of side characters had potential (Mindy and Al). However, they don’t get enough development. The light shines on Ajay almost throughout, and sometimes, reading his first-person POV felt a little exhausting. 

A part of this is maybe because the book feels heavier than the blurb. I hoped it would have some fun lighthearted moments or heartwarming ones. There might be a couple but not enough to feel the warmth. The heaviness remains. This may not work that well for the target age group. 

Still, I liked how the ending was handled. Some good luck but no real miracles, which is good. I’d have liked a conversation or two between the family members at the end. 

There’s a glossary at the end (not necessary for most Indian readers) which will be helpful to understand the native terms. 

To summarize, No Purchase Necessary is an interesting read, though I think it will work better for adults than kids. 

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #NoPurchaseNecessary 


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A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.75

 3.7 Stars

One Liner: Lyrical and intriguing but with a few issues

James (our FMC) and Johnny Golden are twins with a connection that lies in the supernatural realm. She can feel and experience what he feels, so when Johnny is killed, James knows it has happened and lives through it even before the news officially reaches her. 

Now, James is back in the rural town of Hawthorne, California, after twenty years to sort out her twin’s work and find out what actually happened. She soon realizes her brother is trying to communicate with her from wherever he is but it is too overwhelming. After all, James left the town after an incident that changed a few lives. Being back means she also has to deal with the past, especially her first love Micah, the man who has been with her brother’s friend all these years and might be the only one to help her connect the dots. 

The story comes in James’ first-person POV. 

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by the author (I was declined the last time) and I can see why her works are popular. Though there are many elements I dislike, the writing style has a haunting quality. 

The atmosphere is next level. Most of the story is set in and around a dense forest, so it’s already my favorite place. However, this forest is not magical. It is dark, mossy, thick, suffocating, oppressive, and overwhelming. It closes in from all sides and traps you inside. But… it is still my favorite. For the FMC, the forest is a representation of what she has escaped but couldn’t let go. This is apparent on many pages. 

Since the story is in James’ first-person (don’t worry, she tells us right in the first chapter why she has a male name), there’s a lot of suppressed information. She doesn’t want to even think of it which means we go around in circles in the first half. Still, after the slow start, the momentum picks up. Little bits of information are scattered in the monologues. Collecting it is our responsibility. 

Micah is a nice guy; a bit intense but then the FMC is intenser (I know it’s not a word), and Johnny seems to be intensiest. We don’t directly meet the dead man but he is everywhere (to the point of possibly coming out of the Kindle scree as smoke). 

However, don’t expect to connect with any of them. At around 10% I realized this is a book where everything has a surreal tinge. The characters are no exception. If you can connect with them, good; if not, nothing to worry about. I don’t think we are meant to. 

Despite the FMC being 37, she acts like a late teen the majority of the time. That’s probably coz it was the age she left the forest town without a proper closure. When she returns, she falls into the same pattern despite thinking she should be an adult. Such a character would annoy me (did too), but it seemed to fit here. 

So, why the relatively lower rating? One, because of how the story goes in circles until 60%+, and then we get reveal after reveal in quick succession. Two, the sort of love triangle wasn’t necessary since the other guy barely had any active role. Three, quite a few questions remain unanswered, which dim the enjoyment of the epilogue. 

To summarize, A Sea of Unspoken Things has a great atmosphere and a few possible triggers. It was an intriguing read but not without flaws. I would be happy to read more books by the author. The prose is excellent! 

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #ASeaofUnspokenThings 


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Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

3.75

 3.8 Stars          

One Liner: This was fun!

Emily Walker doesn’t like disruptions or changes. She also doesn’t like her nemesis, Jackson Bennett, her fellow second-grade teacher in the local school. 

When Jack left Rome, Kentucky, to live with his fiancée, Emily was delighted. Her loving hometown was free of him at last. She could focus on completing her secret romance novel. 

Jack returns to Rome after breaking off his engagement. He is happy to be back in the small town that charmed him even if Emily doesn’t want him around. He has his own secrets to keep and would do what he could to make Rome his home. 

When Emily mistakenly sends her manuscript to their school principal instead of a literary agent, she needs Jack’s help to steal back her manuscript. Their interactions soon show that they may not have hated each other for so long! 

The story comes in the first-person POVs of Emily and Jack. 

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by the author. It is the third in the series and works as a standalone. One day, I’ll read the previous two. 

The book starts with a short note about triggers and the chapter numbers for those who want to skip spicy scenes. A clear idea indeed! 

We get the story from both POVs, though Emily’s is more than Jack’s. That’s fine since they cover the base pretty well. The first-person voices are distinct enough to not create confusion about who narrates the chapter (there are clear headers too). 

The little email and SMS interactions placed between the chapters not only add to the fun but also give more insight into the characters and their past. I enjoyed reading these. 

It took a while to warm to Emily but I liked her as I got to know her. Jack was easier to like (everyone in the book likes him too!). Emily’s family and her relationship with them were heartwarming and bittersweet. There’s some joint trauma there but much love too. 

The book deals with some heavy themes like parental loss, parentification of a child, toxic family, narcissistic parent, etc. These influence the main characters in many ways. There are some intense moments but the book stays true to the genre and keeps things from becoming too overwhelming. I prefer it this way. 

Writing is another part of the plotline. Some good insights are provided. I related to some of the emotions the characters feel when they write. 

One aspect I wanted more was the teaching part. They talk a lot about teaching, students, school, etc. but we don’t get to see them in the classroom or with their students. Yeah, it’s set during the holidays. Still, I needed at least one scene. After all, they take their professions seriously! 

The second half is slower than the first half, probably coz it packs more stuff. There’s a teeny epilogue but I admit I wanted more. Also, one important element has not been detailed, and I needed to see it after having to deal with such an annoying character. It should have been included in the epilogue. 

To summarize, Beg, Borrow, or Steal is an entertaining enemies-to-lovers story with good banter and interesting supporting characters. 

The next book will belong to Madison (the only unmarried Walker sibling). I hope she impresses me coz I’m already rooting for the guy (Team James). Excited to read it! 

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine (Dell), for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. 

#NetGalley #BegBorrowOrSteal 

Home with You by Grahame Claire, Claudia Burgoa

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hopeful medium-paced

3.75

 3.7 Stars

One Liner: Cute!

Peighton is a famous author of children’s books and the creator of Harley, the Fairy Hedgehog. She writes under a pen name and is happy to stay away from the limelight. However, she has to attend a book signing tour, and one stop is close to Winter Valley, the small town she grew up in and has no fond memories of. Also, it’s where Morgan Bradford lives, the last man she wants to see again after he broke her heart. 

Morgan Bradford runs a successful automobile business in Winter Valley. He takes care of his family and ensures everyone is happy and safe. He has everything he wants, or so he thinks until he sees Peighton again. This time, he doesn’t want to let her go. But the decision has to be hers. 

The story comes in Peighton and Morgan’s first-person POVs. 

My Thoughts:

Soo… this is my year’s Christmas read. A few years ago, I signed up for some authors’ newsletters. I skim through the emails but read only a couple of them since I find those cool. Claudia was one of them. Her newsletters are delightful and personal. Some months ago, I decided to read at least one book of hers. At last, I could make it happen close to the deadline. 

This is the second standalone book in the series. Books one and three also deal with the Bradford children. No need to read book one to read this (though you might get a few spoilers). 

I like that it’s a short book with a dual POV. Keeping their voices separate was easy enough most of the time. I did get confused in a couple of chapters and had to double-check. 

It’s a second chance romance in a Hallmarky setting. Even the story is pretty much in the same vibe but with a touch of spice (nothing too graphic). 

I love the illustration of the Harley, the hedgehog. It’s the main reason I chose the book. Wish there were more but I’m glad there’s at least one image to see how it looks. 

The characters are pretty decent. Morgan’s decision to break up doesn’t make much sense but then we cannot expect too much, I guess. Peigh is nice, and I like that she didn’t give in easily. 

The side characters are cute, so I’ll probably read the other books someday. The pacing is moderate to fast, so that’s decent too. You can clock the book in a single sitting if you have a couple of hours. 

All nice and sweet but please… it is not chai tea! Call it either chai or tea. Since the book was published in 2021, I hope the author now knows this usage is wrong. 

To summarize, Home With You is a cozy second-chance romance set during Christmas. It’ll work great as a palate cleanser and a breather between heavy reads. 


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