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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
What a page turner of a mystery! Book and mystery lovers will especially love the setting of this book, focused around a bookstore and the academics of a nearby university (what Americans call college).
Literary references abound, but Cynthia Kuhn doesn't fall into the trap that so many other authors do when they make academia sound snobbish and difficult to understand. Instead, her characters are relatable and fun as they weave their way through life's hurdles and the mystery that falls in their laps at a murder mystery dinner party. The suspects are plentiful and plausible, the villains are truly despicable, and the reader is kept guessing right to the very end!
This book is a well-written, enjoyable read that promises great things for the books to follow in the series!
Literary references abound, but Cynthia Kuhn doesn't fall into the trap that so many other authors do when they make academia sound snobbish and difficult to understand. Instead, her characters are relatable and fun as they weave their way through life's hurdles and the mystery that falls in their laps at a murder mystery dinner party. The suspects are plentiful and plausible, the villains are truly despicable, and the reader is kept guessing right to the very end!
This book is a well-written, enjoyable read that promises great things for the books to follow in the series!
I am not sure why I even read this genre, but I do. This book, however, was one of my least favorites of the multiple series I have read recently— the characters were a bit over the top as was the portrayal of “academia”.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As cozy mysteries go this was was a great read! Quick paced, lots of twists, and not terrible predictable. This was book 1 in the series, and I look forward to reading more.
This was the kind of book I should have read in one sitting.
Alas, I have lacked all motivation to read lately and therefore, did not.
I keep finding cozy books that succeed in the cozy, atmospheric vibes but seem to fall short in all other departments and this was one of them. Most of this book wasn't bad; a bit derivative, Hallmark-y, rife with every surviving petty HS drama available, but the vibes and family relationships could have made up for it.
If I had read this in one sitting, I think I might not have noticed the shortcomings of the book as much as I did - because I would have consumed it the same way I would have a quick Hallmark movie.
Unfortunately, as the book kept going on, the flaws just became really unavoidable. Already, the characterization was similar to playing MySims on the Wii, even with the types of tasks given to Emma as she prepared events. (I understand this might be niche, but imagine Violet ((from MySims)) was an eccentric author and you basically have the vibes) The plot was... a mess. The mystery was laughably absurd and the reveal was not only stupid, but also the most misogynistic way to go about anything.
(I want to clarify: I know a lot of people go into cozy books looking for vibes only and I'm not lessening that. For me though, I think a book should be able to have cozy vibes and a coherent plot, as well as not pitting nearly every female character against each other over extremely petty shit. <3)
Overall, while I didn't hate this, I do kind of feel like it was a waste of my time.
Alas, I have lacked all motivation to read lately and therefore, did not.
I keep finding cozy books that succeed in the cozy, atmospheric vibes but seem to fall short in all other departments and this was one of them. Most of this book wasn't bad; a bit derivative, Hallmark-y, rife with every surviving petty HS drama available, but the vibes and family relationships could have made up for it.
If I had read this in one sitting, I think I might not have noticed the shortcomings of the book as much as I did - because I would have consumed it the same way I would have a quick Hallmark movie.
Unfortunately, as the book kept going on, the flaws just became really unavoidable. Already, the characterization was similar to playing MySims on the Wii, even with the types of tasks given to Emma as she prepared events. (I understand this might be niche, but imagine Violet ((from MySims)) was an eccentric author and you basically have the vibes) The plot was... a mess. The mystery was laughably absurd and the reveal was not only stupid, but also the most misogynistic way to go about anything.
(I want to clarify: I know a lot of people go into cozy books looking for vibes only and I'm not lessening that. For me though, I think a book should be able to have cozy vibes and a coherent plot, as well as not pitting nearly every female character against each other over extremely petty shit. <3)
Overall, while I didn't hate this, I do kind of feel like it was a waste of my time.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
mysterious
medium-paced