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fast-paced
The Mistletoe Mystery
Molly the Maid is back for the holidays 🎄
Thank you, Ballantine Books & PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of The Mistletoe Mystery {partner}
Genre: Holiday
Trope: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 10.1.2024
Pages: 128
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times. But the trick is that it’s always with the same person.”
I’m closing out my spooky season reading with a little novella featuring one of my favorite FMCs - Molly Gray.
This short (128 pages) and sweet story was the perfect combination of mystery, holiday fun, and quirky characters that I’ve come to know and love. In The Maid and The Mystery Guest, the reader isn’t given much insight into Molly and Juan’s relationship, so seeing their interactions and his love for her is nice.
My only complaint is that there was so much miscommunication happening in such a short book that it really put me on edge and took away from the overall joy of the book.
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
Mistletoe Mystery was narrated by the wonderful Lauren Ambrose, who has also narrated the other two Molly the Maid books. I am so happy that she has continued as the voice of Molly Gray, and I can’t wait to read more about Molly and her friends' adventures.
Read if you enjoy:
📖 Short and sweet
🙅🏽♀️ Miscommunication
🎅🏼 Holiday fun
🔍 Cozy mystery feel
I recommend reading The Maid, The Mystery Guest, and The Mistletoe Mystery in that order; otherwise, you’ll miss out on all kinds of antics!
If you enjoy holiday reading, what’s the first book you'll add to your reading list for this season?
_
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dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Another spooky October read 👻
Genre: Horror
Trope: Romance/Fantasy
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 9.3.2024
Pages: 512
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
"Life is not measured in good or bad thoughts; it's how you treat the world around you despite them. "
My decision to read this book was heavily influenced by my bookstagram friends. I would not have read it without such high praise for it all over social media. So, to all of you who told me to read this, I blame you for keeping me up at night.
Phantasma was not in my normal reading genre, and I most definitely do not enjoy any of the Saw movies. So, to be completely honest, I skipped over the super gooey scenes. I made it through a few, but they definitely made me feel a bit squeamish.
And, oh my gosh, the steam!! I was not prepared for how spicy this book would become, but it held up to be a dark romance.
More than anything, though, I loved the author's spot-on representation of OCD. So often, it's associated with hyperorganized, methodical behavior, but Phantasma explored a different side that is very common but not discussed. Being privy to Ophelia's internal dialogue as she battled the demons in her mind, it was eye-opening and almost comforting to have Blackwell normalize her fears and talk her through what she was experiencing.
Read if you enjoy:
🏯 Haunted manors
👻 Ghostly visions
🖤 Dark Romance
🩸 Gore (lots of it)
I was so impressed with Kaylie Smith's writing and am already counting down the days until we get to book two. Also, whoever designed these covers is incredibly talented.
____
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Here’s a little ☀️ to add to your TBR list.
Thank you, The Dial Press, for the gifted copy of Promise Me Sunshine {partner}
Genre: Romance
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 3.4.2025
Pages: 416
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
This is my first Cara Bastone book (and it definitely won’t be my last). If I’m being completely honest, the first thing that drew me in was the beautiful cover. I honestly had no idea what the story was about, but I knew that with such a gorgeous cover, the story would have to be good.
If you go into Promise Me Sunshine thinking it will be a love story, you may end up disappointed. There was romance, yes, but you’ll really find the most of two people trying to help one another through a complicated part of their lives. I loved the ease of communication between Lenny and Miles. Their banter always provided just the right comedic relief, and their exploration of life after loss was spot on.
The only tiny thing that prevented me from giving Promise Me Sunshine a higher rating is that the characters would get so close to having the perfect romantic moment. Still, something would interfere and cause them to break apart or lose the moment. While I understand that this is definitely more of a character flaw of Miles/Lenny, and I believe the author intended this to be the effect, it still made me feel like the pacing was off.
However, it was still a delightful and heartfelt story, and I can’t wait to read more from Bastone.
Read if you enjoy:
🐌 Slow build
🫶🏼 More friends than lovers
😍 Adorable MMC
📖 Exploration of grief & love
🥹 Lots of laughter & tears
I recommend reading Promise Me Sunshine if you’re looking for the perfect book to get you through the cold days of winter — it will warm you from the inside out.
______
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emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Best Hex Ever
Thank you, Dell Romance and PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of this delightfully cozy romance {partner}
Genre: Romance
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 10.1.2024
Pages: 320
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
"A kitchen witch with a penchant for baking and a (literally) cursed love life meets someone worth breaking a hex for in this sweet and spicy debut romance."
I started Best Hex Ever on a whim one Friday morning and then proceeded to deep clean my house, catch up on laundry, and bake bread/cookies for the weekend. So, of course, I managed to listen to this entire book in one day, and it was just what I needed.
Was it a bit cheesy at times? Sure. Is that precisely what I needed? Absolutely.
It gave me all the happy, cozy vibes that I desperately needed. The characters were all such a delight (and I'm secretly hoping there will be more from the characters). I bought into the instalove between Dina and Scott (and I never do that).
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
Best Hex Ever was narrated by Ferne Marks and Owen Hall, who are both new to voice actors, and they were perfect for Dina and Scott. I love a romance with dual narration—it really brings everything together so perfectly.
Read if you enjoy:
✨ Fun magic
😍 Instalove
🙌🏼 Supportive friends/family
🔥 Lots of steam
Best Hex Ever was a pure delight to read, and I'm so glad I found time to sneak it into my October reading list. I can't wait to read what Nadia El-Fassi writes next!
______
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dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An absolute must-read! 🎉
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 5.11.2021
Pages: 320
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“Anyone could be an idiot or a jerk, separately, but the combination of ignorance and meanspiritedness was special.”
Well, dang, this was good! I was so blown away by the story and all the different components that went into creating this book that I’m mentally kicking myself for taking so long to read it. I almost skipped The Plot and went straight to The Sequel, and I am SO glad I didn’t because I would’ve missed out on what will be a favorite for 2024.
The story started slowly, and I wasn’t sure where it would end up going. The only piece of the book that I knew was that the protagonist takes a plot from one of his writing students. But, I had no idea all the twists and turns The Plot would take and how shocked I would be by the twists the author revealed. Once I hit the 25% mark of the story, I felt like it took off, and I was doing everything I could to continue listening to the audiobook because I needed to know.
What did I need to know? Well, for starters, who was blackmailing Jack? What was this twist in the book he wrote, and was it so shocking? (It made me gasp outlaid when it was revealed). What would happen when he caught up with his blackmailer? What was the truth behind the blackmailer's story? I couldn’t figure it out, and then everything came together simultaneously, and I felt like I had whiplash of how genuinely shocked I was.
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
The Plot is narrated by Kirby Heyborne, who did a marvelous job capturing Jake’s character and bringing just the right amount of audio intrigue into the book. I can’t wait to see what he narrates next!
Read if you enjoy:
📖 Slow starts, fast ending
🤯 Psychological stories
📚 Book within a book
🐈🐭 Cat & Mouse game
I recommend reading The Plot if you enjoyed Yellowface or Verity.
_
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dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You’re going to want to add this to your 2025 reading list!
Thank you, Penguin Random House, for the gifted copy of Saltwater by Katy Hays {partner}
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 3.25.2025
Pages: 336
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
I decided to start Saltwater on a whim, and even though it’s a slow burn, I couldn’t put it down. There were so many situations and possibilities at play that I was captivated trying to combine all the pieces of the puzzle. I loved how Katy Hays told the story through the perspective of several characters - it gave the illusion that one (or more) of them was lying. But who? I thought I had all figured out at one point, but then my carefully constructed story fell apart.
When I had 25% of the story left, I was flying through it and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I had to know what happened to Sarah and if the past was repeating itself with Lorna.
And, y’all, it takes a lot for a book to surprise me, and Saltwater had me gasping at one point. It was so perfectly executed that I’d reread it to see what hints I overlooked in my first read. Katy Hays created the perfect mystery, and I can’t wait for 2024 for everyone to read it!
Read if you enjoy:
🤫 Lots of secrets
🇮🇹 Capris, Italy
🗣️ Multiple POV
📖 Slow Burn
✌🏼 Dual timeline
🎭 Family drama
I recommend reading Saltwater if you enjoyed reading The Villa.
_
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funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Umm, how have I not read this until now??
Thank you, Mariner Books, for the gifted copy of Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone {partner}
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 3.29.2022
Pages: 371
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
"Family is not whose blood runs in your veins; it's who you'd spill it for."
Somehow, I put off reading Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone for almost two years, and now I'm kicking myself for taking so long to read it because it was fantastic! Everything was put together so perfectly that I spent more time just listening along with the narrator instead of trying to figure out what was happening.
I typically shy away from the And Then There Were None tropes due to the sheer number of characters and never feeling like I can figure out who is who. But, I loved how Benjamin Stevenson told this story - instead of being bombarded with many characters at once, each character gets their own chapter. This format allowed me to get to know each character on a deeper level and to be able to a name to a face when the whole group was together.
The suspense building was fantastic, and I really had no idea who was behind all the deaths on the mountain.
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
I love a narrator who takes on the role of a character, and I thought that was exactly what Barton Welch did while narrating Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. He was entertaining to listen to and added just the right flair to the story. He has narrated the other books by Stevenson, and I can't wait to read them!
Read if you enjoy:
😅 Flawed characters
🗓️ Multiple timelines
😂 Wit
🏔️ Locked Room mystery
🙃 Dysfunctional family reunions
I recommend reading Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone if you enjoyed Knives Out, Only Murders in the Building, or Clue.
___
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medium-paced
I gave in to the hype and dove into Heartless Hunter!
Genre: Fantasy
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 2.20.2024
Pages: 416
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
"To play by the rules when everyone else disregards them—that is foolishness."
I didn't have Heartless Hunter on my 2024 Spooky Season reading list - but here we are. I didn't expect to love this one, but I did. Rune Winters stole the show - I loved her fierceness, tenacity, and unwavering devotion to what she believed in. There were so many times I was in awe of her strength — I could never imagine being that brave.
Now, stay with me — I couldn't stand Gideon. Something about him made me uneasy, and I never felt like he was the right man for Rune. He felt weak, insincere, and too fickle. It was a complete contrast to Rune's character. I also didn't buy into their chemistry at all. I'm hoping my feelings change in the future, but we'll see!
Read if you enjoy:
🖤 Enemies to lovers
✨ Forbidden magic
🔥 Slow burn
🔺 Love triangle
🧙 Witches
I have no idea where book two is headed, but I can't wait to read the conclusion to this duology - Rebel Witch.
______
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dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stella stole the show ✨
Genre: Fantasy
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 2.7.2023
Pages: 400
Star Rating: ☆☆☆
“What’s the point of a safe landing when you never leave the ground?”
Venco is perfect for those who need a reminder that we are capable of much more than we think.
However, the book overall let me down a bit as it didn’t feel nearly as witchy as I had hoped it would be. I loved the concept of the coven coming together with each new woman that was added, but still, there seemed to be very little magic and a lot of drama. The overall pacing of the book seemed to be off, making it hard to immerse in the book entirely.
While I completely understand that this was intentional, I found the chapters from Jay Christos's perspective to be icky and unnerving—by the end of the book, I ended up skipping them because they were just disturbing.
Read if you enjoy:
💪🏼Strong female protagonists
🔍Mystery
👏🏼Found family
🖤Atmospheric destinations
While I would love to recommend Venco, it just didn’t live up to the hype I had for it. Ultimately, I would recommend reading The Change instead of this one.
_
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dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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:
Yes
Dark Society + Princeton
Thank you, PRH Audio, for the gifted copy of Society of Lies! {partner}
Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧📖
Pub Date: 10.1
Pages: 384
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆
“How often in the world is silence what allows horrible people to get away with their crimes?”
Society of Lies is one of those perfectly layered mysteries—everything presented to the reader helps to add to the overall air of mystery surrounding what happened to Naomi and just what Maya was involved in all those years ago. It felt perfectly paced, and everything came together for one (or maybe two) big reveal in the end. There were a few over-the-top/unrealistic moments, but overall, it was a hit.
It’s not too often that I find myself attached to a character (especially one we know is dead), but there was something I loved about Naomi’s character. I can’t tell you how many times I hoped she wasn’t dead. The chapters counting down to her last days broke my heart.
Audiobook Review: ☆☆☆☆☆
Brie Carter and Chandler Gregoire narrate Society of Lies. Both voice actors are fairly new to the audiobook world, and they absolutely knocked this book out of the park. They did an incredible job bringing the characters to life and adding to the pacing of the story. I can’t wait to listen to more from them!
Read if you enjoy:
🖤 Dark Academia
📖 Debut novels
🗣️ Dual POV
🫣 Cliffhanger Chapters
I recommend reading Society of Lies if you enjoyed reading Ace of Spades.
_
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