howifeelaboutbooks's reviews
1802 reviews

A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Murder by Dianne Freeman

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Book three was a bit slow for me at the start, but the last fourth was fascinating. In my opinion, there were too many minor characters introduced in passing that ended up being suspects. Because of this, it was hard to keep them straight and try to figure out what was going on re: the crime. However, it didn't really matter because there was no way the reader could have solved the crime along with Frances, which was kind of disappointing because that's my favorite part of cozy mysteries. However, the ending was good enough that I'll definitely keep reading the series and hope this was a lull.

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My mom recommended this one and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it based on her overview and the inside summary (which is why I typically try to avoid reading those), but I jumped right in and the writing style immediately hooked me. I read it in about a day because I wanted to know what happened. There were a lot of twists and I wasn’t sure what the resolution was going to be, so that was satisfying. I do feel like there are a LOT of thrillers/suspense novels that deal with podcasters lately, and while it was well-done here, it made me think of about 4 other books I’ve read in the past year. I love the author’s writing, though, and want to read more from her. 

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

mysterious 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? It's complicated

2.5

It took about half the book for me to get invested in this one. I really wanted to like it because of Elle Cosimano’s praise, and overall I’m glad I stuck with it. I loved Annie, but the side characters/suspects weren’t developed enough for me to keep everyone straight. It was an enjoyable read and I’ll give the sequel, How to Seal Your Own Fate, a shot when it comes out next month. 

The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Wow, I don’t know where to start organizing my thoughts for this book. I love all of Margarita Montimore’s books and am always so excited for a new one! I devoured this one in a day. It was so vivid yet surreal - I want to see it as a Netflix series! The unsettling Project Understudy randomly pops into my head and still creeps me out, and the uncertain ending keeps my imagination reeling… which I love, because it’s not left wide open like an unsatisfying cliffhanger. It seems more realistic that the reader is unsure about everything at the end, just like Ramona and Grace. 

A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder by Dianne Freeman

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

3.0

I read the first book in this series for Cozy Mystery Book Club and was hooked! I’m picky about historical fiction, but this is… very gently historical, I would say. It’s so easy to slip into the past and join Frances in this world. I thought this was a great second installment with a very interesting case and loved seeing how Frances rose to the challenges. Can’t wait to read more. 

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna-Marie McLemore

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

 I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book. I hadn’t read any of the remixes in this series (by different authors), but I love retellings and spins on the classics, so I was excited to see what happened. I was really impressed with how this interpretation stayed true to the original in so many ways, especially considering both Gatsby and Nick are trans, many characters are LGBTQIA+, and it’s written for young adult readers. That meant some of the relationships were toned down, and of course the violence at the end of the book is different. It doesn’t detract though; it helps this book standalone, though I would recommend reading it after the original for older readers, and would hope that younger readers would feel inspired to read the original after they finish this one. 

I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I loved the premise of this book. It felt almost comfortable and literary at first, before unsettling things came into play. One slight pet peeve was that I felt like Lucy was too obvious - not who she was necessarily, but how she fit in. I think that reveal came a bit too early and was too heavy-handed. Overall the book was a page-turner and I wasn’t sure who did what until the end. 

Playlist for the Apocalypse by Rita Dove

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.0

Beautiful, touching, powerful poems. So many demanded a second read, and so many lines stuck in my mind long after I finished this collection. I love Dove’s style - will be seeking out more. 

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This book might now be one of my all-time favorites. WOW. I love anything Gatsby, and I’m always intrigued by retellings, whether it’s something inspired by a book or from a different point of view. Cantor reimagines The Great Gatsby from the women’s points of view: Daisy, Jordan, and Catherine, Myrtle Wilson’s sister. There’s also a detective thrown into the mix, a new addition since the book focuses on trying to solve Jay Gatsby’s murder. It stands alone (I would compare it to Big Little Lies and books along those lines, honestly), but it’s fun to see the little mentions of things that were in Fitzgerald’s original - whether they’re used as-is or seen through a different lens considering the POV of this book. There was also a nod to Harold Bloom that made me smile. I can’t recommend this one enough. 

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

My mom recommended this book after she read it so I went in not knowing what it was about and didn’t read the blurb to know what to expect. All my mom said was that she liked how the POV jumped around. I’m hit or miss with that type of storytelling, so I kind of wanted to keep my expectations blank beyond knowing that. I’m not sure if knowing what it was about would have made a difference at all, but I loved this book. The different POVs absolutely worked, and I loved getting to peek into everyone’s mindset. Being able to get into the mother’s head—and her past—kept the story moving more than it would have just “listening” to the recordings. Can’t wait to read the author’s next book.