nzlisam's reviews
1018 reviews

Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-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? Yes

3.5

Well, this sure was different! 

It’s the summer of 1996, and sixteen-year-old Frances (Frankie) Budge is over the sameness of her small town of Coalfield, Tennessee. Her dad has left town and has a new daughter (who he has also named Frances) by another woman. Her mom is working all the time, and her older triplet brothers are off doing their own thing. She has no friends and spends her days at home bored out of her brain. Then she meets Zeke, who’s staying with his grandmother for the summer, and the two form an instant friendly romantic connection. On a whim they decide to create an artistic poster with a made-up, mysterious quote coupled with macabre drawings and plaster them all over town. 

It was meant to be a fun joke, but soon the people of Coalfield are obsessed with the poster and finding out who’s behind it – rumours and conspiracy theories are rife – and by the end of the summer some people will even have died because of it. 

Frankie and Zeke vow to keep their secret – and for twenty years they are successful. But then Frankie receives a phone call from someone who knows what she did… 

Now is Not the Time to Panic was such a hard one for me to rate and review as I really struggled with the 1996 story arc. Some of it was hilarious, I laughed out loud several times, but most of it was utterly bizarre and out there. I get that was the author’s intention, but it didn’t work for me. 

But then I loved Part 2 – the fallout and consequences – so I guess I was more invested in Part 1 than I realised because I really wanted to know what happened and was completely satisfied with where and how it ended. So, I’ve settled on 3.5. 

An unusual read, but one that ended up surprising me in a good way. 

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Text Publishing, and Kevin Wilson for the e-ARC. 

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

3.0

Not as Original as its Predecessor!

It’s been almost four years years since the events of The Maid, and in that time, Molly Grey has been promoted to the prestigious position of ‘Head Maid’ at the Regency Grand Hotel.

While Molly and her staff are overseeing a special V.I.P event in the hotel’s newly refurbished tea roo, renowned mystery writer, J.D. Grimthorpe drops dead while delivering his speech.

Once again, Molly the Maid unwittingly finds herself embroiled in another puzzling mystery.

As I mentioned I wasn’t as enamoured by The Mystery Guest as I’d hoped. There were some up to par twists, but the ending where the cast of characters were gathered together to reveal all was lacklustre. The mystery element in The Maid was a clever and unique twist on a character who struggled to read social cues and situations, The Mystery Guest in comparison was pretty average. In fact, parts of the present timeline were downright boring and predictable. The flashbacks were the highlight, I relished the gothic, fairytale feel, and enjoyed the insight into Molly’s past, her gran, and the close bond the two shared.

I still loved the characters, and am keen to revisit Molly’s world, and the final twist was all kinds of awesome, but The Mystery Guest wasn’t Nita Prose’s best.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, Harper Collin’s Australia, and Nita Prose for the e-ARC.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective relaxing sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

28150 Cliffside Drive, Point Dunne, Malibu (August 27th, 1983) – The scene of the hottest annual party of the year! Anyone who is anyone is in attendance – actors, pop stars, models, writers, directors, athletes. 

The main players are the four Riva siblings:

Nina (25) – Her mansion is the party venue, and she is the hostess. Her husband, Brandon has recently left her for tennis star Carrie Soto (the protagonist of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s next novel).

Jay (24) – His date for the party is Lara, a waitress he has been infatuated with ever since they met a few weeks ago, and he can’t wait to show her off.

Hud (23) – A half-brother with a different mother but who was raised in the same household as his siblings. Is trying to buck up the courage to tell Jay that he is currently sleeping with his ex-girlfriend, Ashley.

Kit (20) – Has never been kissed and is hoping her sister’s party will change that. 

Malibu Rising definitely captivated my attention – so much soap-opera drama, secrets, lies, and intrigue, and the author’s use of misdirection really threw me for six – applause! The family saga element was conveyed in flashbacks beginning in 1956, the day the siblings father Mick Riva met their mother, June Costas, and following the family unit through the years until 1983. Then the day of the August party unfolded in hourly increments with POV’s alternating between Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit.

I was immediately drawn to all the characters, especially the four siblings – I relished their closeness, their family rituals, how they were always there for one another through thick and thin, as well as their teasing banter and every interaction. One of my favourite sections of the novel was the real-time format of the party in Part 2 – the short, shifting scenes, and the one-off POV’s of the many guests in attendance including brief backstories, and glimpses into their futures following the party. It was fast paced, kept the drama and excitement high, and had me anticipating what was to come.

I felt that Taylor Jenkins Reid completely captured the essence of not only 1983, but the three decades prior. I adored all the pop culture references, name-dropping, and celebrity sightings. And the setting was vivid and captivating – I really felt like I was there experiencing it all alongside these unforgettable cast of characters.

My favourite and most memorable read by Taylor Jenkins Reid so far.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Random House UK – Cornerstone, and Taylor Jenkins Reid for the e-ARC.

The Housewife's Secret by Anna-Lou Weatherley

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

4.0

A Firm 4 Stars!

 

The Housewife – Darcie Bonneville leads a privileged life, married to a handsome successful surgeon, living in a luxurious apartment, with plans to start a family.

 

But when Darcie saves a little girl’s life, and the video of her doing so goes viral, it places everything she holds dear in jeopardy. Because Darcie has a secret past, a past she has been hiding from for years, and her new notoriety is about to draw unwanted attention.

 

What I’ve always admired about the domestic suspense side of Anna-Lou Weatherley’s novels is her ability to create characters embroiled in the main mystery that you really sympathise with, and care about what happens to. It stands to reason that you’d be concerned about series regulars Dan Riley and his team (with the exception of Martin Delaney) but being emotionally invested in Darcie’s story arc meant the tension and the stakes were even higher.

 

The mystery was maybe a little on the predictable side as well as a tad repetitive, but they were tropes that I gravitate towards and enjoy reading about in the domestic noir genre and there were enough twists that I didn’t guess to keep me satisfied.

 

I anticipate a Dan Riley instalment every year, they’re a reliable, easy-to-read, easy-to-keep-track-of, not too many characters crime police procedural, perfect for those instances where you don’t have a lot of time and concentration to devote to reading. I alternated between the supplied e-book and the audible audiobook and read/listened to The Housewife’s Secret over a day, making this a quick, immersive read.

 

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Bookouture, and Anna-Lou Weatherley for the e-ARC.

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing sad 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? Yes

4.0

Funny Story by Emily Henry

emotional funny lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

For most of the book I really thought this was going to be a 5 star read, but I was not a fan of the direction the story took from chapter forty-seven onwards - it was very far-fetched, and I also found myself not really liking any of the character’s actions by the end. On top of that the last quarter of the book was a real information dump (too much telling), and consequently the plot dragged. I settled on 4 stars because I really liked all the build up and the reveal itself, just not what came after it.

Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz

challenging dark informative mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I can only muster 3 stars rounded up to 3.5 for this Supernatural Murder Mystery!

Deadhart, Alaska has a population of 673 living humans, and on its outskirts reside the undead (although technically they aren’t as these bloodsuckers are mortal, but you get my drift), a colony of vampyrs (the ancient word for vampires}.

In this version of 2024 (where everything remains the same with the exception of the introduction of vampyrs, who have been around since the beginning of time), vampyrs have been declared a protected species since 1983, although they are not permitted to live, work, or socialise among humans, hence the ‘colonies’ they inhabit, and as a result they are highly feared and prejudiced against by a lot of humans.

So, when a human teenager, 15-year-old Marcus Anderson, is murdered, and the evidence points to a vampyr attack, the town of Deadhart is hellbent on revenge and vigilantism. Enter Dr. Barbara Atkins, a New York based Forensic Vampire Anthopologist, who is called in to investigate, and naturally her arrival is met with hostility, suspicion and anger. It’s up to Barbara to find Marcus’ killer because if a vampyr is responsible then human law dictates that the entire Deadhart colony will need to be ‘culled’ (wiped out).

Did you follow all of that?

An intriguing, original, and compelling premise, don’t you agree? I thought so too, but unfortunately one that didn’t entirely work for me. I enjoyed the fresh take on the vampire myth, and the changes to the lore, and the bigotry and discrimination against the vampyr race had me feeling a spectrum of emotions. But the fact that I sympathised with them and given that our race held all the power (political and technological) prevented the vampyrs from being scary and threatening for me, even when they were intended to be. And, when I think about the vampire fiction that has resonated with me in the past, the fanged monsters depicted were truly terrifying.

There were one or two decent twists, and I wouldn’t go as far as to say that the mystery was predictable, but at the same time the resolution was lacklustre. The characters weren’t bad, I liked Barbara and others well enough, but nor were they particularly memorable. Although I do commend authors like Tudor who, more and more, are using older women (50+) as their main protagonist as going back twenty, thirty years you rarely found a competent, respected female character over 35. Now to the setting – I just never felt that closed-in trepidation and tension. And I never got the impression that Barbara was in any real danger – the characters that tended to be targeted were the unlikeable ones. Overall, the dialogue was Tudor’s usual high standard, with the exception of (and this is going to sound picky, but it really irked me so I’m including it!) Barbara’s constant use of the word ‘Sir’ when addressing male characters – I understand it was meant to placate them, but honesty it was every second sentence and it was distracting. Dare you not to notice it now! Maybe I can’t talk because I’ve used the words ‘human’ and ‘vampyr’ a lot in this review.

Anyway, to sum up, I think I went into this book with too higher expectations following the dizzying heights of last years The Drift (5 stars all the way baby!). And my disappoint is set to continue as it looks like The Gathering is the start of a series for C.J. Tudor, and I just can’t generate enough enthusiasm for a second instalment. Boo-hoo for me, but fantastic for those who loved it – which was the majority of early reviewers.

I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Michael Joseph Penguin Random House, and C.J. Tudor for the e-ARC.

The Coffin Dancer by Jeffery Deaver

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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