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reading_under_covers's reviews
1504 reviews
The Rival by Emma Lord
4.0
After being admitted to her dream college where she hopes to become a writer on their famous paper, the last thing Sadie expects is to see her lifelong rival Seb heading towards her on campus. While each competing for the sole spot on the paper, they learn school organizations are losing funding and, along with their fellow classmates, they pivot to make their voices hear to the donors and school board.
THE RIVAL by Emma Lord was cuuute!
I’ve been a fan of Emma’s work from the beginning - I have yet to read her adult novel, but she writes YA like no other.
I loved that we got to see Sadie’s relationship with Seb and her best friend Christina (both being very fleshed out!), while also getting to see her relationship with her family and how all has changed since she left for college.
Lord made it soo easy to root for these characters and the humor and sweet treats she threw in were perfection.
If you’re a fan of Lord’s work and sweet rivals-to-lovers, then you won’t want to miss this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Publication Date: January 21
The Second Stranger by Martin Griffin
Did not finish book. Stopped at 70%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 70%.
Dnf ~70%
This one started off strong, but it’s been really dragging for me and I don’t care enough about the characters or the story to see how it all resolves 🤷🏼♀️
This one started off strong, but it’s been really dragging for me and I don’t care enough about the characters or the story to see how it all resolves 🤷🏼♀️
Most Wonderful by Georgia Clark
5.0
I love a family-focused holiday novel and this one fit the bill!
I loved these siblings so much 🥹
I loved these siblings so much 🥹
Candy Cain Kills Again: The Second Slaying by Brian McAuley
4.5
CANDY CAIN KILLS AGAIN: THE SECOND SLAYING was everything I could hope for in a sequel and more!
McAuley masterfully crafted a backstory for Candy Cain that had me cheering for her?!
I loved that this story immediately picked up right where the last one left off and the sing-along “previously on” was perfection.
This book was gorey and bloody and disgusting and I ATE IT UP AND LEFT NO CRUMBS (much like Candy Cain herself 😉)
If you’re looking to wrap up your holiday season with something spooky, say “SLAYMEN” and look no further 🪓🙏
Curtain: Poirot's Last Case by Agatha Christie
4.0
I read this for the final Read Christie 2024 challenge, and it’s definitely one I’d like to come back to once I’ve read the whole Poirot series.
A heartbreaking, yet perhaps perfect, end to his tale.
A heartbreaking, yet perhaps perfect, end to his tale.
The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter
4.0
This was a great holiday read that felt like a Hallmark movie and will appeal to mystery and romance readers alike!
Our main characters are authors (swoon!), we’re taken to an English estate in the countryside (double swoon), and one of the greatest mystery writers of all time disappears from a locked room (i am deceased!! 🫠🤩)
This book was such a fun time and really did the damn thing in checking all of the boxes!
The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin by Brian Baumgartner, Ben Silverman
4.0
This was really cute!!
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson
4.0
A really fun addition to the Ernest Cunningham series!!
This one definitely plays best if you’ve read the prior two novels, and if you haven’t read it this season, to start it on Dec 1 of next year and have it unfold like an advent calendar!
This one definitely plays best if you’ve read the prior two novels, and if you haven’t read it this season, to start it on Dec 1 of next year and have it unfold like an advent calendar!
Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop by Otto Penzler
4.0
A really solid collection of crime fiction set around Christmas! I enjoyed some stories better than others, but, honestly, none of them were a miss!