whenimreading's reviews
989 reviews

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

adventurous hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.5

What a gripping and intriguing book! I loved the true crime setup, I’m a huge fan of documentaries so the plot and theme really engaged me. I thought Bel was very likable and I really connected with her as we unravel the disappearance and reappearance of her mom, Rachel. A twisty domestic mystery with slight YA edge, it really kept me guessing throughout. Figuring out certain clues and possibilities was very entertaining and I think I was right about few reveals. Although it got a little unrealistic towards the end, I really liked the whole package! Highly recommend for entertainment value 👍🏼 4.5⭐️

Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

The Return of Ellie Black was a dark and twisty mystery thriller. I was immediately hooked by the opening chapter when Ellie is discovered by two hikers. She disappeared nearly two years prior and was found miles from her home town. Detective Chelsey Calhoun lost her sister, Lydia, twenty years ago so she has a strong connection to Ellie, it was her first case after becoming detective and has stayed with her ever since. 

The mystery continues when Ellie is afraid to talk. Chelsey is compelled to bring Ellie justice, feeling guilty for not doing so for her sister. Chelsey uncovers multiple missing girls and clues connecting them to Ellie, were they taken by the same person? She knows their time is quickly running out when a nine year old girl is linked to DNA evidence and Ellie disappears again. 

Tense and suspenseful, the mood overall was very dark with small sparks of hope throughout. Quite psychological and showcasing the evil side of violence against women even from a young age. Most of the first half of the book dives into the procedurals of Chelsey’s job working this case but also her history and grief of losing her sister and most recently, father to cancer. I thought her drive was very admirable and it made the story that more important. There are multiple POVs including some from Ellie and her parents as they figure out how to bring her back to some normalcy.

The author did a fantastic job bringing the reader on the rollercoaster of emotions experienced by the characters. I was angry for and frustrated at Ellie, understanding she knew crucial details that would help the investigation, but has been broken down by her captor. Working with a therapist, Ellie’s recollections were disturbing at times, laying out the clues and hints as to where the plot was going, it was captivating but sometimes made me feel helpless and sad. A strong third act really sped up the plot with a few shocking twists that I think make this a very memorable book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance reading copy to review. 

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

adventurous dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

When Among Crows hooked me from the very first line - “Kiedy wejdziesz między wrony, musisz krakać tak jak one.”

(When among crows, you must caw like one.)

The atmosphere was dark and had an almost noir feel. I really liked the combination of urban fantasy filled with Polish/Slavic folklore and language. This is what most appealed to me as a Polish immigrant and I love that Roth writes stories set in Chicago. 

This was a short book and the audiobook flew by even faster. We follow Dymitr as he joins forces with Ala to find the witch Baba Jaga, promising to break her curse. You are thrown into the thick of things almost straight away. There are different creatures, secret societies, magic, and unlikely alliances. Overall it was a super intriguing concept and I quite enjoyed the lore, storytelling, and characters. The world building and history were woven into the characters’ perspectives, giving the reader an emotional connection to each of their struggles. An unlikely trio with an almost impossible quest. 

The audiobook had voice actors for the three leads - Dymitr, Ala, and Niko, I enjoyed the break of pace between them. While the Polish pronunciations are a bit difficult, I really appreciated the addition of certain phrases into the plot. A solid take on lore based fantasy with an urban setting. 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio of the advance listening copy to review. 

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

dark hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

4.0

I love Leigh’s writing and I actually devoured this book, even though it was on the slower side. Very interesting historical fiction, set during the Spanish Inquisition with magic and a love story. It had a gradual build up with the final chapters really captivating me.

I thought Luzia, Valentina, Hualit, and few of the other female characters were very strong and really carried the plot. The atmosphere and setting created this addicting tension, Luzia had to hide her magic and Jewish roots from the Inquisition, and the fear of persecution is present throughout. 

Santángel was this mysterious enigma and I enjoyed his relationship with Luzia and how he confided in her. The magic that put him in this position of the familiar seemed very unique to me and overall, I enjoyed the subtlety of the magical system. 

Lauren Fortgang’s audiobook narration is always great, her ability to create movement in the words and delivery is really fantastic. I love her accents and emotion she adds to the characters. 

I’m pretty content with the outcome of the book. While it doesn’t pack the action scenes I might have been used to from this author, I think it’s worth checking out for the historical background and interesting characters.

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

I really enjoyed this book, it had a nice slow burn that exploded in the end. A grumpy/sunshine vibe that I’m a sucker for and I thought Mercy was a fantastic character, the glue of the family, keeping the business afloat. Hart had that gruff exterior but really was a huge cinnamon roll. THE LETTERS! The nicknames! It was all so cute 💕

I liked the world building and this concept, with zombies, and the underworld and gods that started it all. Almost read like a western with slight modern tech, and had magical talking creatures (!!). Very creative and wholesome - it had me fully invested in the plot and the romance. 

It’s disgusting how much I cried in the last 10% of the book, so clearly, 5 stars 😅

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

4.0

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe

adventurous funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

This book was right up my alley! Aliens, cryptids, conspiracies and ghosts, a sort of paranormal romance, just a few of my favorite things. A wonderful debut that appealed to my inner Millennial!

Hallie is definitely not on the conspiracy train, but when a work opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to adapt The Out There podcast into a web series, featuring the swoony tattooed host, Hayden Hargrove. Hallie and Hayden get along great, she brings out his on screen charm and their budding relationship makes the show hugely popular with its audience. 

I enjoyed this plot quite a lot, it was a little bit silly but also had a lot of heart. Hallie was very relatable, dealing with the aftermath of a toxic relationship and learning to remove that person’s influence from her life. On the other hand, Hayden was now starting to let people in after taking care of his ailing father for many years. 

I loved the connection they had from the start and that they build this great friendship before starting to fall for each other. The writing was catchy and witty, Hallie really had some good lines and comebacks, but Hayden also saves the day a couple times! He was very sweet and smart, in that tortured hero kinda way. 

I have a small knowledge of the conspiracies mentioned and always loved X Files and Ghost Hunters/Adventures, so I was immensely entertained by all the alien and cryptid facts and jokes. It was a great time all around and I’m counting down to read Mallory’s next book!

Thank you to Berkley for the giveaway copy to review!

Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

Wonderfully written, fast paced emotional storytelling but it had me fully engaged. The book jumps between characters, following the titular Stars through multiple generations. This was a very captivating concept, dealing with heavy topics and facts about the Indigenous American population. From imprisonment and disparity, to struggles with substance abuse. I liked the family connections and the historical events mentioned, a great and powerful story. 

Down with the System: A Memoir (of Sorts) by Serj Tankian

medium-paced

5.0

I loved hearing this story from Serj, I’m a casual SOAD fan since Toxicity, I always liked their experimental metal sound and catchy melodies. This audiobook literally starts out with guitar riffs and that was awesome!

Serj has an engaging speaking voice and delivery, this is his story and it shows the effort he put into the book. We learn about his Armenian background and family history during the Armenian Genocide, then emigrating from Lebanon to the US. As an immigrant, I love hearing other immigrant stories and struggles, relating to them on certain levels. 

The author touches upon heavy topics right from the start, while brief, it was educational and informative hearing his perspective, like the events leading up to and after 9/11 in regards to his life and the band’s success. Diving deep into his teen and young adult years, his activism and identity, as well as being the head of the family entangled in a legal battle for his father’s business. 

This was a great listen and I recommend it to anyone that is a fan of SOAD or likes hearing personal stories of growth and social justice. 

Thank you to Hachette Audio and Netgalley for the listening copy.