Author: Jolie

I love to read. My favorite genres are women's fiction, romance, psychological thrillers, fantasy, young adult, steampunk, dystopian, LGBTQIA, and paranormal.

Wake Me Most Wickedly (Once Upon the East End: Book 2) by Felicia Grossman

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Jewish, Retellings, Historical Fiction, Adult Fiction, Fiction, British Literature

Series: Once Upon the East End

Shtup Me at Sunrise—Book 0.5

Marry Me by Midnight—Book 1 (review here)

Wake Me Most Wickedly—Book 2

Seduce Me in Secret—Book 3 (expected publication date: January 2025)

Dream of Me Until Dawn—Book 4 (expected publication date: January 2026)

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Solomon Weiss has little interest in power, but to repay the half-brother who raised him, he pursues money, influence, and now—a respectable wife. That is, until outcast Hannah Moses saves his life, and Sol finds himself helplessly drawn to the beautiful pawnshop owner.

Forever tainted by her parents’ crimes, Hannah sees only a villain when she looks in the mirror—no one a prince would choose. To survive, she must care for herself, even if that means illegally hunting down whatever her clients wish. So, no matter how fair or charming she finds Sol, he belongs to a world far too distant from her own.

Only neither can resist their desires, and each meeting weakens Hannah’s resolve to stay away. But when Hannah discovers a shocking betrayal in Sol’s inner circle, can she convince him to trust her? Or will fear and doubt poison their love for good?

First Line

Night was the best time to hunt-especially if you relied on stealth, not strength, to snare your prey.

Important details about Wake Me Most Wickedly

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Hannah, Solomon)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Wake Me Most Wickedly contains themes of nongraphic sexual assault, nonconsensual sexual contact, emotional abuse, antisemitic language, antisemitic behavior, classism, physical abuse, religious bigotry, injury and injury detail, bullying, violence, medical content*, grief, death of a parent, pregnancy, and deportation. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Medical Content: Solomon suffers anaphylactic shock after consuming a cake with nuts in it.

Language: Wake Me Most Wickedly does not contain swearing, but it does contain language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is explicit sexual content in Wake Me Most Wickedly.

Setting: Wake Me Most Wickedly is set in the East End of London, England.

My Review:

I enjoy reading historical romances, but reading the same romance format gets boring after a while. So, I am always on the lookout for different historical romances (but do keep in context with the era the book is written in). So, when the Wake Me Most Wickedly widget slid into my inbox, I accepted immediately. Also, I had read the first book in the series and liked it.

Wake Me Most Wickedly is also a fairy tale retelling. I like reading fairy tale retelling and discovering how different authors interpret fairytales. Wake Me Most Wickedly is the retelling of Snow White. I admit I had an issue figuring out how Snow White fit into this. Thankfully, that only lasted for the first couple of chapters, and I enjoyed seeing how this retelling played out.

The main storyline of Wake Me Most Wickedly was your typical romance storyline. Hannah was an outcast in the Jewish community due to crimes that her parents and herself committed while running their pawnshop. Hannah spent two years in prison, and her parents were deported to a penal colony island (I figure it was either Australia or New Zealand). She continued running the pawn shop and took up a side gig of illegally hunting down things for her fence and clients. During one of those jobs, she saved Solomon from being attacked. Solomon, raised by his older brother after their father and his mother died, grew up very sheltered and had almost no worldly experience. Solomon soon becomes enamored with Hannah, much to her dismay. But even she can’t deny the scorching heat between them. When Solomon is injured after being chased by a group of men, Hannah investigates his accident. What she uncovers will rock Solomon’s world. Will her discovery mean the end of her relationship with Solomon?

The author graciously included content guidance at the beginning of the book. I love it when authors do that because I don’t have to take notes about content. At the end of the book (and she did this with the first book), she explains the history of the Jewish people in London’s East End and their treatment throughout the centuries.

I found Wake Me Most Wickedly’s storyline much darker than the first book. I wasn’t sure if I would like it (the first chapter has nonconsensual sexual contact). But, the deeper I got into the storyline, the more I understood why the author wrote this book the way she did. Not everything was sunshine and roses in Victorian London. For people experiencing poverty and those forced to live on the outskirts of their communities, life was awful. The author was correct in reflecting the tone of the book. It made the book much more interesting to read.

Hannah started the book off with me not liking her very much. She had a chip on her shoulder that came across in her words and actions. But, the more the author got into her backstory, the more I saw how those events shaped her into the woman she was in the book. I felt terrible for her because she honestly didn’t think she was attractive enough to a man to commit to and was focused on getting a dowry for Tamara. What got me onto Team Hannah was her fantastic character growth. By the end of the book, I was amazed by her strength and devotion to those she considered family and friends.

I liked Solomon, but he reminded me somewhat of a puppy. How? Well, he was hard to train (no matter what Hannah did to push him away, he still came back), he was loyal, even when the person he was faithful to didn’t deserve it, and he was fiercely protective of his family and friends. I was also on Team Solomon because he deserved to be seen for the man he was instead of the image that he put out for family and friends. The one thing that I didn’t like was that he had a prominent blind spot when it came to his brother. But I also understood. It made what Hannah told him so painful to hear.

The romance angle of Wake Me Most Wickedly was spicy. The author turned the heat up on the sex scenes, and they had me fanning myself. But the sex was only a part of the romance. Solomon and Hannah falling in love was sweet. While Solomon immediately knew that Hannah was the one for him, Hannah fought it tooth and nail. She used every excuse in the book (the age gap: her 32 to his 26), her past, that he was just infatuated with her, his brother, and the considerable class divide to try and drive him away. Thankfully, Solomon didn’t care and pursued her anyway.

A secondary storyline that cropped up around the middle of the book involved Solomon, his brother, and Hannah. I was absolutely disgusted by what Solomon’s brother did, but I like how Solomon’s friends rallied around him and turned it around. It was poetic justice how that storyline ended.

I loved how Wake Me Most Wickedly ended. It was your typical HEA. The epilogue, which takes place five years later, almost made me cry. It also made me wonder who the next book will be about. I have a feeling I know who, but I can’t wait to see if I am right.

Many thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, NetGalley, and Felicia Grossman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Wake Me Most Wickedly. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Wake Me Most Wickedly, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Felicia Grossman

Bless Your Heart (Bless Your Heart: Book 1) by Lindy Ryan

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Vampires, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Thriller, Mystery Thriller,

Series: Bless Your Heart

Bless Your Heart—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.

It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.

But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.

As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.

A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish.

First Line

Edwin Boone was not the kind of man to be intimidated by a walk in the dark.

Important details about Bless Your Heart

Pace: Fast (the entire book takes place within a week of the first death)

POV: 3rd person (Ducey, Lenore, Grace, Luna, Deputy Roger Taylor, Sherriff Johnson, Crane, Snow Ledger, and Edwin Boone (the last two being victims of the vampire))

Series: 1st book in the Bless Your Heart series

Content/Trigger Warnings: Bless Your Heart contains themes of death, gore, violence, blood, body horror, child death, murder, animal cruelty, vomit, medical content, death of a parent, injury and injury detail, homophobia, grief, alcoholism, eating disorder, toxic relationship, mass/school shootings*, and bullying. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Mass/School Shootings—Bless Your Heart takes place the summer after the Columbine school shooting. While Crane didn’t attend Columbine, he was bullied because he wore a trenchcoat and Goth attire.

Language: Bless Your Heart contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Bless Your Heart.

Setting: Bless Your Heart is set in a small town (the name was never given) in Southeast Texas.

My Review:

In a previous review, I mentioned that books containing vampires are some of my favorites. I also mentioned that I very rarely review them. That was until last week when I read two ARCs that included vampires and vampire hunters.

The cover and the blurb attracted me to Bless Your Heart. I was interested to see how a book about women funeral parlor owners and vampire hunters would read, if I could connect to any of the characters, and if the storyline was good. I am happy to report that it was a yes to all of those.

The main storyline of Bless Your Heart was interesting, and it kept me glued to the book. The storyline centers on the Evans women (Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and Luna), their family life, The God Awful Mess-which took place fifteen years earlier, and their history with vampire hunting. Bless Your Heart was a well-written and gut-wrenching book that had me up reading late.

The author did a fascinating job of telling the storyline. She chose a different family member/law enforcement/victim and had the chapter revolve around what they were feeling/doing. The chapters containing Ducey, Lenore, and Grace were self-explanatory (with the funeral parlor business and killing the vampires). Those chapters also gave insight into how The God Awful Incident affected each woman. Luna’s chapters were a little different. In the beginning, it showcased how she was an ordinary teen. But, once she learned about the family’s side gig (the vampire killing), her chapters got dark, fast. The law enforcement chapters showed the confusion and the different theories floated around. And lastly, the victim’s chapters were the most heartbreaking to read, mainly because the people who were killed and turned were doing nothing but going about their daily (or nightly) chores.

The Evans women were unlike any characters I have read. They each had their own personality, and the author allowed those personalities to shine. At the same time, I saw how dysfunctional they had become after The God Awful Incident. But even with that, I liked how they banded together to protect each other and Luna.

The horror angle was on point. There was a point where I started to dread when a new body was found. Each scene was worse than the last. I don’t get grossed out easily by stuff like that, but I got close in this book. Blood and gore spread across the pages; by the book’s end, it was one bloody scene after another.

The mystery angle of the book was good. I was taken by surprise by who the master vampire was and how Luna figured into it. While that was going on, The God Awful Incident was revealed, and it indeed was A God Awful Incident. It was the revelation that led to a shocking revelation about Luna. Both of those revelations took me by surprise. I did have the master vampire pegged on someone else and was happy that I was proven wrong.

The end of Bless Your Heart was heartbreaking. I’m not too fond of it when there are deaths involving main characters. But the ending scene gave a glimmer of hope. Because of what was shown, I am super curious to read book two.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Lindy Ryan for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Bless Your Heart. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Bless Your Heart, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Lindy Ryan

You Know What You Did by K.T. Nguyen

Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton

Date of publication: April 16th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Horror, Adult, Suspense, Contemporary, Mental Health, Murder Mystery

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this heart-pounding debut thriller for fans of Lisa Jewell and Celeste Ng, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist must confront nightmares past and present…

Annie “Anh Le” Shaw grew up poor but seems to have it all now: a dream career, a stunning home, and a devoted husband and daughter. When Annie’s mother, a Vietnam War refugee, dies suddenly one night, Annie’s carefully curated life begins to unravel. Her obsessive-compulsive disorder, which she thought she’d vanquished years ago, comes roaring back—but this time, the disturbing fixations swirling around in Annie’s brain might actually be coming true.

A prominent art patron disappears, and the investigation zeroes in on Annie. Spiraling with self-doubt, she distances herself from her family and friends, only to wake up in a hotel room—naked, next to a lifeless body. The police have more questions, but with her mind increasingly fractured, Annie doesn’t have answers. All she knows is this: She will do anything to protect her daughter—even if it means losing herself.

With dizzying twists, You Know What You Did is both a harrowing thriller and a heartfelt exploration of the refugee experience, the legacies we leave for our children, and the unbreakable bonds between mothers and daughters.

AUTHOR NOTE
Personality-wise, I’m not much like my main character Annie Shaw. However, we do have one big thing in common: we’re both recovering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Through Annie, I describe some of my lived experience with disgust-driven, contamination-based OCD. The imagery is raw and vivid—and very necessary to realistically portray how this chronic disorder can affect people’s everyday lives, how it can make you feel like a prisoner in your own body. To learn more about OCD symptoms, treatments, and resources, visit the website of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF dot org). —K.T. Nguyen

First Line

Annie Shaw held her mother’s hand one last time.

Important details about You Know What You Did

Pace: Alternated between medium and fast

POV: 3rd person (Annie)

Content/Triggers: You Know What You Did contains themes of mental illness, animal death, death of a parent, infidelity, body horror, gore, grief, violence, car accident, murder, death, emotional abuse, racism, fire and fire injury, gaslighting, injury and injury detail, animal cruelty, body shaming, domestic abuse, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, self-harm, sexual assault, toxic relationship, police brutality, stalking, abandonment, alcohol, war, classism, death of a child, rape, refugee experiences, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, gun violence, attempted murder, and *genocide. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Annie’s mother escaped Vietnam by boat in 1978. She was pregnant with Annie and had escaped with her six-year-old son, who tragically died the day before she was rescued. There are references to the Vietnamese Boat People throughout the book.

Language: You Know What You Did contains graphic swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild consensual sexual content in You Know What You Did. There is also a somewhat graphic sexual assault scene during the last couple of chapters.

Setting: You Know What You Did is set in Mount Pleasant, Virginia. There are also chapters set in Grace Falls, Ohio (while Annie was growing up), Hong Kong (in the early 2000s), and Vietnam (in 1978).

My Review:

The main storyline of You Know What You Did centers around Annie. Annie’s mother, a compulsive hoarder, was found dead by Annie. That death pushes Annie’s mental health to the limit. Annie suffers from contamination-based OCD, and she finds herself spiraling into routines that she hasn’t done in years. With her employer’s disappearance and the death of a man she barely knows pinned on her, Annie finds herself losing grip on reality. What is going on? Did the death of Annie’s mother set her off, or is there a more sinister reason? Can Annie figure out what is going on?

Annie had a time for it in the first half of the book. Her mother dies, and then she catches her best friend’s husband getting pleasured at the school carnival; the husband then starts sending threatening texts/pics to Annie. Tabby (her daughter) is awful and leaves for horse camp; her employer disappears, her dog dies, and Duncan leaves to cover a story in Syria. Her stress level was sky-high, and the pressure just kept mounting. I got stressed just reading about her predicaments.

Speaking of her relationships, I wasn’t a huge fan of Duncan or Tabby. Duncan came across as condescending or a jerk while he was with her. I could picture the tone he used with her; that imaginary tone made me grumpy (I don’t like condescending people). He also seemed to be undermining her parenting of Tabby. Everything she said or did that concerned Tabby was immediately challenged or changed by Duncan. As for Tabby, I understood she was a teenager and had that attitude, but she still aggravated me.

Annie’s relationship with her mother was also a massive part of the storyline. But, there was also a disconnect for me. I wanted to see more of her and Annie’s interactions when Annie was growing up. I wanted to know what caused such a massive rift between them. I also wanted to know more about her time in Vietnam. The author did go back to 1978 and explain a few things-like hoarding.

I liked Annie, but she was a very unreliable narrator. There were times during the book when I couldn’t figure out if what Annie was saying happened. She had vivid dreams about people that seemed to come true (which was freaky). Even her mother’s death was suspect in my eyes. Even after an explanation was given (and this goes with the twist I mention below), I still couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe she wasn’t all innocent.

The mystery angle of the book was terrific. I thought I had everything figured out, and then, bam, the author throws in a huge twist. This twist I did not see coming. All I could think was that that person had done an insane amount of planning to accomplish what they did.

I also like the book’s horror element. While it wasn’t subtle, it wasn’t in your face. Reading about Annie’s spiral into her OCD routines was both heartbreaking and frightening. But watching Annie’s mind become more and more fractured was truly horrifying. Lost hours and memories, on top of her OCD routines, set the tone for the last half of the book.

The end of You Know What You Did was terrific. I liked how the author revealed what was happening and who was behind it. As I said above, I was beyond shocked by who it was. The epilogue wrapped up the other storylines one year later, but I still couldn’t figure out what happened during the final fight in the carriage house. It was alluded to, but since Annie was so sick (mentally), I couldn’t tell if it was real. And folks, that is what made this book so good to read!

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton, NetGalley, and K.T. Nguyen for allowing me to read and review this ARC of You Know What You Did. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to You Know What You Did, then you will enjoy these books:

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Vampires, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal, Adult, Crime, Suspense

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?

First Line:

It would be wrong to say that life had passed Beau Grainger by.

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Important details about The Gathering

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Beau, Barbara, Tucker, Athelinda, unknown girl in basement)

Content/Triggers: The Gathering contains themes of child death, death, gun violence, violence, religious bigotry, murder, body shaming, child abuse, pedophilia, racism, sexual assault, and sexual violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: The Gathering contains graphic swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no consensual sexual content in The Gathering. But there is moderate nonconsensual sexual content as well as pedophilia (the pedophilia is not explained but referred to).

Setting: The Gathering is set in Deadhart, Alaska. 

My Review:

When Random House sent me an email containing the widget for The Gathering, I knew I needed to read this book. Why? First, the cover. It was (and still is) striking and having finished the book, it suits it. Secondly, I have a slight, tiny, eeny vampire obsession. I usually don’t review anything with vampires (and, of course, this book and the book I just finished will cast me as a liar). Those books are for my pleasure (no reviews/reading challenges). Thirdly, I can count on one hand the times I read a book set in Alaska during the winter. So, all of those reasons made me accept the widget.

The main storyline of The Gathering follows Barbara as she travels to Deadhart to investigate the murder of a teenage boy by a vampyr from the neighboring Colony. But, once she gets to Deadhart, the townspeople and her boss pressure Barbara to authorize a cull of the Colony. Not wanting to jump the gun, Barbara continues with her investigation, and what she finds surprises her. Not only did the Colony not kill the boy, but there is a vampyr hate group active in town. She also sees similarities to a murder committed over twenty years previously. With tensions in the town and the Colony rising daily, Barbara must find out who the murderer is and the reasons behind it before the vampyres and townspeople clash.

I found the storyline fascinating and nerve-racking. The book takes place in the dark because the sun never rises in Alaska during that part of the year. And, I will tell you, it made the horror parts much creepier, mainly because you can’t see who or what is coming for you in the dark.

The storyline is broken into three parts. The first part follows Barbara and her investigation. In the beginning, it was a little boring, but that didn’t last long at all. As Barbara enters town, things start happening and get creepy fast. There are flashbacks to Barbara’s past and her friendship with a vampyr named Mercy. I was also in awe over how calm Barbara was with people. Some of the things said and done to her were awful. But, again, her childhood and friendship with Mercy were a massive factor in how she was able to keep calm.

The second storyline follows Athelinda, the Colony, and the connection to the town. There was a minute where I was convinced that maybe one of her people had something to do with the death, but that was quickly put to rest. Everything Athelinda does in this book is for the good of her people, regardless of how it plays out. Her past also damaged Athelinda. The things she was forced to do were horrendous, and the implications made me gag. I won’t get into it because of spoilers, but I was sick when I read those paragraphs. But I also gained a better insight into Athelinda’s dealing with humans, and you know what? I don’t blame her for the things she did.

The third storyline was also the most mysterious one. There is no date or location, but it is centered on a teenage girl kept captive in a basement by her Captor. At first, I wondered why this girl was kept down there, but that was explained quickly. Then I wondered where this basement was and who the Captor was. I did have a suspect, but I was wrong about that. When the author revealed who it was, my mouth dropped open. It was the last person I expected.

The book also goes into the murder of another teenage boy, twenty-five years previously. But, unlike this murder, it was pretty cut and dry. But the fallout was felt years later. I couldn’t understand why Beau kept the heads and didn’t give them back to Athelinda. It is explained, but it was so wrong. Also, the more that was revealed about the night the teenage vampyr was killed (along with his father and uncle), the more I disliked Beau. But it also made me love Tucker (he tried to do the right thing and paid for it dearly).

The mystery angles of The Gathering were terrific. The author was able to keep me from figuring out who the killer was until Barbara and Tucker figured it out. That was twist number one. The second twist was who killed the town doctor and high school teacher and why. The reason for the town doctor’s murder was apparent, but the teacher, not so much. That leads to the third and most shocking twist. It involves the murder of the teacher and the girl in the basement. As I said above, I was shocked. It was the last person I would have thought. But, looking back, it did make sense, and the author dropped some tiny hints.

The end of The Gathering was interesting. The author wrapped everything up and explained every death in the book. Then the epilogue happened, and again, I was shocked. I was also hoping that this meant there would be a book 2. What was written was a heck of a cliffhanger.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and C.J. Tudor for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Gathering. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Gathering, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by C.J. Tudor

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods (To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods: Book 1) by Molly X. Chang

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: April 16, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Asian Literature, High Fantasy, Adult, Magic

Series: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods—Book 1

To Kill a Monstrous Prince—Book 2 (expected publication date: January 1st, 2025)

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

She has power over death. He has power over her. When two enemies strike a dangerous bargain, will they end a war . . . or ignite one?

Heroes die, cowards live. Daughter of a conquered world, Ruying hates the invaders who descended from the heavens long before she was born and defeated the magic of her people with technologies unlike anything her world had ever seen.

Blessed by Death, born with the ability to pull the life right out of mortal bodies, Ruying shouldn’t have to fear these foreign invaders, but she does. Especially because she wants to keep herself and her family safe.

When Ruying’s Gift is discovered by an enemy prince, he offers her an impossible deal: If she becomes his private assassin and eliminates his political rivals—whose deaths he swears would be for the good of both their worlds and would protect her people from further brutalization—her family will never starve or suffer harm again. But to accept this bargain, she must use the powers she has always feared, powers that will shave years off her own existence.

Can Ruying trust this prince, whose promises of a better world make her heart ache and whose smiles make her pulse beat faster? Are the evils of this agreement really in the service of a much greater good? Or will she betray her entire nation by protecting those she loves the most?

First Line:

The sky was crying again.

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X. Chang

Important details about To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods

Pace: Alternates between medium and fast

POV: 1st person (Ruying), 3rd person (Antony for a chapter), 2nd person (following Ruying on a mission for a chapter)

Content/Trigger: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods contains themes of colonization, death, addiction, violence, drug abuse, toxic relationship, xenophobia, murder, genocide, torture, war, kidnapping, racism, blood, confinement, physical abuse, gaslighting, injury & injury detail, child abuse, child death, drug use, emotional abuse, gun violence, sexism, slavery, death of a parent, misogyny, grief, medical trauma, classism, gore, trafficking, toxic friendship, sexual harassment, pandemic/epidemic, bullying, self-harm, police brutality, medical content, suicide attempt, abandonment, racial slurs, rape, suicidal thoughts, and alcohol. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Series: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is the first book in the To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods series.

Sexual Content: There is mild consensual sexual content* in To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods.

  • It is implied that Ruying has sex with Antony after they escape from Donghai.

Setting: To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is set in the world of Pangu. Most of the book is set in Jing-City (in Er-Lang). Ruying and Antony travel to Donghai (in Sihai) in several chapters.

My Review:

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods has been on my wishlist since I saw it appear on several blogs last year. I love books that are based on Chinese mythology/culture. So, when I saw that Random House had it wish only, I decided to take the chance and wish for it. I was delighted when I got the email saying my wish had been granted. But I was also cautious because I have a habit of hyping books up and being disappointed when I read them. Happily, this wasn’t the case with To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. I loved the book!!

To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods is the first book in the series with the same name. Since this is the first book, you can read it as a standalone. But I will go on a limb and say that the rest of the series will not be standalone. There was so much world and character-building that it would be hard to jump right in if you started reading later in the series.

The main storyline of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods centers around Ruying. It was well-crafted and well-written. Add in the more minor, secondary storylines (with Ruying’s family, Antony’s family, and the resistance), and I couldn’t put the book down. I devoured this book in one sitting.

Ruying was not a likable character when the book began. Was she sympathetic? Yes. But, likable, no. She hated the Romans with a passion. She witnessed her father and sister get addicted to a drug that they introduced to the population. She also chafed under the rules that they imposed. So, I wasn’t surprised when she did something stupid and got caught by the Romans. There was a change in her after the Romans caught her, which saddened me. But, again, I understood. Everything she did, she did to protect her grandmother and sister.

I did not like Antony. He used terror and psychological tactics to tear down Ruying and build her up to what he wanted. He was a master manipulator who said all the right things to Ruying to gain her trust and confidence. But I couldn’t help but pity Antony in a way. He, too, was shaped into what he was by a cruel adoptive grandfather and father. I wasn’t surprised when a huge secret of his was revealed. I did see it coming, but I wasn’t prepared for what it did to Ruying.

The magic in To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods was fascinating. People were either born with or without magic. But, since the Romans arrived and after they destroyed the temples (where people learned to control their magic), magic was disappearing. The author showcased different levels of magic, going from common to rare. Ruying’s magic fascinates me because of what is tied to it (every life she takes shaves years off her life). But I also wondered if that was true (something Antony said to Ruying made my antenna go up). I also wondered if her sister’s magic (life) would come into play later in the series.

The book had a romance angle, but it made me slightly sick to read. I understand that Ruying was developing something akin to Stockholm Syndrome, and her feelings came from that. But still. Her other romance choice, a childhood friend turned drug kingpin, wasn’t much better. But I would have chosen him over Antony.

The end of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods only raised more questions than it answered. Nothing was resolved, but a lot was revealed. Given how the last chapter ende, I look forward to what will happen in book 2.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Molly X. Chang for allowing me to read and review the ARC of To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods, then you will enjoy these books:

The Poison Pen (A Scottish Book Mystery: Book 9) by Paige Shelton

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Scotland, Fiction, Suspense

Series: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery

The Cracked Spine—Book 1

Of Books and Bagpipes—Book 2

A Christmas Tartan—Book 2.5

Lost Books and Old Bones—Book 3

The Loch Ness Papers—Book 4

The Stolen Letter—Book 5

Deadly Editions—Book 6

The Burning Pages—Book 7

Fateful Words—Book 8

The Poison Pen—Book 9

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The ninth installment in the cozy mystery series by Paige Shelton and featuring amateur sleuth Delaney Nichols, set in a specialty bookshop in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.

Bookseller Delaney Nichols’s boss’s Edwin comes to her with an unusual assignment. An old friend of his, living in an estate in the village of Roslin, has found what could be a priceless relic on her property, and Delaney is tasked with investigating. Could Jolie possibly have in her possession, as she believes, a Crusader Sword? But when Delaney arrives at Jolie’s estate, she is greeted by a legal team with a vested interest in the property. Delaney and Jolie manage to remove the intruders, but as they’re examining the antique sword, they hear a scream, and meet a much less welcome a body.

As Delaney digs deeper, she discovers Jolie’s own fascinating history. Jolie’s mother had long claimed that her daughter was the rightful heir to the throne, not Elizabeth II, because of an affair she claimed to have with King Edward VIII. The only evidence, however, is in the form of a journal that one of Edward’s secretaries kept. The puzzles become more confusing when a connection is uncovered between this far-fetched story and the murdered man. And shortly thereafter, the journal goes missing. Delaney will have to read between the lines to put together the pieces…or become history herself.

First Line:

“I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm.” The familiar voice came through the taxi’s radio speakers.

The Poison Pen by Paige Shelton

Important details about The Poison Pen

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Delaney)

Content/Trigger: The Poison Pen contains themes of classism, hoarding, blood, dead bodies, grief & loss depiction, and murder. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: The Poison Pen contains no swearing or language that might offend some people.

Series: This is the 9th book in A Scottish Bookshop Mysteries.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Poison Pen.

Setting: The Poison Pen is set in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

My Review:

When I read the blurb for The Poison Pen and saw that a) it was a mystery and b) it was set in Scotland, I knew I needed to read it. I have a love of all things Scottish. That figured into my acceptance of St. Martin’s Press’s widget, and I am glad I did. I enjoyed reading this book.

The Poison Pen is the ninth book in the A Scottish Bookshop Mystery series. Technically, it could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first eight books before this one. Some references to previous storylines and characters confused me, but those references are also explained.

The main storyline in The Poison Pen follows Delaney as she recovers what could be a Crusader sword from the estate of an eccentric heiress and attempts to solve the murder of a young man. Several more minor storylines supplement the main storyline. I found all the storylines to be engaging. They didn’t lose my interest and kept me reading the book.

The primary storyline centers around Delaney, the sword, and the young man’s murder. The author has an interesting way of writing this storyline. The suspect and motive were identified right away. However, the author holds back on some details and introduces a secondary suspect and motive towards the end of the book. I liked Delaney’s investigation and was fascinated by her job.

As I mentioned above, there were several secondary storylines. A good portion of them fleshed out the main storyline. But the storyline with Jolie and her claims was very interesting. I liked how the author wove Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson into that storyline. What I enjoyed most was that the author intentionally left it unanswered.

The mystery in The Poison Pen is two-pronged. It separated into the mystery of the Crusader sword and the mystery of the young man’s murder. I couldn’t figure out how or why they were related until Delaney cracked the sword mystery. Then, everything came into place for the young man’s murder. Who was behind everything didn’t surprise me; I felt that person was involved. The reasons also didn’t surprise me- greed makes people do stupid things. But it was the secondary person involved and their reason that surprised me. I should have seen that twist coming, but I didn’t.

Hoarding and the reasons behind it are showcased in this book. Jolie’s situation was not as extreme as cases that I have heard about (she didn’t hoard food/urine/trash); it was still pretty bad. I did feel that Jolie’s recovery was a little fast, but then again, if I had people in and out of my house (and it looked like hers), I would have started cleaning too. Thankfully, Jolie seems to have a sound support system with her staff (who genuinely care for her). I am interested in seeing if she will appear in upcoming books.

The end of The Poison Pen was interesting. The author wrapped up the main storyline in a way that I liked. She also left me wondering if there will be a book 10.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Paige Shelton for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Poison Pen. All opinions stated in this book are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Poison Pen, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Paige Shelton

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of publication: April 9, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Retellings, Historical, Fiction, Queer, Romance, Lesbian, Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Once a young woman uncovers a dark secret about her neighbor and his mysterious new wife, she’ll have to fight to keep herself—and the woman she loves—safe in this stunning queer reimagining of the classic folktale The Selkie Wife.

When a sharp cry wakes Jean in the middle of the night during a terrible tempest, she’s convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside and is shocked by what she discovers—a young woman in labor, already drenched to the bone in the freezing cold and barely able to speak a word of English.

Although Jean is the only midwife in the village and for miles around, she’s at a loss as to who this woman is or where she’s from; Jean can only assume she must be the new wife of the neighbor up the road, Tobias. And when Tobias does indeed arrive at her cabin in search of his wife, Muirin, Jean’s questions continue to grow. Why has he kept his wife’s pregnancy a secret? And why does Muirin’s open demeanor change completely the moment she’s in his presence?

Though Jean learned long ago that she should stay out of other people’s business, her growing concern—and growing feelings—for Muirin mean she can’t simply set her worries aside. But when the answers she finds are more harrowing than she ever could have imagined, she fears she may have endangered herself, Muirin, and the baby. Will she be able to put things right and save the woman she loves before it’s too late, or will someone have to pay for Jean’s actions with their life?

First Line:

The ship was burning.

A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland

Important details about A Sweet Sting of Salt

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Jean)

Content/Trigger: A Sweet Sting of Salt contains themes of animal death, homophobia, kidnapping, confinement, murder, pregnancy, animal cruelty, death, emotional abuse, infidelity, blood, medical content, stalking, lesbophobia, fire and fire injury, outing, gaslighting, domestic abuse, suicide*, death of a parent, rape*, sexual assault*, and sexual violence*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Suicide—Jean’s mother commits suicide off-page, with a very brief description of how she was found.
  • Rape, sexual assault, and sexual violence—These all happened to Muirin off page. The author does not go into detail.

Language: A Sweet Sting of Salt contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild consensual sexual content in A Sweet Sting of Salt. The nonconsensual sexual content is alluded to, and the author gave no details other than it happened.

Setting: A Sweet Sting of Salt is set in Barquer’s Bay, Nova Scotia. 

My Review:

A Sweet Sting of Salt is the second book in a series of four books that have made my April must-read list. I was initially caught by the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?). But when I read the blurb, I was captivated. I haven’t read many retellings of The Selkie Wife and was curious how this retelling was. Well, I am happy to say that I loved this book.

The main storyline of A Sweet Sting of Salt centers around Jean (a young midwife), Muirin (the mysterious wife of her neighbor), their developing relationship, and the mystery of how Muirin came to be with Tobias (the neighbor). This well-written, gut-wrenching, and engaging storyline kept me glued to the story.

Jean was quickly one of my favorite characters in the book. As a midwife, she assisted women in the town and outlying areas with their pregnancies. But she didn’t have many friends due to her forced outing as a lesbian by her lover/best friend’s mother five years earlier. Her loneliness, discomfort, and sadness was palpable. After helping Muirin give birth and keeping her at her house, I could see Jean getting attached. And the struggle to keep away from Muirin was real, even when Tobias started threatening her on her land. But Jean wouldn’t let Tobias get the best of her and was determined to help Muirin.

Muirin was my other favorite character in the book. Despite her language barrier (she spoke Gaelic), she could communicate enough with Jean to let her know something was wrong at home. She didn’t bother hiding her feelings for Jean (they were apparent from the beginning). She was sweet, sassy, and very protective. Her love for Jean and her baby and her yearning for freedom was also palpable.

I want to mention Tobias since he is a significant character in the book. I had mixed feelings about him. On one hand, I was disgusted by what he did to Muirin and Jean. But on the other hand, I couldn’t help but pity him. His upbringing (which was chaotic and abusive) directly contributed to his capturing Muirin. He had this fantasy of having the perfect family. But the cracks started when Jean visited and spread after Jean’s ex’s mother told Tobias about Jean. The state of his mental health slowly deteriorated after that. His stalking of Jean and killing of her goat, Honey, was a small glimpse into his mind. What broke him was when Jean found Muirin’s pelt, and they left the house (after it caught on fire). I do not doubt in my mind that he would have killed Jean by the pond if Muirin hadn’t done what she did.

The LGBT angle was interesting. I liked seeing Jean, Muirin, and Lauri have so much love and support from their family and friends. Heck, before Jean met Muirin and after her ex left, Lauri’s mother tried to set her up with her Native relatives. It was refreshing.

The fantasy angle is kept in the background until the end of the book (when Muirin gets her pelt back). I liked that Muirin, through her uncle, explained everything. I also loved that Jean wasn’t as freaked out as I thought she would be.

The epilogue of A Sweet Sting of Salt made this book. I liked seeing what everyone was doing five years in the future. It was a HEA that made me smile.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Rose Sutherland for allowing me to read and review this ARC of a Sweet Sting of Salt. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Sweet Sting of Salt, then you will enjoy these books:

Rhythm and Clues (Record Shop Mystery: Book 3) by Olivia Blacke

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: March 26th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Music, Amateur Sleuth, Fiction, Family, Adult Fiction

Series: Record Shop Mystery

Vinyl Resting Place—Book 1

A Fatal Grove–Book 2

Rhythm and Clues—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The rhythm is gonna get you.

It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.

Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip & Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren’t ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their
meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.

When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni’s help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with
the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?

First Line:

I’ve never witnessed a murder before.

Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Important details about Rhythm and Clues

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Juni)

Content/Trigger: Rhythm and Clues contains themes of alcohol consumption, dead bodies, grief & loss depiction, car accident, murder & attempted murder, physical assault, and flooding. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Rhythm and Clues contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Series: This is the 3rd book in The Record Shop Mysteries and can be read as a standalone.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Rhythm and Clues.

Setting: Rythm and Clues is set in Cedar River, Texas. 

My Review:

Over the past few months, I have read cozy mysteries that take place in various places. But a vinyl record shop/coffee nook wasn’t even on my radar for cozy mystery settings. I can check it off because Rhythm and Clues is set in such a place. That was one of the main reasons I decided to review the book. Not because of the mystery or because it was in Texas (which weirdly is a huge deciding factor in some of the books I read) but because it features a vinyl record store.

Rhythm and Clues is the third book in The Record Shop Mysteries series. It can be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest reading the first two books to gain an understanding of the different relationships in the book. I wish I had because I needed clarification on the love triangle presented.

The main storyline of Rhythm and Clues centers around the murder of a financier in front of Juni and her sisters’ shop. The story also focuses on Juni’s relationships (love and otherwise) and her investigation into the death. I found the storyline engaging, often funny, and a little twisty (the murderer did surprise me).

I liked Juni, but she managed to get into trouble. As I read the book, I realized there was no holding her back when investigating the murder. She was going to find out who killed Zack, even if it meant putting herself up as bait and possibly getting hurt.

I found the mystery angle of Rhythm and Clues to be a little twisty, which surprised me. In my experience, cozy mysteries are usually written with a particular character in mind, and twists are not the norm. But, in this case, I was genuinely surprised by not only who the murderer was but also the motives behind the murder (minor spoiler: it was an accident). A smaller side mystery about handles mannequins also started about the mid-book. I did figure out where that one was going, but how it tied into the main mystery was revealed at the end of the book.

Juni’s relationships were a huge part of the Rhythm and Clues storyline. Her relationships were the bedrock of the storyline. Those personal relationships helped her with investigating Zack’s murder. She got information out of people that the police would have had to fight for.

Juni’s love life was also a significant part of the storyline. For a good part of the book, she was in a love triangle. Since I hadn’t read the previous two books, I was confused. There is a resolution to the love triangle, but I was a little disappointed with who she picked.

The end of Rhythm and Clues was perfect for the book. I liked how the author revealed who Zack’s murderer was and the reasons behind it. The author also showed the fallout from the murder. The author also left some room open for book four.

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press, Saint Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Olivia Blacke for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Rhythm and Clues. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Rhythm and Clues, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Olivia Blacke

Draw Down the Moon (Moonstruck: Book 1) by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: April 2nd, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Young Adult Fantasy, Fiction, Witches, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal

Series: Moonstruck

Draw Down the Moon—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with a new duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Wren Nightingale isn’t supposed to have any powers. Born of magickal parents but not under a moon sign, she was destined for life as a Mundane—right up until she starts glowing on her eighteenth birthday. In a heartbeat, Wren’s life is turned upside down, and she’s suddenly leaving her home for the mystical Academia de la Luna—a secret magickal school on a hidden island off the Seattle coast.

Lee Young has always known about his future at the Academia. He has one goal: pass the trials, impress the Moon Council, and uphold his family’s reputation. But he wasn’t expecting to be attending alongside the girl he’s been secretly in love with for as long as he can remember.

As Wren and Lee are thrown into the Academie’s gruelling trials, they quickly learn there’s something different–and dangerous–about the school this year. Wren will have to navigate a web of secrets, prophecies–and murder. And Lee will have to decide who to protect–his family’s legacy, or the girl he loves.

First Line:

I’m pretty sure that, at any moment, blue and red lights will flash and the local sheriff will tear down the street and stop me. Again.

Draw Down the Moon by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Important details about Draw Down the Moon

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Wren and Lee)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Draw Down the Moon contains themes of death, violence, blood, grief, death of a parent, murder, gaslighting, toxic friendship, injury & injury detail, bullying, classism, misgendering, *anxiety & anxiety attacks, death of a sibling, boating accidents, and knife violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Anxiety & Anxiety Attack—Lee remembers anxiety attacks that plagued him as a child while talking with Wren.

Language: Lost & Hound contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Series: Draw Down the Moon is the first book in the Moonstruck series.

Sexual Content: There is very mild sexual content in Draw Down the Moon.

Setting: Draw Down the Moon is set in Oregon (Fern Valley and Seattle) and on an island in the Pacific Northwest (Moon Isle).

My Review:

I have been a big fan of P.C. Cast, having read her Tales of a New World series and loved it. So, when I saw that she had a new book, Draw Down the Moon, I knew I needed to read it, and I was thrilled when I got the widget from St. Martin’s Press in my email. Having read the book, I think it was an excellent start to this series.

The main storyline of Draw Down the Moon centers around Wren and Lee. Wren is born a Mundane in a world where magic is powerful. On the other hand, her best friend, Lee, is a potent healer and is going to the highly sought-after Moon Isle to learn how to harness his magic. But everything changes when, on the night of her eighteenth birthday, Wren suddenly develops magic. At a loss of how it happened, Wren soon finds herself on a ferry to Moon Isle. Once on the island, Wren is plunged into a treasure trove of secrets and lore. With the secretive head of the school seemingly watching her, the elemental assigned to her house protecting her, and her feelings for Lee growing daily, Wren must figure out what is going on. But the truth will have a cost, either breaking Wren or setting her on a path to right old wrongs.

The main storyline of Draw Down the Moon was well written. Even the fact that it was a dual POV didn’t bother me. The author could seamlessly go between Wren and Lee’s POV without disrupting the storyline. I also liked that while I figured out what was happening (around when Wren had the 2nd trial), I was still surprised at what happened and the fallout.

I did get some strong Harry Potter vibes during the chapters where the other students were assigned to their houses. But I did like how they were assigned (it was better than the Sorting Hat, and yes, I am prepared for backlash on that). The Harry Potter vibe got stronger when they entered the dorms. But, as soon as Wren got her room, those vibes stopped, and the book started to take shape. I will warn you, there is no kindly headmaster (actually, just the opposite) or teachers with an agenda (well, not that I saw). The only magical creatures are the elementals that allowed the school to be on the island, and they are dangerous.

I liked Wren. She was mischievous and not afraid to stand up for herself. She was also out of her element during the first few days in school. Her lack of magic did set her apart. But it was during the first trial that I noticed something about her power. That thought grew when the elementals started approaching and talking to her. I did wish that she and Lee weren’t so tight. I would have loved to see her interact with Sam or any other students she befriended more.

Lee was all right, and I felt terrible for him. The poor kid was under so much pressure to live up to the family name that he suffered panic attacks. Add in that his older sister was killed while at the school, and he was barely keeping it together. At times, I could see almost two different sides of Lee. There was one side where he was this carefree boy man who just wanted to hang with his girl, and there was the other side where he was this anxiety-ridden mess who couldn’t/wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize his family name. I wasn’t surprised by any of his decisions. They were all done to further his family name. The only thing he couldn’t control was Wren or his feelings for her.

The fantasy angle of Draw Down the Moon was amazing. I loved that the author chose the magic system based on astrology. At first, there wasn’t much information about the different signs and magic. But, as the book went on, the author did start explaining the origin story of the Moonstruck and the other magic. I also liked that the author used elementals instead of the usual creatures featured in these books. The fact that the elementals were aware of Wren and were protecting her, but no reason was given, was frightening.

The fantasy angle also included a book Wren could not read (the writing was messed up). How she got the book was pretty funny, but she needed to decode it once she got it. All she knew was that Lee’s older sister wrote it, and it was something explosive. I wasn’t prepared for what it was and the fallout that happened. But I did like seeing the lore and the island’s past brought into better focus. It explained a lot.

The last couple of chapters of Draw Down the Moon were heartbreaking. While I like it when an author kills off major secondary characters, I was very heartbroken and surprised by who the author chose. While I had figured out Wren’s magic, I was not prepared for what happened at the end of the book. The revelations that were revealed were earth-shattering, as was the fight that went along with them. I also didn’t blame Lee for what he did.

The author ended Draw Down the Moon on a cliffhanger. There were so many questions that needed to be answered. And when I say so many questions, I mean it. I cannot wait to read book two and see what the fallout from the death and Wren and Lee’s actions have on the island.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, P.C. Cast, and Kristin Cast for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Draw Down the Moon. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Draw Down the Moon, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by P.C. Cast

Catchpenny by Charlie Huston

Publisher: Knoph, Panteon, Vintage, and Anchor, Vintage

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Adult, Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A thief who can travel through mirrors, a video game that threatens to spill out of the virtual world, a doomsday cult on a collision course with destiny, and a missing teenager at the center of it all. With the world on the brink of every kind of apocalypse, humanity needs a hero. What it gets is Sid Catchpenny.

“I absolutely loved it. Catchpenny is a brilliant book, full of heart and the language is pitch-perfect. If Elmore Leonard had ever written a fantasy novel, this would be it.” —Stephen King

Sidney Catchpenny has had a bad run. Laid low by a years-long bout of debilitating depression, he’s all but squandered his reputation as one of the most uniquely talented thieves in LA. There aren’t many who can do what Sid does. He’s a sly , a special kind of crook with the uncanny ability to move through mirrors. And the spoils he’s after are equally unusual. Forget jewels and cold cash—Sid steals curiosities— items imbued with powerful mojo , a magical essence gleaned from the accumulated emotion that seeps into interesting, though often banal objects. That spot on the carpet where your old dog used to lay at your feet? The passed-down family heirloom nobody wants but everybody refuses to throw away? These curiosities are full of mojo, which is both the currency of the criminal underground and the secret source of magic in the world.

When a friend from Sid’s past comes looking for his help with an important client, and the chance to pay off old debts presents itself, Sid seizes the opportunity … as best he can. But the case he stumbles into is more complicated than it seems, and it portends a seismic shift in the world, one that will leave no one untouched. As the fog of his depression begins to lift, Sid sees connections everywhere he looks, and the once disparate threads of the case—a missing teenage girl, an entire bedroom saturated with mojo, and Sid’s own long-dead wife—begin to coalesce.

First Line:

Circe’s mom started the ritual after she overheard the dectectives talking about her daughter at the end of the third day.

Catchpenny by Charlie Huston

Important details about The Taste of Storm and Brine

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Sidney)

Trigger Warnings: Catchpenny contains themes of bullying, alcoholism, anxiety & anxiety attacks, depression, mental illness, suicidal ideation, suicide, suicidal thoughts, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, pregnancy, blood & gore depiction, medical procedures, death of a partner, grief & loss depiction, blackmail, cults, disappearance of a loved one, murder & attempted murder, violence, and physical assault.

Language: Catchpenny contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is minor sexual content in Catchpenny.

Setting: Catchpenny is set in Los Angeles, California.

My Review

When I got the widget for Catchpenny, I almost didn’t accept it. I wasn’t looking for another book to review (I have been actively trying to get my NetGalley ARCs down to a manageable number). But then I read the blurb, which made me pause on deleting the email. After rereading the blurb (several times), I decided to accept the widget. I am glad that I did because I did enjoy reading Catchpenny.

I do want to give you guys a heads-up. There is a lot of lore and backstory thrown at you at once, and that might cause you to go, “Well, no. Not for me.” Trust me, get through the first few chapters, and the author will explain things.

The main storyline in Catchpenny was different. Sidney Catchpenny is a depressed thief who hasn’t left his bed in weeks. He gets pulled, kicking and screaming, out of bed and into the world when an old friend asks him to help him with a personal matter. That personal matter ends up being the disappearance of a teenage girl. As Sid investigates the case, he finds ties to a doomsday death cult, his old manager, a video game, and his dead wife. Sid needs to figure out what is going on and who is to blame before something awful happens, like the end of the world.

Sometimes, first impressions can be wrong, which was the case with Sid. When the book began, I doubted if he could help his friend-he was that depressed. I also noticed that he was a very unreliable narrator. His take on things was slightly different from what other people remember (like the death of his pregnant wife). But, as the book went on and as his depression subsided, I began to see Sid in a different light. Yes, he was significantly damaged, but he was a good person. And the good person in him wanted to find Circe (the teenager) and bring her home.

I enjoyed the magic system in Catchpenny. The magic was called mojo, and it was infused everywhere. Sid was a thief who stole items infused with mojo (an example used in the book: a rug that a beloved dog slept on until it died). The stolen mojo was then used by other parties to help themselves out (politicians were used as an example in the book). Sid also had a different sort of magic. He could travel by mirror to various places. Manikins and other magical beings are also mentioned throughout the book.

Catchpenny did make me feel like I was reading a script out of a fever dream for most of the book. Usually, that is something that I don’t like, but in this case, it suits the book. The fever dream feeling intensified towards the end (once Sid started putting the puzzle pieces together).

The only thing that I didn’t like about this book was who the bad guy ended up being. It was a twist that I didn’t see coming. I had it pegged on the defacto head of the doomsday cult/game developer. So, I was shocked when it was revealed who was behind everything and why. My mouth dropped open, and a “No shit” came out. There wasn’t a hint of this person being the bad guy or why this person did what they did. It is a huge surprise.

The end of Catchpenny was different. While the author wrapped up the main storylines (and made Sid face some facts about himself), much remained unanswered. I hope that the author addresses that in a second book.

Many thanks to Knoph, Panteon, Vintage, and Anchor, Vintage, NetGalley, and Charlie Huston for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Catchpenny. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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