Author: Jolie

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

Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Whodunit

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

An ambitious screenwriter tries to solve her friend’s disappearance by recreating their fateful final girls’ trip in this riveting locked-room mystery from the author of All Dressed Up.
A remote winery. A missing friend. And a bunch of sour grapes.

It should have been the perfect spring break. Five girlfriends. A remote winery on the Oregon coast. An infinite supply of delicious wine at their manicured fingertips. But then their center—beautiful, magnetic Vanessa Morales—vanished without a trace.

Emily Fischer was perhaps the last person to see her alive. But now, years later, Emily spots Vanessa’s doppelganger at a local café. At the end of her rope working a lucrative yet mind-numbing gig on a network sitcom, Emily is inspired to finally tell the story that’s been percolating inside her for so long: Vanessa’s story. But first, she needs to know what really happened on that fateful night. So she puts a brilliant scheme into motion.

She gets the girls together for a reunion weekend at the scene of the crime under the guise of reconnecting. There’s Brittany, Vanessa’s cousin and the inheritor of the winery; Paige, a former athlete, bullish yet easily manipulated; and Lydia, the wallflower of the group.

One of them knows the truth. But what have they each been hiding? And how much can Emily trust anything she learns from them… or even her own memories of Vanessa’s last days?

Suspenseful, propulsive, and interspersed with scenes from Emily’s blockbuster screenplay, Scenes of the Crime is an unforgettable mystery that examines culpability, the shiny rearview mirror of Hollywood storytelling, and the pitfalls of female friendship.

First Line:

I’d made it about thirty precent of the way through the most glaringly insane round of script notes known to man when a ghost walked into the coffee shop.

Scenes of the Crime by Jilly Gagnon

Emily is struck by inspiration after seeing the doppelganger of her missing friend in the cafe where she was revising a television script. She decides that Vanessa’s (her friend) story needs to be told. But to do that, Emily must solve a fifteen-year mystery: What happened to Vanessa the night she went missing? The answers lie with three other people there that night: Brittany, Paige, and Lydia. Emily leans on Brittany to have a girls’ weekend at the vineyard where they last saw Vanessa. But not everyone wants to be there, and everyone has secrets about that night. Will Emily be able to tell Vanessa’s story? Will she solve what happened that night fifteen years ago?

When I read the blurb for Scenes of the Crime, I knew I wanted to read this book. I, along with millions of other people, love reading about cold cases. This book would be just that: the reopening of a cold case. And it was. But it was also a story about secrets, friendships, and how those secrets can destroy lives.

What was interesting about Scenes of the Crime was how the author wrote it. The author told the present-day story from Emily’s POV, with Brittany, Paige, Vanessa, and Lydia having their chapters. But, it was also written as a screenplay to tell the story fifteen years ago, complete with editing notes. I liked it because it gave insight into the girl’s frame of mind the night Vanessa disappeared and the girl’s weekend.

The main storyline was well-written and kept my attention up to the point when the author started to reveal the girls’ secrets. Everything after that, though, I thought was overkill. I had figured out what happened to Vanessa reasonably early in the book. So, to add that extra bit of drama about her grandparents disowning her and the will didn’t do it for me.

The mystery angle of the book was well written, but the author stretched it thin. How? Well, at one point, five different mysterious scenarios were going on. The author did a great job of keeping them separate, but I still got them jumbled up. The primary angle (what happened to Vanessa) was twisty, turny, and often unbelievable. I wasn’t surprised at the considerable twist that occurred almost at the end of the book (see previous paragraph), but I was surprised at who was involved. Then, I was astonished at what happened to that person. It was almost too much.

The end of Scenes of the Crime was almost anticlimactic, and I wasn’t a fan of it. With everything that went on that weekend, this is how it ended up. I was happy for Emily, but dang.

I would recommend Scenes of the Crime to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Jilly Gagnon for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Scenes of the Crime. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Scenes of the Crime, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jilly Gagnon:

In Darkness: The Werewolf by L. Diane Wolfe

Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Purchase Links: Kindle | Kobo | Apple Books

Goodreads Synopsis:

Souls shrouded in darkness…

On her own in England, Vicki trains at a prestigious fencing school. Face marred by a birthmark, she’s suspicious of Nicholas’ attention. A dinner date reveals his genuine interest and they begin to connect. Nicholas is attractive and she wonders why he’s so shy and reclusive.

Then one evening she happens upon him changing into a lycan. Every werewolf legend is shattered by the gentle, fearful creature before her. Vickie accepts his secret, but Nicholas knows he’s an unpredictable beast. Can they trust love enough to overcome their physical challenges?

First Line:

“I wonder why he’s always watching me?” Vicki mumbled.

In Darkness: The Werewolf by L. Diane Wolfe

Vicki is attending a prestigious fencing school in England when she meets Nicholas, her landlord’s handsome son. She is suspicious of his attention since she has a large birthmark that covers half of her face. But she is soon swept away by Nicholas’s attention. One night, Vicki accidentally sees Nicholas changing into a lycan. But she isn’t afraid of him. But Nicholas is fearful for her because he knows his beast is unpredictable. Can their love overcome everything? Or will they be forever apart?

I am a huge sucker for paranormal romances and have a secret obsession with werewolf romances (thank you, Dreame app!!). So when Dancing Lemur Press invited me to read In Darkness: The Werewolf, I immediately accepted. I am glad that I did because this was a great novella.

In Darkness: The Werewolf is a short book. It is around 125 pages, and it is a quick read. But, I found depth in the characters and the story for a novella. I was disappointed when it ended because I wanted more.

The main storyline of In Darkness: The Werewolf centers around Vicki, Nicholas, his secret, and their romance. The author fleshed out the storyline and kept my attention. As I said, I was disappointed that the book ended because I wanted more.

The paranormal angle of In Darkness: The Werewolf was interesting. There was a brief explanation about how Nicholas became a lycan and mentions of a pack (or clan) in Scotland. The author did a great job of describing a half-turned-lycan and making him at least somewhat dangerous. I did like the extra spin that she put when Nicholas and Vicki started to get intimate. All I could think was, “Growing pains,” and I laughed slightly.

The romance angle was adorable. I liked that Nicholas saw past Vicki’s birthmark to the beautiful person underneath. I also liked that Vicki accepted that Nicholas was a lycan. Their love wasn’t quite Instalove but it bordered it.

The end of In Darkness: The Werewolf was left open and made me wonder if the author would write another book in this world. I would love to see Nicholas and Vicki present day.

I would recommend In Darkness: The Werewolf to anyone over 16. There are fade-to-black sexual situations, mild language, and mild violence.

Many thanks to Dancing Lemur Press and L. Diane Wolfe for allowing me to read and review this ARC of In Darkness: The Werewolf. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to In Darkness: The Werewolf, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by L. Diane Wolfe:

Fly with Me by Andie Burke

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

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Romance, LGBT, Contemporary, Lesbian, Queer, Adult, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction, Lesbian Fiction

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sparkling and steamy opposites-attract romance, Fly with Me by Andie Burke is filled with sharp banter and that sweet, swooping feeling of finding “the one” when and where you least expect it.

A one-way ticket to love or a bumpy ride ahead?

Flying-phobic ER nurse Olive Murphy is still gripping the armrest from her first-ever take-off when the pilot announces an in-flight medical emergency. Olive leaps into action and saves a life, but ends up getting stuck in the airport hours away from the marathon she’s running in honor of her brother. Luckily for her, Stella Soriano, the stunning type A copilot, offers to give her a ride.

After the two spend a magical day together, Stella makes a surprising Will Olive be her fake girlfriend?

A video of Olive saving a life has gone viral and started generating big sales for Stella’s airline. Stella sees their union as the perfect opportunity to get to the boys’ club executives at her company who keep overlooking her for a long-deserved promotion. Realizing this arrangement could help her too, Olive dives into memorizing Stella’s comically comprehensive three-ring-binder guide to fake dating. As the two grow closer, what’s supposed to be a ruse feels more and more real. Could this be the romantic ride of their lives, or an epic crash and burn?

First Line:

“We’re not going to crash.”

Fly with Me by Andie Burke

Never having flown before, Olive is on the verge of a panic attack when a flight attendant makes an announcement asking for a medical professional. An ER nurse, she answers the call and saves the life of a man. When the video starts generating positive press for the airline, the co-piolet, Stella, approaches Olive with an arrangement. Olive is to pretend to be Stella’s girlfriend, and Stella can finally get a promotion. Surprisingly, Olive agrees and dives into Stella’s amusing three-ring binder guide to fake dating. But, as their feeling becomes more and more real, outside forces are trying to derail their romance. Will they have a happily ever after, or will they crash and burn?

When I read the blurb for Fly with Me, I was instantly intrigued and wanted to read it. Since St. Martin’s Press had it as a Read Now book, I downloaded it. I am glad that I did because I loved this book. This book is so much more than what is mentioned in the blurb.

The main storyline of Fly with Me centers around Olive, Stella, and their fake romance. I found that storyline to be amusing and heartbreaking. It was also well-written and kept me glued to the book. I was rooting for Olive and Stella. I wanted them to have their happily ever after.

The storyline with Olive, her family, and their fight over the care of her brother was heartbreaking. Olive’s brother was pronounced brain-dead after saving the life of a child. Olive, a nurse who controls her brother’s finances and medical decisions, had decided to pull life support. But her mother didn’t want it, got a lawyer, and fought to keep her brother alive. Meanwhile, she blasted Olive as someone who only wanted her brother’s money and wanted him to die so she could get it. It caused a massive rift in the family, with everyone agreeing with Olive’s mother. While I sympathized with Olive’s mother, I thought she was a nasty piece of work. There was nothing redeemable about her. As for Olive’s father, I thought that maybe he would be reasonable, but nope, he wasn’t. I was beyond angry at what he requested of Olive at the end of the book. I couldn’t believe what he told her not to do and how he treated her afterward.

The storyline with Olive, Lindsay, their on/off relationship, and Olive’s mental health was interesting. I thought that Lindsay was a piece of work. She was verbally abusive to Olive, and when Olive started fake dating Stella, she became a full-fledged stalker. Lindsay downplayed Olive’s anxiety disorder and her depression. What she said to Stella about them was vile. I should have seen what Lindsay did coming, but I didn’t. I wasn’t surprised, though. There were hints about what she was capable of throughout the book.

The romance angle of Fly with Me was sweet. Both Olive and Stella did not want a relationship. Olive was dealing with a crazy ex (Lindsay), and Stella was so career-driven that she didn’t have time for a relationship. But this book showed that falling in love often happens when people least want or need it. I loved watching their relationship progress. There were roadblocks (a major one at the end of the book), but I liked seeing Olive and Stella work through them.

Olive and Stella had immediate chemistry, which the author built on. So, when they finally had sex, the scene exploded. The author was also very stingy with the sex scenes (there were two detailed scenes).

The end of Fly with Me had me in tears, from everything that Olive had to endure with her family and Lindsay to what happened with her and Stella. I loved that Olive decided to get help with her mental health (minor spoiler here). The epilogue was perfect. The book couldn’t have ended on a better note.

I would recommend Fly with Me to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and graphic sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Andie Burke for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Fly with Me. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Fly with Me, then you will enjoy these books:

Seams Deadly (Measure Twice Sewing Mystery: Book 1) by Maggie Bailey

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Sewing

Series: Measure Twice Sewing Mystery

Seams Deadly—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

When seamstress Lydia Barnes finds a dead body soon after moving to a new town, she will need more than shear luck to find the killer, in this novel perfect for fans of Molly MacRae and Anna Gerard.

Lydia Barnes is excited for a fresh start when she moves to the quaint mountain town of Peridot, Georgia. Her friend, Fran, offers her a job at the Measure Twice fabric store and even sets her up on a date with the handsome Brandon Ivey, who also happens to be Lydia’s new next-door neighbor. Finally, things are looking up. But after a disaster first date that ends with a fist bump instead of a kiss, Lydia doesn’t think her night can get any worse. She’s soon proven wrong when she later stumbles upon Brandon’s dead body.

Considered the prime suspect by the police, Lydia calls on her friends to help her hunt for the truth and prove her innocence. But when another body is soon found inside the Measure Twice store, Lydia knows that the killer must be close by, and that this town has more than its fair share of secrets. Who would want to frame the newest addition to Peridot for these terrible murders—and why?

Lydia may discover that while sewing might have a pattern, killing rarely does. Will she be able to stitch together the clues and clear her own name before the killer strikes again?

First Line:

“Did you at least put your hair with a nice clip?”

Seams Deadly by Maggie Bailey

After finding her husband in bed with his intern, Lydia retreats to the town of Peridot, Georgia, to heal. With the help of her friend, Fran, she works at Measure Twice, a fabric store, and she is going on her first date with Brandon, a clerk at a local bookstore and Lydia’s next-door neighbor. When the date doesn’t go well, Lydia decides to check in on Brandon and stumbles across his body. The police then named her as the prime suspect. Wanting to clear her name, Lydia calls upon her friends to help her solve Brandon and Ava’s murder. Can Lydia clear her name and find out who killed Brandon and Ava? Or will she end up a victim of the real killer?

I know I mentioned this in other reviews, but I am a sucker for a cover with an animal. So, when I saw the cover of Seams Deadly, it caught my attention, and I knew I wanted to read it.

Seams Deadly is the first book in the A Measure Twice Sewing Mystery. Since this is the first book in the series, I won’t put my usual drivel here (read the previous book).

The main storyline of Seams Deadly centers around Lydia, the murders, and Lydia’s investigation into them. The storyline was well written with a twist in the mystery surrounding the murders of Brandon and Ava. But, there was a lot of lag while Lydia and her friends were investigating and I felt my attention wandering while reading.

I didn’t like Lydia. I did feel bad for her because of what happened to her (caught her ex sleeping with his intern). But, as I got deeper into the book, the more she got on my nerves. She lived in her head and often missed when people were talking to her. She was selfish and thought only about herself. By not explaining patterns, she made sewing boring for me (and I was excited to read about sewists). The only thing I liked about her was that she adopted Baby Lobster from the shelter.

I thought the mystery angle was well written, and who the killer was surprised me. The author did a great job of throwing red herrings out. She also did a great job of introducing suspects. I liked that she had Lydia and her friends do round table-type meetings, where they throw out theories. Of course, none of the ideas worked out, but it was still fun to read. The scene where the killer was revealed was surprising, and I did not see it coming. As for the reason for the murders, again, I was surprised by the motives.

The end of Seams Deadly was interesting. The author left enough wiggle room for a book 2. She also left me wondering what was going on with Fran. The author revealed a surprise in the last chapter that I saw coming. As much as I disliked Lydia, I want to read book 2.

I would recommend Seams Deadly to anyone over 16. There is mild language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Maggie Bailey for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Seams Deadly. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Seams Deadly, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Maggie Bailey:

The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: August 29th, 2023

Genre: Science Fiction, Fiction, Adult, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy, Adult Fiction

Series: Cygnus Beta Series

The Best of All Possible Worlds—Book 1

The Galaxy Game—Book 2

The Blue, Beautiful World—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

As first contact transforms the Earth, a group of gifted visionaries race to create a new future in this wondrous science fiction novel from the award-winning author of The Best of All Possible Worlds.

The world is changing, and humanity must change with it. Rising seas and soaring temperatures have radically transformed the face of the Earth. Meanwhile, Earth is being observed from afar by other civilizations … and now they are ready to make contact.

Vying to prepare humanity for first contact are a group of dreamers and changemakers, including Peter Hendrix, the genius inventor behind the most advanced VR tech; Charyssa, a beloved celebrity icon with a passion for humanitarian work; and Kanoa, a member of a council of young people from around the globe drafted to reimagine the relationship between humankind and alien societies.

And they may have an unexpected secret weapon: Owen, a pop megastar whose ability to connect with his adoring fans is more than charisma. He has a hidden talent that may be the key to uniting Earth as it looks towards the stars.

But Owen’s abilities are so unique that no-one can control him, and so seductive that he cannot help but use them. Can he transcend his human limitations and find the freedom he has always dreamed of? Or is he doomed to become the dictator of his nightmares?

First Line:

The emissary kept on digging his own grave, centimeter by centimeter, word by word.

The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord

First contact has always been something that the people of Earth regarded as a myth. But, to a small, select group, the truth is known. Aliens have been on Earth for a while, gathering intel on the people. With the climate crisis reaching its pinnacle, the aliens have decided to make themselves known. Their emissary is a pop megastar, Owen, who is an alien. Owen has abilities that can unite Earth after first contact. But, there is a dark side to Owen, and it calls to him. Can Owen keep his dark side suppressed to help the people of Earth? Or will that dark side take over and have him become Earth’s dictator?

When I read the blurb for The Blue, Beautiful World, I was intrigued. I like reading science fiction, and seeing that the author would integrate VR technology into the plotline, I wanted to read it. While the book was great in some areas, it was lacking in others, which killed the book for me.

The Blue, Beautiful World is the third book in the Cygnus Beta Series. Readers cannot read this book as a standalone. You must read the first two books to know what is happening in this one. This was a significant issue for me because I read book three first.

I will be blunt: I was not too fond of this book. I found it very hard to follow at the beginning. But, towards the middle of the book, it got better to follow. Not by much, but I wasn’t as lost as in the book’s first half.

I did like the science fiction angle and loved that the author had VR as a significant part of the plotline. It made for exciting reading, even if it did get dry and repetitive at points. I wish the different civilizations (aliens) were introduced at the book’s beginning. There was a brief rundown (around when the Lyraen spies were caught). But nothing was mentioned about any of the races (and there are a bunch of them).

The characters were meh to me. The only one I connected to and liked was Kanoa. All the others (Owen, Noriko, Berenice) either I didn’t like or weren’t as fleshed out as they should be. I also needed clarification on the different names that the same characters went by. It drove me up the wall to discover that what I thought was a singular main character was exactly two (for example, Tareq is two separate people: Kirat and Siha).

The end of The Blue, Beautiful World was different. I had to reread it twice to understand what was going on. And even then, there is going to be a book 2? I needed clarification on that.

I recommend The Blue, Beautiful World to anyone over 21. There is violence and mild language, but no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Karen Lord for allowing me to read and review The Blue, Beautiful World.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Blue, Beautiful World, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Karen Lord:

A Dragon’s Dyne (The Talisman Series: Book 6) by Brett Salter

Publisher: Createspace

Date of publication: July 19th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade

Series: The Talisman Series

The Search for Synergy—Book 1 (review here)

Riders of Fire and Ice—Book 2 (review here)

Windy City Ruins—Book 3 (review here)

The Battle for Verdana—Book 4 (review here)

Desperate Tides, Desperate Measures—Book 5 (review here)

A Dragon’s Dyne—Book 6

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Things have gone from weird to blatantly absurd in Rome and Julian’s quest to preserve the boundary between the Earth realm and The Void. With Darkbrand numbers growing at a terrifying rate, the escape of Beliarahm, the fiercest Nocturn yet, and the struggle to make ANY headway with the Elementals and all their tomfoolery, The Alliance has hit a veritable wall. Even with the promise of the light Talisman to oppose the forces of darkness, there’s just no telling how or where to find it. All the other Talismans are collected, but that doesn’t necessarily give our heroes any comfort, because to this point, these magical items seem to have served more as crosshairs than protection. Maybe they need something more than the Talismans. But what could that be?

First Line:

The heroes stood in a circle with no idea what to do next. The sun rapidly moves toward its decline into the horizon, but the group had accomplished little in the way of unearthing the next step to take.

A Dragon’s Dyne by Brett Salter

Rome, Julian, and their allies have gathered all of the Talismans and their Elemental counterparts together to preserve the boundary between Earth and The Void. But, they are stonewalled when they are told there is one more Talisman out there. This Talisman, with a Light Elemental, has the power to turn the upcoming battle in their favor. But the Alliance doesn’t know where it is and is given a few cryptic clues to follow. With more Darkbrands escaping The Void and The Tyrant King getting closer and closer to breaking through the barrier, there is no time to waste. Can Rome, Julian, and the rest of the Alliance find the Light Talisman? Will they be able to defend Earth from The Tyrant King?

When the author reached out and asked if I wanted to read/review A Dragon’s Dyne, I immediately said yes. I have been reading this series from book one and was waiting for book six to come out. I had become invested in this series and wanted to know what would happen. I wasn’t expecting this to be the last book in the series.

A Dragon’s Dyne is the 6th book in The Talisman Series. You cannot read this book as a standalone. You must read the first five books to understand character backstories/past battles/and character relationships. You will be confused if you do not read the first five books. And trust me, reading those books before you read this one is worth it.

The main storyline of A Dragon’s Dyne centers on Rome, Julian, their friends/allies, the search for the Light Talisman, and the battle to save Earth. It is a well-written storyline that kept my attention from the beginning. It is also a fast-moving storyline. There is some lag towards the middle of the book (when Rome and friends are searching for the Talisman). That lag I anticipated, and it didn’t take away my enjoyment of this book.

A couple of times, I was surprised by A Dragon’s Dyne. One is a huge spoiler, and the other, well, I should have seen it coming. All I can say about the spoiler is that my soul broke during that chapter. I was not prepared for that. But I also wasn’t prepared for what happened in the next chapter. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions within a couple of pages. While I didn’t see it coming, the other surprise didn’t surprise me. It made sense (there were hints).

This book is written for middle-grade kids. The main characters are in middle school and act like it (mainly Julian). I could put any of my kids in this book, and they would behave very similarly to how Rome and Julian acted. There are no adult situations (well, Rome and his girlfriend kiss a couple of times) or language.

I loved the lore and the fantasy angle of A Dragon’s Dyne. I could have just read about the different dragons, how they fit in, or just disappeared with the human race, their customs, and magic. Those added touches added depth to this storyline and increased my enjoyment of this book.

I was sad to read that this was the last book in the series. But two things did stand out to me, which made me think the author would have spinoffs. One was Rome’s vision, and the other was what happened at the very end of the book. I hope the author decides to write more books in this universe.

The end of A Dragon’s Dyne was interesting. The author wrapped up all the storylines with the expectation of one. With what was written (see above), I hope that means more books in this universe.

I would recommend A Dragon’s Dyne to anyone over 12. There is violence. But there is no language or sexual situations.

Many thanks to Brett Salter for allowing me to read and review A Dragon’s Dyne. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Dragon’s Dyne, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Brett Salter:

Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror Delight by Shelly Page, Alex Brown, Ryan Douglass, Kalynn Bayron, Sara Farizan, Kosoko Jackson, Tara Sim, Rebecca Kim Wells, Trang Thanh Tran, Vanessa Montalban, Em X. Liu, Maya Gittelman, Ayida Shonibar

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: August 29th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Short Stories, Anthologies, LGBT, Queer, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Lesbian

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Night of the Living Queers is a YA horror anthology that explores a night when anything is possible exclusively featuring queer authors of color putting fresh spins on classic horror tropes and tales.

No matter its name or occasion, Halloween is more than a Hallmark holiday, it’s a symbol of transformation. NIGHT OF THE LIVING QUEERS is a YA horror anthology that explores how Halloween can be more than just candies and frights, but a night where anything is possible. Each short story will be told through the lens of a different BIPOC teen and the Halloween night that changes their lives forever. Creative, creepy, and queer, this collection will bring fresh terror, heart, and humor to young adult literature.

Contributors include editors Alex Brown and Shelly Page, Kalynn Bayron, Ryan Douglass, Sara Farizan, Maya Gittelman, Kosoko Jackson, Em Liu, Vanessa Montalban, Ayida Shonibar, Tara Sim, Trang Thanh Tran, and Rebecca Kim Wells.

First Line:

Her grandmother told her once that the sea gets what it wants.

Welcome to the Hotel Paranoia (Night of the Living Queers) by Vanessa Montalban

I know I have said this before and will keep saying it: I dislike reviewing anthologies. Do I like reading them? Absolutely. But reviewing them is a different story, bringing me to Night of the Living Queers. I knew this was an anthology, but I still downloaded it.

I went back and forth on how to review Night of the Living Queers and decided to review it as I have past anthologies. I will give my opinion on the story and if I liked it or not.

Before I get into the review, I want to say this book would be perfect to read around Halloween. Also, a blue moon is featured in every single story, and all of the characters are lesbian, gay, trans, or queer.

So, without further ado, here are the stories in Night of the Living Queers:

Welcome to the Hotel Paranoia: This is an interesting story about a girl, Anabel, who is invited to a party at an abandoned bed & breakfast. When she gets there, things go from spooky to frightening. As I was reading this story, I got Hotel California vibes, even more so at the end of the story. While this wasn’t my favorite story, I didn’t dislike it.

The Visitor: This was another interesting but creepy story. Toya and her father have a ritual every Halloween. They decorate the house, watch scary movies, and grieve for Toya’s mother. The vibe of this story settles somewhere between creepy and heartbreaking. The end of the story was a big twist. I also couldn’t believe what Toya did, but I understood why. This story was one of my favorite stories.

A Brief Intermission: With this one, I figured out what the story was about within the first couple of pages. It wasn’t very scary, but it was very creepy. I couldn’t understand the end of the story, and I had to reread it a couple of times before a lightbulb went off. It was in the middle of my like scale.

Guested: This story was different from what I thought it would be, but I wasn’t expecting how it turned out!! Talk about a twist in the plotline. Being told in 2nd person added up the creepiness factor. When Nina got to the party, I knew something horrible would happen to her. This story was one of my favorite stories.

Rocky Road with Carmel Drizzle: This story broke my heart into a million pieces. I can’t get more into it except that Julian’s attackers got what was coming to them and then some. This story was my favorite story.

The Three Phases of Ghost-Hunting: This silly story focuses on two girls wanting to talk to Terrifying Bob, the ghost who haunts the food court at the local mall. I say silly because Terrifying Bob wasn’t that terrifying. I liked how it ended. This story was one of my favorite stories.

Nine Stops: Out of all the stories in this book, this one was the creepiest. It combined grief and opening spam links. It reminded me of The Ring but stopped short of being exactly like it. The author did a great job of scaring the crap out of me. It was one of my favorite stories.

Leyla Mendoza and the Las House on the Lane: This book was not scary. It is creepy in parts and unbelievably sad in others, but not creepy. It was also told in 2nd person. I did tear up during the scenes in the house and loved how it ended.

In You to Burn: This story was fantastic. Again, it was not precisely scary per se, but creepy. The author took their time explaining what was happening between Luce and Harley. Once it was explained, the author twisted the storyline. I loved it. Again, it’s a favorite story.

Anna: I wouldn’t say I liked this story. It was creepy, but I couldn’t get into it. And the ending was a little cliche.

Hey There, Demons: I was a little iffy with this story. It was not creepy or scary. Instead, it read more like a queer YA paranormal romance. The end was cute but had no scare factor.

Save Me from Myself: I liked this story but didn’t find it creepy. I was fascinated by the Indian lore (gods and goddesses). I also liked that Mona got to view herself from her crush’s perspective. The end was sad and not what I expected.

Knickknack: This story was a tribute to homicidal ghost clown stories. I loved reading it. Knickknack died horribly, and every year since, he takes a kid. I liked how the author just had fun with this story. The ending was typical but still fun.

I would recommend Night of the Living Queers to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and the various authors for allowing me to read and review Night of the Living Queers. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Night of the Living Queers, then you will enjoy these books:

Have You Seen My Sister? by Kirsty McKay

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Young Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Gaia Gill is the last person in the world anyone would expect to go missing. Beautiful, athletic, and recently accepted to a prestigious college, she has everything to look forward to—but the night of her going-away party at the Moon Mountain ski resort, she disappears.

Gaia’s younger sister Esme is supposed to be flying back to England with her family after the party, but she can’t leave with Gaia missing—especially because nobody remembers Gaia leaving the party. Or if they do, they’re not saying. Everyone at the lodge has their own secrets: the little rich girl, the ex-boyfriend, the ski instructor, the failed reality star.

Esme’s out of her depth searching the dark, dangerous forests and icy slopes of Moon Mountain, until she teams up with a local boy who promises to help her. The clock is ticking, and it’s down to Esme to piece the clues together and work out who—if anybody—is telling the truth.

First Line:

I didn’t realize it at the time, but the first clue in my sister’s disappearance was the shoes.

Have You Seen My Sister by Kirsty McKay

On vacation at a ski resort where her sister works, Esme isn’t thrilled to be going back to England. But, when Gaia goes missing after not returning from her going away party, Esme is on high alert. With little to no leads coming in, Esme decides to strike out on her own and search for Gaia. With the help of a local boy, Bode, Esme slowly starts to piece together what happened that night. Can Esme find Gaia?

When I initially read the blurb for Have You Seen My Sister, I was intrigued by the plotline. A mystery set at a ski resort with a plethora of suspects? I liked it. But I couldn’t request the book on Sourcebooks Fire NetGalley; it was a wish only. So, I took a chance, wished for it, and then forgot it. So, wasn’t I surprised when I got a notification in my email saying Sourcebooks Fire granted my wish. I immediately started reading it. While glad I read it, the book didn’t meet my expectations.

Have You Seen My Sister is a fast-paced book set in the fictional resort town of Moonville, New Hampshire. The storyline, which takes place within a week of Gaia’s disappearance, did suit the book’s pacing. But there was lag, and it did disrupt the flow. Usually, that doesn’t matter to me (and I enjoy the book anyway), but with everything else going on in the book, it was just another mark against it for me.

The main storyline is obvious: Gaia’s disappearance and Esme’s search for her. I did think that it was well-written, and there were some twists in the storyline. But I started to lose interest in the storyline when Esme started to catch feelings for Bode. I didn’t want to read about a romance; I wanted to read about Esme’s search for her sister. The author put the wannabe romance on the back burner but by then, it was almost the end of the book, and Esme had connected some crucial dots.

Esme annoyed me. Not that I didn’t like her, I did, but I felt that she took a lot of risks with Bode while investigating. She didn’t tell her parents or the police what she found until they confronted her. I didn’t particularly appreciate that she was made out to be the only one who could find Gaia.

The mystery angle of Have You Seen My Sister was interesting. I had figured out only half of what was happening (and it was a convoluted mess). I wasn’t surprised at who ultimately was behind Gaia’s disappearance or the reason why. There were apparent hints dropped throughout the book that made sense, looking back.

There was a slight romance angle between Bode and Esme. I wasn’t a fan of having them in any way romantically involved. I felt that it took away from the book. But I did like it at the end. I liked that Esme found someone who accepted her for who she was.

The end of Have You Seen My Sister was interesting. I liked how the author ended Gaia’s disappearance. While the reason seemed a little over the top, it at least made sense. I also liked how the people involved were caught. The one dude who was trussed up like a deer made me laugh. But there was one guy in particular that made me mad. It didn’t seem like he was going to get charged with anything.

I would recommend Have You Seen My Sister to anyone over 16. There are mild sexual situations, mild violence, and mild language.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire, NetGalley, and Kirsty McKay for allowing me to read and review Have You Seen My Sister. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Have You Seen My Sister, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Kirsty McKay

Death by a Thousand Sips (Witches’s Brew Mysteries: Book 2) by Gretchen Rue

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Contemporary, Cats, Tea, Witches

Series: Witches Brew Mystery

Steeped to Death—Book 1

Death by a Thousand Sips—Book 2

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Phoebe Winchester is back on the case in Raven Creek when a body is discovered at an estate sale in Gretchen Rue’s second book in the Witches’ Brew mystery series, perfect for fans of Laura Childs and Cleo Coyle.

Ever since she moved to Raven Creek, Washington, Phoebe Winchester knew she would have to grow accustomed to having a lot on her plate. She’s beginning to make the Victorian manor she inherited from her dear and adventurous Aunt Eudora feel more like home, successfully running the bookstore and tea shop, The Earl’s Study, and learning to harness her recently discovered magical powers. But when she discovers a dead body at an estate sale—even Phoebe wonders if this is simply too much.

Rumors of Phoebe’s involvement force her to take action; she needs to find the killer and clear her own name, once again. She enlists Rich Lofting, the handsome private detective and her childhood friend, in her investigation, all while she sorts out her unresolved feelings for him. Is there something more sinister lurking in the shadows of this small tight-knit town? And does Phoebe really want to find out?

With a dash of magic, a pinch of sleuthing skills, and a spoonful of friendly assistance, Phoebe needs to uncover the killer to keep Raven Creek safe once again. But if she doesn’t—will she find herself in even more hot water?

First Line:

“Dead people have the best books.” I looked down at the newspaper that had been placed in front of me, then up at the woman who put it there.

Death by a Thousand Sips by Gretchen Rue

A half year since Phoebe moved to the scenic town of Raven’s Creek to take over running her late aunt’s bookstore and tea shop. Phoebe always looks for new stock and attends an estate sale in a neighboring town. That’s where she finds the body of the person in charge of the sale and auction. Phoebe must clear her name with rumors of her involvement going around town. But, the deeper she digs, the more stranger this case gets. Enlisting the help of her PI friend, Rich, Phoebe hopes to find answers. But will the answers solve the mystery, or will they deepen it?

I am a sucker for cozy mysteries that feature animals, mainly cats, on the cover. I either shelve them as “Want to Read” on Goodreads or buy them outright. So, it wasn’t even a thought when I saw Death by a Thousand Sips on Crooked Lane Books NetGalley page as a Read Now. I am glad I downloaded this book because it was a great read.

Death by a Thousand Sips is the second book in the Witches’ Brew Mystery series. I was on the fence with this book. This book can easily be read as a stand-alone book. But there are enough references to book one that I recommend reading first. So, I leave it up to the reader to make their choice.

Death by a Thousand Sips’ plotline alternates between medium and fast-paced. I liked that the author did that. The plotline slowed down during the major parts of the book (mainly at the end and several critical points during the book) but was fast during the rest of the book.

The plotline of Death by a Thousand Sips centers around Phoebe, the murder of Madeline Morrow, and Phoebe’s investigation into it. This well-written storyline kept me on my toes while reading the book. I liked seeing how Phoebe’s investigation uncovered clues to who was behind Madeline’s killing. But I also loved seeing how her investigation uncovered a bigger mystery, and I also liked seeing how it affected her personal life. It made for a great read.

Several minor storylines centered around Phoebe, Bob the cat, the shop, and Phoebe’s magic. While some of these storylines made no sense to me at the beginning of the book, and I wondered where they were going, I was happy with how they were either absorbed into the main storyline or remained open-ended. The one storyline I am very interested in (and I can’t wait to see what it will be like in book three) is the addition of the cat cafe to the tea/book store.

I liked Phoebe and had an almost instant connection with her. She was a devoted cat mom to Bob (which I can relate to), and she was slowly learning about her magical powers. I also want to add that she was stubborn. Oh man, she was stubborn. She refused to let go of Madeline’s murder. I do think that she got more leads than the police, to be honest.

The mystery angle of Death by a Thousand Sips was well written. The author had so many plot twists and turns that I was sometimes turned around while reading. There were layers to the mystery angle. I figured out one layer of the mystery (who was behind Madeline’s murder), but I wasn’t prepared for what the other layers revealed. The motive was a big twist, which wasn’t what I thought.

The magic angle was barely there. I understand Phoebe is learning about her powers, but I would have loved to see more of her using them. There was a lot of talk about her aunt’s magic powers and how she infused her tea mixtures. There was one scene where Phoebe used her magic power (stopping time) and another where she successfully used a recipe from her aunt and infused it with magical powers.

There was a slight romance angle, but it confused me. The author is setting Phoebe up for a love triangle (between Rich and Leo). But, later in the book, Phoebe seems enamored with Rich. So, it’s all up in the air.

The end of Death by a Thousand Sips was interesting. I loved how the author solved Madeline’s murder and what Phoebe’s investigation stirred up. There was also an exciting twist to the cat cafe, which surprised me. Overall, I can’t wait to read book three.

I recommend Death by a Thousand Sips to anyone over 16. There is mild violence, mild language, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Gretchen Rue for allowing me to read and review Death by a Thousand Sips. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Death by a Thousand Sips, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Gretchen Rue:

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

Date of Publication: August 29th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Adult, Women’s Fiction, Adult Fiction, Travel, Novels

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a warmhearted and empowering new novel about love, family, friendship, secrets, and a life-changing journey.

Thirty-three-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place. True, she still has gig jobs instead of a career, and the apartment where she’s lived since college still looks like she’s just moved in. But she’s got good friends, her bike, and her bicycling club in Philadelphia. She’s at peace with her plus-size body—at least, most of the time—and she’s on track to marry Mark Medoff, her childhood summer sweetheart, a man she met at the weight-loss camp that her perpetually dieting mother forced her to attend. Fifteen years after her final summer at Camp Golden Hills, when Abby reconnects with a half-his-size Mark, it feels like the happy ending she’s always wanted.

Yet Abby can’t escape the feeling that some­thing isn’t right…or the memories of one thrilling night she spent with a man named Sebastian two years previously. When Abby gets a last-minute invi­tation to lead a cycling trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, she’s happy to have time away from Mark, a chance to reflect and make up her mind.

But things get complicated fast. First, Abby spots a familiar face in the group—Sebastian, the one-night stand she thought she’d never see again. Sebastian is a serial dater who lives a hundred miles away. In spite of their undeniable chemistry, Abby is determined to keep her distance. Then there’s a surprise last-minute addition to the her mother, Eileen, the woman Abby blames for a lifetime of body shaming and insecurities she’s still trying to undo.

Over two weeks and more than seven hundred miles, strangers become friends, hidden truths come to light, a teenage girl with a secret unites the riders in unexpected ways…and Abby is forced to reconsider everything she believes about herself, her mother, and the nature of love.

First Line:

“Are you ready?”

The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner

At thirty-three, Abby is finally in a happy place in her life. While she feels she lacks in the career department (working dead-end jobs), and her apartment is a mess, she has great friends, a biking club, and a gorgeous boyfriend. But she feels something is off. Moving in with her boyfriend doesn’t appeal to her, and her dead-end jobs drag her down. So, she agrees when her best friend asks her to fill in as a guide on a bike trip at the last minute. But this bike trip is going to be anything but ordinary. Why? Because Abby’s unforgettable one-night stand is there, she can’t take her eyes off him. Add her mother suddenly joining the trip, Tick-Tok drama involving her one-night stand, and a teenager with a huge secret, Abby will have her hands full. Can Abby survive the 700-mile, 2-week trip to Niagra Falls with her relationship and sense of self intact? Or will everything be thrown up in the air?

I am going to be blunt here. This book was different from what I expected. I thought this was going to be a lighthearted romantic comedy. Instead, I read a thought-provoking book about women’s rights and body positivity.

There are some trigger warnings in The Breakaway. I went back and forth on posting some of these because of spoilers, but I decided to proceed. They are:

  1. Body shaming:Abby was weight-shamed constantly by her mother when she was younger. She was sent to a weight loss camp every summer and forced to diet. She is also weight-shamed by various secondary characters in the book (in flashbacks and the present day).
  2. Abortion: There are several different angles to abortion discussed here. One is how not being able to get an abortion severely affects women. There were also brief mentions of politics and abortion. There is also a storyline about a teenager getting an abortion via pill during the bike trip (not graphic, but the author did explain what would happen while the abortion was happening). The religious stance on abortions is talked about (and it was heartbreaking to read).
  3. Cheating: Abby cheats on Mark in the book. The aftermath of her infidelity is explored.
  4. Challenging mother/daughter relationships (I got this from a review posted on NetGalley): Abby and her mother have a very tenuous and stressful relationship. She is weight-shamed constantly, sent to fat camp, and only praised when she loses weight as a teenager. Morgan has a tense relationship with her mother because of her secret. She also feels that she cannot tell or trust her with it because of religious implications.
  5. Eating Disorders: Bulimia is brought up by Abby during a heated conversation with her mother about the weight loss camp she was forced to attend. Abby’s boyfriend, Mark, has a severely restricted diet because of gastric bypass surgery. He also developed disordered food thoughts due to the surgery and what he went through when he was overweight.

If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. I struggled with sections of the book.

I liked how the author broke The Breakaway up. She sections the books into the trip’s legs (for example, the chapter would have the character’s name, and under it would be Day One: New York City to Mount Kisco. 50 miles). Within those blocks, the main characters (Abby, Sebastian, Morgan, Lily, and Kayla) would have chapters from their POVs. It was interesting to read and helped the book zip right along. I was OK with figuring out whose chapter it was (the author marked it) or where they were (again, clearly marked).

As I mentioned, there are 5 POVs in The Breakaway. They are the main characters. Instead of giving them each a paragraph, I will bullet point them instead.

  • Abby: She was my favorite character, and I hated how she viewed herself. I also thought that she was settling with Mark. I understood why she was so pissed that her mother showed up (there is an explanation). But I didn’t get her fascination with Sebastian. I liked her character’s growth during the book. I only disagreed with how she dealt with the Morgan situation or how she cheated on Mark with Sebastian.
  • Sebastian: He was not my favorite character. He was a manwhore, plain and simple. Who sleeps with every girl he meets on Tinder or other dating apps? But I did like that he was honest about it and that he felt shame when that girl made that TickTok about him sleeping with her and 8 of her friends. Sebastian did have some deep-seated issues that were lightly touched upon in the book (drunk mother/absent father). I wasn’t thrilled that he kept pursuing Abby, even though she told him she had a boyfriend.
  • Morgan: My heart broke for her. When she was introduced, I wasn’t expecting the storyline to go the way it went. I thought the author would reveal that she was lesbian and in a secret relationship with her best friend. When the author dropped that bombshell, I was pretty shocked. I’m not going much into the storyline except that I felt for her.
  • Lily: The author kept her chapters pretty sparse, as she appeared often in Morgan and Abby’s. But I did think she was a holy roller by some of the things she said. When Morgan finally admitted what happened, I was expecting nuclear fallout. Instead, she surprised me. Actually, she was too good about it. If a stranger had taken my daughter to do what she did (even if it was by pill), I would have been furious.
  • Kayla: I did like Kayla and wished she had been featured more in the book. I liked how she decided to help Morgan. It brought tears to my eyes. But again, I was a little irritated that she didn’t tell Lily.

The secondary characters made the book. I liked seeing Abby’s relationship with her mother progress (and it was very bumpy during the trip). I liked seeing Morgan’s friendship with Kayla’s oldest son, who was a sweetheart and supportive of Morgan. I also loved the elderly couples who traveled with the RV. I almost died when a particular tidbit was released about them. Mark, I wasn’t a fan of (he was dull), but Abby did do him dirty. And Lincoln, Sebastian’s best friend, was precisely what Sebastian needed during the trip.

The end of The Breakaway had me crying. I liked how Abby and her mother started to patch up their relationship (what her mother told Abby was heartbreaking). The note about Morgan made me happy. And Sebastian, well, nothing was said about him until a year after everything happened. I liked that the author ended the book as a happy for now instead of a HEA.

I would recommend The Breakaway to anyone over 21. There is mild violence, language, and graphic sexual situations. Also see my trigger warning list.

Many thanks to Atria Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer Weiner for allowing me to read and review The Breakaway. All opinions stated in the review are mine.

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

Other books by Jennifer Weiner: