Tag: adult

Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop Mystery: Book 1) by Samara Yew

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: October 17th, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fiction, Adult, Amateur Sleuth, Contemporary

Series: California Bookshop Mystery

Murder by the Seashore—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Scarlett Gardner’s dream was to open a bookshop in Southern California, but it soon becomes a nightmare when she finds the dead body of a customer—and becomes the prime suspect.

Southern California is where dreams come true—or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she came out and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about—she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookstore that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.

After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells her that Scarlett now stands to inherit a small fortune, Scarlett is left with more questions than answers. Before she can think about any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good—not only does she have a motive because of her inheritance, but a bottle of the same poison found in Lorelai’s system was discovered near the bookshop. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to the bookshop, but for all the wrong reasons – they want to question the last known suspect of the murder.

Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have get creative—and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.

First Line:

The involuntary morning mantra that had been running through my head every day for the past four months began at its usual time, nine thirty a.m.

Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Murder by the Seashore had a medium-paced storyline. I wasn’t a fan of the pacing. I felt that it could have gone a little faster. It seemed like the author drew out certain events because of the pace.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are no trigger or content warnings in Murder by the Seashore.

Series: Murder by the Seashore is the first book in the California Bookshop Mystery. Since it is the first book, you don’t have to worry about missing information on characters or plotlines. You can dive right now in and enjoy.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Murder by the Seashore. The main character doesn’t have time to have sex or kiss anyone.

Language: There is very light language used in Murder by the Seashore.

Setting: Murder by the Seashore is set entirely in Oceanside, California.

Representation: There is Asian representation (Hiroki Yoshida, one of Scarlet’s friends, is Japanese) and Latina representation (Lucia Armenta, Scarlet’s best friend, roommate, and lawyer is Hispanic).

Tropes: The Unlikable Victim, Outsmarting the Criminal, The Red Herring, The Protagonist is the Suspect, Twist Ending

Age Range to read Murder by the Seashore: I went back and forth with the rating. But, because it is a clean book (no sex, light language), I would recommend 16 and over to read.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Scarlet was living the dream of running a seaside bookstore with her boyfriend. But that dream crashed when her boyfriend ditched her and left her responsible for the shop. Struggling for months, Scarlet is finally making headway when two things happen-she finds the body of a murdered customer under the pier by her shop, and she is contacted by a lawyer who says she has inherited a small fortune from the murder victim. Declared the main suspect in the murder and wondering if the surprise inheritance has anything to do with it, Scarlet starts her investigation to clear her name. But even she is surprised by the twists and turns her investigation takes her. Will she clear her name? And will she figure out why the victim chose her as a beneficiary?

Main Characters

Scarlet Gardner: I like Scarlet. She was trying to keep her dream (the bookshop) alive but was slowly drowning. Her horror at finding Lorelai Knight came off the page, as was her disbelief over how the investigation was going. But things went a little sideways for me when she started looking into the case. Instead of the confident woman at the beginning of the book, she becomes obsessed with finding her killer. She jumped on the bandwagon for each suspect that she and Lucia came up with. At a point in the book, I wondered if the killer would be revealed with all the distractions being thrown around. By the end of the book, though, I did like how she made headway with her case. I also liked that she talked to her suspects and explained why she thought they killed Lorelai.

Secondary characters: There were a lot of secondary characters who had a lot of page time (Lucia, Evelyn, Connor). While I liked the extra depth they brought to the storyline, some fell flat.

My review:

Murder by the Seashore was an OK mystery for me. I had difficulty getting into it because of the book’s pacing and how the murder/inheritance played out. But once I got into it, I enjoyed reading it. I did get a little grumpy with the police investigation. I can understand naming Scarlet as their primary suspect, but to freak out on her when she opens her backdoor and finds a dead man on her stoop? With her lawyer friend/roommate as her alibi? A little much. I did like how the author wrapped up the book and was surprised at who the murderer ended up being.

The main storyline centers on Scarlet, the murder of Lorelai Knight, her inheritance from Lorelai, and who the murderer is. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I wasn’t a massive fan of how the police’s investigation of Lorelai went. The single-handed focus on Scarlet wore on me, and I couldn’t wait for the actual murderer to be revealed. What also wore on me was Scarlet’s investigation into Lorelai’s murder and why she was given the inheritance. I was glad when the author finally brought both together and revealed the killer. That was a huge surprise because I didn’t see that person coming at all.

The mystery angle was all right. I was halfway right about Lorelai and her reasons for giving Scarlet her money. But the reason why didn’t surprise me. The reason why Lorelai was killed did surprise me. The motive and who did it was a massive twist at the end of the book. I felt terrible for that person, but they did stupid things and paid the consequences.

The end of Murder by the Seashore was typical. I liked how the author wrapped everything up. I loved how Scarlet dealt with Connor (I was internally cheering). I also liked how the author set up book 2!!

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Samara Yew for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Murder by the Seashore. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Murder by the Seashore, then you will enjoy these books:

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: September 26th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Thriller, Paranormal, Adult, Halloween, Suspense, Supernatural, Mystery

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A small town is transformed by dark magic when a strange tree begins bearing magical apples in this new masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.

It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something else is changing in the town besides the season.

Because in that town there is an orchard, and in that orchard, seven most unusual trees. And from those trees grows a new sort of apple: Strange, beautiful, with skin so red it’s nearly black.

Take a bite of one of these apples and you will desire only to devour another. And another. You will become stronger. More vital. More yourself, you will believe. But then your appetite for the apples and their peculiar gifts will keep growing—and become darker.

This is what happens when the townsfolk discover the secret of the orchard. Soon it seems that everyone is consumed by an obsession with the magic of the apples… and what’s the harm, if it is making them all happier, more confident, more powerful?

And even if buried in the orchard is something else besides the seeds of this extraordinary tree: a bloody history whose roots reach back the very origins of the town.

But now the leaves are falling. The days grow darker. And a stranger has come to town, a stranger who knows Harrow’s secrets. Because it’s harvest time, and the town will soon reap what it has sown.

First Line:

Calla Paxson, age twelve, lurched upright in her bed, her heart pounding as if the nightmare she’d been having was still chasing her.

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Black River Orchard goes between medium and fast-paced. It is medium-paced until Dan loses his ever-loving mind (around the middle of the book). Then, it starts amping up the pace until the pacing is almost frantic. Then it slowed down again.

Trigger/Content Warning: Black River Orchard does have content and trigger warnings. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Violence (on page): This is a violent book right from the beginning. At first, it is subtle violence, but the violence is in your face by the middle of the book. It is graphic.
  • Blood (on page): This is also a bloody book. It is graphic and goes hand in hand with the violence.
  • Murder (on and off page): A murder sets the tone for the book, and the murders continue throughout the book. Some are described, and some are graphic.
  • Animal Death (on and off page): There are scenes towards the middle of the book where an initiation takes place, including murdering baby animals. I am not going to say much more because it is a spoiler. But it is graphic and almost fever-dreamish when described.
  • Homophobia (on and off page): There is homophobia directed at Emily throughout the book. There are blatant words spoken, and there are things done/threatened. There are other instances of homophobia throughout the book.
  • Grief (on and off page): Grief is one of the prominent undercurrents in this book. Dan is grieving the death of his father (years earlier), Calla is mourning the unexpected loss of a loving father, Emily is grieving her loss of self, John is mourning the deaths he caused during the first Gulf War, and Joanie (later on in the book) is grieving about something (I know it is vague but it is a spoiler).
  • Addiction (on page): The entire main storyline centers on the Harrowsblack apple addiction.
  • Suicide (on and off page): There are scenes where Dan remembers finding his father’s body after his suicide. Also, there is a scene where a police officer takes his service revolver and kills himself in front of Calla.
  • Abusive Relationship (on page): Emily’s wife changes after eating the apple and becomes abusive towards her (mentally, verbally, and physically). Dan becomes verbally and physically abusive to Calla.
  • Attempted Murder (on page): Joanie is almost killed by Prentiss in her house. Dan almost kills Calla.
  • Cheating (off-page): Emily cheated on Meg, so they moved to Harrow. Emily remembers it in a flashback, and Meg brings it up several times during the book.
  • Cults (on page): The book shows two different cults formed around the Harrowsblack apples. Since this will be a spoiler, I won’t say anything more.
  • Gun Violence (on and off page): Guns are used throughout the book to subdue and kill people.

Sexual Content: There is nongraphic sexual content in Black River Orchard. The author only gives bare minimum details about orgies. There is the remembrance of a sex scene between Emily and Meg, but it isn’t graphic.

Language: There is foul language used in Black River Orchard.

Setting: Black River Orchard is set almost entirely in Harrow, Pennsylvania. John Compass has a few side trips to New Jersey towards the middle of the book.

Representation: There is Native American representation (folktales, language) and queer representation (bisexual, genderfluid, lesbian, homosexual, and asexual) in Black River Orchard.

Tropes: Humans Can Be Evil, Monsters, Cults and Religious Extremists, Traumatic Past, Defeated Monster Comes Back to Life.

Age Range to read Black River Orchard: 21 and over

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

John Compass is searching for two things. One is a rare apple, the Harrowsblack, and the other is his best friend, who disappeared five years earlier. Careful tracking leads John to the small town of Harrow, Pennsylvania. It also is revealed that his friend had found the Harrowsblack before he disappeared. Meanwhile, in Harrow, a new apple has appeared. So red that it appears black, it is an instant hit at the farmers market. People who eat this apple cannot stop eating it, and they notice that when they eat the apple, they become stronger and heal faster. As John continues his search, the town slowly starts changing. In the middle of everything is Dan Paxson, the orchard owner. What is with the apples? How did Dan get them? What happens when John discovers the truth?

Main Characters

Dan Paxson: I felt for the guy at the beginning. He was determined to clear his father’s name and make something of the orchard that was his father’s. He was a loving father to Calla (almost too permissive, if I am going to be honest) and was somewhat of a pushover. But, the more he ate the apples, the more he changed. I almost hated to see him turn into what he became at the end of the book. It was nothing like he was initially written.

Calla Paxson: Calla is Dan’s seventeen-year-old daughter who wants to get into Princeton and is a wanna-be social influencer. I didn’t exactly like her at the beginning of the book. She came across as selfish and whiny. But she noticed something wasn’t right with the apples immediately. Calla started knowing that the more people ate them, the weirder they got. I liked her character’s development throughout the book.

John Compass: John is a Gulf War veteran haunted by what he did in the Middle East. He is so haunted that he becomes a Quaker (but will use violence to protect himself). John also becomes a hunter of rare apples. He becomes aware of the Harrowsblack apple when his best and probably only friend went missing five years earlier. I liked seeing John’s character progression in the book. But, what I liked the most was reading about the Native American legends attached to the Harrowsblack and seeing John piece everything together.

Emily Price: Emily is new to Harrow. Meg Price’s wife is feeling out of her element in a small town and in her marriage. Emily did something that strained her marriage and caused Meg to move them to Harrow. Their strained relationship becomes abusive after Meg starts eating the apple. So, I thought Emily was whiny, and she wallowed in self-pity until she met John. Then, I saw a side of Emily that I liked. At first, it was just a tiny glimpse, but by the end of the book, the true Emily was shown, and I loved her.

Joanie Moreau: Joanie showed up almost in the middle of the book. She was a character, and I liked her. She had an open marriage, rented her house out for sex parties (indoor only), and enjoyed teasing her neighbor, Prentiss. But things started to change when the Harrowsblack began making its rounds. It was after a specific event that Joanie showed how strong she was. It was also during the events at the end of the book that showed her character.

Secondary characters: The secondary characters in Black River Orchard made the book. They added so much to this book. The plotline was more flushed out, and the storyline had extra depth.

My review:

Black River Orchard was a well-written horror story that has made me never want to eat apples again. I was engrossed (and horrified) by how the storyline progressed. I couldn’t put my Kindle down. I needed to know how this book ended.

The main storyline in Black River Orchard centers around the five main characters and how those apples changed and affected their lives. It was a scary and often disgusting storyline that repulsed me and made me want to continue with the book.

The storyline with John and his search for the Harrowsblack and his friend was interesting. I didn’t know that there were people who went looking for rare strains of apples (so I learned something new). I liked that John wasn’t afraid to stand his ground when looking for his friend. By the middle of the book, John was central to figuring out how the Harrowsblack ended up in Harrow and who was behind it. He also was prominent in the events at the end of the book.

The storyline with Dan and Calla was sad. I hated seeing their relationship suffer the way it did because of the apples. But Calla was right about everything. When things started to change (and Dan started becoming abusive), Calla was right to begin to think things were wrong. I don’t think she realizes how bad it is until almost the end of the book.

The storyline with Emily and Meg was sad. But I did get annoyed with Emily at various points in the book. She was wallowing in remorse and self-pity until the middle of the book. Yes, she cheated, and her wife did something out of character (moving back to Harrow). But in no way did Emily expect what was going to happen. Her friendship with John was a lifeline.

The storyline with Joanie disturbed me. The amount of hate that she faced was unreal. It was that encounter that snowballed into the tragedy at her house. And the hatred by the cops when they came gave me shivers. But Joanie became a haven for Calla and her friends after everything. Even more so at the end of the book.

The horror angle was written perfectly. The gradual morphing into what happened at the end of the book was fantastic. I can’t get the images of those trees out of my head.

The end of Black River Orchard couldn’t have been written any better. The author ended all the storylines in one swoop. It was honestly shocking how he did it. I also liked the epilogue. But it was the very ending that made me go, hmmmm.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Chuck Wendig for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Black River Orchard. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Black River Orchard, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Chuck Wendig:

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House, Random House

Date of publication: June 13th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Horror, Science Fiction, Adult, Suspense, Fantasy

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Reality and the supernatural collide when an expert puzzle maker is thrust into an ancient mystery—one with explosive consequences for the fate of humanity—in this suspenseful thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Angelology

“This novel has it all and more. In the nimble, talented hands of Trussoni the pages fly.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci

All the world is a puzzle, and Mike Brink—a celebrated and ingenious puzzle constructor—understands its patterns like no one else. Once a promising Midwestern football star, Brink was transformed by a traumatic brain injury that caused a rare medical condition: acquired savant syndrome. The injury left him with a mental superpower—he can solve puzzles in ways ordinary people can’t. But it also left him deeply isolated, unable to fully connect with other people.

Everything changes after Brink meets Jess Price, a woman serving thirty years in prison for murder who hasn’t spoken a word since her arrest five years before. When Price draws a perplexing puzzle, her psychiatrist believes it will explain her crime and calls Brink to solve it. What begins as a desire to crack an alluring cipher quickly morphs into an obsession with Price herself. She soon reveals that there is something more urgent, and more dangerous, behind her silence, thrusting Brink into a hunt for the truth.

The quest takes Brink through a series of interlocking enigmas, but the heart of the mystery is the God Puzzle, a cryptic ancient prayer circle created by the thirteenth-century Jewish mystic Abraham Abulafia. As Brink navigates a maze of clues, and his emotional entanglement with Price becomes more intense, he realizes that there are powerful forces at work that he cannot escape.

Ranging from an upstate New York women’s prison to nineteenth-century Prague to the secret rooms of the Pierpont Morgan Library, The Puzzle Master is a tantalizing, addictive thriller in which humankind, technology, and the future of the universe itself are at stake.

First Line:

By the time you read this, I will have caused much sorrow, and for that I beg your forgiveness.

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The Puzzle Master is a fast-paced book. The main storyline occurs within a week of Mike going to the prison to meet Jess. I liked that it wasn’t so fast that I had to reread the previous chapter. The author did slow down during certain parts of the book so I could digest what happened in the last chapter. There is some lag during the book sections that centers on the doll maker and his trip to Prague. But it wasn’t enough to distract me from the book or my enjoyment.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are trigger warnings in The Puzzle Master. Some of these are graphic, and most are on page. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Suicide (on and off page)—The suicide is not described (very vague), but the suicide note is the first thing you read in the book. There is also an on-page suicide towards the end of the book.
  • Mental Illness (on page)—Jess, who is in prison, is being treated for several mental illnesses.
  • Violence (on page)—There is graphic violence throughout the book.
  • Gun Violence (on page)—Mike is shot at and threatened with a gun throughout the book.
  • Animal Cruelty (on page)—Mike’s service dog, Conundrum (Connie), is put in the trunk of a car and left there. When she is let out, she is almost dead. The person then sets her free and drives away.
  • Body Horror (on page)—During the chapters set in Prague, the Jewish rabbi, and his son were severely injured after the ritual went wrong. That’s all I can say without spoilers.
  • Murder (on and off page)—There are several murders committed throughout the book.
  • Attempted murder (on page)—There is an attempted murder towards the middle of the book.
  • Grief (on and off page)—A man grieves over the death of his beloved daughter. His grief and what he did set the course for this book.
  • Child death (on page)—A semi-graphic child death is discussed in the book.

Sexual Content: I was pretty surprised at this, but there is sexual content in The Puzzle Master.

Language: There is foul language used in The Puzzle Master.

Setting: The Puzzle Master is set in a couple of different places. In the present day, it is set in upstate New York and New York City. In the past, it is set in Prague.

Representation: There is Indian representation (Mike’s mentor is from India, but the author doesn’t say what part). There is Jewish representation (Gaston befriends a Jewish scholar and his family). There is a god who is both male and female.

Tropes: Cursed Items, Humans Can Be Evil, Traumatic Past

Age Range to read The Puzzle Master: 21 and over

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When Mike was in high school, he was a promising football player. But a traumatic brain injury resulting from a brutal hit ended that but opened an unwelcome and unwanted door. The brain injury somehow made Mike a savant–acquired savant syndrome. He could see patterns and puzzles in everything. Not only that, but he developed an eidetic memory. Mike made the most of what he was gifted, using it to solve and create puzzles. So, he is intrigued when a psychiatrist contacts him at a prison. He is even more intrigued after meeting Jess Price, who is in jail for killing her boyfriend. His interest is even more when Jess uses a puzzle to communicate with him. Determined to solve the crime and prove her innocence, Mike soon becomes obsessed with Jess and her case. But there is more to this case than Mike expected, and his poking around puts a target on his back. Will Mike be able to prove Jess’s innocence and set her free? Or will what he learned kill him?

Main Characters

Mike Brink: I liked Mike. I couldn’t imagine living with what happened to him after the brain injury. I felt terrible that he felt that he couldn’t connect with people. In a way, I think that is why he became so focused and obsessed with Jess. He felt an immediate connection with her, and that might have been the first connection he had in years. I hated how he was treated later in the book and what Jameson Sedge tried to force him to do.

Jess Price: She was an enigma. I was on the fence with her until Mike got a hold of her diary entries and met Jameson. I will only get a little into her character because a huge twist happens towards the end (and it involves what Gaston described in his journal).

Jameson Sedge: I felt dirty after reading his character. He had a finger in everything, including monitoring Jess at the prison. He also had a loyal hitman who would do whatever Jameson told him. Again, I am not going much into his character because of spoilers. But he got what he deserved at the end of the book.

Secondary characters: The secondary characters were fantastic in The Puzzle Master. I liked that they added extra depth to the storyline and, in some cases, helped explain what was happening. There were some characters that I liked and others that I wanted to boot from a plane.

My review:

The Puzzle Master was a well-written, well-researched book that kept me glued to the pages. I am not interested in puzzles (of any kind), but I was fascinated by what the author wrote in the book. She used actual anagrams and puzzles throughout the book (including The God Puzzle). When asked to describe this book, I told my husband it was like The DaVinci Code but with puzzles and anagrams.

The Puzzle Master has two storylines. One centers around Mike, Jess, and The God Puzzle. The other storyline centers around Gaston LaMoriette and what happened to him before, during, and after Prague.

The storyline centered on Mike, Jess, and The God Puzzle was well-written and well-researched (as I said in the first paragraph). This storyline has a huge twist that is directly tied to Gaston’s storyline.

The storyline centered on Gaston had some surprises in it. I can’t explain what surprises are because of spoilers. After the author revealed that tidbit of information, a lightbulb went on in my head. And when she tied it to Mike and Jess’s storyline, it became apparent.

The mystery angle of The Puzzle Master was excellent. I was truly kept in the dark about everything until the end of the book. The author had a couple of huge twists that took me by surprise.

The end of The Puzzle Master was almost anti-climactic. The author did wrap up most storylines in a way that I liked. But, there was a huge twist that was surprising and scary at the end of the book. The author set up book two perfectly with that. I also liked the afterward. It explained a lot about what was happening in the book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Random House, Random House, NetGalley, and Danielle Trussoni for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Puzzle Master. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

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

Date of publication: October 10th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction, Chick Lit, New Adult, Adult Fiction

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sparkling adversaries-to-lovers romcom set at a magazine publisher in Manhattan. When Casey and Alex are forced into proximity, they soon realize falling for each other is just as much of a risk and as it is a reward.

Casey Maitland has always preferred the reliability of numbers, despite growing up the daughter of two artistic souls. Now a twenty-four-year-old finance expert working in Manhattan, Casey wonders if the project manager opening at her company – magazine powerhouse LC Publications – is a sign from the universe to pursue a career with a little more sparkle. That is, until she’s passed over for the job in favor of the board chairman’s son.

Alex Harrison is handsome, Harvard-educated, and enigmatic. Everybody loves him – except for Casey. But when the two are thrown on the same project, they both have something to prove. For Casey, it’s getting tapped for a transfer to the London office and fulfilling her dreams of travelling. For Alex, it’s successfully launching a brand that will impress his distant father.

As work meetings turn into after hours, Casey and Alex are drawn to each other again and again, but neither can avoid the messy secrets and corporate intrigue threatening to tear them apart. What they discover about their workplace might change everything – including the dreams each of them is chasing.

First Line:

The meeting invitation appears on my cell phone screen when I’m halfway up the subway staircase.

Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Love Interest is a medium to fast-paced book. While the pacing suited the book, the author could have slowed it down. I had to go back and read some significant parts of the book. There is a lag in Love Interest. The lag didn’t affect how I liked the book.

Trigger/Content Warning: Surprisingly, there are no trigger or content warnings in Love Interest. After reading many books with triggers, it was refreshing to read one that didn’t.

Sexual Content: There are sexual scenes in Love Interest. Seeing that this is a modern-day romance, I wasn’t too surprised that there was. The sex scenes are explicit enough to be hot but didn’t cross the line into TMI.

Language: There is foul language used in Love Interest.

Setting: Love Interest is set entirely in New York City.

Representation: There is queer and BIPOC representation in Love Interest. Casey is white and straight, but she has friends who are BIPOC and queer (which is fantastic). Alex is half Korean and straight. His friends are Casey’s friends.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Workplace Romance

Age Range to read Love Interest: 21 and over

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Casey is a financial advisor for a magazine who wonders if she can insert a little pizzazz into her life. So, when a position for project manager becomes available in her company, she applies. Casey is mad when she is passed over for the job for the chairman’s son, Alex. She is furious when assigned to the project that Alex is heading. But her fury wanes as she gets to know Alex, and she starts to catch glimpses of the real him. A friendship evolves that soon turns into a not-so-hidden workplace romance. But, as rumors swirl about the fate of the magazine and the project Casey is on becomes Alex’s chance to show his father what he can do, can their romance survive?

Main Characters

Casey Maitland: I will be the odd one out here, but I didn’t initially like Casey. Her attitude towards Alex was awful. Yes, I get that it was fueled by disappointment and anger, but it made her seem like a teenager instead of the adult she was. But, by the middle of the book (when she and Alex started dating), I liked her. This was an infrequent case of a character redeeming herself. She became a supportive girlfriend who wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was. But she also kept her sense of self. She had plans, and those plans were going to happen, if Alex was in her life or not.

Alex Harrison: I initially liked him, but he had Daddy issues. His sense of self was wrapped up in getting approval from a distant and cold father. But I liked that he didn’t use nepotism to get the job at the magazine (but I am sure that’s what got him the job if it makes sense). I liked how he handled Casey at the beginning of the book. But he did change a little towards the middle of the book. He had stated at the beginning of the book (shortly before Casey and he started hooking up) that he didn’t believe or want relationships because he didn’t want to be tethered. Yet, by the middle of the book, he was only with Casey. I liked that the author did have Alex come to terms with his father by himself.

Secondary characters: I know this paragraph is the same in every review, but in this case, the secondary characters did make the book. Each character added extra depth, nuance, and flair to the storyline. If the book weren’t about Alex and Casey, I would have been happy to read about the secondary characters. That is how much oomph they brought to this book.

My review:

Love Interest was an interesting and good read. I got involved with the main characters and was rooting for them to overcome their obstacles. I also loved the secondary characters and the vibrance they brought to the book.

The main storyline of Love Interest focuses on Casey and Alex as they navigate their romance and project together. I liked that the author made this storyline relatable and believable. I wanted them both to succeed at what they were doing and their romance. I was caught up in this storyline and was very happy with the ending and the epilogue.

I liked the romance angle of Love Interest. I liked that Casey and Alex’s romance happened organically (as organic as a romance novel can get). It wasn’t Instalove by a long shot.

The end of Love Interest was sweet. I loved how the author ended all the storylines and tied them into Casey and Alex’s storyline. I also loved the epilogue. After reading that, I went to sleep with a massive smile.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Clare Gilmore for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Love Interest. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Love Interest, then you will enjoy these books:

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: September 26th, 2023

Genre: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Women’s Fiction, Adult, Contemporary Romance

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

From Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of The Homewreckers and The Santa Suit, comes a novella celebrating love and the warm, glittering charm of the holiday season.

When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for the wilds of New York City to help her gruff older brother & his dog, Queenie, sell the trees at the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time, Kerry’s ready to try to carve out a new corner for herself.

In the weeks leading into Christmas, Kerry quickly becomes close with the charming neighbors who live near their stand. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, Kerry will need to combine her country know-how with her newly acquired New York knowledge to protect the new friends she’s come to think of as family,

And complicating everything is Patrick, a single dad raising his adorable, dragon-loving son Austin on this quirky block. Kerry and Patrick’s chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?

Filled with family ties, both rekindled and new, and sparkling with Christmas magic, Bright Lights, Big Christmas delivers everything Mary Kay Andrews fans adore, all tied up in a hilarious, romantic gem of a novel.

First Line:

Kerry Clare Tolliver couldn’t remember a time when the smell of a Fraser fir tree didn’t make her smile.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

Important things you need to know about the book:

Bright Lights, Big City was a fast-paced book. It took me over two days to finish reading. The author could have slowed the book’s pacing down a little, but considering that it takes place from Thanksgiving to Christmas, the pacing suited it. There was some lag toward the book’s latter half (during the search for Heinz), but it didn’t affect my enjoyment.

There are trigger warnings in Bright Lights, Big Christmas. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Bullying (on page: Kerry and Murphy experience bullying from their competition)
  • Cheating (off-page: Kerry reveals her parents divorced because of her father’s cheating)
  • Death (off-page: Heinz’s boyfriend died three years into their relationship from a brain aneurysm)
  • Depression (off and somewhat on page: Heniz suffered from a deep depression for years over George’s(his boyfriend) death)
  • Divorce (off-page: Kerry’s parents are divorced)
  • Homophobia (off-page: Heinz reveals that his parents disowned him because he is gay)
  • Theft (on page: The competing tree stand steals Murphy’s cart that he uses to deliver Christmas trees)
  • Illness (on page: Heinz is severely ill with the flu)
  • Violence: (off-page: Murphy settles a dispute with the competition that results in bloody knuckles)

Sexual Content: There is no explicit sexual content in Bright Lights, Big Christmas. There are a couple of kissing scenes and one scene where I think Kerry and Patrick hooked up (not sure).

Language: There is some mild language in Bright Lights, Big Christmas.

Setting: Bright Lights, Big Christmas is set mainly in Greenwich Village, New York City. There is a chapter where the book is set in Tarburton, North Carolina.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When Kerry Tolliver’s larger-than-life father, Jock, suffers a heart attack and has surgery afterward, she volunteers to go to New York City to sell Christmas trees in his place. Since losing her job, Kerry has been floating along, and she figures that New York City is perfect to reinvent herself. At first, New York City is everything that Kerry thought it would be. But, with competition set up a block away and the stand losing business, Kerry needs to focus on how to get those trees to sell. What Kerry wasn’t expecting was her attraction to Patrick, a single dad living in the brownstone the stand is in front of, and her growing affection for the residents of the street. Is Kerry and Patrick’s romance just a holiday romance? Or will they be able to make it work? What about the elderly neighbor? Will they be able to find him?

Main Characters

Kerry Tolliver: I had mixed feelings about her character. She both annoyed me and made me laugh. I know it’s a weird combination, but that’s how I feel. Kerry wasn’t the best employee (she left the stand with people she didn’t know a few times) and was kind of rude to people. But, she had a great heart. She cared about the people she met, even after knowing them for weeks. Her attraction to Patrick was a given from the first moment they met. I was looking forward to them having an enemy-to-lover type relationship, but it flipped soon after.

Patrick McCaleb: I liked him, but I did wonder if he had some complex when it came to women. His ex was difficult (and that is saying it mildly), and Kerry was a little immature for him. But he was a great guy and a great father to Austin. He also supported Kerry regarding her choices (at the end of the book).

Secondary characters: The secondary characters made this book. They added extra flavor and depth to the plotline. My favorite secondary characters were Heinz, Austin, Murphy, and Claudia.

My review:

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was a good, sweet read. The plotline was simple, and I didn’t need a diagram to understand what was happening. I didn’t need to reread chapters or pay much attention to the characters’ backstories. It was a good, clean read that made me happy and sad.

The main storyline centers around Kerry and her time in New York City. I liked the author’s version of New York City (no rude people, kind neighbors, or police that understood agreements) but found it slightly unrealistic. But that unrealistic part made this book so good to read. I liked seeing Kerry interacting with the brownstone tenants and her brother. I also loved reading about her blooming relationship with Patrick (and Austin by default). My only quibble is that their romance was Instalove and what I said above about New York City.

The other storyline centers around Kerry, Patrick, Austin, and Heinz. This storyline was a sweet storyline that made me tear up a little bit. I also got very aggravated with Austin’s mother for her assumptions, but no harm was done at the end of the day. Heinz’s backstory, almost at the end of the book, was heartbreaking. I also loved what he offered Kerry.

As much as I dislike Instalove, I did like Kerry and Patrick’s romance. It was cute, and I liked how the author did try to let it grow organically at first. The romance felt forced by the end of the book, but I chalked that up to what was going on and Kerry’s decision.

I saw the end of Bright Lights, Big Christmas coming since the middle of the book. I liked that the author wrapped everything up the way she did. But I did have questions about Murphy and Claudia. I hope the author writes their story next.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Mary Kay Andrews for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Bright Lights, Big Christmas. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Bright Lights, Big Christmas, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Mary Kay Andrews

Last Word to the Wise (Christie Bookshop: Book 2) by Ann Claire

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: October 3rd, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Adult, Family, Books about Books

Series: Christie Bookshop

Dead and Gondola—Book 1 (review here)

Last Word to the Wise—Book 2

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Christie sisters and their bookshop cat, Agatha, flirt with cold-hearted crime when bookish matchmaking turns into a date with death.

Sisters Ellie and Meg Christie share a love of books, reading, and their new roles as co-caretakers of the Book Chalet, their family’s historic bookshop tucked midway up a scenic Colorado mountain. But romance? That’s another story. Ellie and Meg joke they’re in sisterly competition for worst relationships. So, when their cousin signs them up for her newest business endeavor, matchmaking based on bookish tastes, the sisters approach their blind double dates with foot-dragging dread.

While Ellie’s date meets her low expectations, Meg’s match, a book-loving romantic straight out of classic literature, charms her over a lovely dinner. The next morning, Meg is giddy with anticipation of a second date—until she’s stood up without a word. She fumes that she should have known better. However, her date had a good reason for ghosting her. He’s dead. Murdered, the police later confirm.

As the last known person to see the victim alive, Meg becomes a prime suspect in his death. She grimly quips that at least her dating record can’t get any worse. But it does. A thorn from Meg’s romantic past returns to little Last Word, espousing motives too sweet to believe.

To sleuth out the truth, the sisters must sift through secrets deeper than the February snowfall. Clues accumulate, but so do suspects, crimes, and betrayals. Ellie and Meg can’t afford to leave any page unturned. Romance may not be their forte, but hearts and lives are on the line, and the Christies know how to solve a mystery—especially when murder is involved.

First Line:

Never had I so dreaded a trip to the library.

Last Word to the Wise by Ann Claire

Things you need to know before reading the review:

Last Word to the Wise is the second book in the Christie Bookshop series. Last Word to the Wise can be read as a stand-alone book. But I suggest reading the previous book to understand the characters and their backstories.

Last Word to the Wise is a medium to fast-paced book. The pacing of the book suited it. The author was able to speed up and slow down the plotline without losing my attention or creating too much lag. There was some lag towards the middle of the book. But, it wasn’t enough to distract me or make me lose any enjoyment in reading the book.

There are no trigger warnings in Last Word to the Wise.

Sexual Content: There is no on-page sexual content in Last Word to the Wise.

Language:  There is no graphic or offensive language in Last Word to the Wise.

Setting: Last Word to the Wise occurs entirely in the fictional city of Last Word, Colorado.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Ellie and Meg Christie are doing great as co-caretakers of their family’s bookstore in Last Word, Colorado. But, in the romance department, they could be doing better. Ellie hasn’t been in a relationship since before she moved back to Last Word, and Meg, well, she hasn’t been in one since she was stood up at the altar by her daughter’s father fourteen years previously. So, they reluctantly agree when their cousin asks them to test the water of her new business, matching people together due to their reading habits and tastes.

For Ellie, her date was a disaster, but she had been expecting that. But Meg, on the other hand, her date was excellent and a perfect match. But, when her date doesn’t show up for brunch like he promised, Meg figures he either forgot or ditched her. Well, as it turns out, it was neither. Her date had been murdered. Since Meg was the last person to see him alive, she is the prime suspect.

Determined to prove her sister’s innocence, Ellie digs into the victim’s background. What she uncovers shocks her and gives her a list of scorned lovers. Can Ellie prove her sister’s innocence? Can she figure out not only who killed the victim but why?

Main Characters:

Ellie Christie: I liked Ellie and how she supported Meg, even when all the evidence was pointing to her. Ellie was the main person who chased down leads. She was a great sister, aunt, and granddaughter. Ellie is also the main person who puts everything together (well, with the help of her cat at the end of the book). She did bumble through most of the investigation, but she also made some surprising connections between Joe’s murder and other townspeople.

Meg Christie: I like Meg. But man, did she have it coming from all sides. First, with Joe’s murder, then being told she was a prime suspect, and her ex (her daughter’s father) showed up. I was shocked that she didn’t have a breakdown. I also felt terrible that the first date she went on in years ended like it did.

Joe Darcy: While Joe was only alive for the first chapter or so of the book, his murder had a vast (and negative) impact on the Christie sisters’ lives. He was not a good guy. That’s all I can say about him without giving away major spoilers.

Secondary Characters: As with other books, the secondary characters supported and enriched the storyline. The characters that stood out the most to me were Lorna, Dr. Waldon, Rosie, Gram, Detective Sam Iberra, Sheriff Sunny, and Cameron.

Review

I enjoyed reading Last Word to the Wise. I enjoy reading cozy mysteries and have been drawn to them in the past year. There is something about reading a book about a closed-room mystery and figuring out who did it and why. And Last Word to the Wise pushed those buttons for me.

The main storyline is centered around Meg, Ellie, Joe Darcy’s murder, the police investigation, and Ellie’s investigation/quest to clear her sister’s name. It was well-written and easy to track, even when Ellie’s investigation went haywire. I was very surprised by who the murderer was, but I wasn’t surprised once I read that person’s confession. I was a little sad, to be honest.

The mystery angle was well-written and kept me on my toes while reading it. I went to the end of the book thinking it was one person and was surprised when it was another. It is challenging to get one over on me, mysterywise, and Last Word to the Wise did that. As I said above, I was surprised and then sad by who the murderer ended up being.

The end of Last Word to the Wise was interesting. The author wrapped up the main storyline in a way that I liked. She also left enough there for me to hope for another book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Ann Claire for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Last Word to the Wise. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to A Traitor in Whitehall, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Ann Claire:

The Intern by Michele Campbell

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: October 3rd, 2023

Genre: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Adult, Legal Thriller, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Crime

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case.

When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s quest for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her?

As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?

First Line:

She loved the way her professor moved.

The Intern by Michele Campbell

Important things you need to know about the book:

The Intern is a fast-paced book that burns through the storyline. For the most part, the storyline keeps up with the author’s fast dialogue and pacing. But, it does get a bit choppy (not laggy, choppy) in the middle of the book (during Kathryn’s storyline, when her co-worker gets blown up). The choppiness didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book, but it did distract me from what was happening.

The Intern is told from a dual point of view: Madison in the present day and Kathryn in the past. When the author switches, she clearly states who it is and, in most cases, where that person is. I did not have an issue following the storyline back and forth.

There are trigger warnings in The Intern. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Violence: This book has a lot of violence, both on and off the page.
  • Gore: Again, the gore is both on and off the page.
  • Abusive Relationship: I did go back and forth when deciding to put this as a warning. But Kathryn is in an abusive relationship with her half-brother and his mother. It goes back years (to when she was 12 years old). The abuse is primarily verbal and psychological, but there are instances of physical abuse.
  • Assault: In prison, Madison’s brother, Danny, is assaulted. There are attempts of assault on Madison throughout the book.
  • Cancer: Kathryn’s mother had leukemia in the past and present of The Intern.
  • Death: There is a lot of death in The Intern. The deaths range from accidents to murder.
  • Gun Violence: There is gun violence throughout the book, both on and off the page.
  • Police Brutality/Corruption: This is a massive theme throughout The Intern. Almost every police officer/correctional officer, except a couple, is in cahoots with Charlie.

Sexual Content: There are some light kissing scenes, mainly between Kathryn and her deceased husband. There are implications of Kathryn’s mother sleeping with Eddie at the beginning of the book.

Language: There is explicit language.

Setting: The Intern is set in Boston and the surrounding suburbs (northeast and south). Some scenes are set in Washington, D.C., New York, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The author didn’t give a ton of detail about Boston or any of the other states. However, the author provided enough for me to agree that the author did her research.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

A Harvard student, Madison is thrilled to be in a class taught by her idol, Judge Kathryn Conroy. She is even more delighted when the judge offers her an internship in her chambers. But Madison’s joy turns to disbelief when her brother, arrested on drug charges, tells her that Kathryn is dirty. Then, he goes missing. So, it is up to Madison to find out where he is and if Kathryn is dirty. But Kathryn has her secrets. With Madison wary and looking for answers and Kathryn needing to protect hers, there will be a showdown, and someone will get hurt. When the dust settles, who will be left standing?

Main Characters:

Madison Rivera: I liked her, even if I did find her slightly annoying. She had to work hard to get to where she was. But, once her brother dropped his bombshell, Madison immediately acted. She was determined to help him and find him when he disappeared. Her determination, her wanting to network, and (if I’m going, to be honest) her being nosey were a massive part of why Madison ended up embroiled in Kathryn’s issues. There was a point in the book where I wondered if she would become expendable, but that was put to rest by the end. I am glad that her storyline ended the way it did.

Judge Kathryn Conroy: I am not going to mince words here. She had a crap life up to the age of twelve. Her mother was self-absorbed and an awful mother. Her father treated Kathryn like a dirty secret. Uncle Ray skeeved me out. The worst thing that could have happened to her was her mother getting sick and her going to live with Eddie. Kathryn was set up from that age on to become a part of a vast criminal network, and no matter how many times she tried to get out, they found ways to pull her back in. I didn’t judge her for doing what she did after her husband’s death. I would have done the same thing if I were in her shoes. I was just surprised she kept it a secret from Ray for a long time. I also would have struck the same deal that she did with Madison.

My review:

The Intern was a well-written thriller that kept me glued to the book. I didn’t know where the plotline would take me from one page to another. When I finished the book, I felt like I should double-check the locks on my doors. I was that unnerved.

The mystery/thriller angle was terrific. As I said, I didn’t know what I was getting from one page to another. There were some interesting and surprising twists thrown in throughout the book. But the one that surprised me was what happened with Ray at the end of the book. I was expecting something else.

The end of The Intern was typical. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines. I had no issues believing the end of Madison’s storyline. The end to Kathryn’s was a little more unbelievable, but it didn’t matter. I enjoyed it.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Michele Campbell for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Intern. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Michele Campbell:

Tantalus Depths by Evan Graham

Publisher: Inkshares

Date of publication: September 27th, 2022

Genre: Science Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Thriller, Space, Adult, Artificial Intelligence, Science Fiction Fantasy

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mary Ketch signed on to the Tantalus 13 deep space survey mission to get some time and distance from her problems at home. It was supposed to be a simple piloting job to help an artificially intelligent, self-constructing factory called SCARAB lay the foundations of a mining colony on a barren rock.

But when the barren rock turns out to be a solid sphere of pure platinum, the astronauts realize they’ve made the greatest discovery in human Tantalus 13 is not a planet at all, but an ancient artificial construct of unknown origin and purpose.

As the crew begin to meet gruesome and fatal “accidents,” their sense of achievement dwindles and Mary suspects the guilty party may be the increasingly deranged SCARAB. But SCARAB may not be acting alone, and Tantalus has only begun to reveal the dark secrets that lie in its depths…

First Line:

We live in a dead universe.

Tantalus Depths by Evan Graham

Important things you need to know about the book:

Tantalus Depths starts slow and gradually increases the speed to medium fast. I am not a fan of books that start slow. But, in this case, it is needed. The author explains the backstory (about the AI rebellion), the voyage, and the main characters’ backgrounds. There is some lag towards the middle (mainly when they were exploring the drill site), but it didn’t affect how I liked the book.

There are content/trigger warnings in Tantalus Depths. They are:

Mental Health: Ramanathan (the ship’s doctor) suffers from severe depression throughout the book (it is explained why and Mary does try to help him). Mary suffered from depression before the trip (SCARAB uses that against her) and started spiraling in the middle of the book.

Violence/Gore: The violence doesn’t start until Becky gets hurt in the artifact. Then, it goes from nothing to graphic within a chapter. There are explicit scenes of gore, too.

Language: There is mild to moderate language in Tantalus Depths.

These are the main triggers in Tantalus Depths. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler free as I can get):

Mary Ketch is the piolet of The Diamelen. She is heading to an asteroid, Tantalus 13, with her six shipmates on a surveying mission. Sent ahead is SCARAB, a self-building AI whose job is to help build the buildings and biodomes that will house the mining company. But, once Mary arrives on Tantalus, she starts to notice that things are off with SCARAB. But accidents happen when her crew makes a fantastic find (one that could have a ripple effect across humanity). These accidents make Mary think SCARAB has circumvented its programming and gone rogue. But, the truth is even more frightening, and it soon becomes a race against the AI and time to get off the planet. What is happening? Will Mary and her crew make it off?

Main Characters

Mary Ketch: I liked Mary and wondered if she was overthinking things with SCARAB. I like that the author wrote her that way, unreliable. That made what happened after Becky’s accident much more horrifying and sad.

SCARAB: When SCARAB was introduced in the book, I did get a slight feeling of dread. My internal voice immediately had SCARAB speaking like Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey. But, once I got into reading the character, I realized that SCARAB was nothing like Hal. Instead, SCARAB was more dangerous than Hal. It had found a way to circumnavigate the two laws that bound it, and when that happened, chaos started.

My review

Tantalus Depths is a well-written science fiction novel that kept my attention from page one. Science fiction isn’t my usual go-to genre, so I took a chance agreeing to read and review this book.

The science fiction angle of the book was well written. I loved that the author chose to have a forward explanation about The Corsica Event and how it affected human/AI relationships. The author described flying in space, mining, the three alien species shown in the gallery, and SCARAB’s descent into madness. It enthralled me and made me want more.

My only complaint with the book is that I wish there were a glossary explaining the different colonies/races/equipment/terms used. It would have helped me a lot with some of the terms used.

The end of Tantalus Depths had me on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for Mary and company to get off Tantalus 13 and away from SCARAB. I left the book wondering if the escape was an escape or if something else was carried aboard the ship.

Many thanks to Evan Graham for allowing me to read and review Tanalus Depths. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Tantalus Depths, then you will enjoy these:

Other books by Evan Graham:

The Golden Gate by Amy Chua

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of Publication: September 19th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Historical, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Adult, World War II, Historical Mystery

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amy Chua’s debut novel, The Golden Gate, is a sweeping, evocative, and compelling historical thriller that paints a vibrant portrait of a California buffeted by the turbulent crosswinds of a world at war and a society about to undergo massive change.

In Berkeley, California, in 1944, Homicide Detective Al Sullivan has just left the swanky Claremont Hotel after a drink in the bar when a presidential candidate is assassinated in one of the rooms upstairs. A rich industrialist with enemies among the anarchist factions on the far left, Walter Wilkinson could have been targeted by any number of groups. But strangely, Sullivan’s investigation brings up the specter of another tragedy at the Claremont, ten years the death of seven-year-old Iris Stafford, a member of the Bainbridge family, one of the wealthiest in all of San Francisco. Some say she haunts the Claremont still.

The many threads of the case keep leading Sullivan back to the three remaining Bainbridge heiresses, now Iris’s sister, Isabella, and her cousins Cassie and Nicole. Determined not to let anything distract him from the truth―not the powerful influence of Bainbridges’ grandmother, or the political aspirations of Berkeley’s district attorney, or the interest of China’s First Lady Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in his findings―Sullivan follows his investigation to its devastating conclusion.

Chua’s page-turning debut brings to life a historical era rife with turbulent social forces and groundbreaking forensic advances, when race and class defined the very essence of power, sex, and justice, and introduces a fascinating character in Detective Sullivan, a mixed race former Army officer who is still reckoning with his own history.

First Line:

Inside an alabaster palace one January afternoon in 1930, a six year old girl hiding inside a closed armoire felt truly alone for the first time in her life.

The Golden Gate by Amy Chua

Detective Al Sullivan is at the elegant and luxurious Claremont Hotel when one of the staff informs him that one of the guests, a former presidential candidate, Walter Wilkinson, has been the target of an assassination attempt. Moving his room and posting police outside, Al heads home, only to be called back because Wilkinson has been killed. While investigating that murder, Al finds links to another death ten years earlier—Iris Stafford, the granddaughter of the hotel owner. He also finds ties to a local Communist party and an underground railroad hiding Japanese citizens from internment. How does everything fit together? Who killed Walter and why? The answers he uncovers could send a ripple effect across Berkely.

Before I get into the review, I want to let you know there are trigger warnings. They are racism (explicit and on page), bigotry (explicit and on page), poverty (explicit and on page), mental illness (on and off page), and child abandonment (on page).

I love reading good historical fiction. I also like reading mysteries and books in the World War 2 era. So, when St. Martin’s Press sent me the widget, I decided to download the book after I read the blurb. I was curious how the author would meld everything together and keep my attention.

There are two storylines that The Golden Gate is centered around. I liked how the author intertwined these storylines. She did so gradually by letting hints about Iris’s death appear in the investigation of Walter’s murder. By the end of the book, both storylines are entangled together.

The storyline centering around Iris and her death was heartbreaking. From flashbacks to the written testimony of Mrs. Bainbridge, you get to see how Iris’s life was up to her death. The author also showed how Iris’s death affected everyone around her. But the author did something clever. She held off telling exactly how Iris died until the end of the book. And you know, even then, I doubted whether her death was an accident or not. The confession at the end of the book, tied to Walter’s murder, didn’t sit right with me.

The storyline centering around Al and his investigation into Walter’s murder was a ride. The twisty plotline made me guess who could have killed him. Every so often, I forget that this book was set in 1944, so when Al just entered a house to get information or threatened a Hispanic worker with deportation and taking her kids, I was shocked. But, it did go right with how things were in that era. I did like that Al wouldn’t let go of this case and kept looking for a motive. As I mentioned above, this was a very twisty plotline, and the author didn’t give up the murderer until the very end of the book.

I liked Al and felt terrible that he had to hide the fact that he was mixed race (Mexican and white). But, in that era, you couldn’t get ahead in life if you were anything but lily-white. So, he did what he thought was right. That meant changing his last name to his mother’s maiden name and passing himself as white. What I also liked about Al is that he is flawed. He said and did things in the book that he regretted later on (the scene where he told Miriam he wasn’t her father broke my heart). He was also a good detective and determined to solve Walter’s murder and Iris’s death. By the end of the book, I felt that Al had matured. He was steps closer to accepting who he was. He also did something that I didn’t see coming.

The secondary characters truly made this book pop. From accurate historical figures (and the author has a very cool connection to one of them) to fiction, they added depth to this book.

The historical fiction angle was terrific. You could tell that the author did her research. I could picture myself standing among these people and not having an issue believing what she wrote.

The mystery angle was just as good as the historical fiction angle. The author did something that happens next to never: she stumped me on Iris’s death and Walter’s murder. Not only was it not who I thought it was, but it ended up being the last person I would have expected. I loved it. I was a little disappointed that Walter’s murderer wouldn’t face justice.

The end of The Golden Gate was terrific. The author brought together Iris’s death and Walter’s murder (see what I wrote above). I liked how she ended it with something very positive. But how she ended made me wonder if another book might be written in this universe. If so, I would love to read it. Also, the afterword was wonderful and detailed all the research she put into the book.

I would recommend The Golden Gate to anyone over 16. There is language, violence, and very mild sexual situations. Also see my trigger warnings above.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Amy Chua for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Golden Gate. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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Dreambound by Dan Frey

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: September 12th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Adult, Science Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this thrilling contemporary fantasy novel, a father must uncover the secret magical underbelly of Los Angeles to find his daughter, who has seemingly disappeared into the fictional universe of her favorite fantasy series.

When Byron Kidd’s twelve-year-old daughter vanishes, the only clue left behind is a note claiming she’s taken off to explore the Hidden World, a magical land from a series of popular novels. She is not the only child to seek out this imaginary realm in recent years, and Byron—a cynical and hard-nosed reporter—is determined to discover the whereabouts of dozens of missing kids.

Byron secures a high-profile interview with Annabelle Tobin, the eccentric author of the books, and heads off to her palatial home in the Hollywood Hills. But the truth Byron discovers is more fantastical than he ever could have dreamed.

As he uncovers locations from the books that seem to be bleeding into the real world, he must shed his doubts and dive headfirst into the mystical secrets of Los Angeles if he ever hopes to reunite with his child. Soon Byron finds himself on his own epic journey—but if he’s not careful, he could be the next one to disappear…

Told through journal entries, transcripts, emails, and excerpts from Tobin’s novels, Dreambound is a spellbinding homage to Los Angeles and an immersive

First Line:

Dear Mom and Dad, If you’re reading this, I’ve already left.

Dreambound by Dan Frey

Byron Kidd’s world was turned upside down when his twelve-year-old daughter, Liza, disappeared. But he soon has hope. Then, an Instagram picture of his daughter in Los Angeles surfaces. Using his investigative journalist skills, Byron heads to Los Angeles to find his daughter. When it becomes apparent that the fantasy series his daughter loved has roots in reality, Byron must discard everything he knew about the world to save his daughter. Can he find Liza? Or will he disappear like his daughter?

I was not prepared for how much I enjoyed reading this book. I had seen it on the Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine’s NetGalley page, read the blurb, thought it was exciting, and wished for it. When I got the email that the wish was granted, I was happy but not overly so. Then I read the book, and I was hooked.

Dreambound isn’t written in your standard novel format. The author chose to write it differently. He used interviews, journal entries, text messages, emails, excerpts from Annabelle Tobin’s books (it is a series), and excerpts from a folktale book to tell the story. At first, I admit, I was a little iffy about it. I had read several books in this format (mainly journal entries) and wasn’t impressed with them. But the author made it work and did it in a way that kept me glued to the book.

The main storyline of Dreambound centers around Liza, her disappearance, and Byron’s search for her. It is a fast-paced storyline that has a ton of twists and turns to it. It is also well-written, and I loved the lore the author created.

I didn’t like Byron at first. I sympathized with him, but he was such a dick during the book’s first half (and well into the second). His ego was enormous, and his drinking was out of control. But, even though I didn’t like him, his love for his daughter showed through. He was willing to do whatever it took (faking emails from a publisher/breaking and entering) to find Liza. By the end of the book, my dislike of him did lift a little, but it never went away.

Liza broke my heart because I could see myself (at twelve) in her. She was awkward, loved reading, and loved anything fantasy. Liza used fantasy to cope with her father’s drinking and her parents fighting. So, it wasn’t a stretch for me to believe she could have been groomed by someone she met online and lured to Los Angeles.

The fantasy angle of Dreambound was fantastic. I couldn’t get enough of it. The author used a lot of folklore/myths to create the Hidden World and explain some of what was going on in the real world.

The end of Dreambound seemed almost fever-dreamish. What happened to Byron and what he did was nothing short of heroic for the Hidden World and Earth. I liked that the author had Byron’s story turn out the way it did. After everything that he went through and did, it made sense for what happened. The book section (where Annabelle reads the first chapter of her new book) of the ending was trippy, too. And lastly, what Liza did at the end made me wonder if there will be a book two or another book in this universe.

I would recommend Dreambound for anyone over 16. There is no sex or sexual situations. But there is language and violence.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Dan Frey for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Dreambound. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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Other books by Dan Frey