Book Review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: Ally Carter
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:
She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.
He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.
She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

IT’S A VIBE.

I liked this one! I don’t think it had the same break-out five star feel AC’s previous book did but I had a hoot listening to this one. I loved the winter and holiday vibes and even though I haven’t seen Knives Out, I understood the assignment. There was also a Clue-esque feel to it that I liked too.

And I am a sucker for a dual POV romance with some very specific types of reveals and this one had those (!!!). I swooned so hard and I loved the hate to love dynamic between Maggie and Wyatt.

It’s a quick read and I felt like it fit the holiday atmosphere well. The mystery came together in the end well and I look forward to more books by this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Mystery Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: How to Lose a Guy Before Christmas by A.J. Pine

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 5 hrs 24 mins
Author: AJ Pine
Publisher: Audible Originals
Release Date: November 16th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A steamy, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about mistakes we make and the chances we take on the road to love.

After a snowstorm grounds her flight, Lucy makes a last-ditch effort to get home for Christmas using a rideshare app. She thinks she’ll be taking a road trip with a stranger…but the guy who shows up is someone she knows all too well. He’s the hookup she ghosted a few months ago, and now she’ll be stuck in a car with him for the most awkward road trip of her life.

Making matters worse, he’s even more gorgeous than she remembers—too bad things between them are frostier than the North Pole. Will the long ride home allow them to get to know each other in surprising new ways? And more importantly, will the season warm things up and send sparks flying yet again? Whatever happens, one thing is clear: It’s going to take a whole lot of Christmas magic to unlock their guarded hearts.

IT WAS CUTE.

This was a cute and fast read from Audible. Picked it up on a whim and it’s a good holiday listen. A small town full of odd eccentricities and Christmas cheer.

I liked the second chance vibes and that there was some good communication (though the third act kind of took away from that). I don’t have any intense feelings about this, just a good and simple read.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2-3 open
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: A Song of Shadow and Starlight (Shadow and Starlight #1) by Morgan Gauthier

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 334 pages
Author: Morgan Gauthier
Publisher: Midnight Tide Publishing
Release Date: August 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ilaria Shaye Kitarni is the sole heir to the Midorian Throne, but she will never be permitted to rule.

On the eve of her wedding to her childhood best friend, she unwittingly thwarts an assassination attempt, and is kidnapped by the Tronovians, the sworn enemy of the Midorians.

Determined to escape her captors, she burns their boat and swims to the shores of the Jungle Kingdom of Bava. But instead of getting away, she thrusts herself, and the three magic-wielding brothers who captured her, into perils she’s only ever read about in books.

During the long trek through Bava, she discovers hidden truths not only about the people she loves most, but about herself as well.

Never trust a Tronovian. That has been beaten into Shaye’s head for as long as she can remember, but could it be, the only people she can trust are her enemies?

A Song of Shadow and Starlight is the first book in a NA Fantasy Romance and Adventure series, perfect for fans of Avatar the Last Airbender, ACOTAR (Steamy vibes without Explicit Spice), and Dungeons and Dragons!

NOT QUITE RIGHT.

This started off well, but unfortunately went downhill for me in the end.

My biggest issue involved the writing style. The EASE of the writing was great, there was a fast quality to it and I felt like the pages were flying by. But there was a lot of modern dialogue/lingo + modern amenities that didn’t fit into the world that had been constructed. It took me out of the book over and over again. If this had been an urban fantasy (or at least those vibes) I think things would have made a lot more sense.

The romance is FAST. Shaye flips a switch so fast I got whiplash. From being “upset” with her kidnappers to “being one of them” in like 3 days. WHAT. There’s some good found family pieces slipped in, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the rest. This is NOTTTT enemies to lovers.

I don’t really have plans to pick up the second book. Not worth the time.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: low innuendo; kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of life, murder, blood/gore depiction

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Book Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fiction
Length: 560 pages
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: October 18th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“Anyone will tell you the born of this world are marked from the get-out, win or lose.”

Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.

Many generations ago, Charles Dickens wrote David Copperfield from his experience as a survivor of institutional poverty and its damages to children in his society. Those problems have yet to be solved in ours. Dickens is not a prerequisite for readers of this novel, but he provided its inspiration. In transposing a Victorian epic novel to the contemporary American South, Barbara Kingsolver enlists Dickens’ anger and compassion, and above all, his faith in the transformative powers of a good story. Demon Copperhead speaks for a new generation of lost boys, and all those born into beautiful, cursed places they can’t imagine leaving behind.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the gifted book.

WHAT A JOURNEY.

The Poisonwood Bible was one of the only books I enjoyed in high school and I thought it was about time I picked up another Kingsolver book. It did not disappoint. While not my usual genre, or preference (hello yes I love romance books), I love when I find something outside those circles that I love. This was that book.

I’m not sure I even have the right words to put into a review besides saying, read it. These kinds of stories are important and hard and one that is worth the thoughts it will bring. The moments that will be unforgettable and how much havoc can be reaped in one’s life.

The audiobook was amazing. I found the narrator easy to listen to juxtaposed to the story that I had a hard time listening to, but also could not put down. I read this much quicker than I expected because I had to know where Demon’s story wound take him. There’s many, many complex characters and the book is just made to be felt.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fiction
  • Language: moderate-high; throughout
  • Romance: a few open door scenes
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings (there are a lot and I might miss some so please look up more lists if you are concerned): drug abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, foster abuse, physical abuse, racism, child hunger and poverty

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