Tag: mystery books

ARC Book Review: Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice (Finlay Donovan #4) by Elle Cosimano

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Mystery
Length: 320 pages
Author: Elle Cosimano
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero are in sore need of a girls’ weekend away. They plan a trip to Atlantic City, but odds are―seeing as it’s actually a cover story to negotiate a deal with a dangerous loan shark, save Vero’s childhood crush Javi, and hunt down a stolen car―it won’t be all fun and games. When Finlay’s ex-husband Steven and her mother insist on tagging along too, Finlay and Vero suddenly have a few too many meddlesome passengers along for the ride.

Within hours of arriving in their seedy casino hotel, it becomes clear their rescue mission is going to be a bust. Javi’s kidnapper, Marco, refuses to negotiate, demanding payment in full in exchange for Javi’s life. But that’s not all―he insists on knowing the whereabouts of his missing nephew, Ike, who mysteriously disappeared. Unable to confess what really happened to Ike, Finlay and Vero are forced to come up with a new plan: sleuth out the location of Javi and the Aston Martin, then steal them both back.

But when they sneak into the loan shark’s suite to search for clues, they find more than they bargained for―Marco’s already dead. They don’t have a clue who murdered him, only that they themselves have a very convincing motive. Then four members of the police department unexpectedly show up in town, also looking for Ike―and after Finlay’s night with hot cop Nick at the police academy, he’s a little too eager to keep her close to his side.

If Finlay can juggle a jealous ex-husband, two precocious kids, her mother’s marital issues, a decomposing loan shark, and find Vero’s missing boyfriend, she might get out of Atlantic City in one piece. But will she fold under the pressure and come clean about the things she’s done, or be forced to double down?

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

IT WAS GOOD.

That’s how I generally feel every time I finish a Finlay book. Yes, I had a good time, but it’s also still missing something. Maybe better romantic development? I think I’m still getting hung up on the deliberate lying.

But this was fun. I liked the change of location and the way this was laid out. I loved seeing things all come together for the final showdown. There was a lot of good humor and enjoyment and I did like many of the Finlay moments we got. The complicated situations really went haywire here and I will say I was actually surprised by one big turning point.

An amusing installment, but kind of wondering where it’s going to go from here? What’s the end game? Will the things I’m looking for finally happen? I don’t know, this is where I start to struggle with cozy-type mystery series like this.

Overall audience notes:

  • Mystery
  • Language: low
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, murder, kidnapping

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Book Review: Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Magical Realism Mystery + Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Adrienne Young
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A deeply atmospheric story about ancestral magic, an unsolved murder, and a second chance at true love.

Emery Blackwood’s life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family’s business, Blackwood’s Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics & Tea Leaf Readings.

But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother’s ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed—Emery.

The town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily’s mysterious death once and for all.

I THINK THIS IS HER BEST.

There was something about this writing style that fit Adrienne Young so perfectly that I had a hard time putting it down. From the first few chapters I was wrapped up in the wildness of Saoirse island and the stories it held.

I did like the multiple points of view. I think it works well for a story like this and gives those extra angles needed to fully understand motives and desires. I do wish there was a touch more from Lily. I had a hard time believing her reasoning behind her choices, but that’s a small complaint compared to how much I loved everything else.

The second chance romance brought the pain. I wanted these two to make up and move forward because I loved them so. They push and pull of that cord that finally snapped between them was everything I want in angst and slowburn style romances.

Mystery wise my inklings were on the right track but I liked that some stuff was still surprising too. I loved the atmosphere and the small town witchy vibes. I wanted a bit more closure in the ending (a personal preference), but otherwise, fantastic. Can’t wait for more.

Overall audience notes:

  • Magical Realism Romance + Mystery
  • Language: a little strong
  • Romance: 2ish scenes; low explicit
  • Violence: med-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: multiple murders, arson, attempted murder, blackmail, loss of a parent(s) (recounted), grief depiction

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Book Review: The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Mystery + Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Avery’s fortune, life, and loves are on the line in the game that everyone will be talking about.

To inherit billions, all Avery Kylie Grambs has to do is survive a few more weeks living in Hawthorne House. The paparazzi are dogging her every step. Financial pressures are building. Danger is a fact of life. And the only thing getting Avery through it all is the Hawthorne brothers. Her life is intertwined with theirs. She knows their secrets, and they know her.

But as the clock ticks down to the moment when Avery will become the richest teenager on the planet, trouble arrives in the form of a visitor who needs her help—and whose presence in Hawthorne House could change everything. It soon becomes clear that there is one last puzzle to solve, and Avery and the Hawthorne brothers are drawn into a dangerous game against an unknown and powerful player.

Secrets upon secrets. Riddles upon riddles. In this game, there are hearts and lives at stake—and there is nothing more Hawthorne than winning.

STELLAR FINALE.

Don’t you love when you finish a series and realize how much you’ve enjoyed it? Hallelujah this was the case here. What a fantastic YA mystery series.

I LOVE THESE BROTHERS. If I could get spin off books of everyone I would be in bookish heaven. I love Jameson, Grayson, Xander and Nash for in a hundred ways and will protect them at all costs.

The puzzles and games sprinkled throughout were intense to watch unfold. I am continually in awe at this author’s ability to craft such intricate enigmas. I love that I don’t quite know where each answer will lay and who’s on what side.

I do wish there was a touch more romance. I appreciated the growth from Jameson that I really needed to feel more connected to the relationship between him and Avery. They had some really sweet moments though!!

Short chapters make for a fast pace that had me binge reading this needing to know what happens next. I liked the conclusion a lot and how Avery ended up handling the inheritance and defeating the nemesis that came from the past.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Mystery
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: med-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: weapons violence, kidnapping, recounted murder

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Book Review: Wicked Walking (Fallow Creek #2) by Claudia Cain

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Urban Fantasy
Length: 370 pages
Author: Claudia Cain
Publisher: Black Sheep Books
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After killing a monster and dragging herself home from another world, Cassandra Reilly has become more than a witch – she’s a hero. Sure, she can’t sleep through the night and she’s haunted by what she saw, but things should be looking up. Right?

Except something followed her out of the woods that day. And despite her best efforts – and the help of Merich, the handsome Fae Warden – Cass has failed to find any trace of it. Vanishing entities rarely bode well, but maybe no news is good news. And with a ticket out of town and her future on the horizon, Cass could really use a lucky break.

She’s not going to get one.

Thank you to the author for a gifted e-copy!

INVESTED.

I thought book one was good. And I think this one was even better. It is written so well and I am captivated by this really creep story and all of the characters involved. I liked the progression of the initial plot and the expansion of ideas surrounding The Child. There were many super spooky moments with the possessions and lights flashing and things showing up in the dark. It’s a book that I felt like I needed some lights on to keep going.

I liked Cass a lot more in this book too. She still holds to her wants, and also strives to solve the problems before her. I LOVED that we got more Merich content (sub plot of romance that I am adoring). And I still love Theo. There’s some good twists in here too that I was surprised by and have been wondering where in the world things will progress to next.

This has been a great urban fantasy series so far. I’m hopeful to possibly see new locations and characters be mixed in with the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Urban Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings:  death, mild gore and depictions of injury, mild body horror, mentions of suicide and depictions of anxiety

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