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Book Review BLUE RIDGE Peter Malone Elliott

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Thank you to the author Peter Malone Elliott, publishers Level Best Books, and Get Red Book Tours, for an advance paperback copy of BLUE RIDGE. Thank you also to NetGalley for an accomanying widget. All views are mine. My feelings on this book are lukewarm. I loved the concept and storyline; I'm a sucker for both domestic thrillers and warring twins. But the book needed fleshed out; another 50 pages of description would have done this one some good! Three (or more) things I loved: 1. The descriptions of Virginia are lovely. Tinged with shades of blue, purple, and green, I always say the majestic, rolling landscape of the Blue Ridge is nature's equivalent to the music of Patsy Cline-- an inexplicably perfect cocktail of sumptuous beauty, haunting melancholy, and dark-edged mystery.... Loc.49 2. Like many thrillers with clarity issues, this book has an excellent premise. Part political thriller, part domestic thriller, BLUE RIDGE abounds with tension and intrigue. I w
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Book Review SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN Heather Morris

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Thank you to the author Heather Morris and publishers St. Martin's Press for a complimentary hardback copy, and also to NetGalley for a complimentary digital copy of SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN. All views are mine. I didn't enjoy my listen to this audiobook, but it could be mode more than method in this case. I loved the beginning, but the audiobook narrator had some glaring issues, which made me lean toward a reread from the start. I may come back for it in a different format. I have a paperback of this author's most famous work, THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ, and I'll probably read that before I try this one again.  Three (or more) things I loved: 1. This story is harrowing almost from the outset. I can't imagine being trapped on a ship when war breaks out in the international waters around me! Three (or less) things I didn't love: This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love&q
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Book Review THE HAPPY LIFE OF ISADORA BENTLEY

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Thank you to Libby for an ebook of THE HAPPY LIFE OF ISADORA BENTLEY  Opening quote: Turns out, smiling is hard. Three (or more) things I loved: 1. That birthday party scene is completely epic. I would never have imagined a jar candle sinking through the center of a birthday, but Loesch did, and it is glorious! Three (or less) things I didn't love: This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof. 1. The first person narration is very witty! So are many of the characters. Incidentally, I don't find full casts of witty characters to be accessible-- I need at least a token casually awkward conversationalist.  2. The depiction of social isolation as supposedly experienced by the fmc feels inauthentic to me, at best. The descriptions are too pat to feel real. 3. This character/narrator navel gazes overly much. A great deal of the narrative is composed of inter
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Book Review THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL Jess Armstrong

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Thank you to the author Jess Armstrong, publishers Minotaur Books, and SMPI, for an advance digital copy of THE CURSE OF PENRYTH. Thank you also to NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All views are mine. I read this book twice! I loved the settings, and the mouthy female lead and her irascible senior roommate. Certain things about the mystery, I found deliciously Gothic, which I adore. The killer's methods delighted me and grossed me out! But unfortunately, I read this book twice because the plot lost me. Both times. Beyond the details, I couldn't connect with characters or plot because it was all too convoluted. Three (or more) things I loved: 1. I adore this mouthy female, what, detective? Inspector? A dire cynic smack in the middle of a supernatural tale. Excellent protagonist.  2. The dynamic between the first person narrator, Ruby, a young woman, and her irascible roommate, friend and benefactor(?), the older, disabled, and greatly resourced Mr. Owen, is v
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Book Review GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE

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Thank you to the author Lex Croucher, publishers Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press, and SMPInfluencers, and NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of GWEN & ART ARE NOT IN LOVE. All views are mine. Opening Quote: [It's] not so much a silver lining as it is just silver all the way down. Loc785 Three (or more) things I loved: 1. There is actually quite a bit of European military history in the outset of the book. It's quite interesting.  2. I love the woman knight. That she is an object of derision makes her smile truer and a more believable character for me. I'm really looking forward to more of her! 3. This is definitely not my usual genre, but I'm loving this author's brand of historical realism slash romantasy.  4. I'm typically not a fan of retelling, but this is fantastic, in which Gwen and Arthur are a marriage of convenience to cover each other's queer identities.  5. I a-DORE that the merlin refers to Gwen's irasci
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Book Review MISTER LULLABY

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Thank you to the author J. H. Markert, publishers Crooked Lane Books, and also to NetGalley for a widget of MISTER LULLABY. All views are mine. This book is like NIGHTMARE MAN got a little older and tightened up its wardrobe. I like the progression in Markert's style, too. He's developed his narrative voice, this smokey whisper, urgent and dire, lifting off the page in words. I'm eager to see what more he creates under this pen name. Three (or more) things I loved: 1. I love Beth's character and story trajectories. The book cares about her and gives her grace and respects her autonomy, even when, perhaps especially when she's not on page. It's some really good writing on Markert's part. She easily foils the absolute absurdity of the antagonist.  2. A noticeable improvement in mental illness rep. I can tell Markert put in the work to avoid stigmatizing in this book. 3. The horns are freaking great.😆 4. Okay Teddy and Brandy are my favorite
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Book Review HELL IF WE DON'T CHANGE OUR WAYS Brittany Means

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Thank you to the author Brittany Means, publishers Zibby Books, and NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of HELL IF WE DON'T CHANGE OUR WAYS. All views are mine. Opening Quote: I can tell you that having certainty is sometimes a mirage you create for yourself so you can keep taking steps through the sand. Loc.1875 Three (or more) things I loved: 1. At the end of this book, a lot of readers may hold that Brittany's mom doesn't deserve her children's forgiveness, especially Brittany's. A lot of people in my life have told me in my life that my mother doesn't deserve mine. But our mothers do deserve forgiveness. I forgive my mother. It is a courageous act I engage in ever day. Brittany shows the same courage. This book does many things, including importantly that it instructs deeply on the universal gift of forgiveness.  2. The opening page of chapter 1 is one of the most beautiful and haunting things I've ever read. I make note of my weight p
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