Author: Aimeeeliz

CONSTANT READER REVIEW – Bag of Bones by Stephen King

Aimeeeliz

“In little towns things are kind of connected under the surface and the past dies slower.”

Stephen King sure does know how to write about grief. Although I consider Bag of Bones to be “just okay” in comparison to his other works, the early chapters about Mike dealing with the sudden and unexpected loss of his wife are incredibly well done.

I did enjoy the mystery element of this book and some of the characters are incredibly likeable (Kyra and Mattie especially). Honestly, the characters are the best part of this book. The plot meanders a bit and I feel like King was trying to do a little too much (we have two characters dealing with the loss of their respective spouses, a custody battle, overall animosity within a small town, plus ghosts…) and oh boy is it slow-moving.

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Bookmarked for Murder by VM Burns

Aimeeeliz

I had so much fun reading this cozy – Samantha (owner of a mystery bookshop!) has spent the past few days in Chicago with her grandmother doing some post-Christmas shopping. When a passenger on their bus ride home ends up murdered, Sam, her grandmother and her grandmother’s crew of hilarious friends team up to solve the murder.

Sam is a lovely character and her grandmother (and friends!) are absolutely hilarious. I laughed out loud a few times while reading this book, and it was the perfect read during my long holiday break.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

REVIEW – Lie, Lie Again by Stacy Wise

Aimeeeliz

Lie, Lie Again is a popcorn-y contemporary novel (don’t call this a thriller!) about three women all in varying stages of life.

We follow a (very) young wife and mother of two, a teacher in her mid-20s dealing with some very uncomfortable feelings about her friend’s husband, and a 30-something professional with a lot of secrets. In fact, all three women have secrets that they want to hide. Some are more sinister than others.

This went in a direction that I wasn’t necessarily expecting, but the ride was fun.

Thank you Get Red PR for the ARC!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders

Aimeeeliz

This book was such a pleasant surprise! Josie is new to Wilfred, Oregon, and she’s on the run after uncovering corruption at her previous job (she worked for the Library of Congress and the people after her are very scary and very powerful).

Josie intends to stay in Wilfred for a short period of time and takes a position as their new librarian. The library is located inside a beautiful Victorian mansion, and Josie’s living quarters are on the top floor. Yes, you read that right. She lives inside the library – could it get any better than that?

Wilfred is much different than DC and Josie experiences a lot of culture shock – which could also be attributed to the fact that she’s slowly discovering that she has some magical abilities. Josie discovers a dead body her first day in Wilfred and can’t help but think the victim is somehow connected to the people who want Josie dead.

This has it all – an adorable tiny town, hilarious and lovable characters, and a black cat named Rodney who may or may not be Josie’s familiar…

I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Absence of Alice by Sherry Harris

Aimeeeliz

The Sarah Winston Garage Sale mysteries have quite a few books already, but this was my first experience with this particular series. I wasn’t expecting it to be as dark and gritty as it was! Honestly, once I let go of my expectations, I ended up really enjoying this.

When Sarah Winston’s landlady, Stella, is kidnapped, Sarah finds herself in a heart-pounding race against time to save Stella’s life (and she makes some questionable decisions along the way). The stakes felt really high in this one, moreso than your typical cozy. I think if you go into it knowing that it is lighter on the charm and heavier on the “OMG!” moments, you’ll like it too.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

REVIEW – Deep State by Chris Hauty

Aimeeeliz

I don’t typically read political thrillers, but I couldn’t ignore the reviews for this one. Deep State follows Hayley Chill, an Army veteran who has moved to DC and landed an internship in the White House. Hayley quickly uncovers a plot to assassinate the newly elected POTUS, and this discovery leads her down a dangerous path.

I’m echoing a lot of reviewers, but I will say that this book would probably be better as a movie – but that does not make it an unenjoyable read. A screen adaptation of this would undoubtedly be a blockbuster action movie perfect for summer (picture it: a cool theater, a heart-pounding movie, a giant tub of popcorn and some overpriced candy. Damn you, COVID!)

The twist is really the draw here, and it’s worth it. I’m excited to read the next book in the series now that Hauty has laid a great foundation for what’s sure to be a fun sequel.

Thank you Atria Books for the NetGalley ARC of Deep State!

REVIEW – Watch Her by Edwin Hill

Aimeeeliz

Okay, i’m convinced. I need to go back and read the first two Hester Thursby novels because I am hooked! Watch Her is a sleepier contemporary mystery that really picks up after 1. A character is murdered and 2. Some family secrets all come to light in a heart-pounding final few chapters.

I really enjoyed Hester as a protagonist – she’s feisty and smart, but she doesn’t feel like a stereotype or charicature.

We get multiple perspectives in this book and that really worked to push the story along. Each character was different enough that I felt like I was getting a relatively comprehensive overview of the events of the book.

Content warnings: sexual harassment, death of a child, brief use of ableist language

Thank you Kensington Books and Books Forward PR for the ARC!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Mrs. Claus and the Santaland Slayings by Liz Ireland

Aimeeeliz

April is spending her first Christmas in Santaland after marrying Nick Claus, who has taken over the title of Santa after the tragic death of his brother months ago. When an elf is found dead a week or so before the big day, April can’t help but do some investigating of her own.

This is a delightful start to a new cozy series – it’s like a grown-up version of The Santa Clause. Santaland is magical and lovely, but there’s a darker side, too. April’s in-laws aren’t exactly the most welcoming (dealing with her new mother-in-law, the dowager Mrs. Claus, can be tough!), there’s a lot of animosity and infighting amongst the different elf families, and reindeer can be horribly mean! Quasar is my absolute favorite, though (Rudolph who? Get ready for a new favorite reindeer!)

I’m interested to see where Ireland takes this series – April still owns an inn in Oregon, and she’s intending on spending summers there with Mr. Claus. It could be really fun to have a series set in two different locations!

Content warning: very brief mention of death of a spouse, infertility and infidelity.

Thank you Kensington Books for the finished copy!

REVIEW – Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

Aimeeeliz

Oh boy, do I have mixed feelings about this book. Some of the chapters were really engaging and interesting to me, and others…there are some incredibly unlikeable characters in this book (which honestly is probably the point – women don’t need to be likable to be valid).

I did really enjoy the format – we follow 12 different women in groups of three. Each woman is related closely to her own group of three, and all 12 women tie together in some way or another at the end. Some connections were stronger than others, but Evaristo did a great job of making everything click.

The very end bumped this from a three to a four-star read for me.

Content warning: drug use, suicide, slut shaming, rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, manipulative relationship, infidelity, racism.

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork by Rose Pressey

Aimeeeliz

I loved following painter Celeste and her pup, Van, for another Haunted Craft Fair Mystery! Celeste is attending a craft fair taking place at the Biltmore Estate and, surprise surprise, she finds a dead body. She ends up meeting a ghost with ties to the estate and he helps her solve the case.

I have to say – the ghost was my FAVORITE part of this story! He was an absolute delight. He’s super polite and funny, and at one point tags along with Celeste on a date (I was cracking up). Murder Can Haunt Your Handiwork is only the third book in the series, so you have time to get caught up before book four comes out.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!