Author: Aimeeeliz

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Proof of Murder by Lauren Elliott

Aimeeeliz

Bookshop owner Addie finds herself helping appraise rare and old books for a local estate sale, in a rumored-to-be-haunted house. When a dead body turns up in a seemingly locked room, Addie has to clear her name and try to track down the killer.

This was such a fun read! Addie’s a great character and I loved how well the murder mystery was tied in with books and literature. There’s a little bit of a ghost element here too, which made it extra fun (and chilling at times!)

Feeling a little like Sherlock Holmes himself, I figured out who the culprit was a bit before the reveal – which, to me, can be the mark of a good mystery. The author gives enough clues that you might be able to solve the mystery along with the main character, but nothing was so obvious that I felt like it was a “no duh.” I had my suspicions, but I wasn’t totally sure until the end.

Thank you Kensington Books for the NetGalley ARC!

CONSTANT READER REVIEW – The Green Mile by Stephen King

Aimeeeliz

“I couldn’t help it. I tried to take it back, but it was too late.”

I don’t think anyone can make you care for prisoners on death row quite like Stephen King. (He also seems to have a thing for the wrongfully accused, which is just another level of heartwrenching.)

It’s bold to say this, given King’s EXTENSIVE body of work, but The Green Mile contains some of his most memorable characters – John Coffey (just rip my heart out, okay?), Percy Wetmore (if anyone deserves a sit down with Old Sparky, it’s this guy), Delacroix (I can’t even begin to talk about this one).

I knew the general plot of this book before reading, given the popularity of the movie adaptation (which, as of this writing, I have yet to see). I knew that I was going to have my heart stomped on. I knew that this would stick with me forever.

The Green Mile is just so well done – it’s beautifully written and it hits every emotion. It’s sad, it’s funny, it’s suspenseful. At times, it’s hopeful. Other times? It’s hopeless. A masterpiece through and through. I know a lot of readers avoid King because he’s the master of horror. But some of his best books aren’t in the horror genre at all (11/22/63 comes to mind). The Green Mile is HORRIFYING, but it isn’t horror.

“Time takes it all, time bears it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again.”

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams

Aimeeeliz

Murder in the Storybook Cottage begins as Storyton Hall resort owner Jane is preparing to host a children’s book conference. When a dead body turns up in the new storybook village on her property, Jane has to work to keep her guests safe (and unaware) and help solve a murder.

This was the first book I’ve read in the Book Retreat series – it was a cute, cozy read. I’m considering going back to the beginning to read the first five books.

EVERYTHING in this town is book-themed. EVERYTHING. It’s a book for book lovers – there are so many cute little literary references and it feels like a bookish Stars Hollow. There’s somewhat of a fantasy-ish element to this book – it’s revealed early on that Jane is the Guardian of a secret library. It seems like many people (both good and bad) have shown interest in what the secret library holds, with some dangerous consequences. Many of Jane’s staff at Storyton Hall serve dual purposes – they might run something at the resort, but they also might be one of her team of security to help protect and defend the secret library.

The murder in this book is pretty dark (for a cozy) and there is an underlying feeling of unease throughout the book – the danger that Jane and her friends and family could be in seems very real.

Thank you Kensington Books for the NetGalley ARC!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua by Rose Pressey

Aimeeeliz

{Available April 28, 2020} I found myself in need of a quick, light cozy and this fit the bill! Murder Can Confuse Your Chihuahua had me laughing from the opening of chapter one.

As Celeste is prepping for a weeklong craft fair, she comes across a dead body by the river. What unfolds throughout the next few days is a twisty whodunnit, filled with suspicious characters. There’s also a slight supernatural element in this story.

There were a few repetitive parts – one plot point in particular was revealed twice, but I assume that will be fixed in the final copy.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

CONSTANT READER REVIEW – Duma Key by Stephen King

Aimeeeliz

“There were some strange things kicking around Duma Key, and I had reason to believe they weren’t all nice things…”

Okay, phew. Duma Key features a slow (slow…SLOW) buildup reminiscent of a rollercoaster. Except the hill is the majority of the book, and the descent is the last third, at 100 miles an hour. The story is good. It’s unique-ish (although, another King book features a painting with “special” properties…) and it still feels very much like a King book although it’s set in Florida. Maybe he figured enough bad stuff has happened in Maine by his hand.

“We checked into hell on different shifts, you and me.”

Edgar, our main character, feels very authentic. His issues with memory and speech following a horrific accident are easily woven throughout the story – they never feel forced. You can’t help but feel bad for him, and I found myself wondering what Edgar was like before his accident. He uses drawing and painting as a way to heal from his injuries and we quickly learn that those pieces of art possess…something. Or, maybe, they’re possessed BY something.

The supporting characters here are memorable – Wireman, of course, stands out due to his tragic backstory and frequent words of wisdom. We don’t get enough of Elizabeth – of the REAL Elizabeth – but our glimpses into her childhood contain some of the most chilling parts of the book. And Jack! Probably the least developed of our “main” characters, but still a delight.

“I told myself there was time. Of course, that’s what we always tell ourselves, isn’t it? We can’t imagine time running out, and God punishes us for what we can’t imagine.”

This book contains some incredible tragedies – both things that have happened in the past, and things that happen in the current timeline. There’s a strong theme of parental love here, too, and the way different people deal with unimaginable grief. It’s underlying, but I think that will be something I remember most about this story.

My final feelings about the story are a bit conflicted – overall it’s not the plot that resonates with me, but the writing. There are some incredible one-liners in this book, and for that, I think it’s worth the read.

“…the only way to go on is to go on. To say I can do this even when you know you can’t.”

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Here Comes the Body by Maria DiRico

Aimeeeliz

Mia has just moved back to Queens to work for her mobster father’s new catering hall. After a woman is found dead in a giant cardboard birthday cake the police turn their focus to Mia’s dad (and his “associates.”)

What a fun book! I loved the cast of characters. Mia’s Family (yes, with a capital “F”) is hilarious and delightful. Her nonna (and nonna’s Army of Italian and Greek grandmothers) is an absolute joy.

This book is set in the spring, which made my decision to pick it up perfect timing! Although it’s set in New York, this didn’t lose the main feeling of a typical cozy mystery.

Here Comes the Body is the first in a series, and I look forward to what comes next for Mia and her Family!

Thank you Kensington Books for sending me an ARC!

REVIEW – The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Aimeeeliz

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions for me, but not in the way you’d think. It started off heartbreaking and lovely. There were a few moments, even in the midst of Lydia’s grief, where she had a sense of humor and made me chuckle. The good? Lydia’s grief felt realistic. It didn’t feel forced or too over the top (or that she “got over it” too quickly). It was easy to put myself in her place and imagine that i’d think and do some of the same things.

The parallel timeline is gut-wrenching – at first. I felt so bad for Lydia, and how she felt torn between two worlds. But some things just aren’t right…and it almost felt like it could have been too easy for Lydia to choose one world over the other. I did feel that this was a bit long – there were moments that seemed repetitive.

This would have been a four-star read for me if not for that ending! It felt cliche and just…that Lydia deserved…well, maybe not “better” but something a little less obvious.

REVIEW – Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Aimeeeliz

I do not give away five-star ratings lightly. This book EARNED it. Every step of the way. Mystic River is a heartbreaking, suspenseful story about three childhood friends (as close as three 11-year-old boys can be for about a year) who are torn apart by a terrifying event that changes their lives forever.

We quickly flash forward 25 years. The boys are now men – with their own lives and families. They each have their own demons to face throughout the book. A horrific, deeply personal murder occurs and brings Sean, Jimmy and Dave back together.

Man oh man this book is VISCERAL. A gloomy, desolate tone is set early on and it never lets up. It feels like you’re viewing the events through a smudged lens. The grief in this book is palpable – each man has something he’s lost (some losses are more raw and cut deeper than others, of course).

There’s a lot to be said about blame and the need for closure here. One character in particular – I found myself not liking him throughout the majority of the book, and then I felt so terrible for him and so deeply sad for how his life turned out. This book will make you feel things. Uncomfortable things. Sad, hopeless things.

Maybe I’m just 20 years late to the party, but if you haven’t read Mystic River yet I urge you to give it a try. (And I plan on watching the movie soon!)

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Pulp Friction by Julie Anne Lindsey

Aimeeeliz

{Available April 28, 2020} Pulp Friction is the second book in the new Cider Shop Mystery series (which I am loving, by the way). Winnie’s newly opened cider shop is doing well, and the book opens with a wedding in the orchard’s barn. The wedding atmosphere is super cozy and dreamy and makes me miss summer…until the groom ends up dead and foul play is suspected.

This book solidifies my desire to live in Blossom Valley with Winnie, Granny, Dot and Colton (yes, of course, Colton. So handsome!) This series hits all of the points that make a cozy series great – an adorable small town, a sweet little shop (I want apple cider and delicious pastries all of the time now), a wonderful cast of characters and murder mysteries that are just chilling enough to feel serious without ruining the overall lighthearted vibe of the book.

I had my theories about who the murdered could be in this book and I was spot on in some aspects and WAY OFF in others – which just made the entire experience more fun! This book ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger and sets the series up for a larger story – which I’m guessing will be explored more in-depth in the next book.

Thank you Kensington Books for providing me with the NetGalley ARC!

REVIEW – Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

Aimeeeliz

“We mustn’t let next week rob us of this week’s joy.”

Ah, how lovely it is to be back in Avonlea. Anne is preparing for college and although the majority of the story takes place at Redmond, the magic and coziness isn’t lost.

I felt that the strongest part of this book was the exploration of Anne’s friendships, both new and old. Phil is hilarious, Prissy is a delight, and although dear Diana isn’t in much of the book, that friendship endures.

“I’m afraid to speak or move for fear all this wonderful beauty will vanish just like a broken silence.”

I’m sad to think that we won’t be returning to Patty’s Place in the future, but our brief time there was so lovely.

Also, is there anyone who DOESN’T absolutely love Gilbert Blythe?

I loved that this story covered approximately four years of Anne’s life, and I’m excited to see where the next books lead.