Tag: ARC

REVIEW – The Chill by Scott Carson

Aimeeeliz

{Available February 11, 2020} A supernatural thriller blurbed by Stephen King? I knew I had to get my hands on this one. And oh man…this gave me probably the STRONGEST book hangover i’ve had in months. I ended up finishing it sooner than I anticipated because once I passed a certain point in the plot, I couldn’t stop reading.

This book grabbed my attention right from the start. Focused on the Chilewaukee Reservoir (or “the Chill” as the locals call it), the novel revolves around an interesting cast of characters, including a sheriff and his son, a DEP officer and her “sandhog” father, and an engineer/inspector who has come to town to evaluate the state of the dam containing the Chill.

There are some strong supernatural vibes early on in this book, some of which reminded me heavily of The Shining (but in a great way, more of a homage vs a plot point being yoinked from someone else’s work). Add a sprinkle (just a sprinkle) of an old-timey cult, and some chilling (sorry…) descriptions of rushing, relentless waters, with secrets buried beneath the surface.

It’s a little slow-going for a bit, but right at the halfway point it takes an unexpected turn and dives right in to straight up nightmare fuel territory (at least for me. One major thing i’m afraid of? Dark, deep water. Guess we can now add dams to my list of fears). Much like a King novel, the real horrors in this book are grounded in reality. Basically, I ain’t afraid of no ghosts but I AM afraid of things that can actually kill me.

Thank you Atria and Emily Bestler Books for the ARC!

REVIEW – Grace Is Gone by Emily Elgar

Aimeeeliz

From the suspense-filled prologue, to the chilling ending, Grace Is Gone is sure to be a popular thriller.

Murderinos and true crime junkies will have a good idea of where this story is heading (you might be able to figure out from the premise what it’s based on). Not a true crime fan? Then enjoy the ride – it’s full of twists and turns!

The one thing I didn’t love? Jon, one of our main characters, is kind of an idiot. The majority of his problems are self-inflicted, and I found it difficult to feel bad for him.

Even though I knew approximately where this plot would end up, I still enjoyed the book. Elgar’s writing is solid throughout, and even exquisite at times.

Thank you Harper Perennial for the free book!

REVIEW – Twenty by Debra Landwehr Engle

Aimeeeliz

{Available January 28, 2020} This is a lovely little book, perfect for reading at the beginning of a new year.

It gets better as you move further into the story – with little nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout. It examines how sometimes life is all about perspective, about finding the joy in the ordinary.

Twenty examines life and death, grief, loss, joy and peace. The story itself isn’t incredibly in depth, but the book is less than 200 pages (I think it’s the perfect length, this story in a longer format could easily become a slog to get through).

This is a solid 3.5 for me. Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

REVIEW – Cartier`s Hope by M.J. Rose

Aimeeeliz

{Available January 28, 2020}

“Hope, darling Vera, is the fire that keeps propelling us forward.”

How refreshing to read historical fiction that’s not set during WWII! Rose sets a great scene and transports the reader to 1910 New York.

The story isn’t so much about the Hope diamond as it is about our main character, Vera, and her desire to avenge her father’s death. Even so, the diamond is an intriguing “character.” The real life lore surrounding it makes the story that much more interesting.

“I didn’t want to sit by the sidelines and do what was expected.”

Vera lives somewhat of a double life – as Vera Garland, she’s a member of high society. She attends opulent parties and doesn’t have to lift a finger. But as Vee Swann, she lives among the masses – she goes undercover in factories and tenements, all for the sake of a good story that might improve living conditions for some of the city’s poor and underprivileged. The chapters about the struggles of female reporters were some of my favorites – they were well done, and brutal, and honest. Unfortunately, the hardships they faced are mirrored in our society even today.

WARNING: Vera deals with some sexual abuse in this book (it’s not “violent” or graphic, but it’s a very disturbing concept).

“To live a full life, you need a full heart.”

The romance of the book was a bit underdeveloped in my opinion, but keep in mind I’m not really a romance reader to begin with.

I think a lot of readers will enjoy this one – it’s light historical fiction. It tackles some important issues and topics without diving too deep. It’s serious without being heavy.

Thank you Get Red PR and Atria for sending me a copy of this book!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams

Aimeeeliz

{Available January 28, 2020} This book was so much more than I expected! It’s incredibly atmospheric at the beginning – with rainy, early spring days, offset by Nora’s cozy, warm bookshop, Miracle Books.

I loved Nora’s friend group, the Secret, Book and Scone Society. This is a great novel about friendship – the importance of having people who support you, and the joy of meeting new friends. This is also a book for book lovers! It’s filled with literary references and each chapter starts with a quote from a famous author.

The Book of Candlelight is a lot grittier and more adult than your standard cozy mystery (I’d even classify it as a contemporary novel with touches of magical realism and mystery, with just a dash of coziness). The characters are real and there are some very serious issues and events that they face.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Sealed Off by Barbara Ross

Aimeeeliz

{Available December 31, 2019} This one was lighter on the cozy, but heavier on the mystery. It’s surprisingly complex and detailed for such a short book (totaling fewer than 250 pages!)

The story weaves a present day murder with a 120 year old mystery, and does an amazing job of tying everything together.

I’d recommend this book to mystery/thriller readers who are looking for something light, but not too sugary sweet.

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Death Bee Comes Her by Nancy CoCo

Aimeeeliz

{AVAILABLE December 31, 2019} Death Bee Comes Her is a great start to a new cozy mystery series! The Pacific Northwest setting is lovely. This book takes place during Oceanview’s Halloweentown week, after our main character Wren finds a dead body on the beach.

Wren owns a shop called Let It Bee, specializing in beeswax and honey products like lotion, candles, lip balm and candy.

Everett is Wren’s Havana Brown cat, and he’s a delightful edition to the story, reminiscent of Koko and Yum Yum from The Cat Who… series of books.

The plot was surprisingly complex for a cozy mystery (and actually ended up being quite a sad turn of events). I am definitely looking forward to reading more books in this series!

Thank you Kensington Books for providing me with a review copy.

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Much Ado About Nutmeg by Sarah Fox

Aimeeeliz

{Available January 14, 2020} Much Ado About Nutmeg was my first book in this series, but it won’t be my last. Set in a cozy coastal town in Washington, the story takes place during the Golden Oldies Games. After two bodies are found, everyone is a suspect.

This was a fun, quick read – perfect for this lazy time of year between Christmas and New Years. I loved reading about The Flip Side, our main character Marley’s pancake house. And for what it’s worth, I think Ivan is definitely my favorite character!

This would be a great intro to the cozy mystery genre for readers who are interested in giving these books a try.

Thank you Kensington Books for providing me with a NetGalley copy.

REVIEW – The Tenant by Katrine Engberg

Aimeeeliz

{AVAILABLE January 14, 2020} The Tenant examines the murder of Julie Stender and her connection to her landlady, Esther. The most interesting part of the synopsis? Julie’s murder has already been outlined in the murder mystery Esther has been writing.

The good? This book is a well-paced mystery/thriller with an interesting premise. The plot is complex and keeps the reader guessing (mostly) until the end. It’s definitely a page-turner; I read over the course of about 15 hours.

The not so good? The characters are so unlikable! I found the detectives to be immature and downright rude at times. The plot might be a bit TOO complex, because I felt like some ends were a bit too loose, and others just left hanging. There were also a few connections that seemed a bit too convenient.

And the wtf? There were a few lines that stood out to me, for being absurd (especially for a book being released in 2020, and especially for a book written by a woman). There were little snarky side comments about the appearance of multiple characters (mostly women). There were also a few times when OxyContin is mentioned and it seems way too casual given the issues so many are having with opioids (but this might be more of an American thing, and not as big of a crisis in Denmark?)

Thank you Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with a NetGalley ARC.

COZY MYSTERY REVIEW – Cobblered to Death by Rosemarie Ross

Aimeeeliz

Cobblered to Death is a strong start to a new cozy mystery series. Perfect for fans of Food Network and the Great British Baking Show, the book revolves around a new cooking competition show called The American Baking Battle. Things are off to a good start, until a contestant is murdered after the first day of filming.

I enjoyed the overall plot and the cast of characters. I watch a lot of cooking shows (and cooking competition shows!) so this was an especially fun read. I’m excited to see what happens next in the series!

Thank you to the kind people at Kensington Books for providing me with a copy of Cobblered to Death.