Labyrinth meets John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things, kind of. I mean, I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it as much as either of those two, which isn'tLabyrinth meets John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things, kind of. I mean, I wouldn't say that I enjoyed it as much as either of those two, which isn't surprising considering the adoration I have for both (one of my favorite films and one of my favorite books!), but it definitely has some of the same vibes, seeing as how there's a young girl on a quest through a dangerous and magical land and all that that entails.
There are lots of things to love about this book. There are fairies and witches and handsome princes. There's a magical quest and monsters to be slain. The prose is lovely (although perhaps a bit florid for my tastes) and the world-building is immersive. There's romance and complicated mother-daughter relationships and curses to be broken. Basically, it's all one big dark fairy tale and I am all about dark fairy tales.
At the same time, however, Gemma's quest just seemed so superficial at times. She flitted from one dangerous circumstance to another, but there was very little depth to many of the situations. For example, her escape from the Woods Below (which you think would be an ordeal considering how difficult it was to get there to begin with) is essentially limited to “they searched around and eventually found an exit.” Woo boy, that'll get the adrenaline pumping.
My biggest issue with this book, though, is what was done to Silvanus's character. He started out as this mysterious and alluring fairy prince and them somehow ended up the Scrappy-Doo of the fairy woods (Lemme at 'em! Lemme at 'em!). I don't want to say too much and spoil things, but he pretty much becomes a caricature of himself and I didn't like it one bit. Props to Gemma for her reaction to his Scrappy-Dooing (yes, this is a verb, created by me just now) at the end, though.
But still, despite these issues, it's pretty much impossible for me to dislike a tale that involves a dangerous quest through a magical forest. It's not The Book of Lost Things (which you should totally read if you haven't already), but it is dark and fantastical and enthralling and maybe even a bit heartwarming too.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is November 12, 2024....more
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes was written … *checks watch* … almost 100 years after the debut of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series, but EstlemanDr. Jekyll and Mr. Holmes was written … *checks watch* … almost 100 years after the debut of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series, but Estleman has done a fantastic job of capturing the tone and writing style of the originals. At the same time, he's also mostly faithful to the plot of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – I actually kind of wish that I hadn't reread it so recently because it killed a bit of the suspense knowing exactly what was going to happen. But still, this was an enjoyable read. I haven't quite gotten around to reading all of the canonical Holmes stories yet, but I think I might try Estleman's Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula next, as I'm curious to see how Holmes and Watson intertwine themselves with Stoker's classic tale. 3.75 stars, rounded up....more
Most important things first: Does the cat live? (view spoiler)[Nope, and it's an awful death and there's lots of talk about it for the rest of the booMost important things first: Does the cat live? (view spoiler)[Nope, and it's an awful death and there's lots of talk about it for the rest of the book. Definitely don't read this book if you can't handle cat death and mutilation. (hide spoiler)]
So, yeah, I have no idea what I just read. This started off as a fairly typical “people in a remote cabin in the woods have scary things happen” horror story, and then it got very, very weird. I mean, people are passing out and there's a moose and it maybe talks and everything gets fever-dreamy and I don't even know what that ending was supposed to be. And then I dozed off and had a half-dream that the food that I'd eaten at the Greek festival earlier in the day was drugged and that's why I couldn't understand anything that happened in this book … and to be honest, that's still my best guess as to why this story is so weird because the only other solution I can come up with involves the author and an entire sheet of LSD. One way or another, I'm positive that hallucinogenic drugs were involved.
I did enjoy the beginning. Well, perhaps “enjoy” is a strong word because it's all rather depressing, but I was definitely invested in the story because I am a big fan of the whole “broken people go into the woods and get monstered” trope. And then a moose maybe started talking and I'm sure there is some sort of deeper meaning to everything that happened but it obviously all went right over my head. The Goodreads blurb says it has something to do with “the horrors of grief and the hunger of guilt” so I guess I'll just go with that.
Moose aside, however, the most baffling part of this book is why Christine brings groceries into the house, cooks and eats dinner, and then puts the groceries away afterward. I mean, if it's all shelf-stable pantry-type stuff, okay, I guess. But there were obviously cold/frozen items and now that I think about it, maybe it was the main character who was on drugs because that is the only way that the grocery thing makes sense.
Anyway, if you enjoy fever dreams and (view spoiler)[cat mutilation (hide spoiler)] and defrosted groceries, definitely give Cold Snap a read – perhaps you'll like (and understand) it more than I did. 2.15 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is October 15, 2024....more
Well, there is definitely a reason that all of the other mothers hate Florence – she's unbearable. She's immature and unreliable, a bad friend and motWell, there is definitely a reason that all of the other mothers hate Florence – she's unbearable. She's immature and unreliable, a bad friend and mother, and she has some impressively bad decision-making skills. This book, however, is an absolute blast. I mean, sure, Florence is awful, but she's awful in the most entertaining way possible. Kind of a humorous train wreck, I guess you could say. I'm glad she's not a real person because (the British equivalent of) CPS would need to be called, like, yesterday, but as a fictional character she's pretty amusing.
When Florence's 10-year-old son Dylan becomes a suspect in the disappearance of one of his classmates, she decides to investigate the case in an attempt to direct the suspicion elsewhere. And, well, Florence is morally bankrupt so, you know, shenanigans ensue. Seriously, some of the things she did in this book literally made me gasp out loud. Florence is such a terrible person, y'all. I mean, she's not a serial killer or anything like that and she obviously cares about her kid (although not enough to not leave him home alone overnight while she goes on a date, mind you), but let's just say that this is not a book about a worried mother who works calmly and rationally with the authorities to ensure that proper justice is served.
The mystery (what happened to that asshole rich kid Alfie?) is a solid one, and while I kind of guessed at the big reveal a few times, I didn't truly figure out what was going on until Florence did. It's well-written and suspenseful and almost unputdownable. Florence isn't exactly Sherlock Holmes, but she doe share his love of cocaine so I guess there's that? (Or at least I think it was cocaine. I dunno. The drug was never specifically named and I'm not exactly Pablo Escobar here, you guys.)
So, yeah. If you enjoy mysteries with unlikeable main characters and humor and all kinds of drama, definitely consider giving All the Other Mothers Hate Me a read. It's a wild ride!
My overall rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down.
Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 11, 2025....more
I can't believe that I finally finished this book, you guys! I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a solid read – probably one of my favorite Poirot noveI can't believe that I finally finished this book, you guys! I mean, don't get me wrong, it was a solid read – probably one of my favorite Poirot novels so far, really – but I have been horrible about listening to audiobooks lately so reaching the end of this one was a long, slow process.
But anyway, Five Little Pigs is another fantastic mystery by Dame Agatha. Poirot is as brilliant as ever, and it has all of the twists and turns (and rich people behaving badly) that you'd expect from a Christie novel. I particularly enjoyed the epistolary bits in the second half, and I found all of the characters to be interesting and well-written (although not particularly likeable). Caroline Crale was convicted of her husband's murder sixteen years prior, and Poirot is hired by her daughter in order to clear the family name. Of course, suspects abound and everything is not as it initially seems.
Hugh Fraser does a wonderful job as the narrator, as always. Although he played Arthur Hastings in the television series, his Poirot accent is really on point.
Also, I just have to tell everyone that I actually guessed the culprit of this one before the big reveal. Well, technically I had two guesses and one of them was right and one of them was right-adjacent, but it's the closest I've ever come to figuring out the murderer of a Poirot novel before his final monologue* so I'll take it as a win.
4.55 stars, rounded up. Five Little Pigs is a particularly outstanding installment of an already delightful series.
*Not including The Murder of Roger Ackroyd which was spoiled for me by an over-enthusiastic intro writer – I actually guessed that one before I read it. Seriously, Louise Penny, WTF??...more
Beast of the North Woods: Brought to you by Culver's. Okay, so maybe not really, but it's kind of funny how many times Culver's is mentioned in this nBeast of the North Woods: Brought to you by Culver's. Okay, so maybe not really, but it's kind of funny how many times Culver's is mentioned in this novel.
But, anyway, this is another enjoyable installment of the Monster Hunter Mysteries series. I can't say that I enjoyed it quite as much as its predecessors, but it's a light and fluffy cryptid mystery and that's exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. Newt, as always, is the star of the show, although I swear he spends most of this one sitting in the car. Honestly, I'm starting to worry about Newt a bit – Morgan doesn't seem to find leaving him in the car during the Wisconsin winter to be concerning, and does he ever eat actual dog food or does his diet consist solely of Culver's™ burgers??
The murder mystery is fun, though. I feel like it's a little less cryptid-y than the previous mysteries were, but I have no real proof to back up my claim. It was entertaining to learn about the Hodag and the town of Rhinelander, Wisconsin and its Hodag obsession. Morgan seems to lean on her friends particularly hard for solving this one, and somehow Devon the shop assistant has – conveniently for Morgan – progressed to hacking bank accounts and credit card systems at this point. And, although Morgan has always been a character with a defective sense of self-preservation, expect brilliantly stupid, um, stupidity (hey, you want a well-written review, go read The New York Times!) from her this time around. I mean, why shouldn't she walk off alone into the deep dark woods just because a random note pinned to a door tells her to??
There's also a short bit where Morgan becomes an insta-expert on pig breeding, so that's fun.
Ol' Flatfoot Sanders is back for this installment, although his and Morgan's relationship is pretty lacking in this one (which, whatever, he's boring and naggy). I mean, they spend an entire trip sleeping in separate beds in adjoining hotel rooms, you guys! And, sadly, no one actually calls him Flatfoot Sanders in this book, which is really a bit of a disappointment.
Anyway, this is an easy, uncomplicated, and entertaining read. It's not fine literature by any means, but I'm definitely still looking forward to the next book in the series. 3.6 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 28, 2025....more
DNF'ing @ 25%. I really, really wanted to love this one because Wicked was great, but this book is practically unreadable to me. The writing is … wellDNF'ing @ 25%. I really, really wanted to love this one because Wicked was great, but this book is practically unreadable to me. The writing is … well, I don't even know how to explain the writing. There are short, repetitive sentences that are written in such a way that they just don't make much sense. I wouldn't exactly call it purple prose, but it's like the text kind of skirts around what it's trying to say instead of saying it directly? I dunno. I read some sections of this book out loud to my husband to make sure it wasn't just me who found it incomprehensible, and he said that it sounded like I was reading poetry (and not in a good way). I don't know why Gregory Maguire decided that this was the writing style he wanted to use for this one, but it just does not work for me. I gave it until the beginning of Part Two hoping that something would change, but it didn't and I can't suffer through another 220 pages of this, sorry.
Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is March 25, 2025....more
Hilarious. I adore John Connolly and his Samuel Johnson novels, so how did I have no idea that this short story existed?!? If you enjoyed the originalHilarious. I adore John Connolly and his Samuel Johnson novels, so how did I have no idea that this short story existed?!? If you enjoyed the original books, "The Monks of Appalling Dreadfulness" is definitely worth a quick read. Several of the characters from the original series make an appearance, and it has all of the brilliant humor and wit that you'd expect from a Samuel Johnson story. The most feared assassins in the Multiverse, The Monks of Appalling Dreadfulness, have been sent to kill the demon Nurd and his friends, but they might just end up getting more than they bargained for ......more
What in the ever-loving fudge did I just read?!? I mean, the blurb told me exactly what this book was going to be about so I guess I shouldn't be surpWhat in the ever-loving fudge did I just read?!? I mean, the blurb told me exactly what this book was going to be about so I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I absolutely did not expect it to be so dark. If you're going into this one planning to read about a benignly meddlesome old woman and a mischievous young boy playing harmless pranks on each other, well … it's certainly not that. Which I guess is a good thing, because that sounds like a boring read now that I think about it. Havoc is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.
Our narrator is Maggie, a nosy octogenarian who has taken it upon herself to “fix” other people's lives, even if they haven't exactly asked for her help. She's already fled one hotel in Europe due to her meddling taking an unexpected turn. She's unlikeable and unreliable and should probably be in some sort of retirement home with locks on the outside of the doors. What will happen when Maggie pits herself against someone who's just as awful as she is? And what if that person just happens to be an eight-year-old boy?
It's probably best if you go into this book mostly blind, but I will reiterate that this is a dark (and insane) read. It starts off fairly tame and then goes completely off the rails. You can feel the tension build as you turn the pages. And then the ending is kind of insane but also kind of brilliant and I am not exactly sure how I should feel about any of it.
My overall rating: 4.45 stars, rounded down. If you like twisted and suspenseful tales narrated by awful old women with a whole host of personality disorders, definitely consider giving this one a read. It's a wild ride.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is December 3, 2024....more
I'm not generally a fan of “sappy” books, but I will read anything TJ Klune writes without hesitation … and probably even get a little teary-eyed at tI'm not generally a fan of “sappy” books, but I will read anything TJ Klune writes without hesitation … and probably even get a little teary-eyed at the end. If you've read his other novels, you likely have a pretty good idea of the basic outline of this one. There's a gay guy. And another gay guy. And a kid. And there's a whole “found family” thing going on. And there's humor. And bacon. Okay, so maybe that last one is a new addition to Klune's repertoire, I don't remember.
This story focuses on one very odd young girl named Artemis Darth Vader and her gruff “bodyguard” Alex. There's also Nate, a disgraced journalist who wants nothing more than to escape from the world for a while. And then they meet up and become a family and everything gets sappy and romantic and heartwarming and I'm not crying, you're crying. I'm not spoiling anything here … I mean, it's a Klune novel, you know it's going to happen sooner or later. But it's also so much more than just sap – there's also secret government agencies and cults and action and conspiracy theorists and comets and maybe even a crashed helicopter or two (or three). It's all fantastically wonderful and sad and hopeful and you should probably read it as soon as possible.
My overall rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for providing me with a copy of this book to review. Its expected (re)publication date is February 4, 2025....more
I knew there was a reason to avoid my neighbors. You'll never find an antisocial introvert (view spoiler)[gestating Satan's spawn (hide spoiler)]. I knew there was a reason to avoid my neighbors. You'll never find an antisocial introvert (view spoiler)[gestating Satan's spawn (hide spoiler)]. ...more
Honestly, I think that the blurb calling this a “feminist take on The Shining” is probably a bit … ambitious. They both involve alcoholic caretakers oHonestly, I think that the blurb calling this a “feminist take on The Shining” is probably a bit … ambitious. They both involve alcoholic caretakers of a hotel/motel and a winter storm, and that's about where the similarities end. There's nothing supernatural about this tale and the entire plot line revolves around there being an outside killer “terrorizing” the caretaker, not the caretaker's own descent into murderous insanity. I'm also not even sure how this book can be considered “feminist,” unless the two main characters simply being women counts (spoiler alert: it doesn't).
Really, The Last Room on the Left is mostly just a garden-variety psychological thriller. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but let's not pretend that this is some groundbreaking piece of literature. It's an easy, fast-paced read and it's entertaining enough, but it's certainly not deep. If you generally enjoy psychological thrillers, there's probably a decent chance that you'll enjoy this one. Just don't expect any iconic “Here's Johnny!”-esque scenes.
The mystery itself is okay. Who killed the previous caretaker and is the murderer still lurking around the hotel? I originally thought the plot was headed in one direction and was surprised when it went elsewhere, but after that the big reveal was fairly predictable. Red herrings abound, however.
Otherwise, expect lots of drunkenness and questionable decision making. Expect gratuitous (but extremely mild) S&M with questionable consent. Expect a main character who really likes the word "ass." Expect unintentionally hilarious scenes involving a bathroom window. Do not expect likeable characters or a super deep plot.
I realize that this review probably makes it sound like I didn't enjoy this one, but it really was … fine. I have a love-hate relationship with psychological thrillers and it takes an exceptional one to get me truly excited. This isn't a particularly novel novel (ha!), but it still kept me turning the pages.
My overall rating: 3.4 stars, rounded down. If you normally enjoy uncomplicated psychological thrillers that are not at all comparable to The Shining, you just might enjoy this one too.
Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 14, 2025....more
Short but amusing. Twisty-turny. Very Vonnegut. When two police detectives attempt to interview a skilled hypnotist, things don't go exactly as planneShort but amusing. Twisty-turny. Very Vonnegut. When two police detectives attempt to interview a skilled hypnotist, things don't go exactly as planned for anyone involved. The ending is darkly hilarious and completely unexpected. 4.25 stars....more
Huh. I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. I mean, it was an interesting read. I never found myself getting bored and the premise was Huh. I definitely have some mixed feelings about this one. I mean, it was an interesting read. I never found myself getting bored and the premise was intriguing. A murder mystery set in a town on a mystical lake? Heck yeah! I read through it pretty quickly (or at least as quickly as I manage these days) and it was decently suspenseful and had me invested in where the story was headed.
But …
Sweet baby kittens on a cracker, I never came close to understanding the reasoning behind everything that happened in this novel. It's hard to explain without spoilers, but let's just say that I never quite got the why of the murders. I mean, I understood the superficial why, but I never got the why behind the why. And I realize that makes absolutely no sense to anyone, so let me try to explain further. (Note: There are no major spoilers in this explanation, but I'm putting it behind a spoiler tag just in case you don't want to know even the vague details beforehand.) (view spoiler)[Strange deaths have happened in Soap Lake, including the murder of (local girl recently returned home) Esme that's the main focus of this story. You find out that the murder(s) happened to prevent something from being revealed (the first “why”), but I absolutely for the life of me could not figure out why it was so important that it never be revealed (the second “why”). Maybe I missed a critical detail somewhere, but as far as I can tell, having the thing revealed wouldn't have affected anyone involved other than maybe some people saying “ooh, that sucks” and then going on about their day. (hide spoiler)] I mean, I have to be missing something here, right?
And then you get to the end and … nothing is resolved. The main characters start figuring things out and then it just ends. So many loose ends. So many questions.
But, still, I didn't dislike this book. As I said before, it's an entertaining read despite all of the muddlement surrounding the reason for the murder(s) (and the lack of a cohesive ending). There are urban legends and a mystical lake and murders and science-y bits, and it's all pretty interesting and unique.
My overall rating: 3.25 stars, rounded down. While Midnight in Soap Lake wasn't a perfect read, it was still decently enjoyable and I'd definitely consider reading future books by Matthew Sullivan.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 15, 2025....more
It's like the start of a bad joke: “Two psychopaths get into a 2006 Honda Accord …”
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, violence, gore, and bad writing.It's like the start of a bad joke: “Two psychopaths get into a 2006 Honda Accord …”
Trigger warnings: sexual assault, violence, gore, and bad writing. The situations are so absurd that it's hard to take all of the above seriously (well, except for the bad writing part), but the trigger warnings are pretty much the entire story. There's some cheesy dialogue in between the acts of violence, but don't expect much else.
And the dialogue is truly terrible. The two main characters apparently take great delight in calling each other “big boy” and “little lady,” and I have no idea why there's so much talk of spanking. Awkward.
But, hey, at least we get to find out the color of Lucy's panties for absolutely no reason whatsoever! (They're (view spoiler)[camouflage (hide spoiler)], in case you were wondering.)
The ending is super predictable (and absurd), but it did make me laugh out loud. I don't think that was necessarily the intent, but … *shrugs*
My overall rating: two stars – one star for the writing and one star because it was mercifully short....more
Damn you, Richard Osman. I was not planning on starting another series seeing as how I'm perpetually behind on the ones I'm already reading, but I supDamn you, Richard Osman. I was not planning on starting another series seeing as how I'm perpetually behind on the ones I'm already reading, but I suppose I'll add We Solve Murders to my list. Throw some humor into a thriller and it gets me every time.
But, seriously, how have I not read anything by Osman before? I loved this book. It's brilliant. It's action-packed. It's hilarious. I want Rosie D'Antonio to be my new best friend.
It's a little weird at first. I mean, Amy and Steve are very, very close for being in-laws. I've been married for over fifteen years now and I've never once called my father-in-law on the phone just to chat, much less teamed up for … *gesticulates wildly* … all of the shenanigans that Amy and Steve manage to get into in this novel. They're really a fantastic pair, though, and their obvious affection for each other really makes the story. Well, that and Rosie D'Antonio.
Rosie is witty and hilarious and the the type of old woman that I aspire to be someday (complete with private island). And, really, all of the characters are a lot of fun, from mysterious bad guy (and ChatGPT-enthusiast) François Loubet to Eddie, the hitman with a creative side hobby.
The mystery itself is solid. I figured out the identity of “Joe Blow” pretty early on, but otherwise it was all a complete surprise. I really liked how low-key the climax was considering the frenetic pace of the rest of the story. Nothing got blown up, nothing too outrageous happened, it was just “oh, hey, we've figured this out …” and then everyone goes on with their lives.
The last chapter is obviously a set up for the books to follow, and I am totally here for it. And it goes without saying that I need to pick up some more Richard Osman books in the meantime.
My overall rating: 4.7 stars, rounded up. If you like witty thrillers with humor and heart, definitely consider giving this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is September 17, 2024....more
A short tale of the supernatural. It was … fine. It's not a traditional Christie story – there's no twisty murder mystery or magnificently mustached BA short tale of the supernatural. It was … fine. It's not a traditional Christie story – there's no twisty murder mystery or magnificently mustached Belgian detective here, just a lot of rambling about past lives and death hounds and magic powers. It's not Dame Agatha's best, but it's worth the little bit of time that it takes to read it. Three stars....more
After having read both this book and Horror Movie, I'm pretty sure I should just go into Tremblay's novels expecting to be traumatized. A Head Full ofAfter having read both this book and Horror Movie, I'm pretty sure I should just go into Tremblay's novels expecting to be traumatized. A Head Full of Ghosts is dark and creepy and supremely unsettling, and I have more questions after finishing it than I did when I first started the audiobook. Was Marjorie Barrett possessed or was her affliction of a more earthly nature? I'm not one for spoilers, but I will say that it's a disturbing ride to the conclusion.
I love books involving reality TV shows, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this one. Add in Tremblay's atmospheric storytelling and some good old fashioned demonic possession (or is it?), and it makes for one heck of a horror story. It's kind of reminiscent of The Exorcist but with a modern-day twist.
My overall rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down. Paul Tremblay might just be one of my new favorite horror authors....more
Loading...
