I had high hopes for this theater themed cozy mystery as I am a huge fan of both musicals and plays alike; hardly a month goes by when I am not takingI had high hopes for this theater themed cozy mystery as I am a huge fan of both musicals and plays alike; hardly a month goes by when I am not taking in a show! There's No Murder like Show Murder didn't quite live up to my expectations, however.
MS Greene truly captures the atmosphere of being in the theater itself as well as the devotion the characters had for the Eastbrook Playhouse. I related to Tasha's love of HER theater and her passion for costumes, but she didn't have that amateur sleuth spark that most cozy mystery main character's have. While I didn't guess whodunit, which is usually a great thing in mystery books, it is because I didn't really care? At no point was I emotionally attached to the victim nor was I invested in any of the suspects.
All that said, I honestly think There's No Murder like Show Murder was a good foundation for a new series. The setting and the cast are unique, which is key for a new cozy mystery starter, it just needs a little more razzle dazzle and a lot more pizzazz!
Received e-ARC from the Publisher via the Read Now function on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review....more
I read only the first line of How to Age Disgracefully's summary before getting hooked. "A senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilariouI read only the first line of How to Age Disgracefully's summary before getting hooked. "A senior citizens’ center and a daycare collide with hilarious results" was truly all I needed to know about this book before diving in. Particularly the senior citizen characters of this novel stood out to me. I loved how the story was told from multiple points of view so readers could get a full picture of how complex the lives of the main characters' was and how they saw one another. I loved the relationship between the elderly former reclusive yet suprisingly world savvy Daphne and teenage father Ziggy the most. Pooley's ensemble of characters both young and old show the stages of life and how much there can be learned from one another. I have always loved the idea of senior citizens and kids together so having both the social group and the daycare in the same building was a brilliant move. Showing them working and learning together in the novel reinforced this idea and it was written beautifully. And there was no doubt about the hilarious result. Days later and I'm still thinking about How to Age Disgracefully. I wish there were more books like this in the world....more
London On My Mind is a teen rom com that focuses on so much more than just two teens falling in love. The story was lovely and the writing was fantastLondon On My Mind is a teen rom com that focuses on so much more than just two teens falling in love. The story was lovely and the writing was fantastic! I felt like I was right there with Dayana every step of the way! It is filled with so much amazing representation that I wish it was a real life story! Dayana is a fat, bisexual, bilingual Brazilian teen who travels from her home in Rio to live with her dad in London. There we meet her Pansexual love interest Diana as well as Diana's stepsister with fibromyalgia! Seriously, this range of reps was my favorite part about this translated novel. I'm so happy that it was published in the US because there are not enough books from other countries published here. We need to see other countries on page!
Received e-ARC from the Publisher via the Read Now function on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review....more
The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is an outstanding middle grade debut! Nicki Pau Preto is fantastic at building complex worlds that make yThe Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is an outstanding middle grade debut! Nicki Pau Preto is fantastic at building complex worlds that make you long to be a part of them, and I think that Last Hope may be the book of hers that I'd choose to fall into. The magic system is well thought out and made so much sense to me (I'd love to take a quiz that would determine what kind of magic I would have)! I enjoyed how characters with the same type of magic didn't use it the same way and how realistically they would go about using it in their life. I particularly adored how life at Last Hope was portrayed as whimsy, but also chaotic. This is the first book that I think truly shows how terrifying it must be to be a kid with magic.
That's what the main character, Vin, is going through: that fear of unknowable power. I think there's a lot of kids who are going to read Vin's story and see themselves and their own anxiety portrayed, perhaps for the first time. And while the kids reading the book aren't going to have magical explosions, I think that Last Hope may bring hope to a lot of people who feel like outsiders.
Vin isn't the only character that felt like they could come off the page, though! All the characters from the Headmistress Ava Hope to a small fire sprite all have complex personalities, which is impressive for a book of this size. I loved reading Vin's experience getting to know the larger than life Magical Delinquents and sincerely wish to see more of each character in future books!
The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is one of those stories that prove that Middle Grade books are the best books on the market today for any age. Books can be fun and serious by being filled with laughter and lessons simultaneously! I recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt lost or alone in this unmagical world. I think it will have you believing that maybe we haven't seen the last of hope.
(Posting my review early so that Last Hope starts getting the hype it deserves!)...more
Why do I always get so attached to the murdered victim?! Murder on Devil's Pond had me eagerly flipping pages to find out who would dare kill off the Why do I always get so attached to the murdered victim?! Murder on Devil's Pond had me eagerly flipping pages to find out who would dare kill off the character that was only in one chapter and yet stole mh heart anyway. The story follows Inn owner Hannah as she tries to find out who killed her elderly friend and neighbor, cantankerous Ezra. Murder on Devil's Pond is Knives Out: Cozy Mystery edition and I adored it! It has the intrigue and drama associated with inheritances, but done in a way different from any I've read before. The atmosphere of the small town was well done and while there were many characters, all of them were fleshed out enough to seem realistic! I was intrigued by the story and surprised that I didn't guess the ending until just before it was revealed! While I would be satisfied with it being a stand alone, I can totally see Ayla Rose setting more mysteries in Jasper with Hannah!
Received e-ARC from the Publisher via the Read Now function on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review....more
It's not often I get attached to the murder victim so quickly in a cozy mystery, but I was genuinely sad even though I knew from the summary who died.It's not often I get attached to the murder victim so quickly in a cozy mystery, but I was genuinely sad even though I knew from the summary who died. Sarah Fox has written a vivid story that I just didn't want to end! I've never read a cozy mystery with just a hint of magic before and I have a feeling that Murder Most Owl may have spoiled any I read in the future because it set the standard so high. I do hope that there are many more sequels to come! Murder Most Owl had characters both likeable and despicable, a fantastic small town setting, and a comforting mystery....more
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