bookish_selkie's Reviews (2.14k)

Crocodile Tears is the latest installment in the Prickle Island Zoo series by Ali K. Mulford. This story follows Dove, who is furious to discover that her childhood friend Deacon is back in her life. Once the best of friends, Deacon became a famous movie star and they lost touch. When Deacon’s new movie takes him to the zoo, Dove and Deacon are forced to reconnect. As they work with the zoo animals, can Deacon and Dove get back to who they once were? 

I love this series! Any trip to Prickle Island Zoo is a joyful and delightful time. Mulford writes the best sibling relationships and I loved the cameos of all the previous stories. I especially loved seeing Hannah & Hawk and Frankie & Finch. Dove has such strong bonds to the zoo and to her family, which makes her feel protective of them when Deacon arrives. Deacon is a golden retriever kind of guy, who has made some bad life decisions due to his advisers. Prickle Island Zoo works its magic and he starts to realize that there’s more to life than fame. Mulford writes outstanding queer rep, including demisexuality. 

Readers who love complex sibling relationships, former-friends-to-lovers, and adorable zoo animals should check out Crocodile Tears. I love this series and can’t wait to read the next installment!     

Thank you to Ali K. Mulford for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

The Sirens is a haunting and melancholy tale of sisterhood. Two sisters from the present are linked to two sisters from the past. In present day, Lucy is looking for her sister Jess after a traumatic event at her college. In the past, sisters Eliza and Mary are bound on a convict ship heading to Australia. As the story progresses, Lucy discovers that there is more to Jess than she ever knew. Can the sisters find each other in time? Will Eliza and Mary escape their fate?

The Sirens swept me away! The story is atmospheric and I felt like I was walking along the coast with Lucy as she followed in Jess’ footsteps. Lucy and Jess have a complicated relationship with a major twist, which I thought was written well. As the sisters from the past dealt with their secrets on the ship and made connections with the other prisoners, I also learned about the real life bloody history of the convict ships. Emilia Hart writes beautifully about the danger and lure of the ocean. Water is something that connects us across generations and I loved how all of the women found safety in some way in the water. Readers who enjoy stories about sisterhood, the power of water, and atmospheric writing will love The Sirens.

Thank you to Emilia Hart, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Never Planned on You is a love letter to The Wedding Planner. Ali Rubin is a wedding planner with an embarrassing secret...she once got a matching tattoo with a total stranger. This isn’t completely out of character, as Ali is known for her flakiness and spontaneity. When she meets the mysterious stranger again years later, Ali is horrified to realize she is now planning his wedding. As Graham and Ali work closely together, feelings spark between them. Will Ali pull off this wedding or will she give in to her feelings for Graham?

Never Planned on You is a lighthearted second-chance romance. Ali is trying to do her best to be taken seriously and feels a lot of pressure to pull off the responsibilities of the wedding. Graham and Ali share hilarious moments along the way to the ceremony. I enjoyed the dialogue and secret of the matching tattoos. However, I felt the story lacked depth at times and dealt with frustrating miscommunication. With that said, I do think that readers who enjoy second-chance romance and wedding planning chaos should check out this book. 

Thank you to Lindsay Hameroff, St. Martin’s Griffin, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.