Where Echoes Die is the chilling tale of sisters Beck and Riley. When their mother dies after a terrible illness, Beck is lost in grief until she receives a letter in her mother’s handwriting. The sisters secretly travel to Backravel, the mysterious town her mother was obsessed with. When they arrive, it soon becomes clear that there’s something very strange about the townspeople of Backravel. When they catch the attention of the town’s leader, Beck and Riley must decide whether they will risk it all to discover what their mother wrote her last story on. 

Where Echoes Die is an absorbing and horrifying thriller. It’s the type of book where you’ll start looking for all the small clues to try and assemble the twisted puzzle. The plot is truly perplexing and it’s hard to read at times, especially because grief is such a strong theme. Beck’s loss and mourning of her mother is so poignant and evocative. Where the Echoes Die is a story that you’ll be thinking about and mulling over long past the last page. Readers who enjoyed Small Favors (Erin A. Craig), Where Darkness Blooms (Andrea Hannah), and A History of Wild Places (Shea Ernshaw) should check out this book! 

Thank you to Courtney Gould, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

I love Cathy Yardley’s work and Role Playing is no exception! Maggie is a fierce single mom who wants to motivate her son to form connections at college. They both agree to step outside their comfort zones. Aiden is struggling with helping his mom accept the limitations that come with aging. Maggie and Aiden find each other online through video games and become good friends. When they meet in person, they realize they have more in common than they thought. But meeting in person has real-world consequences… 

Maggie was incredible and one of my favorite heroines! I loved how Maggie accepts no rudeness or fake behavior, she is so sure of who she is and what she will not accept. While this can lead to her pushing people away at times, Aiden and her son help her see that it’s ok to accept help. She’s also caring and fiercely protective of those she loves. Overall, I enjoyed Aiden’s journey as he explored his identity and came to the realization that he is bi and demisexual. There is a significant amount of trauma regarding the lack of acceptance from his family, so read with care. Maggie was so inclusive and such a fantastic support to Aiden during this time. 

I really appreciated that Yardley emphasizes that online friends are just as important and real as in-person friends. She highlights how connections can be found when you are true to yourself and honest about what makes you happy. I would recommend this to romance readers looking for a reverse grump sunshine, older MC romance, and lots of nerdy gamer joy! 

Thank you to Cathy Yardley, Montlake, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

The Shadow Sister is truly an unputdownable book. I started it and was completely entranced. The hours slipped by unnoticed while this dark and twisty story unfurled. The story begins with the disappearance of Casey’s sister Sutton, who she loves and hates in equal measure. Casey is desperate for Sutton to return and when she finally does, Casey knows something has changed. Sutton has no memory of what happened when she went missing, but she does remember Casey. What happened to Sutton? Is the danger gone or does it still lurk in their community? Casey embarks in a race against time to find out before another girl goes missing. 

The Shadow Sister is a sibling story that gets what it truly means to be a sibling- someone you love, fight with, and would do anything for. I did not see the twist coming and was shocked. Lily Meade’s writing is excellent, I found myself laughing out loud at the dialogue and highlighting descriptive passages. Casey and Sutton are not the perfect sisters that everyone thinks they are and I absolutely loved that! It’s realistic and created so much good tension as Casey dealt with her complicated feelings about her sister. The Shadow Sister covers important topics such as missing women (particularly POC), police negligence/racism, and family trauma. 

The Shadow Sister is a spellbinding and intricate tale. Readers will be captivated by the race to find Sutton and then the ominous sense that something still isn’t right once she returns. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy twisted secrets, sisters with a complex relationship, and suspenseful writing. I’m excited to see what Lily Meade writes next!   

Thank you to Lily Meade, Sourcebooks Fire, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Morgan Is My Name is a retelling of the legends of Morgan Le Fay. This retelling focuses on Morgan growing up as a young girl, being married, and eventually becoming a mother. We see glimpses of Morgan’s magical powers in this book, but I had hoped to see more of them. Instead we see Morgan’s humble and non-magical beginnings, but as a young girl she often sees more than she is supposed to. Morgan’s relationships with her sisters and mother are highlighted, as well as her rebellions against the vile King Uther. 

King Uther, Merlin, and her eventual husband are all shown through Morgan’s eyes and how they treated her. In this retelling, they viewed her as little more than a chess piece to be moved around without agency. Morgan does not accept this role and uses all of her wits and connections to other women to find a way to strike out on her own. I loved how the author highlights that women are often branded as witches by men when they are feared and in positions of power. While Morgan finds fleeting love, it was not fully explored due to the reprehensible King Uther. She also finds herself the half-sibling of a young King Arthur. I hope that these relationships along with her magical abilities are explored more in a future book! 

Readers who enjoyed The Shadow of Perseus (Claire Heywood), would enjoy this clever and nuanced retelling of Morgan Le Fay and the women associated with King Arthur, such as Queen Igraine. 

Thank you to Sophie Keetch, Penguin Random House Canada, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

I love Dahlia Adler’s work and Going Bicoastal is another excellent addition! I immediately loved the cover. In Going Bicoastal, Natalya must choose which parent she wants to spend the summer with- her dad in New York or her mom in LA. There are pros and cons to both, along with two special people that she’ll meet depending on her choice. In a queer YA version of Sliding Doors, Natalya discovers who she is and explores who she wants to be. 

Going Bicoastal was such a fun and clever read! I loved the bisexual/LGBTQIA+ rep and the cameos from Cool For the Summer. It was interesting to see what things stayed the same in both versions and what changed based on Natalya’s surroundings. I loved both Elly and Adam! Natalya has a great group of found family among her friends. I enjoyed seeing more about Shabbat dinners (they also made me very hungry!) and seeing how Natalya connected to Judaism. The ending was creative and I loved how all the threads came together. Going Bicoastal would be the perfect book for readers who enjoy Emma Lord and Sophie Gonzales. I can’t wait to see what Dahlia Adler writes next! 

Thank you to Dahlia Adler, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

The First Bright Thing is a devastatingly gorgeous tale. It is filled with tears and heartbreak, as well as joy and triumph over evil. The First Bright Thing follows Rin as she spins a circus out of sadness and eventually is joined by her found family, including her wife Odette. But Rin has been running from something that she’s never left behind and he’s finally caught up to her. Rin and her family will need to use all of their magical powers to defeat her old enemy and find a future where they all survive… 

The First Bright Thing is an excellent queer and Jewish historical fantasy. Rin can jump from moment to moment in time and does so to try and protect her family (and the world) from danger. There are vivid descriptions of World War II and some of the horrors of the Holocaust, so readers should definitely read with care. The First Bright Thing is a thoughtful, important story about how we must all choose what to do with the abilities that we have to make the world a better place. 

One of my favorite parts was the sapphic relationship between Rin and Odette and how they always found each other no matter what obstacles they faced. I loved the idea behind the Sparks and how it was tied to what you needed or wished for most. I was entranced watching Edward’s descent into a villain- it is masterfully done. He was so chilling, but utterly convinced that he was always doing the right thing. I can see why it was compared to The Night Circus, particularly the magical traveling and found family. 

The First Bright Thing grabbed me and I couldn’t look away until the end. I can’t wait to see what J.R. Dawson writes next! Readers who enjoy The Night Circus (Erin Morgenstern), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Ransom Riggs), and queer found family/fantasy should check out this book. 

Thank you to J.R. Dawson, Tor Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

A Love Catastrophe is a lighthearted romance filled with puns. SO many cat puns!! Kitty is the proud owner of The Kitty Whisperer, a pet caretaking business. She runs into Miles (quite literally!) and ends up taking care of his mother’s cat. Miles and Kitty initially seem like they don’t have anything in common, so why are they unable to stay away from each other? 

This is a sweet, cheerful read. Miles and Kitty are a perfect match once they get past their mutual negative first impressions. However, it was a little jolting that serious topics such as dementia and life-threatening allergic reactions were interspersed with such lighthearted content. I also didn’t connect with how some of the more romantic scenes were written, but I think some readers will love them. Readers who love cats and dogs, Helena Hunting, and lighthearted romance definitely need to check this book out! 

Thank you to Helena Hunting, Forever, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You Can Trust Me is an unputdownable thriller. Summer and Leo are lost girls who have found each other. Summer is the protective big sister Leo never had. When Leo vanishes without a word, it makes no sense why she wouldn’t tell Summer where she was going. Summer is determined to not let Leo go missing and retraces all of her last known steps. She follows Leo’s trail to a dangerous island where she will need to use all her skills to get herself and Leo out alive…

This thriller was a delightful treat, fast-paced and filled with action. I loved the premise of the mysterious island and how Summer cleverly traced Leo. Even though the mystery happens over a few days, I felt very connected to Summer and Leo. They are an excellent duo and I was on the edge of my seat as the true nature of the island and their companions was revealed. The climax was a little predictable, but I still enjoyed each twisty reveal. You Can Trust Me is a fantastic thriller with electric pacing that is the perfect beach (or island!) read. I would recommend it to anyone! 

Thank you to Wendy Heard, Bantam, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
 

Kismat Connection follows Madhuri and Arjun, lifelong friends who enter into an experiment to prove that Madhuri can outwit fate. Family legend decrees that the first person Madhuri dates will be her lifelong partner. Madhuri is determined to use the scientific method to prove fate wrong. Enter Arjun, who has kept his feelings about Madhuri secret. After all, Madhuri’s family has given him a second home which he's afraid to lose. As their relationship progresses, Madhuri and Arjun grow closer than ever before. What happens when the experiment is over? 

Kismat Connection is full of classic fake dating tropes which readers will love. I love how Madhuri and Arjun both had such a deep connection to their culture, especially Arjun. I enjoyed that while it takes Madhuri some time to regain her connection to her culture after a severe bullying incident, Arjun and her friends help her regain her confidence. Kismat Connection is a warm, sweet romance with intricate characters. Fans of the  tv show Never Have I Ever will love this book!! Readers who enjoy The Love Match (Priyanka Taslim), To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Jenny Han), and Boys I Know (Anna Garcia) definitely need to check this book out. 

Thank you to Ananya Devarajan, Inkyard Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.