booknallnight's Reviews (1.78k)

Ok...this was FUN! I enjoy puzzles. I enjoy reading. I also enjoy mysteries. Put all of them together and it's pure nerdy blissfulness.

I received Murdle, Vol. 1 for my birthday. Once I started, it was hard to put down. I kept wanting to solve the puzzles to get to the next part of the story. The story is entertaining and I LOVED the descriptions of the people, places, weapons, and motives.  The humour is on point, at least for me.

Highly recommend this one for those who want reading with a twist.  I honestly didn't think I would like this as much as I did. I already have Vol. 2 ready and waiting. 

I adored Lenny Marks.  This is such a charming read. It starts a little slow, but grows on you. Lenny is a very unique character, full of quirks and habits that make you love her. Her situation, the things she went through, both as a child and adult, is what tethered me to the story and kept me there. Definitely one to put on those bookish radars. 

I didn't realize until after I finished this, that this is a debut.  I look forward to what else this author writes. 

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

I really enjoyed Thistlefoot, so when I was given the chance to read this one, I jumped. Sadly, for me, this one just didn't gel. 

There were a couple of stories that I enjoyed, with my favorite being the Eternal Staircase.  With most though, they just sort of fell off and stopped. I was left more often than not, wondering what happened, than understanding what the author was trying to get across. 

Maybe it was meant to be that way? I know other readers enjoyed this book, it just wasn't for me. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Time travel. Family secrets. Murder and mystery. If these phrases appeal to you as they do me, you will love Murder on the Steel Pier. 

Imagine going to bed in one time, and waking up in another. Not only that, but waking up as a family member long since passed.  Pair that with a murder that could possibly change your family and affect its history and bam folks ... we have a cozy mystery winner.

This was a fun read the entire time. Easy five stars. Tess is a great MC and I adore everything about her, especially her resourcefulness. The story was fun as well and made it hard to put this down.  Ah responsibilities why do you plague my want to just read all day. 

If you love mysteries in general, but are a cozy mystery fan at heart, definitely grab this one. I sincerely appreciate the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

It took me a while to finish this one since it's two different books in one. I enjoyed both stories but then Nora Roberts so...lol

Well I found my first 2025 favorite. Serenade of Kings is just what this bookish heart needed. I LOVE me a good backstory and man did this deliver. In Prelude of Fire (Book 1 in this series), I fell in love with the characters, their journey and their growth.  We got a glimpse of Ragnar and his relationship with Gailea.

With Serenade of Kings, we get to see a much better, clearer picture of that relationship and how things progressed to the evil tyranny we see in Book 1. The last few chapters had me on the edge of my seat and one particular scene had me stunned.

I thoroughly enjoy this author's writing. I love that it's character driven, full of emotion and depth.  You can feel the tension and turmoil, not to mention the heartbreak. The action scenes are pretty great too. This is a must read for fans of YA Fantasy. I can't wait for the next book!

I sincerely appreciate the author for this review copy. These opinions are my own. 

This one is hard for me to review. I enjoyed the author's other book, The Ballerinas, so I was excited to be given an ARC of The Ingenue.  I am torn with this one. 

It's definitely not a suspense, in any way.  This is a very slow read and that doesn't change throughout. I was waiting for a pace change or for the suspense part to show up, but it never did. The ending was slow and long as well.

Saskia is a hard character to connect with or feel anything for. Even knowing her situation, I still had a hard time with her character.

The story itself is good. The dynamics of being pushed by your parents, the pressures of being "special , and the expectations of future achievements can be a lot for anyone, especially a child.  Enter in a predator who can see the struggle...and wham....life-altering events follow.

I think the author does well showcasing Saskia's life, and how her "love" for Patrick was much more damaging than even she knew. There is family drama and psychological fallout while Saskia relives her past and deals with the present consequences. I thought this part was good.

Overall though, the pace was just off and the lack of connection with Saskia herself made this a hard one for me.  If you have had your eye on this one, I would still recommend you snag it and give it a go. There are plenty of readers who have enjoyed this one.  It just wasn't for me.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.

Whew!!! What a wild ride this was! I have not read anything like this before and wasn't sure what to expect when I read the synopsis.  It's still hard to wrap my head around everything and everyone within this story.

The author does a fantastic job writing about DID without over complicating it for the reader. That was my biggest fear, that it would be too chaotic and too disorganized in a messy way BUT it's chaotic and disorganized in exactly the right way. You have to read to understand what I mean. It's hard to explain.

The story itself is good too and I was flying through the pages. Highly recommend this one! I sincerely appreciate William Morrow and Harper Collins for the review copy. 

Holy cow was this good! The Unlucky Ones has fast-paced chapters, twists and turns, suspense and even a little romance thrown in. Black Harbor is a dark, tense and frightful place to live. This book makes you feel that to the core.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. Definitely go grab this one if you love police procedurals and crime thrillers.

Whew!! Whenever I see another installment in this series, I know I need to get ready for a whirlwind of a ride. When it comes to Eddie Flynn nothing is easy or normal and I am here for it. 

The imagination of this writer just has me floored! The twists and turns and all the chaos in between had my head spinning. I eagerly await the next installment as I know it will be a read I can't put down.

I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.