booktribe's Reviews (603)

     Merritt Coletto and her husband, Luca, have the perfect life. Until one day there’s a knock on their door from Luca’s first wife, Lydia who has been missing for 10 years and presumed dead. What happened to Lydia and what does this mean for Luca’s new family?

     

     I’ve never been interested in domestic thrillers before, but the synopsis of Unmissing reeled me in and I just had to check it out! This book was enjoyable for me, but it wasn’t particularly extraordinary.

     The book got immediately to the point. The story got started in the prologue, as it should’ve. I thought the pacing was nice and I found the writing to flow well. However, it’s basically what I expect of every domestic thriller and that’s why I don’t really read them. It had very predictable twists and unlikable characters repeatedly making stupid decisions. I figured out the twists literally just from reading the synopsis and the prologue. If you go into this book thinking you know what’s going to happen, then you’re probably right. But, if you’re not expecting anything too shocking, this book will be enjoyable for you.

     Overall, I did think the book was worth my time, it just wasn’t a standout read for me. If you are a fan of domestic thrillers, I think you’ll enjoy this book!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this arc! All opinions are my own.

TW: rape and torture mentioned multiple times, animal cruelty, fertility issues

Could’ve been a 4 or even 4.5 star read, but the end was disappointing to me and I was left with questions at the end.

     If you want Agatha Christie without the racist book titles, then this book is for you! 

     Detective Kosuke Kindaichi arrives on Gokuman Island with a mission. On a ship with Kindaichi back home from war, the son of the island’s most important family’s last words before death warn that his three sisters will be murdered and begs the detective to go save their lives. After Kindaichi gets there, a series of murders begins. Can he solve this mystery and save lives?

     

     This is the first book I’ve read in this series, but it won’t be my last! I enjoyed this classic murder mystery! The premise was very intriguing and the story kept me interested. The atmosphere was great, and though there were lots of characters and lots of information to keep up with, I never got confused. The writing was very clear and straight to the point, so it was easy to keep up. I also found the reveal to be entertaining. I figured out some things, but definitely not everything!

     My only real complaint is that I wish it had been more exciting. It was very slow paced, but I never got bored. This was slow paced done right! I just wanted the writing to be a little more engrossing.

     I enjoyed this book and will definitely be picking up the other books in the series soon! This was a book that you can easily read without reading any of the previous novels. And it’s great for anyone who loves thought provoking murder mysteries!

Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Vertigo for this arc! All opinions are my own.

TW for an unchecked “when women say no they really mean yes” conversation.

Tell Me When you Feel Something is a YA mystery about a couple of teenagers who are a part of the local medical school’s simulated patient program in which medical students use the teens as “practice patients”. The teens’ lives take a wicked turn when one girl, Viv, lies in a coma after a party and her friend, Davida, looks for answers about what really happened that night. Is Viv’s overdose really as straightforward as it seems to the police? Or is there more to the story?

   This book hooked me in the first chapter, however, the first half of the book really dragged for me. It could’ve been reduced to 20% of the book instead of 50% unnecessary background. But I started enjoying the book more after that point.

    The reason I picked up this book was because I was intrigued by the simulated patient program, but that aspect just really fell flat for me. It wasn’t as interesting as I thought it’d be. I also didn’t feel any connection to the characters. I thought they were two-dimensional and not very likable.

    I enjoyed the ending. Although it was predictable, the meat of the story really took off in the last 100 pages and I finished it very quickly after that point. I don’t think this book should’ve been labeled a thriller though. The only thrilling things happened in those last few pages. It can be labeled as a mystery, but not a thriller.

    Overall, I thought this book was okay. Not bad, not great, but okay. 

    Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for this arc. All opinions are my own.

TW: sexual assault, alcoholism, and suicide

     Reclaim the Stars is a collection of science fiction and fantasy filled with unapologetically Latine stories!

     I was so excited to read this collection! It was full of so many great story ideas and authors who I’ve been wanting to read from! Sadly, I was disappointed and couldn’t finish this book. 

     First, I just want to say that I really enjoyed the stories The Tin Man by Lilliam Rivera and This is Our Manifesto by Mark Oshiro! I gave both of those stories four stars individually. That being said, I got through eight stories in this collection and those are the only two I enjoyed at all. For the other six I read, I gave them either two stars or below or I just couldn’t make myself finish them. 

     I spent almost every story confused. Nothing was explained. The world building was just not there. I don’t expect the same amount of world building that would be in a 500 page fantasy novel, but I do expect to be able to picture what is going on in the story. Most of the stories I read were just not fleshed out very well at all. I’ve been trying to read this since January and I just don’t think I can try anymore. 

     I am not at all trying to discourage anyone from reading this collection. I think people should at least give it a try because I absolutely love the idea of a collection of SFF Latine stories. The execution wasn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not for everyone. So give this a try if you don’t mind less explanation  in your stories and more vibes and atmosphere! And don’t forget, I did really enjoy Lilliam Rivera and Mark Oshiro’s stories! I’ll definitely be reading more from them in the future!

1.5 stars rounded up to 2.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this arc. All opinions are my own.