This could be a personal problem as I haven't read the previous books in the series, but this did start out as a bit overwhelming. There were quite a few characters that were hard to get a grasp on and multiple POVs that I tried to follow. That issue aside, it worked fine as a standalone. I really enjoyed the characters and the coziness, and I thought the author did a good job piecing together the mystery.

It was an enjoyable and heartfelt cozy queer romcom. Matthew definitely started as incredibly unlikable and whiny and I couldn't stand him but I'm happy he was given a chance to have some growth. I thought he and Hector were absolutely adorable together. My issues were the overuse of 'dude', was there really nothing else to say? As well as the fact that Matthews parents were TERRIBLE and I couldn't believe their actions. It put a bad taste in my mouth. While this was sweet it was ultimately just ok.

I was immediately pulled in by the cozy setting and yummy treats. The qaint little town sounded so enchanting and the baking competition sounded like so much. I loved Becca and our cast of characters and Sarah Fox did a good job painting the mystery. I went back and forth with who I think the killer was and the killer wasn't even on my radar. 4.5 stars rounded up!

I hardly read thrillers so I don't have an opinion on this having a "tired" plotline like some reviews say, but I did personally enjoy it. I can't believe this is her debut, I thought the writing and the flow felt natural and the prose was beautiful. I felt connected to the characters and their pain was palpable. I want to say Tommy was absolutely disgusting and grimy and just yuck. The murderer was not who I thought it was but it definitely made sense. There was so much sadness and grief but I thought it was well done. Tears were shed on my part.

The 7 hours I spent on this audiobook was so wasted. I didn't get what I thought I was and according to quite a few reviews of this book, neither did anyone else. I was hoping for an Agatha Christie kind of mystery and got...this. Not a single likeable character and not one of them has any depth or personality. The book goes from domestic abuse to cozy Christmas vibes to sexual assault flashbacks to fucking train jokes. The actual murder doesn't even happen until way past half the book. Big ol nope from me. And what was the fuckin birth subplot about??? No. No thanks.

This author used to hold a special place in my heart but now... no. Her ghost stories are lacking nowadays. None of these characters are good, the group of mean girls are actually horrible. They are horrible about Elsie dying and actually make fun of it? The actual ghost story was lackluster at best and nothing really happened.

I'm not big on action or cyberpunk books but this was really nice. I thought the action scenes were both telling and showing and with many authors, actually "showing" the action can be hard. I loved the futuristic aspect in this, it felt fleshed out and well imagined. I liked that the characters were all introduced and took time to build them but it didn't slow down the story.

This was a beautiful and imaginative read. I loved that this author created such a detailed world and characters. The characters are actually inspired by/based off the Romanovs and you can tell the author really did her research to create them for this story. There was deities, myths, and even some romance but it didn't overpower the story. I can't wait for the next installment. 4.5 for me!

I was so excited for book 2 and now I'm sad I have to wait for the next installment! First of all, I was so happy to return to this world and deep diver into it. I loved learning more about the characters and I was even sad at some loss we had in the story. I will say, there are quite a few people in this story and I know it can confuse readers (there is multiple POVs as well, which I like) but Israh did include a character guide at the beginning to help you along. I think the writing was better (and it was already good) and I think our plot is more captivating as well. I think Israh does a great job of getting you hooked early and keeping a hold on you. Also... That cliffhanger? Wowww.

I thought this was well written and highly enjoyable. I knew I was going to love this when I read that Of Magic and Metal Core stories are told from different authors within the same world/universe and it felt fresh and fun. I thought the characters had great arcs and relatable, I loved the humor, the romance, and vivid details of this world. It sounded magical and divine. I thought the author did a great job with the plot line and now I need to read the other books in the series.