danadoesbooks's Reviews (954)

Thank you Delacorte Press and Tandem Collective Global for the gifted copy of Resurrection!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Since this was a mystery readalong, I had no idea what book we were reading but knew the synopsis sounded good!  I wouldn't have picked this book up on my own so it was exciting to read something new and a new-to-me author.

I think Resurrection could be a tough read for some people.  While the book is mainly about Darcy trying to figure out how to put the pieces of her life back together after a devasting secret comes to light, the majority of it takes place during a global pandemic where residents in every country are forced to stay in their homes.  Darcy is able to spend her time with some great people, but there are quite a few emotional events that occur.

As always, it was really fun to read this book as a Tandem Readalong and have a great group of readers to discuss it with!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Libro FM for the ALC of A Banh Mi For Two!  All opinions in this review are my own.

This sapphic romance is a love letter to Vietnam.  Vivi is a Vietnamese-American who travels to Vietnam to learn more about her family since her mom refuses to talk about her time there.  Lan lives in Saigon and secretly writes a food blog, but feels like she must be a dutiful daughter and help her mom with their banh mi stall.  When Vivi and Lan find each other, they decide to help the other with their goal and end up falling for each other in the process.

A Banh Mi For Two was so good but my only wish is that we were able to see more of Lan and Vivi together as a couple.  The focus is more on the individual growth of each character but they are so sweet together I would have read a few more chapters about their relationship after the book ends.

I highly recommend A Banh Mi For Two and make sure you know where you can get (or make) Vietnamese food because it will make you hungry!

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the gifted copy and eARC of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Natasha Lester is easily one of my favorite historical fiction writers and Astrid Bricard just became my favorite book by her!  It's got the whirlwind energy of Daisy Jones and The Six mixed with high fashion.  I like that the story follows three generations of the Bricard women and how they all operate within the world of fashion revealing their secrets one by one.  While it does take some time to get to Astrid's disappearance, Lester's expertise in storytelling makes you almost forget that the disappearance is supposed to be the main focus.

Fans of Lester will be treated to appearances of Alix St. Pierre.  It is not necessary to read The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre before reading The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, but it is fun to see how the characters operate in the same world.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is such a fantastic read and I'm already looking forward to Lester's next novel!

Thank you Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the eARC of Grand Prix!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Grand Prix is absolutely fascinating!  Will Buxton does an excellent job of explaining the structure and technology of the sport to newer fans, while also rewarding long-time fans with deeper dives into the nuances of F1.  He also includes short biographies of F1's greatest drivers and teams organized by decades.  Very early on into reading Grand Prix, I decided that I wanted a print copy and pre-ordered it!

Grand Prix is available August 13th!

Thank you Tantor Media and Libro FM for the ALC of The Mystery of Locked Rooms!  All opinions in this review are my own.

If you are a fan of escape rooms and stories about friendship, then this middle grade novel is definitely for you!  Set in an abandoned 1950's funhouse, the setting of The Mystery of Locked Rooms is the escape room to end all escape rooms.  It is truly amazing how the characters were able to make their way through the puzzles and how their friendship strengthened along the way!

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the eARC of Wake Me Most Wickedly! All opinions in this review are my own.

When I first started reading this romance, I was a little worried about how religious it is. I don't typically like to read about religion in my romance, but it does connect to some of the situations that the characters find themselves in.

I did love Hannah and Sol! Both his endless pursuit of her and her denying her feelings for him at just about every turn. I am typically not a huge fan of the age gap trope but it really worked for these two characters!

Thank you Minotaur and NetGalley for the eARC of The Poison Pen! All opinions in this review are my own.

The ninth installment of the Scottish Bookshop series involves a historic sword and a murder.

I liked learning about the Scottish history and the Treasure Trove Unit at the National Museum. However, I felt like this mystery had a lot of pieces that didn't seem to connect until the end. While everything eventually does come together, Delaney chases after a character who gave her their phone number early on and Delaney trying to track them down could have been avoided. 

While this wasn't my favorite mystery in the Scottish Bookshop series, I still love the setting of these cozy mysteries!

Thank you William Morrow and BiblioLifestyle for the gifted copy of The Engagement Party! All opinions in this review are my own.

I always love a good locked room thriller and The Engagement Party does not disappoint! It is reminiscent of And Then There Were None and set on a remote island during a storm. While the plot can be chaotic at times, this thriller is a great creepy read!

Thank you Recorded Books and Libro FM for the ALC of Olivetti! All opinions are my own.

Olivetti is such a sweet read! Half of the chapters are told from the perspective of Olivetti, the family typewriter, and the other half by a boy named Ernest. When Ernest's mom goes missing, he teams up with Olivetti to find her when he discovers that Olivetti can both talk and retype what his mom typed. Olivetti is a heartwarming story about family and discovering things about people you think you know the best.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the eARC of Lady Codebreaker! All opinions in this review are my own.

Since I had just read another historical fiction book about Elizebeth Smith Friedman and enjoyed it, I felt like Lady Codebreaker had a lot to live up to. Luckily, there are enough differences between the two that Lady Codebreaker felt like its own story. In addition to changing Elizebeth's name to Grace, Alden covers a larger scope and shows the struggles that she faces to get to where she was. I like that Lady Codebreaker spans 40 years of Grace's life but at times I felt like it was at the expense of details. Overall, if you are looking for a historical fiction book about the role of women codebreakers in the early 20th century, Lady Codebreaker is a great start!