Reminiscent of Lucy Foley and Sandie Jones, Lucy Clarke delivers a destination mystery that will keep you guessing. There were so many fakeouts and red herrings throughout which kept me from foreseeing the final outcome of the book. Plus it all felt so exciting with the remote Grecian setting. There are a lot of PoVs to follow, but I did feel like each character had important contributions to the story progression. This book will leave you craving salty air and ouzo, perfect for a summer beach read.

*Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

To no one's surprise, I absolutely loved this book. I originally started it on audio - the narrator has the perfect accent for this piece, the tone is chilling, especially when the chalkboard sounds come in... but I couldn't wait 7 hours to finish it! It's a slow burn as a book, but I love it just the same. In the physical copy, you get to see all of the art and dark asides from the master of the house which are just GORGEOUS. And it's amazing how much you get to see of Olivia, despite her having limited conversational interactions with the other characters. The tone throughout is spectacular, reminiscent of Coraline. Everything is so beautifully described, yet intrinsically dark. While it definitely is more tuned for a YA audience, fans of Schwab's writing will still enjoy.

*Thank you to Harper Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review*

I abandoned my TBR for this book and I regret nothing. Each of the books in The Boyfriend Project series has gotten better and better - and I'm happy to report that this book is not an exception. I was the most excited for London's book because I relate so much to her. She's a professional badass who just can't turn off and relax. Enter Drew, the chiseled hedge fund manager with a heart of gold. I wasn't expecting all of the steam in this book, but I was pleasantly surprised. More than that, it isn't *just* steam. Drew wants a relationship with London, and London is trying to make sure that her hospital isn't privatized. There's so much to love about this book - between the Austin vibes, the discussion about spousal abuse, and the acerbic banter throughout... You're in for a good time.

*Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Reminiscent of Bringing Down the House and Ocean's Eleven, this is unlike any heist novel I've ever read. And I think that's due to it being a character-motivated book, with 5 conflicting personalities and dynamics. The idea of a group reclaiming stolen art for its country of origin is noble, with the 50 million dollar prize a mere afterthought. The chapters are short, keeping it highly readable despite being a 400 page book. As the thrill of the heists wears off and they're pursued by the FBI, we finally get conflict between the characters (with a few unrealistic reactions). I loved the idea of this book, though at times I was questioning if college students could really pull this off. Overall an interesting topic at a fast clip that I'd recommend to art lovers one and all.

*Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I'm a huge Farah Heron fan and it's clear that she's grown so much as a writer since The Chai Factor. But with that being said, I was still entertained and definitely on Amira's Team! We get to follow Amira as she navigates her final semester of grad school, moving back with her family, and an unexpected attraction to the new basement roommate. Amira definitely simmered down a bit in Accidentally Engaged, but she's so sassy and powerful here. We also encounter racism, sexism, and homophobia throughout, though it is handled with care. While there may have been a few too many subplots going on, I thought the pacing was great in spite of it. I'd recommend this to Farah Heron fans as well as anyone who wants to be serenaded by the cutest garden gnome in Toronto.

This book is fun, definitely leaning more towards the middle of the middle grade audience. We get to explore the world, be it a beautiful river village in Africa, a treacherous skyscraper in New York, or a mysterious temple in the Mexican jungle. And not to mention the fun of a secret society like SEA - the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. Shinji is a smart-aleck, but lovable nonetheless, and is full of such tenacity. My favorite character was Lucy for obvious reasons - STEM gal with a mechanical mouse named Tinker? I'm sold. Though short, this book packs a punch and I can't wait to read more in the series.

*Thank you to Rockstar Book Tours and Disney Hyperion for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review*

There is so much emotion written in this book, you'd be hard pressed not to leave it with feelings. This was conveyed perfectly on audio - the pain of Sara, the uncertainty of Emilie - all done with glorious inflections from Julia Whelan. Yerba Buena is brought up throughout, both as a plant, a restaurant, and a general theme of growth. Sara and Emilie are so interconnected, though it becomes more clear once their paths actually intersect. I found myself identifying more with Sara's chapters, but it might be because Emilie's plight with depression hits a bit closer to home. It's art about art, be it floral design, mixology, or home renovations, but it's imperfect in the way that all art is. I can't wait to get a physical copy and reread, because I feel like there are so many nuances that I missed. It's herbacious, poignant, and perfect for contemporary readers who want a little more literary fiction in their lineup.

*Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review*

I just need to start this out by curbing your expectations if you're anything like me - THIS IS NOT A DUOLOGY. Okay, there I said it.

With that out of the way, hoooooly coyote! This book is definitely slower than Black Sun, but adds so much political intrigue that the first book lacked. AND we get another PoV to follow (not going to spoil who...) which is quite possibly one of the most interesting. After the events of Black Sun, there's a criminal amount of fallout in The Meridian and for good reason. I loved Naranpa's arc as usual, but Serapio and Okoa's were so dark and intriguing. We really get to see the relationships between characters bloom and be tested in this installment, for better or worse. I think that Xiala's arc will be the most fascinating in the third and final book. However though the book may be slow paced, there's still action and magic throughout that will leave you craving more. And the LOOOOORE!! We learn so much about The Meridian here that is definitely going to come into play soon...

Overall I love this book to pieces and can't wait to reread it. Recommending it for fans of high fantasy and anyone who loves a good plot twist.

*Thank you to B2Weird tours, Saga Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This book is littered with Legally Blonde references and I love it more for it. We follow Blaine, an overzealous artist who runs for senior class president after he's broken up with in public.... on their ANNIVERSARY. I loved how Robbie Couch describes art through Blaine's lens, as I'm personally fascinated with murals. It's an ode to artsy queer kids everywhere.

What made me enjoy this book even more was the cast of characters. Trish and Danny were my favorites, and I definitely want one of the election shirts! The plot is fluffy and fun, with enough foreshadowing along the way to make elements mesh. Overall absolutely gorgeous and a glorious introduction to Robbie Couch. I'd recommend this to fans of Election, Legally Blonde, and having allllll the LGBTQIA+ rep in books

*Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I have a new favorite genre and it's Ali Hazelwood. While all of the novellas are enemies to lovers in their own ways, this one felt the most natural to me. And Hannah was definitely my favorite of the 3 leads. She's so confident in herself and SEXY!! She's also a bisexual engineer who knows what she wants, and if that's not the most attractive feature in someone, I don't know what is. We're blessed with 2 spicy scenes that bookend the audiobook, so I was able to start and end my day with steam (rather than ending up listening to nippleplay scenes at work). As a former NASA intern, the bureaucracy rang true (as did the general white man moron atmosphere). I'm so happy that we got to explore each of their stories through novellas and can't wait for the next full length addition to the Aliverse.

*Thank you to PRH Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*