Ohhhhhhhmygod. This book is just FEELINGS - about life, death, and everything in between. There's no arguing that Wallace Price is a dickwad, but the personal growth that we get to see after he dies is just perfection. The book takes awhile to start up but once we're at Charon's Crossing, you get those signature T.J. Klune cozy homy vibes. We get the worldbuilding of his business of death with Reapers, Ferrymen, and the ever elusive manager, and the warm atmosphere of Hugo's tea shop. Like seriously, I don't even really like tea but I still want to live there. This book takes a careful approach to its discussion of death, especially that of self-harm and loss of a child, but the trigger warnings should be noted nonetheless.

A very fun book overall - a con artist and a journalist playing a twisted game of cat and mouse. Meg is deadset on getting revenge on the men in her life who have wronged her or others. We get alternating timelines and PoVs as the plot thickens in what has become Julie Clark's trademark. It was fairly predictable throughout, but still very enjoyable. Nearing unputdownable territory if I'm being honest. The book should note trigger warnings for sexual abuse and rape though, as those themes are prevalent throughout.

Y'all are sleeping on the Wilderlore series, I swear. We're 3 books in now and they just keep getting better and BETTER! Barclay and his cohort enter the desert where mysterious storms are sweeping through, but they've got a Symposium to deal with first. Between an age-old prank war, mastering his wind Lore, and rumors of a mystical library, Barclay Thorne has a lot going on. I loved seeing the new apprentices and beasts, plus the riddles and puzzles! This series feels like one giant D&D campaign and I adore it. As time goes on, the books do become slightly darker and just more tense in general, but it really builds a sense of danger that suits the series. And with the ending of this one... trust me, I'm waiting for the next with bated breath.

This book marks an evolution in Darby Kane's writing for me. You had a solid plot with SEVERAL corkscrew turns that left me spinning, flawed characters with secrets, and *so* much subterfuge. It's reminiscent of The Collective, but focuses more on the women on the receiving end of the chaos. Bad men deserve bad things to happen to them, but The Foundation takes it one level further. It's so far-fetched that you can almost imagine it happening in real life and that's terrifying. I couldn't stop listening on audio - it's fast-paced and you flip between PoVs so rapidly that you're always engaged. These books have quickly become my guilty pleasure reads and I can't wait for her next!

*Thanks to Harper Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review*

What a debut! As an amateur matchmaker and overall meddlesome person, I loved the plotline. An old-school matchmaking service vs their zodiac-based dating app counterpart - it's made to be enemies to lovers. But more than that, we get to examine character's conflicts with their cultures and the struggle of owning a small business, all while exploring Los Angeles through their lenses. It's definitely towards the sweeter side, but I don't fault them for that. It's more plot-focused than steam-focused and that is OKAY!! Ya girl loves a plot. And these characters are just phenomenal, I adored seeing how Liv interacts with her family and coworkers. Maybe a book for Alisha or Colette next? Either way, I'm a Lauren Kung Jessen fan for SURE now.

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

I don't know what I was expecting here... The premise stunned me - two groups of queer teens across time converge when they need to rescue their friends from a demon. Uh yeah, yes please!

That's about where my excitement ended. The plot felt clunky and the characters didn't really feel like teenagers. There weren't any twists and turns (uh yeah of course Nomed was a bad dude, his name is demon spelled backwards) and we didn't get to know Pris very well. The chapters were short and palatable, but couldn't make up for a lack of investment on my part.

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

An enjoyable spin on illithids with the most literary twist, Sunyi Dean creates a compelling family drama that spans years and the United Kingdom. We follow a book eater Devon as she struggles to raise her son Cai while on the run from their society known as The Family. It gives dystopian vibes while simultaneously feeling like something out of The Godfather? Very confusing in the best way. I enjoyed the length and pacing, but it's a very heavy book to read. I'd recommend this for fans of The School for Good Mothers, especially if you enjoy a fantasy twist or two thrown in.

My favorite thing about Sonali Dev is how she writes family. It's intriguing yet relatable and really just draws you into her stories. Here we follow a multigenerational family as they navigate sudden deaths, career plateaus, and the general chaos that is dating in the modern era. I found myself relating most to Cullie as a fellow coder and anxiety sufferer, but also because we're the closest in age. Bindu is easily the most fun character though! It's a very enjoyable book overall, leaning more towards family drama and women's fiction.

*Thank you to Mindy's Book Studio and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This book starts off with a bomb of a beginning and doesn't slow down throughout. Seriously the PERFECT book to read on a plane ride. I was giggling throughout at the column titles and quotes, and straight up guffawing at some of Lana's antics. And a second chance romance that wasn't just caused by rampant miscommunication? Yes PLEASE. Plus it doesn't hurt that Seth is a nerdy little smokeshow - aka *exactly* my type. This book has it all - a classic How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days type of plot, a sloooooow burn romance, and ALL of the positive mental health representation. Indeed, therapy should be free and mental health professionals should be well compensated. Falon Ballard nails it again.

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

This is a genre-bending novel that will leave you breathless. The prose itself is beautiful, as is Olivie Blake's signature character-focused plot. But more than that, it experiments with point of views, both using Regan and Aldo as well as an omniscient narrator a la film scripts. It's definitely a literary fiction book posing as a fantasy romance, which could be a marketing issue for some. But regardless I felt safe reading this book, enfolded in its pages. The discussion of mental health and prescriptions will hit differently for some, and I almost wish that that part of the acknowledgments had come first, but it is a view into one person's experience with bipolar. The reality of how mood disorders and creativity interact is something I experience daily and found the Regan's descriptions to be accurate. It's ugly, messy, and angsty at times but overall captivating.