kishab's reviews
301 reviews

This was very whimsical and I really enjoyed it. The concept was super interesting and I liked seeing the intricacies of the world and how the department store worked. We follow a lot of characters but I thought they all added something to the story. The story is warm and uplifting right until the final chapter. This might of just been for me but that last chapter hit me so hard. I think each reader will have an emotional reaction to some aspect of the story. Overall this would be a great book for a comfort read, it’s more vibes than following a direct plot but I still had a great time. 

Thanks to Netgalley, Miye Lee and Hanover Square Press for this e-ARC

This was so cute and cozy, I absolutely loved it! The story is about a set of triplet witches, after their parents deaths they run a tea shop in their home and read the tea leaves of their patrons.  Each sister has a unique ability that they discover and cultivate throughout the novel. The stakes in this book aren’t very high but they’re still there. The vibes and setting are immaculate, all I want to do is move into the Quigley house and never leave. Did I mention there’s a sentient house! With magic, mystery, self discovery and the right amount of romance this was the perfect cozy book for me!

Thanks to Netgalley, Stacey Sivinski and Atria Books for this e-ARC

This isn’t a book I would typically pick up but I had seen so many people picking it up I didn’t want to be left out. This is a romantic, horror, gothic, ghosty love story, enemies to lover, bi-for-bi, commentary on bias in publishing book, and some other tropes I’m missing out. There’s a lot going on but almost too much so that nothing gets more than a surface level exploration. The highlights for me are the conversations between the two main characters about BIPOC rep in publishing and the spooky setting. There’s some other characters introduced but no one but the two mains get a lot of page time. I would have liked a lot more focus on the hauntings and the story of the ghosts, I felt most of the focus was getting the two main characters together. I think you’d enjoy this if you go in thinking it’s a love story with some ghosts in the background. 

Thanks to Netgalley, Colbie Wilkins and Dreamscape Media for this ALC. 

Raiders of the Arcana is quickly becoming one of my favourite series. This new instalment definitely lives up to the high bar that the first book set. This time Ellie and Adam are on the way to Egypt to head off Dawson and Jacobs in a race to a new arcana. There’s a few new characters introduced and they all add such wonderful qualities to the story. The multi POV is so well done, and the descriptions and setting make you feel so immersed. I liked seeing how Ellie and Adam were able to work on and grow their relationship without any miscommunication. However the romance definitely takes a backseat to the action. This was fast paced and super fun and again Benson has done a wonderful job blending history and adventure. 

Thanks to Netgalley, Jacquelyn Benson and Crimson Fox Publishing for this e-ARC

This was a fun read, it’s not a literary masterpiece but I was interested the whole way through. Even though I figured out what the mystery was pretty early one I still enjoyed the story. The romance aspect was also really well done. I thought the portion of the story about Capri’s family history wasn’t as well done as the current murder but it didn’t take away from the entirety of the book. The narrator did a great job with the audiobook, and I listened to the whole thing in one sitting. I think this would be really fun for someone familiar with San Francisco as there’s a lot of cool facts and locations mentioned. 

Thanks to NetGalley, Michelle Chouinard and Macmillan Audio for the ALC

Another super fun mystery with Agnes Sharpe and the gang! This time the Sunset Hall residents are off on a relaxing vacation, but it’s not all sunny days. This is a great take on a locked room mystery, with lots of twists and turns, a “cold case” murder and a few fresh bodies turn this vacation into a working holiday. I only figured out half of the mystery which was a nice surprise. The reveals were smart and the new characters were all great additions. Overall this was a really fun read and the narrator again does a great job with all of the character voices. 

Thanks to Netgalley, RB Media and Leonie Swann for this ALC

I love the idea of a cozy pirate adventure but for me this didn’t quite hit the mark. I had a good time reading but I felt like there were so many things introduced that nothing was explored thoroughly. I missed the cozy bookshop and small town feels from the first book, and even though this was a good addition to the series it wasn’t my favourite. I would have liked it a little more of the pirate side of things and of course every problem was easily resolved so again we didn’t really get into anything fully. I’ll probably still continue with the series because this is a nice palate cleanser but not something I’ll go out of my way for 

Thanks to Netgalley, Rebecca Thorne and Macmillan Audio for this ALC

I loved this book! Ultimately I have no notes, this was so fun and had everything I love in a book. I first picked it up because I heard it described as having The Mummy vibes, which is my favourite movie so the book had a lot of live up to but it delivered. The author must have done a ton of research, the history and setting was so well done. The characters had great banter and the slow burn was so perfect. Even though there’s romance the main plot of the story was strong enough to do without it. The audiobook was really well done and the narrator did a great job with bringing all of the characters to life. To me this is a perfect blend of The Mummy and Emily Wildes Encyclopedia of Fairies, and I can’t wait to read more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley, Jacquelyn Benson and Vaughan Woods Publishing for this ALC