In a Holidaze is a cute, fast read. As this was my first holiday-themed romance read, I thought I would be overwhelmed by the cheesiness. But, it was quite cozy and I enjoyed the setting and the plot device of being surrounded by chosen family. I liked the Groundhog Day idea being tied to the repetitiveness of holiday traditions. Yes, May was caught in a time warp reliving the same week of Christmas over and over, but her and her family essentially do that every year anyways. I felt like one of the brothers was basically a non-character, even though he seemed to be at the crux of the conflict, which was kind of weird. The steam is PG-13, but don't listen to it with your family. Overall, this is a fun read, and I enjoyed it.

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the original premise of this book. The twists and turns in the last half of the story kept me turning the pages. I needed to know what was going to happen next!

I will preface this by saying I'm a fan of flowery language and descriptions, so take that into account. I did find the writing to be a bit too much "tell not show" for my taste. For a story so brutal, the writing is so impersonal. There is also a lot of repetition throughout the book. I feel like I don’t really know Sigourney, but maybe that’s intentional. Her kraft allows her to know the feelings and memories of others, and we get to know the other characters that way. But Sigourney? I feel like we only know the surface of her. Again, maybe they did that on purpose and not truly knowing Sigourney was their point.

I love the plot point of Sigourney knowing that the regent is an animated corpse, and the mansion they all gather in is an illusion. The symbolism of the characters sitting in a molding ruin while they think it’s a resplendent manor is so, so good.

  Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and Kacen Callender is one of my favorite authors of this year. I recommend this book is you're looking for a new fantasy read that is original and diverse. 

This is my first King novel, and wow. I know King has a die-hard fan base. I knew this story was going to be creepy based on my experience watching the movie. But, I'm ashamed to say, I was not prepared for how masterful of a writer King is. This book is way creepier than the movie. Annie Wilkes is purely terrifying, but also completely human. His descriptions are simultaneously breathtaking and grotesque. I even enjoyed the Misery Chastain book excerpt sections! (I know a lot of people are not fans of those parts.)

I felt Paul's downward spiral, his panic, his borderline madness, and his pure fear all throughout the book. There were parts that were truly chilling. I loved it. The only reason it's not five stars for me is because of the racial stereotypes and sexist descriptions throughout the book. I'm chalking it up to not aging well. 

3.5 stars. This is a thoroughly entertaining mystery full of rich-people-problems, family drama, and secrets. It's also full of toxic masculinity and grown ass men talking way too much about high school, so just be prepared for that. Overall, The Guest List is a fast-paced read that kept me enthralled the whole time. My favorite character is Hannah, my least favorite is Duncan. I personally didn't find this story to be scary, just twisty-turny suspenseful and fun in the spirit of Agatha Christie.

It took me a bit to get into this, but by the end I was eating up all the drama. Enjoyable brain candy and I will definitely be reading Majesty.

So...okay once I finished this book, I felt like I had emerged from a fever dream. The writing is hypnotic, and the plot will keep you turning the pages. The characters are awful people, their actions have little personal consequence, and the storyline goes to some real dark places. Did I like this book? I still don't know, but I can't stop thinking about it.

This story is not a retelling of Dorian Gray, but I can see how it's inspired by the famous Oscar Wilde story. Some parts are pretty out there, and Nico's obsession doesn't really make any sense to me, but there were some pretty suspenseful scenes once the story got going. The relationship between Mick and Veronica is so unhealthy it made me nauseous sometimes. There is so much manipulation, lack of consent, and disregard for boundaries that I found their relationship more obsessive rather than romantic. The level of obsessiveness, however, makes me think Heard crafted these characters like this on purpose, and it definitely contributes to the all-around wild, hazy vibes I got while reading this book.

Overall, I'd recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a fast-paced, out-there thriller with morally ambiguous characters. It's marketed as YA, but I'd say it's a good fit for older YA readers.

I received a free digital ARC from Macmillan and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, yup, it's really, really good.