rebeccasreadingrambles's Reviews (3.06k)

What a fun book! I loved Ember right away and connected with her and her desire and drive to work hard to support her dreams.  She has always felt like she needed to take care of everyone else and is feeling dejected about her career prospects in a way that is so visceral and relatable.  Even though she made some very naive mistakes at her job and in her personal life, she is young and learning and you cannot help but root for her to figure everything out.  There was constant fun banter that had me laughing and the romance was steammmmy.  I loved how confident Danuwoa was in himself without being annoying like the other men in the book.  Poor Ember was faced with so many though things to juggle and I so appreciated that she owned up to her mistakes while simultaneously sticking up for herself.  Reading about how Ember felt that being Chickasaw was holding her back and the disgusting way people just threw around casual racism was horrible and made me want to hug her and fight for her.  That aspect was so powerful and beautifully presented by the author and I'm glad this book became what it did after reading the author's note.

I both read and listened to the audiobook, and while I enjoyed the audiobook I think I would recommend the print version.

This is the most addicting book I've read all year.  I read this physical book in less than 24 hours, which is basically unheard of for me but I COULD NOT STOP. I had no idea I would be so obsessed with reading about sat diving, but wow!  The murder mystery is a psychological minefield and honestly I was equally obsessed with learning about sat diving as I was with the mystery because the atmosphere, the writing, the descriptions were all perfection.  I don't want to spoil anything but I was gripped by every single word; I cried and I had to read most of this outside because of the desperation, the claustrophobia, the helplessness that jumped off the page.

I love this author and everyone needs to read this book!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had me gasping out loud, yelling, and absolutely in tears.  The way I adore Iris and Gwen like they are my own family just grows with each book.  Headstrong, daring, smart and independent I am idolize these fictional characters.  The banter throughout made this book so much fun to read even under the most stressful circumstances.  I wanted to reach out and hug both of them so many times and I could not turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen. The writing and storytelling is fabulous and perfectly pieced together. So many twists and a SHOCKING ending, I already miss this series and can't wait for more!

What an intriguing book.  This is my first book in this series and it was SO easy to jump right in without feeling behind or confused.  Tempe is a vibrant character who I easily connected with despite missing the previous books and I so enjoyed following her on this investigation.  Her job as a forensic anthropologist is absolutely fascinating even without the extra layers in this book and I enjoyed learning. The writing is bold and full of foreshadowing and I really enjoyed it.  The ending left me shocked! I can't wait to continue this series.

Phew. This was a psychological thrill ride with a dash of horror.  The atmospheric writing and tension setting worked wonders and some scenes had the air on my arms standing up.  The house creeped me out for no tangible reason and I was cringe-reading some of the scenes following Stella trying to get into Rose's head and figure out all the secrets this family is holding. The characters are so well written and I loved the juxtaposition of the current case that inspires Stella to look more into her past trauma.  A spine-tingling and action filled ending made this such a great book.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend that route to amp up the tension!

Yes! I loved this book even more than the first! I feel like I can completely relate to Charlotte when she feels like she's falling hard into something (in her case detecting) and finds it hard to stop or draw the line.  She is singularly focused and hilarious and a sweet and caring friend.  There is a lot of amazing banter in this book, especially between the friend trio. I loved the descriptions of Charlotte returning to her middle school as a sub and all the interesting students she meets.  The characters in this book are fabulous and vivid and kept me laughing and guessing. I was shocked by all the reveals and loved how open Charlotte was. I also appreciate how cozy this mystery especially was because there was enough personal emotional struggles that I wasn't worried about constant danger for Charlotte.

Note; I listened to the audiobook, which was fantastic and narrated by the author which I especially love!!

SO COZY! If you're like me and you love fall, small towns, books, Halloween, yummy food and a great mystery - this book is for you! It's a fantastic start to a new cozy series and I already can't wait for more.  I enjoy Emmeline Duncan's storytelling and characters so much; her MCs always have such an interesting past and family dynamic which makes them stronger and even better at reading and understanding people. I love that alongside the murder mystery we are learning about Bailey's past as she uncovers secrets and processes all the new information. I looooved the idea of the book festival and a peak into the mind of a bookseller.  I also loved her found family in this town and all the cozy businesses with fun spooky names.  This is a town I would absolutely love to visit or even better live in. I was SHOCKED by the murder and loved the various reveals.

I can't wait for the next one!

Wow. This book captivated me immediately and I did not even realize at first that this was the second book in a series because it was introduced so well.  The characters were dynamic and vivid and this felt like part mystery part character study.  I love how savvy Lena is and how she is able to negotiate some really tricky interactions with family and new acquaintances.  She is hunting down secrets from her past and learning about her family and takes all the shocks so well.  I feel so bad for her during this novel as she is trying to sleuth and the knocks against her keep coming.  She feels adrift by the end and I hope she can find her solid ground in the next book.  I loved the dual-POV with Lena and her father, as their steps overlap in NYC. I was SHOCKED by so many things in this book and the writing drew me in and I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait for more!

Note: I listened to the audiobook and it is DEFINITELY the way to go to fully immerse yourself in this story.

This book is SO good.  Truly wow, I was blown away by the reveals and the storytelling. I had no idea where it was going and loved how the story weaved itself (with gorgeous gritty writing). I always enjoy PI stories because they seem to have drama in their past that comes out in how doggedly they pursue a case and this was a great example of this.  Vandy has such a good instinct and is a fascinating MC to follow.  There are a few different storylines to follow and I love how it came to a fast paced and chilling ending.  Family, socioeconomic and racial factors, and politics all play a crucial role in this emotional small-town mystery and this is a story that's many facets will stay with me for a long time.

I really really hope this becomes a series because I am not done with Vandy!

Note: I listened to the audiobook which was fantastic and I highly recommend that route!

Cozy fantasy is my jam, and this book was fabulous! The perfect combination of low stakes but also drama that was stressful enough to keep my furiously reading.  The coziest setting on a small island with amazing townsfolk turned friend and the loveliest bits of magic.  Magic to make plants grow and berries ripen quickly so that the MC Kiela can make jam and sell it? From a cozy cottage she grew up in? Yes please! The found family / small village vibes were immaculate because the writing was so wonderful.  And the romance... adorable and filled with hope and no angst.  And TONS of magic creates and companions!  A fantasy book you would actually want to fall into. All around a super cozy fantasy that lovers of this subgenre are sure to adore!

Note: I listened to the audiobook and it's absolutely the way to go!