tamlamreads's Reviews (175)

 Here is the setup: Seven seemingly unconnected guests show up to a mysterious dinner, and nobody knows who the host is. As the evening comes to an end, a mysterious card appears before each guest. Shock ensues when the cards are opened, and on them the age at which they will die at is printed. Chalking it up to no more than a silly PR stunt, the guests depart hoping to put the night behind them. Two weeks later, the first guest is dead at the age on their card. At first they chalk it up to an strange accident, but soon the guests are fighting against time to figure out the mystery before their card comes up.

This book has a point a view for each character of the seven characters. At first they are all unlikable, but as the story progresses and you see into their lives, they become easy to root for. This was such a fun, fast paced read that kept me up late to finish it because I just couldn't put it down. Finding clues from the different POVs that connected all the characters was just as fun as trying to solve the mystery. I will say I did figure out one of the big plot twist rather early, but it didnt stop me from wanting to continue because I wanted to keep reading to solve the rest. Overall this was a 4.5 ⭐ book. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Sourcebooks Landmark and the author KJ Whittle for this eARC. 

3.75 ⭐
The blurb on the back of the book drew me in and "Outlander meets Black Mirror in this sizzling dark time travel romance" was pretty accurate. 

With that being said, I almost feel like I should rate the first half of this book separately from the last half. The first half of the book dragged for me. I was dreading picking it up, taking me 5 days to get through it when I typically finish books in a day or two. I was considering DNF-ing. The story was slow, repetitive and mostly character driven. I was just following along day-to-day life waiting for something to happen, there wasn't much action or plot. I get set up is necessary but there can only be so many scenes about washing yourself, needlepoint and eating before you check out. 

Then the plot twist happened. From then on, I was super engaged in the story and finished it in hours. There were intense battle scenes, spicy romance and other plot details I can't mention, or I will spoil the book. The characters were easy to be invested in, and care about the outcomes they may have. The book ended on a huge cliffhanger.

I will pick up the next book, just to see how the story continues. Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op for the eARC!

A fast-paced thriller set in the 1970s filled with suspense and action, or so I thought. The premise sounded interesting, a couple traveling in a foreign country in the 1970s (a time when they would have been cut off from easy communication, relying on the newspaper or watching TV for information) who come across a pair of hitchhikers lying about their identity and are on the run after committing a gruesome murder. I was in! However, none of the characters were likeable. I wasn't invested in either of the female characters (the POVs we get). Alice was a tad more likeable than Jenny. I wish we could have gotten some POV chapters from the male characters not Tom who was easily forgettable, but the unraveling and desperation of Simon would have been a great addition. The pacing was more medium in the first 50% but definitely picked up in the next 25% and then just went off the rails. I will say the eating scenes really took away from the suspense, and it feels like there were a lot of them. This book could have been about 25% shorter overall, with shorter chapters ending with more suspense, and it would have really worked better for me. The setting was perfect, the author did a fantastic job. Overall, it was a 3.75 ⭐ book that was just average for me. Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Chevy Stevens for this eARC. 

 With Stars in Her Eyes is a cozy, dual POV, slow-burn sapphic romance with loveable characters, a sweet found family and a dreamy setting. Courtney is a musician working at her friend's bookstore after a migraine causes her last show to be disastrous. Thea just moved to town and is working a piercing job looking for a fresh start. After an encounter with an animal side character, sparks fly. The dialogue between the characters had great banter and was really done well. The side characters added so much to the story, providing more depth. All of the relationships, whether romantic or platonic, were well developed and made me want to be a part of this community! Overall, this was a solid 4-star book. Thank you to NetGalley, Andie Burke, and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this book