thelovelylibrarylady's Reviews (1.1k)

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I am not a fan of books that focus on fictional influencers. I find that authors write these characters to be over-the-top ignorant and annoying. Unfortunately, People To Follow falls into this category. Ten teen influencers are brought to a deserted island on false pretenses. They quickly realize that they are in danger after people start to die (a la And Then There Were None). I did not enjoy this title and would not recommend it to others. 

(PUB DATE: 10/31/2023)

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

This book was hilarious. Abby, our protagonist, is tasked with reviewing feedback from those who enter heaven. “The Boss” takes care of any big issues, while Abby is responsible for seeing what smaller upgrades can be made in the world of the living. Commentary about her office mates and the other departments she has to consult results in a laugh-out-loud story. Fixing Flamingos is a quick, lighthearted read that you should pick up once it is published!

(PUB DATE: 09/19/2023)

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

The Sound Of Murder was a fun, quick-paced cozy mystery. Broadway fans will appreciate this title more than others as there are many musical theatre references sprinkled throughout the story. While I enjoyed reading this one, I probably will not continue with the series. The writing was subpar and the dialogue was a little cheesy at times. Cozy mysteries have a special place in my heart and have been a form of escapism for me this year. 

I thought I would enjoy this novel more than I actually did. I found it difficult to root for Advika, the protagonist, due to her extremely poor decision-making throughout the novel. A major plot point only works if the reader wants to see Advika be successful and when I got to that part, I truly did not care about what happened to her. With that being said, I did like the setting of this book. I love reading about fictional celebrities (ex. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Something To Talk About) especially when they are navigating the complexities of Hollywood. With some minor adjustments to the character of Advika, this novel would have been better. 

(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

This essay collection made me literally laugh out loud. Robinson was spot on with her commentary about quarantining with a partner during the Covid-19 pandemic in her essay “#Quaranbae”. She also was successful in tackling an emotionally charged subject while still including comedic relief in her essay “We Don’t Need Another White Savior”. Readers of all backgrounds will be able to relate to and find humor in this title. 

As a huge Katherine Center fan, I was beyond excited to get the opportunity to read her newest novel before its publication. I always love her characters as they have hilarious banter with one another and feel like “real people”. Unfortunately, compared to this author’s other books, I was not impressed with this one. There is a plot twist that is crucial to the story’s development that I figured out very early in the novel. I would recommend Things You Save In A Fire, another title by Center, over this one. 

(PUB DATE: 07/11/2023)

(I received an audio recording of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

This thriller left a lot to be desired. I figured out the big “plot-twist” within the first few chapters which really detracted from my reading experience. In addition, the characters in this novel were terrible (and not in a good way). Truly none of them had redeeming qualities and I did not care when bad things happened to them throughout the story. Overall, I did not enjoy this book and probably would hesitate to pick up another title from this author. 

(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW) 

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.) 

This YA romance was adorable. Taking place over the last few days of their senior year, longtime rivals, Rowan and Neil, are able to put aside their differences and team up for a graduation tradition: Howl, a senior scavenger hunt throughout their city. I adored the banter between the protagonists and thought this enemies-to-lovers was done in a really brilliant way. Solomon is well known for her romances set in the Seattle area, but Today Tonight Tomorrow took it a step further. With the scavenger hunt, I learned more about the city itself, which was a plus! Finally, I liked that Rowan, one of the main characters, loved romance novels and challenged misconceptions about the genre. This would be a great read for anyone looking for a sweet romance with a strong-willed female protagonist. 

While I was reading this cozy mystery, all I could focus on was how much I wanted to visit the protagonist’s tea shop, “Tea by the Sea”. The New England setting was familiar, and I kept forgetting that the lovely shop was not a real place. This distraction may have kept me from figuring out who committed the crime being investigated, but I prefer unpredictable cozies anyway. I want to go back and read the first three books in this series because I loved the characters and the Cape Cod setting in this novel so much! I highly recommend this title to fellow cozy mystery lovers. 

(PUB DATE: 07/25/2023) 

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)