thelovelylibrarylady's Reviews (1.1k)

 The Inmate was my third Freida McFadden book and unfortunately, it was my least favorite so far. The plot was super unrealistic and the unpredictable plot twists that I have come to love from McFadden’s stories were not present in this title. In fact, the big twist at the end was one that I saw coming from the very beginning of the story. Readers who want to experience McFadden’s writing should pick up her book Never Lie over this one. 

After being blown away by On The Rooftop, I knew that I needed to read another Margaret Wilkerson Sexton novel stat. Luckily, The Revisioners did not disappoint. Sexton’s writing is both captivating and beautiful. I truly do not know how I managed to miss this title when it was first published as it was nominated for and won many prestigious honors and awards. The main theme throughout The Revisioners is how the prejudice of the past continues to have a strong hold in the present. Sexton accomplishes this with narration in multiple timelines by two black women, Ava and Josephine, from different generations in the same family. I highly recommend this title to readers from all backgrounds as it is such an important story with awe inspiring prose. 

 This middle grade novel in verse was beautiful. I loved the setting, Southern California in the 80s, and the diverse cast of characters. Farid, the author, stayed true to the voice of her young protagonist throughout the novel – which is something that I find other middle grade authors struggle with. While there are some heartbreaking moments in this story, I ultimately found the plot to be inspiring and hopeful. I would love to read more from this author in the future. 

(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.) 

 The Summer Break is the sequel to The Ohana Cottage. This time, Mia’s best friend, Paige is the one who finds herself falling for someone while visiting Hawaii. I enjoyed the romance between Paige and a local bartender much more than Mia and John’s story. There was more banter (which I LOVE) and the relationship developed much more naturally. I truly thought that I was going to rate this title five-stars until the ending. Without giving anything away, a lot happens in the last few chapters of this book. I had reader’s whiplash and just wish that the story itself was more evenly paced. I probably will read the third book in this series once it is released this spring. 

 If you’re looking for escapism, The Ohana Cottage, is the perfect book for you. Reinking’s descriptions of island life are so vivid that I could actually picture myself in Hawaii while reading this title. Unfortunately, the romance between Mia and John was just okay. I didn’t feel super connected to either character and their relationship felt a little bit rushed. As a romance, The Ohana Cottage was pretty mediocre. I would recommend this title to readers looking for a sweet, quick read to take on their own vacation or to those looking to pretend they are on a tropical island instead of dealing with their “real life” issues. 

I cannot believe that this novel is Jimenez’s debut. Her writing’s ability to evoke strong emotions is comparable to veteran authors. What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez is a character-driven book that focuses on a mother and her three daughters. One of the daughters, Ruthy, went missing twelve years ago and the family has not forgotten her. When one of her sisters spots Ruthy’s lookalike on a reality tv show, the women are determined to bring their sister back home. While this is a more serious book, there are some moments of humor thrown in. Readers who appreciate strong female leads and family drama will enjoy this one. 

(PUB DATE: 03/07/2023)
 (I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.) 

 After seeing high praise for this book everywhere, I decided I would give it a go! That being said, I think I am in the minority when I say that this book was pretty blah. I did enjoy the initial premise, a group of college friends with dark secrets returning to campus for their ten year reunion, but many of the plot twists (including the big, final one) were predictable. I wanted more from this book and perhaps I went into this title with expectations that were too high because of all the really positive reviews I read beforehand. 

 This cozy mystery was really great! I absolutely loved Chloe, the protagonist, and was rooting for her to solve the murder, even though she did some pretty dumb things throughout the novel. However, those actions that made me give her the side eye just made Chloe seem more realistic. Your average cozy mystery sleuth will make mistakes as they usually do not have any legal training. Readers may be wary about picking up this title as it deals with cannabis baking, but don’t let that scare you! George, the author, does a great job highlighting the benefits of and dispelling the taboos around cannabis use. 

(PUB DATE: 02/21/2023)
 (I received an audio recording of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.) 

 While this is the second book in the “Pies Before Guys” series, A Good Day to Pie can definitely be read as a standalone novel. I thought I was going to enjoy this cozy mystery more than I actually did. It is set on a competitive cooking show – a setting that I have liked in other books. However, I had a difficult time remembering who was who due to the large cast of characters Popp included and the magical powers of the protagonist seemed odd (this may have been my fault for not reading the first book though). Overall, it kept my attention, but it isn’t one that I would go out of my way to recommend to someone looking to read a cozy! 

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

Mexico, Margaritas, and Murder is a cozy mystery with two senior ladies, Sally and Pearl, front and center. While I thought the character development was well done, I found the plot to be completely unbalanced. The author tried putting a lot of action into the last few pages, and it felt rushed. Overall, this novel was an okay read, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it to others. 
(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.)