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14 03, 2024

A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell #9)

A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell #9)

Rachel2024-03-14T18:04:05-06:00March 14th, 2024|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, historical fiction, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 5 ♥’s Published: March 12, 2024 Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery Pages: 336 Description: Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why? Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. [...]

5 03, 2024

Murder Road

Murder Road

Rachel2024-03-05T19:47:24-07:00March 5th, 2024|Tags: ARC, Book Review, horror, mystery, thriller|0 Comments

Rating: 5 ♥’sPublished: March 5, 2024Genre: Horror/ThrillerPages: 352Description: A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel.July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and [...]

17 02, 2024

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute

Rachel2024-02-17T11:14:35-07:00February 17th, 2024|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, romance|0 Comments

Rating: 2 1/2 ♥’s Published: February 13, 2024 Genre: Romance Pages: 286 Description: Katrina Shah just wants out of the fame game, away from her high-profile family's drama. But dodging the spotlight? Tough luck. Especially when she collides with Hollywood's golden boy, Evan Kristof. Her heart doesn't seem to have received the memo to steer clear of him. Evan's used to the spotlight, the parties, the glitz. Yet, he's craving a break, some peace. Then he meets Katrina, and suddenly, tranquility's the last thing on his mind. As they both try to escape their pasts, sparks fly between the girl who wants anonymity and the movie star. But can they navigate crazy families, an over-the-top wedding, and their undeniable chemistry without getting burned? Their fling might just turn into something much bigger than they bargained for.“Bollywood movies and smutty romance novels are every Desi girl's guilty pleasure. And I had the crazy idea to combine the two." I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thought that this book was alright, I felt like it had a lot of potential from the description and that [...]

20 10, 2023

Her Last Words (Detective Amanda Steele #9)

Her Last Words (Detective Amanda Steele #9)

Rachel2023-10-20T10:43:42-06:00October 20th, 2023|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥’s Published: October 17, 2023 Genre: Mystery Pages: 322 Description: The glow from the fireplace throws an eerie light over the woman’s carefully arranged body, her lifeless eyes reflecting the flames that slowly burn the evidence of who did this to her… When Detective Amanda Steele is called to the brutal murder scene of successful local author Felicity Kelley , her blood runs cold. Because Amanda not only knew the victim, but was the last person Felicity called moments before she was murdered. Plagued with guilt that she never answered, Amanda is left wondering whether she could have prevented the murder, and vows to catch the killer, no matter what. Desperately searching the crime scene for clues, Amanda is shocked when she discovers a Queen of Hearts playing card, suggesting the murder could be an imitation of a scene from Felicity’s bestselling crime novel. Terrified that she is dealing with a crazed fan who could strike again, Amanda’s worst fears are confirmed when another innocent woman is viciously murdered, with the same chilling calling card left behind. But when Amanda connects the murders with a cold case from fifteen years [...]

1 09, 2023

Wedding Bells Brews Murder (Sara & Sean Cozy Mystery #2)

Wedding Bells Brews Murder (Sara & Sean Cozy Mystery #2)

Rachel2023-09-01T10:49:09-06:00September 1st, 2023|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥’s Published: August 29, 2023 Genre: Mystery Pages: 244 Description: With all the guests at Sara and Sean’s wedding suspected of murder, her walk down the aisle will need to wait... Everything is going perfectly on the big day until Sara opens the door of her bridal suite. Darlene Day, who made the wedding cake, falls into the room, a serving knife plunged into her back. As the organists start to play “Here Comes the Bride,” Sara calls a pause to the proceedings. There’s a murder to solve, and the motive may be in the icing. Darlene wasn’t the most loved person in the small town of Cotton Spring Falls, but rumor has it that she refused the offer of a big franchise to buy her bakery. Did they go so far as murder to put her out of business? But when it’s discovered their wedding cake was poisoned, Sara and Sean could have been the intended victims all along. Did Darlene stumble upon the killer’s conspiracy and they silenced her before she could reveal their secret? Is it someone on the invitation list or the mysterious wedding [...]

21 06, 2023

Taken Girls (Detective Amanda Steele #8)

Taken Girls (Detective Amanda Steele #8)

Rachel2023-06-21T13:54:26-06:00June 21st, 2023|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, mystery, thriller|0 Comments

Rating: 4 ♥’s Published: June 20, 2023 Genre: Mystery Pages: 324 Description: Music from the busy dance floor echoes into the deserted room where the Prom Queen lies deadly still. A tiara rests on her soft blonde curls, but her face is frozen with fear, and her painted red lips are forever sealed shut in a silenced scream… When Detective Amanda Steele’s niece, Ava, begs her to look for a missing schoolfriend, she immediately agrees to take on the case. Eighteen-year-old Reece left home three nights ago after fighting with her mother and hasn’t been seen since. But when the teenager’s body is discovered brutally murdered, poised dramatically at the prom venue, Amanda is devastated she didn’t save the girl in time. Haunted by the scene, Amanda dives headfirst into the case. Chasing every lead, she is horrified when she discovers a potential key witness strangled in her own home. It soon becomes clear that the killer will stop at nothing to silence anyone who might reveal their identity. So when Ava mentions she saw someone acting strangely at the prom venue that night, Amanda’s heart stops. And when Amanda’s worst nightmare [...]

16 05, 2023

Her Dark Grave (Madison Knight #12)

Her Dark Grave (Madison Knight #12)

Rachel2023-05-16T17:05:50-06:00May 16th, 2023|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 3 ♥’s Published: May 17, 2023 Genre: Mystery Pages: 346 Description: Detective Madison Knight thought a midnight drive through the countryside would help clear her mind, but she thought wrong. Her car runs out of gas, stranding her in the middle of nowhere in pitch darkness. When she gets out to stretch her legs, the beam of her phone’s flashlight lands on a suitcase in the ditch. After she opens it, she’s sorry she did. Tara Jackson was only twenty-one years old with her entire life ahead of her before she was stabbed to death and stuffed into a piece of luggage. Madison is determined to find her justice and soon uncovers that Tara was keeping secrets from those closest to her and suspects they may have gotten her killed. But while she’s exploring that lead, the body of another young woman is found in a sports equipment bag. She looks just like Tara and is the same age, and Madison starts to wonder if the killer she’s after has killed before. Desperate, she turns to cold cases and missing person reports to see if she can dig up anything to further the [...]

12 04, 2023

Bowled Over Americano (Sara & Sean Cozy Mystery)

Bowled Over Americano (Sara & Sean Cozy Mystery)

Rachel2023-04-12T10:49:52-06:00April 12th, 2023|Tags: ARC, Book Review, Cozy Mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥’s Published: April 11, 2023 Genre: Mystery Pages: 263 Description: Sara Cain isn't your typical thirty-two-year-old woman. Murder detective by day, writer and… sleuth by night? Just as long as there’s enough coffee to keep her going… When her first novel gives her trouble, Sara goes for a walk to clear her writer’s block and ends up stumbling right into a real-life murder mystery. Magnum, an adventurous beagle, comes running off leash toward her in the local park, and she returns him home only to find his master dead on the entry floor. Cliff Cunningham was a championship bowler with a mean streak and a temper, and police are pegging his Golden Pin bowling trophy as the murder weapon. While any number of people could have clocked a strike by knocking him on the noggin, the prime suspect is a friend of Sara’s mother—and she expects Sara to prove the woman’s innocence. A tall order, as the case isn’t officially hers and belongs to a rival detective. But a promise is a promise, and Sara soon finds herself sleuthing undercover—and off the clock—in a world of polyester [...]

7 03, 2023

A Sinister Revenge (Veronica Speedwell #8)

A Sinister Revenge (Veronica Speedwell #8)

Rachel2023-03-07T14:22:00-07:00March 7th, 2023|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, historical fiction, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 5 ♥’s Published: March 7, 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery Pages: 336 Description: Veronica must find and stop a devious killer when a group of old friends is targeted for death in this new adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Veronica’s natural-historian beau, Stoker, has been away in Bavaria for months and their relationship is at an impasse. But when Veronica shows up before him with his brother, Tiberius, Lord Templeton-Vane, he is lured back home by an intriguing job offer: preparing an iguanodon for a very special dinner party. Tiberius has received a cryptic message—along with the obituaries of two recently deceased members of his old group of friends, the Seven Sinners—that he too should get his affairs in order. Realizing he is in grave danger but not knowing why, he plans a reunion party for the remaining Sinners at his family estate to lure the killer out while Veronica and Stoker investigate. As the guests arrive and settle in, the evening’s events turn deadly. More clues come to light, leading Veronica, Stoker, and Tiberius to uncover a shared past among the Sinners that [...]

20 02, 2023

The Lost Apothecary

The Lost Apothecary

Rachel2023-02-20T16:01:14-07:00February 20th, 2023|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, historical fiction|0 Comments

Rating: 3 ♥’s Published: March 2, 2021 Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 301 Description: A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course. Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman. Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register. One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose - selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register. In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds [...]

6 12, 2022

The Circus Train

The Circus Train

Rachel2022-12-06T17:01:39-07:00December 6th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, historical fiction|0 Comments

Rating: 4 ♥’s Published: December 6, 2022 Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 352 Description: At the World of Wonders, Europe's most magnificent travelling circus, every moment is full of magic, and nothing is as it seems--especially for the people who put on the show Lena Papadopoulos has never quite found her place within the circus, even as the daughter of the extraordinary headlining illusionist, Theo. Brilliant and curious, Lena yearns for the real-world magic of science and medicine, despite her father's overprotection and the limits her world places on her because she is disabled. Her unconventional life takes an exciting turn when she rescues Alexandre, an orphan with his own secrets and a mysterious past. Over several years, as their friendship flourishes and Alexandre trains as the illusionist's apprentice, World War II escalates around them. When Theo and Alexandre are contracted to work and perform in a model town for Jews set up by the Nazis, Lena becomes separated from everything she knows. Forced to make her own way, Lena must confront her doubts and dare to believe in the impossible--herself. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for [...]

20 09, 2022

The Witch and The Tsar

The Witch and The Tsar

Rachel2022-12-06T17:07:41-07:00September 20th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, Fantasy, historical fiction, Mythology, witches|0 Comments

Rating: 3 ♥’s Published: September 20, 2022 Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction Pages: 432 Description: As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves. As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine. I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. When [...]

29 08, 2022

Typecast

Typecast

Rachel2022-08-29T16:30:08-06:00August 29th, 2022|Tags: ARC, fiction, Women's Fiction|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥’s Published: September 13, 2022 Genre: Women's Fiction Pages: 400 Description: Callie Dressler thought she'd put her past where it belonged—behind her. But when her ex-boyfriend brings their breakup to the big screen, she can no longer deny that their history has been looming over her all along. At thirty-one, Callie Dressler is finally comfortable in her own skin. She loves her job as a preschool teacher, and although living in her vacant childhood home isn’t necessarily what dreams are made of, the space is something she never could have afforded if she’d stayed in New York City. She knows her well-ordered life will be upended when her type A, pregnant sister, Nina; adorable four-year-old niece; and workaholic brother-in-law move in, but how could she say no when they needed a place to crash during their remodel? As Nina pointed out, it's still their parents’ house, even if their mom and dad have relocated. As if adjusting to this new living situation isn’t enough, the universe sends Callie another wrinkle: her college boyfriend—who Callie dumped ten years earlier for reasons known only to her—has a film coming out, and [...]

13 06, 2022

Her Frozen Cry (Detective Amanda Steele #5)

Her Frozen Cry (Detective Amanda Steele #5)

Rachel2022-06-13T17:11:13-06:00June 13th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, mystery, suspense|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥’s Published: June 9, 2022 Genre: Mystery Pages: 309 Book Description: The moon shines through the open window, bathing the woman in pale light. Blood-red wine from a shattered glass soaks into the cream blanket beside her, and her dull eyes stare vacantly at the framed photograph in her hand. When beautiful wife and mother Alicia Gordon is found dead in a remote woodland cabin, Detective Amanda Steele is shocked to discover that she knows the husband. Amanda hasn’t spoken to Tony since she lost the love of her own life seven years ago, and seeing tragedy tearing her old friend’s family apart brings back so many painful memories. Alicia was alone when she died, but she was so young, and Amanda can’t help feeling suspicious. Then she discovers that Alicia’s sleep medication had been tampered with, slowly poisoning her over several days. Amanda wants to trust that the sorrow on Tony’s face is real, but the more she digs into his marriage, the more it seems that he had opportunity, and motive… Interviewing one of Alicia’s old colleagues, Amanda is shaken to her core when the woman suddenly [...]

7 06, 2022

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons

Rachel2022-06-07T17:26:06-06:00June 7th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, Book Review, fiction, historical fiction, mystery, thriller|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥'s Published: June 7, 2022 Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction Pages: 304 Book Description: Saffron Everleigh is in a race against time to free her wrongly accused professor before he goes behind bars forever. Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber, Kate Khavari’s debut historical mystery is a fast-paced, fearless adventure. London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party for the University College of London. While she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon, she doesn’t expect Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin. Dr. Maxwell, Saffron’s mentor, is the main suspect, having had an explosive argument with Dr. Henry a few days prior. As evidence mounts against Dr. Maxwell and the expedition's departure draws nearer, Saffron realizes if she wants her mentor's name cleared, she’ll have to do it herself. Joined by enigmatic Alexander Ashton, a fellow researcher, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons. Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the [...]

13 04, 2022

Grave Reservations (The Booking Agents #1)

Grave Reservations (The Booking Agents #1)

Rachel2022-04-13T18:13:39-06:00April 13th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, fiction, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 3 1/2 ♥'s | This book starts out fairly fast by us getting to see the power that Leda has and how she is able to save Grady and then the mystery begins.

7 04, 2022

The Curse of Morton Abbey

The Curse of Morton Abbey

Rachel2022-04-08T01:51:07-06:00April 7th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, Gothic, historical fiction, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 4 ♥'s | This story intrigued me because I was in the mood for a good spooky mystery/gothic tale. I thought that it was an overall good read, however, I wanted it to be just a little more creepy and gothic...

30 03, 2022

An Impossible Imposter (Veronica Speedwell #7)

An Impossible Imposter (Veronica Speedwell #7)

Rachel2022-04-08T01:50:28-06:00March 30th, 2022|Tags: adult, ARC, fiction, historical fiction, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 5 ♥'s | Well, Deanna Raybourn does it again! I had been eagerly anticipating this book since I finished the 6th because I am hooked on this series!

10 01, 2022

Sing Me Forgotten

Sing Me Forgotten

Rachel2022-04-08T01:49:47-06:00January 10th, 2022|Tags: ARC, Fantasy, retelling, romance, young adult|0 Comments

Rating: 3½ ♥'s | I have always enjoyed The Phantom of the Opera story and when I read the description I thought oh my is this a retelling of it?! Yes, it was, just gender-switched...

5 10, 2021

The Dead of False Creek (Journal Through Time Mysteries #1)

The Dead of False Creek (Journal Through Time Mysteries #1)

Rachel2022-04-08T01:55:55-06:00October 5th, 2021|Tags: adult, ARC, mystery|0 Comments

Rating: 3 ♥'s | I thought overall this was a fairly good start to a series. The premise is unique and I liked the idea a lot. You get a lot of dual timeline novels but you don't really see them intersecting like they do in this one.