Mystery – A Take from Two Cities

THE WORLD GIVES WAY by Marissa Levien

In a near-future world on the brink of collapse, a young woman born into servitude must seize her own freedom in this glittering debut with a brilliant twist; perfect for fans of Station Eleven, Karen Thompson Walker, and Naomi Alderman.

In fifty years, Myrra will be free.

Until then, she’s a contract worker. Ever since she was five, her life and labor have belonged to the highest bidder on her contract–butchers, laundries, and now the powerful, secretive Carlyles.

But when one night finds the Carlyles dead, Myrra is suddenly free a lot sooner than she anticipated–and at a cost she never could have imagined. Burdened with the Carlyles’ orphaned daughter and the terrible secret they died to escape, she runs. With time running out, Myrra must come face to face with the truth about her world–and embrace what’s left before it’s too late.

A sweeping novel with a darkly glimmering heart, The World Gives Way is an unforgettable portrait of a world in freefall, and the fierce drive to live even at the end of it all.

Title : The World Gives Way
Author : Marissa Levien
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 380
Genre : sci-fi / mystery / dystopian
Publisher : Redhook
Release Date : May 1, 2021

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★.5

Hollis’ 4.5 star review

This probably won’t be a long review because I’m still kind of absorbing this read but.. wow. This surprised me in so many ways and I’m definitely feeling some aftershocks about the impact of the whole experience.

A lot of moving parts go into making a world work. It is a monstrous, exquisite machine.

I went into this expecting a cat-and-mouse mystery thriller set in space but while that’s not a wrong description, it’s very much only one small part. And not the best way to indicate the vibe of this book, either, which is less of a thriller and more of a slow moving collision of characters and themes. Because in so many ways this is haunting, introspective, enraging, stunning, and sad. Levien’s writing was so compelling, so lovely, and somehow she put all these different things into this book (which is a d e b u t, by the way) and made it work. And then gave us that ending. Which, I mean, yeah, of course I cried. Pretty sure I was getting the weepies by 91% and that was before I even knew the final line of the book.

The world owes me nothing, he thought, certainly not a perfect ending.

Even though this isn’t getting a five star, it has some of those qualities. Again, the writing? Wow. The little interludes? Devastating in their matter of factness. And the world? It reminded me of something from Interstellar, helped by the fact that this is sci-fi, but the mythology around it, what they had forgotten, or lost the context for, it was all just so clever, so seamless, and I could envision it so well. Not the least because of the dystopian societal structure was so familiar and, well, sadly typical. But the feel of it all? Still felt new, and fresh, and.. yeah, I might be jumping the gun here after only one book but Levien might be jumping right onto my auto-read author list.

Highly recommend.

A LONG STRETCH OF BAD DAYS by Mindy McGinnis

Lydia Chass doesn’t mind living in a small town; she just doesn’t want to die in one. A lifetime of hard work has put her on track to attend a prestigious journalism program and leave Henley behind—until a school error leaves her a credit short of graduating. Undeterred, Lydia has a plan to earn that credit: transform her listener-friendly local history podcast into a truth-telling exposé. She’ll investigate the Long Stretch of Bad Days: a week when Henley was hit by a tornado and a flash food as well as its first—and only—murder, which remains unsolved.

But Lydia needs help to bring grit to the show. Bristal Jamison has a bad reputation and a foul mouth, but she also needs a credit to graduate. The unexpected partnership brings together the Chass family—a pillar of the community—and the rough-and-tumble Jamisons, with Bristal hoping to be the first in her family to graduate. Together, they dig into the town’s worst week, determined to solve the murder.

Their investigation unearths buried secrets: a hidden town brothel, lost family treasure, and a teen girl who disappeared. But the past is never far, and some don’t want it to see the light. As threats escalate, the girls have to uncover the truth before the dark history of Henley catches up with them.

Title : A Long Stretch of Bad Days
Author : Mindy McGinnis
Format : eARC
Page Count : 368
Genre : YA mystery / thriller
Publisher : Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date : March 14, 2023

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★.5

Hollis’ 4.5 star review

Anyone who has read this author before knows that you really don’t know what you’re going to get when dipping into one of her books. But, having said that, this might be her most straight-forward, or dare I say tame?, or maybe just easily-marketable, books in a long long time. I haven’t always loved McGinnis but she always does something different — often bonkers weird — and even if I’ve disliked her previous release, I still pick up the next. And because of the aforementioned tame-ness of this one, I think — hope! — this gets her a slew of new fans.

“.. even when everyone involved has the best intentions [..], sometimes people fall through the cracks.“
“Funny thing about those cracks. Most of them are teenage-girl shaped.“

A Long Stretch of Bad Days gives off shades of Veronica Mars in some ways. Or, if that reference is now a little too old for the YA crowd (urk, my heart), think Sadie. Or A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. While our two characters don’t set out to solve a crime, they end up in the middle of one anyway, complete with viral podcast episodes. But where this differs is.. the stakes. No one sets out to investigate a loss that is deeply personal to them. And no one is intentionally throwing themselves into the line of fire. What starts out as a trip down memory lane to revisit a horrible disaster in their small town, turns into something more.

“Aggravated assault? How is that different from regular assault?“
“It’s the level of intent of harm meant for the victim. But it totally needs to be renamed because I’ve never committed an assault where I wasn’t aggravated first.”

But also? It’s fucking funny. Like, I cannot tell you how many times I laughed out loud. We live this story through Lydia’s perspective but Bristal often outshines her. But both these characters are brilliant. Complex, layered, and so real.

There is also something of a wo-mance (haha, I hated this immediately, sorry) between these two in the best kind of way. Or, put another way, if it was a romance, I would say it’s an opposites attract, with one girl from the wrong side of the tracks, even. But it’s not a romance so I can’t say that. You get it, though. Also? I love that it’s not a romance. I love when we just get a great platonic friendship to spotlight instead of something more, especially in YA.

I think initially I said this was straight-forward but I don’t mean there aren’t twists and turns and discoveries to be found. You might guess things along the way (I had my suspicions!) but the earlier reference is just in relative terms to the author’s other works. I think you’ll still be surprised by how things fall out with this one. And it’s especially chilling when you think back to earlier scenes and dialogue. This is a book I definitely want to reread; and I’m sorta hoping there’s a full cast set for audiobook for this because I think it would make for great listening, especially the podcast bits.

There is so much here that is a win. The friendship. The mystery. The podcast. The small town vibes (good and bad). The humour. Uneven Steven. The characters. The facebook jokes. The serious conversations that never felt like TedTalks or lectures. And so much more.

So yeah, I had a wonderful time with this one and I would highly recommend it.

** I received an ARC from Edelweiss+ and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

THE HONEYS by Ryan La Sala

From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.

Mars has always been the lesser twin, the shadow to his sister Caroline’s radiance. But when Caroline dies under horrific circumstances, Mars is propelled to learn all he can about his once-inseparable sister who’d grown tragically distant.

Mars’s genderfluidity means he’s often excluded from the traditions — and expectations — of his politically-connected family. This includes attendance at the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy where his sister poured so much of her time. But with his grief still fresh, he insists on attending in her place.

What Mars finds is a bucolic fairytale not meant for him. Folksy charm and sun-drenched festivities camouflage old-fashioned gender roles and a toxic preparatory rigor. Mars seeks out his sister’s old friends: a group of girls dubbed the Honeys, named for the beehives they maintain behind their cabin. They are beautiful and terrifying — and Mars is certain they’re connected to Caroline’s death.

But the longer he stays at Aspen, the more the sweet mountain breezes give way to hints of decay. Mars’s memories begin to falter, bleached beneath the relentless summer sun. Something is hunting him in broad daylight, toying with his mind. If Mars can’t find it soon, it will eat him alive.

Title : The Honeys
Author : Ryan La Sala
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 344
Genre : YA horror / LGBTQIAP+
Publisher : PUSH
Release Date : August 16, 2022

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 4 star review

I am not sure what I expected from The Honeys so I can’t quite say this wasn’t it but.. this wasn’t it.

First of all, the writing? Incredible. La Sala had me hooked, nay entranced, buzzing to read the next word. Their descriptions, the voice, the power of it all, the uncertainty woven into the narration via the story, it was all so so well done. And that’s saying nothing of the story itself.

Which, hah, I won’t really be going into. This is one to go in with little to no knowledge except the v i b e s. So, secondly, said vibes? Excellent. This definitely is one of those slow-moving, creeping sideways in your direction, sidling up with a smile kind of reveals. And the whole time that’s happening? You’re in Mars’ head, dealing with having to revisit a place he was horribly bullied, in the aftermath of losing his sister, and trying to find out what led to everything falling apart. He is alone, without allies, grieving, and everything at Aspen is strange. The people there are either ignoring his existence, bullying him once more, or hiding things.

I loved pretty much every second of it.

There was, however, a moment where things took a turn. And for about two chapters (maybe less?) I thought this was going to take a hard nosedive. But La Sala pulled things off and while it did still take a hit out of some of my enjoyment, I think we’ve ended on a good note. I think. It’s all a bit strange, she says, as if that isn’t a huge understatement.

If you’re looking for a story with gender fluid rep, an incredibly beautiful journey through grief, some spooky weirdness, body horror, just full out strangeness, and a setting that’ll maybe have you side-eyeing both trees and bees, you should absolutely pick this one up.

I am so happy I was given the push to read this as one of my Twelve Books in Twelve Months challenge and if any of the above sounds like your thing, consider this your recommendation from me to give it a go.

THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend.

Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home now, but in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato, and rented for the summer by a notorious rock star, Noel Gordon. In an attempt to reignite his creative spark, Noel invites up-and-coming musician, Pierce Sheldon to join him, as well as Pierce’s girlfriend, Mari, and her stepsister, Lara. But he also sets in motion a chain of events that leads to Mari writing one of the greatest horror novels of all time, Lara composing a platinum album––and ends in Pierce’s brutal murder.

As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story of that fateful summer in 1974. That perhaps Pierce’s murder wasn’t just a tale of sex, drugs, and rock & roll gone wrong, but that something more sinister might have occurred––and that there might be clues hidden in the now-iconic works that Mari and Lara left behind.

Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge––and it begins to look like the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.

Title : The Villa
Author : Rachel Hawkins
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 279
Genre : mystery / thriller
Publisher : St. Martin’s Press
Release Date : January 3, 2023

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 3 star review

The Villa gave me Fleetwood Mac/Daisy Jones & The Six vibes mashed up with the very real summer Percy and Mary Shelley spent with Lord Byron at a Lake Geneva castle (aka where Frankenstein was conceived) with a dash of The Haunting of Hill House. Or maybe just any horror with a creepy house, that one’s just my favourite. There’s also an element at play I won’t try and comp for fear of spoilers. Despite all those excellent references to things and or peoples, many of which I adore, I didn’t adore the book. And I didn’t find it all that gripping — evidenced by the fact that I started this a week ago and put it down and forgot about it. But, when I did pick it back up, I read it right through to the end. Mostly to see if there would be twists and what they would be; besides the obvious ones.

So I guess, if you want an easy read (it’s short, too), with maybe a surprise or two along the way, you could do worse!

The highlights for me? The dual timeline. This flips between the seventies and present day — the former of which leads up to a time before a scandal rocked the world, and the latter detailing a girl’s weekend at the very house said scandal took place. I liked the past timeline a lot more than the present but I think it was because the present day protagonist’s best friend just irritated me. Hawkins did a great job writing Chess’ character and even though I don’t know anyone like her, I think we all sorta know someone like her. And also I suppose I expected something a little more insidious to occur? Which I suppose could apply to the past timeline, too. I almost think the bright cheerful cover squeezed some of the spooky darkness out of the whole story. This could’ve been way darker. Even the final twist, one I’m not sure I liked, took some of that punch out of everything. I’m left feeling quite strange about it all.

But maybe the true insidiousness is how everything is left up in the air with Emily and Chess and what their life now looks like after it all?

I’m looking forward to reading through some reviews and seeing where folks landed on this one. It’s not quite a disappointment because my investment was low — I keep middle of the road’ing this author’s books but I’m constantly reeled in by the premises — but I do hope Hawkins pushes the envelope a little more one day because I think that’ll be the one that’s a hit with me.

All in all, not a bad way to spend some time, especially if you’re tired of looking out the window at the (I assume..) dreary winter landscape and want to imagine yourself in Italy for a while.

MURDER AT HAVEN’S ROCK by Kelley Armstrong

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven’s Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start… with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.

Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0

Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.

There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town’s construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate the still missing man. The woman stumbled upon something she wasn’t supposed to see, and the longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.

Title : Murder at Haven’s Rock
Author : Kelley Armstrong
Format : eARC
Page Count : 352
Genre : contemporary / mystery thriller
Publisher : Minotaur Books
Release Date : February 21, 2023

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★

Hollis’ 2 star review

As much as I was looking forward to a fresh start for this spinoff series, while still featuring both characters and a similar setting to the original series, this felt a liiiiittle too samesies for my liking. I’m worried I have to maybe call time of death on this one even after only one book (even if, technically, the other series makes it more like book eight).

In this post-Rockton existence, Casey and Eric are trying to build a new home, with a similar purpose but less corrupt bureaucracy, but before they can even get their town finished, their residents installed, two workers have gone missing. Along the way there’s an unexpected dead woman to deal with, a miner and associated claims to navigate, and a new set of locals who will undoubtably be trouble for Haven’s Rock’s future.

This didn’t do anything wrong. There was no particularly heinous addition to the cast. We had a good red herring or two along the way to solving things. But.. neither did this feel like it added anything new. We just have different scenery and less hierarchy to contend with. Equally, the familiar faces felt fairly cardboard-y which certainly didn’t help with my overall feelings about wanting more time with them.

I may push on but this was not the exciting fresh take I expected it to be. But, you know, your mileage may vary if all you wanted was to not say goodbye to the main characters of series one.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

JUST LIKE MOTHER by Anne Heltzel

A girl would be such a blessing…

The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.

When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearly disapprove of her single lifestyle. After all, Andrea has made her fortune in the fertility industry—baby fever comes with the territory.

The more Maeve immerses herself in Andrea’s world, the more disconnected she feels from her life back in the city; and the cousins’ increasing attachment triggers memories Maeve has fought hard to bury. But confronting the terrors of her childhood may be the only way for Maeve to transcend the nightmare still to come…

Title : Just Like Mother
Author : Anne Heltzel
Format : eBook (overdrive)
Page Count : 320
Genre : contemporary / mystery
Publisher : Nightfire
Release Date : May 17, 2022

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ ★

Hollis’ 4 star review

Creepy cover aside this isn’t what I, personally, would classify as horror. But I think maybe that’s my only complaint about this experience.

I went into this without knowing anything about the plot, despite the fact that it was all over bookstagram last year, and in fact the only reason I actually picked it up was because this was one of the recommendations for my Twelve Books in Twelve Months challenge. So while I expected horror, even though I didn’t get it.. I got a lot of other stuff. Good stuff. Weird stuff. Fucked up stuff.

I’ll have to read some reviews to determine if everything that was happening in Just Like Mother was supposed to obvious or not because despite the fact that Maeve is oblivious to everything going on around her, I, the reader, was not. This could definitely have ruined any potential tension and build-up but the story still managed to evoke a sense of dread and discomfort. Maybe moreso because I knew what the protagonist did not. It’s like when you’re yelling at the tv during a slasher flick, screaming for the heroine not to go down in the basement where the killer is waiting to, well, slash. You know what’s about to happen but it doesn’t make it any less scary.

What was so interesting about this story, though, was how flipped on it’s head it was compared to the standard issue paradigm I’ve seen in other books about cults. Or at least the few I’ve read. It was perverse and sinister in new ways and the motherhood mantra was oppressive and icky and so the whole vibe was really well done. And the cherry ontop? That ending. You sort’ve see it coming based on the seeds that had been planted earlier on but still.. it was good.

Okay, actually, I thought of one thing that just didn’t quite fit. The bit with the cops. I just.. that seemed hard to swallow but it’s a blink and you miss it moment considering so much else is happening. And I don’t even know why I’m mentioning it here in such a vague way when it won’t mean anything to anyone who hasn’t read it but. Here we are. IYKYK.

Not quite sure who I would recommend this to, if anyone, but I had a surprisingly good time with it.

FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN by Elle Cosimano

Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she’s a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had “borrowed” in the process of saving the life of Finlay’s ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.

Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.

Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen’s police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay’s looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob’s clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero’s past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.

From USA Today bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—the highly anticipated, hilarious, and heart-pounding next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series…

Title : Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun
Author : Elle Cosimano
Series : Finlay Donovan (book three)
Format : eARC
Page Count : 304
Genre : mystery / thriller
Publisher : Minotaur Books
Release Date : January 31, 2023

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★

Hollis’ 2 star review

Pretty sure in my review for book two I said something about my suspension of disbelief button getting a workout but hoo boy. That’s nothing compared the third installment in this series. Poor pointer finger is exhausted.

That aside, I have to say, I found it extremely hard to get back into this world; or, maybe more accurately, the writing. I cared nothing for the characters, the nonsense they had once more gotten themselves twisted up in, and certainly not the romance. Can I blame all that on the writing or am I just over this concept? I’ll admit the red herrings for the mystery were well done but it sorta feels like everything was made more convoluted and dramatic, as opposed to less, because of Finlay and Vero’s involvement. And that did not make for a great experience.

I am all for a plucky heroine stumbling into bigger things and having to navigate but like.. it’s just not working anymore. Things are either too big for her to be emerging unscathed or things just aren’t being taken seriously enough and therefore the stakes aren’t high. Or both, sometimes at the same time. It’s a weird feeling. The vibes are off.

Also, that big near-final scene happening surrounded by all those cops? Yeah bloody right. The eyerolls.

Also also, the very meta writing bit about Finlay and her characters is getting tired, too.

While Vero had definitely saved some of the bits that I had previously given side-eye, she did not fare so well in this one. I worried her subplot would add to the OTT and ruin her and yeah, I think it did. Honestly, the only character I really enjoyed in this one was Wade, a firearms instructor, because his lack of fucks really spoke to me. Nick, one of the many (!) love interests, wasn’t too bad, either. I am just bewildered by all these menfolk panting after Finlay because I do not get the appeal.

But what do I know; the same could be said about my feelings for this series vs the many many readers who are having a blast. So.

While I had hoped to find a spark of love for this series, I think I’ll stick this on the back burner until the end is in sight.

ps, still wishing Steven was dead.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

FIVE SURVIVE by Holly Jackson

Eight hours. Six friends. Five survive. A road trip turns deadly in this addictive YA thriller from the bestselling author of the worldwide phenomenon A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER.

Red Kenny is on a road trip for spring break with five friends: Her best friend – the older brother – his perfect girlfriend – a secret crush – a classmate – and a killer.

When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead.

With eight hours until dawn, the six friends must escape, or figure out which of them is the target. But is there a liar among them? Buried secrets will be forced to light and tensions inside the RV will reach deadly levels. Not all of them will survive the night. . . .

Title : Five Survive
Author : Holly Jackson
Format : physical
Page Count : 400
Genre : YA mystery / thriller
Publisher : Delacorte
Release Date : November 29, 2022

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ .5

Hollis’ 2.5 star review

Alright, let’s get the good out of the way first.

The setting. 97% of this story takes place within the confines of a broken down RV that has six people crammed inside. That would be hellish without the whole murder mystery intensity element but at night? Stuck in a dark wooded area, with the threat of harm coming at them from both inside and out? Hoo boy. I’m sweating just thinking about it. Jackson gets mega points for this unique and creative version of a locked room mystery. Also, related, I’m not sure what would’ve enticed me to get into an RV in the first place but this has definitely ensured I never will.

The actual reveals. Obviously I can’t get into this but while the plot of the mystery is actually.. well, pretty far fetched, really, I enjoyed the unveiling of it all. I’m still a little side-eye about the reality of it but, hey, I’m suspending the disbelief.

But everything else? I don’t know.

I realize Oliver was a character no one was supposed to like but he exhausted me. Half the reason I blitzed through this so fast was because I wanted to stop reading about him. I’m sure there could’ve been a way to recreate his influence without it being done this way but what do I know. Maybe we needed his hateful self to push things forward. But I still hated it. Him. And I need a nap now.

The other characters I mostly did enjoy, though. I liked that we had secrets from all, some red herrings, some adjacent to the main mystery, and how each seemed valid and likely. Again, it was the main plot itself that I felt less likely but we already went over that. I’ll allow it. Being in Red’s head, though, was very.. meandering. Disjointed. And maybe that makes sense once we understand what she’s been going through, and doing, over the last little while but you’d almost think all that would make her hyper focused and detail oriented, not completely spaced out and lost. But she definitely rose to the occasion near the end so she didn’t disappoint completely.

And as for the ending, well. I’m glad we were left in suspense for so long after the big climax but I didn’t love how the final bits of the story were told. Except for the check boxes (if you know you know). That was cute.

Overall, though, this will be great for those of you who love locked room mysteries with high stakes. But I definitely preferred the author’s debut series, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. That being said, it’s a sure thing that I will pick up this author again.

** I received a finished copy from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

I’M THE GIRL by Courtney Summers

When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest.

A spiritual successor to the 2018 breakout hit, Sadie, I’m the Girl is a masterfully written, bold, and unflinching account of how one young woman feels in her body as she struggles to navigate a deadly and predatory power structure while asking readers one question: if this is the way the world is, do you accept it?

Title : I’m The Girl
Author : Courtney Summers
Format : eARC
Page Count : 352
Genre : YA LGBTQIAP+ mystery
Publisher : Wednesday Books
Release Date : September 13, 2022

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★

Hollis’ 2 star review

After a pretty lackluster reading weekend, I pulled out the big guns and delved into I’m The Girl hoping that Summers, with (as it’s coined) her spiritual-successor to Sadie, which I loved, would break me out of the funk. But instead it just gave me a different one.

This was so hard to read, which is understandable and probably the point, but where I can respect some of what the author was doing and saying and forcing the reader to consider, I don’t know if it succeeded where it was meant to. Or at least it didn’t for me.

I’m The Girl delves into the concept of grooming, of manipulation, of powerful people enforcing their rules and their wants on others, but everything around it just felt disjointed and shaky. Being in Georgia’s head was an awful place to be, with her self-worth and dreams tied up in belonging to this place where she misguidedly believes she can become something, which was tied into believing her worth was skin deep, and it just spiralled in and out of this vicious cycle. She was incredibly naive, incredibly needy, out of touch, and lost. She was constantly in situations she shouldn’t have been in, never quite seeming to learn from them, and you could blame some of that on the knowledge she didn’t have, secrets held out of reach by those around her, as well as the manipulation of others. It was painful.

And while all this is going on, there’s also a dead girl, the sister of a not-friend, more an acquaintance, and Georgia gets sorta tangled up in both because she discovers the body and because she finds herself roped into to helping determine what happened — I wouldn’t quite say she’s investigating things, the way the synopsis would have you believe, but there are a few side quests — and I liked that, unlike Sadie, Georgia is only tangentially connected to the death. She’s watching the devastation happen from the outside looking in, much the way she feels held back from the glamourous and prestigious world she wants to belong. But in that same drama, I almost feel there were too many added elements (maybe just one) that muddied the waters.

Maybe, on the whole, when combined with the romance, it was just too many things. And yet, despite this, what it also wasn’t, was a thriller. It also wasn’t anything like Sadie so if, like me, you were looking to recapture that feeling? Maybe just go for a reread.

I think this review is a little messy but so was the book. Or, at least, it just wasn’t for me. And that’s fine. I think fans of the author will likely appreciate this, the same way they appreciate her other works, because she’s consistent in shining a light on these dark areas. And that’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong. But it won’t always make for an enjoyable read, which makes sense, but equally it might not always made for a good read. Whereas my struggles with The Project had to do with the characters, not the plot, when it comes to I’m The Girl I would say this one is definitely the characters but also the plot. Again, in concept, I am so down with this particular narrative. I just wish it had played out differently. But. I will continue to pick up this author.. at least for now.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

PACK OF LIES by Charlie Adhara

Werewolf meets human. Werewolf snubs human. Werewolf loves human?

Julien Doran arrived in sleepy Maudit Falls, North Carolina, with a heart full of hurt and a head full of questions. The key to his brother’s mysterious last days might be found in this tiny town, and now Julien’s amateur investigation is starting to unearth things the locals would rather keep buried.

Perhaps most especially the strange, magnetic manager of a deserted retreat that’s nearly as odd as its staff.

Eli Smith is a lot of things: thief, werewolf, glamour-puss, liar. And now the manager of a haven for rebel pack runaways. He’s spent years cultivating a persona to disguise his origins, but for the first time ever he’s been entrusted with a real responsibility—and he plans to take that seriously.

Even if the handsome tourist who claims to be in town for some R & R is clearly on a hunt for all things paranormal. And hasn’t taken his brooding gaze off Eli since he’s arrived.

When an old skeleton and a fresh corpse turn a grief errand into a murder investigation, the unlikely Eli is the only person Julien can turn to. Trust is hard to come by in a town known for its monsters, but so is time…

Title : Pack of Lies
Author : Charlie Adhara
Series : Monster Hunt (book one)
Format : eARC
Page Count : 368
Genre : paranormal LGBTQIAP+ romance
Publisher : Carina Adores
Release Date : August 30, 2022

Reviewer : Hollis
Rating : ★ ★ ★ .5

Hollis’ 3.5 star review

Sometimes, I swear you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. In this particular sense, I’m talking about rereads. I made a point to reread the Big Bad Wolf series prior to this spin-off series opener because I wanted everything fresh in my mind for any carry-over plots and characters. And I’m glad I did. I’m also glad I put two weeks between finishing those and starting this, just so there wouldn’t be too much of a good thing in my brain. But.. I think it also made me love this a little less.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to love here. Eli being the number one thing. Eli was perfect. His dialogue, his wit, his whole being. There was no wrong done. And while I liked Julien, and did think there was some chemistry in their intimacy, outside of it..? It just wasn’t as electric. I wasn’t desperate for them to interact, to bounce off each other, or even to bone — though hey, again, those were good times. There was really only one moment, where Julien asked to be friends (if you know you know!), that socked me in some feels.

Having said that, when I did my reread, I knocked some ratings up a star. So maybe this is another one I’ll love more in hindsight when it’s all said and done? Historically that seems to be the case with Adhara. We might eventually find out.

Oh, what’s this all about you ask? Well, it’s a queer paranormal shifter mystery! This new series (which, by the way, I would not recommend starting here; go back to the beginning and meet Cooper and Oliver!) features a secondary character from the main series, one who has not had an easy life (some backstory reveals in the main series, hint hint), and who is now part of a new start-up pack and is heading the running of a “retreat” (as far as humans know) which is a front for a shelter, or a safe place, for wolves. He’s barely there long enough to get the place running before hijinks ensue that have him threatened by a nearby pack, put a human who is clearly hiding things in his path, and more. Said human, Julien, eventually convinces Eli to team up and try to uncover.. well, more than a few things. How’s that for vague and unhelpful?

But yes, while I’m not shouting praise from the rooftops like I expected, this could just be me a little overwhelmed by my own expectations, and also too much Ollie and Coop too recently in my reading (and forever in my heart). It does not mean I am in any way not excited for more. I want Julien to grow on me. I want more hijinks. I want more Eli fullstop. And, in general, I just love this world and Adhara’s writing. Also, I’m clearly an outlier; just look at all those five stars! I’m not disappointed by this rating. And you shouldn’t be put off, either.

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **