Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
I saw this compared to The Starless Sea and Caraval and was like, "Sign me up." I love a story that takes place in a magical environment, and an enchanted hotel seemed so fun. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. The writing felt more middle-grade than YA, which is fine, but Anna was supposed to be sixteen years old but read like she was twenty-six. It felt like the writing didn't match the characters, and the whole thing feel disjointed. I also saw some reviews mention that this is a reimagining of The Tempest, which I didn't know before going into it, but it makes sense with how the story played out. I thought the premise was enjoyable but was lacking in the execution.
Foxglove- Adalyn Grace: Everywhere Signa Farrow goes, Death follows. Since she was young, Signa has had the power to call upon Death, and as a reaper, one touch of her hands can take a person's life. When Signa's uncle is framed for the murder of a duke, Signa, once again, takes it upon herself to uncover the true culprit. But Fate has other plans. Death's brother is convinced that Signa is the reincarnation of past love and will do whatever it takes to make her his. Signa and her cousin Blythe believe they can get to the bottom of everything without Fate's meddling, and the more time they spend around him, the more they realize how dangerous he is. But when Signa starts experiencing new powers tied to Fate's past, she can't help but play right into his game.
Much like the first book, I found this to be just okay. The atmosphere and ambiance are unmatched, and I enjoy the characters, but the plot is too slow. I get that's par for the course with more Gothic-leaning stories, but I get so bored. It could've been a hundred pages shorter and still told the same thing. I did like the addition of Blythe's POV. She was always underestimated, or written off by other characters as weak, but she's pretty cunning, and I'm excited to see more of her story. My favorite part of this series is the relationship between Signa and Death. It's just *chefs kiss*. While this didn't blow my mind, it's a fun series, and I'm interested to see how the next book will play out.
 |
| Pub Date: 9-5-23 YA - Mystery |
Suddenly a Murder- Lauren Muñoz: Izzy Morales and her six friends have just graduated high school and are about to spend a week at Ashwood Manor having a 1920s-themed party. As a surprise to Izzy, her best friend, Kassidy, rented out the glamorous manor, which was the filming location of their favorite old film. The group is excited to spend a week away from their parents, but from the moment they arrive, tension fills their air. When Kassidy's boyfriend is found stabbed to death, investigators are brought in. As they conduct their interviews, it's clear that each remaining member has a motive to kill. Everyone is on edge, especially Izzy, since she's the one who brought the knife.
I love a murder mystery, so I was excited to check this one out. I loved the 1920s vibe; it felt so fun. I also thought the setting of the island worked nicely and added a level of tension and a feeling of isolation. I liked our main character Izzy and her friendship with Kassidy. They come from different worlds, but their friendship felt so genuine. One of my issues was that the extreme lavishness of these kids felt so absurd. I get that they're all stupid rich, except for Izzy, but even so, it felt like too much. Another thing was that I predicted a few of the reveals, but one caught me off guard. Other than that, I found this pretty entertaining.
I love a murder mystery, so I was excited to check this one out. I loved the 1920s vibe; it felt so fun. I also thought the setting of the island worked nicely and added a level of tension and a feeling of isolation. I liked our main character Izzy and her friendship with Kassidy. They come from different worlds, but their friendship felt so genuine. One of my issues was that the extreme lavishness of these kids felt so absurd. I get that they're all stupid rich, except for Izzy, but even so, it felt like too much. Another thing was that I predicted a few of the reveals, but one caught me off guard. Other than that, I found this pretty entertaining.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
 |
| Pub Date: 9-5-23 YA - Fantasy |
Midnight at the Houdini- Delilah S. Dawson: Sixteen-year-old Anna has always looked up to her older sister, Emily. The pair have been thick as thieves since they were young, and Anna couldn't imagine her life without her sister around. But Anna's world is shattered on Emily's wedding night when she learns her sister plans on moving away. Devastated, Anna leaves the reception in the middle of a storm and is forced to take shelter in a curious hotel called the Houdini. It's clear from the moment she walks in that the Houdini isn't an ordinary hotel, and Anna can't look past the thread of magic filling the air. When she meets a strange boy named Max, Anna is intrigued. Max has never left the Houdini before but feels like he knows Anna. For once, Anna feels important but then discovers the hotel has a secret. Anna has until midnight to find a way to break its enchantments, or she'll be stuck inside the Houdini forever.
I saw this compared to The Starless Sea and Caraval and was like, "Sign me up." I love a story that takes place in a magical environment, and an enchanted hotel seemed so fun. Unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. The writing felt more middle-grade than YA, which is fine, but Anna was supposed to be sixteen years old but read like she was twenty-six. It felt like the writing didn't match the characters, and the whole thing feel disjointed. I also saw some reviews mention that this is a reimagining of The Tempest, which I didn't know before going into it, but it makes sense with how the story played out. I thought the premise was enjoyable but was lacking in the execution.
Rating: 2/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
 |
| Pub Date: 8-22-23 YA - Fantasy |
Foxglove- Adalyn Grace: Everywhere Signa Farrow goes, Death follows. Since she was young, Signa has had the power to call upon Death, and as a reaper, one touch of her hands can take a person's life. When Signa's uncle is framed for the murder of a duke, Signa, once again, takes it upon herself to uncover the true culprit. But Fate has other plans. Death's brother is convinced that Signa is the reincarnation of past love and will do whatever it takes to make her his. Signa and her cousin Blythe believe they can get to the bottom of everything without Fate's meddling, and the more time they spend around him, the more they realize how dangerous he is. But when Signa starts experiencing new powers tied to Fate's past, she can't help but play right into his game.
Much like the first book, I found this to be just okay. The atmosphere and ambiance are unmatched, and I enjoy the characters, but the plot is too slow. I get that's par for the course with more Gothic-leaning stories, but I get so bored. It could've been a hundred pages shorter and still told the same thing. I did like the addition of Blythe's POV. She was always underestimated, or written off by other characters as weak, but she's pretty cunning, and I'm excited to see more of her story. My favorite part of this series is the relationship between Signa and Death. It's just *chefs kiss*. While this didn't blow my mind, it's a fun series, and I'm interested to see how the next book will play out.
Rating: 3/5
Suddenly a Murder sounds like so much fun! And I'm planning on reading Foxglove really soon. I love the vibes of Adalyn's books!
ReplyDelete