Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
This has quickly become one of my favorite romance series, and I'm so sad to see it end. I've loved being in Chestnut Springs and following along with all these characters. I've always liked Beau, so I was eager to get to his book. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I expected. It just felt very average. The fake engagement aspect was fun, and I liked seeing Bailey and Beau develop real feelings for one another, but something about their relationship didn't work for me. I think the age gap felt like too much, and it made Bailey come off as too naive and innocent. There was also no plot here. They mostly hung around Beau's house or the bar, so it was a little boring. I also thought it would be more emotionally charged, given Beau's history, but I felt the focus was more on Bailey. I still liked it, but it wasn't my favorite in the series.
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| Pub Date: 4-29-25 Adult - Mystery |
How to Seal Your Own Fate- Kristen Perrin: Annie Adams' once quiet life was turned on its head after the death of her great aunt Francis, leaving her to inherit a grand manor in the small country village of Castle Knoll. The townspeople are already wary of Annie due to her association with the cursed Gravesdown family, and their feelings only grow after the town fortune-teller, Peony Lane, is found dead on Annie's property hours after bringing her a cryptic message. Annie believes that someone in the town wanted to silence Peony and thought to frame her for the crime. Once again, Annie must revisit Francis's meticulous files documenting the secrets the townspeople have tried so hard to hide if she hopes to clear her name.
I adored the first book in this series, so I had high hopes for this latest installment. Everything about this series feels like Murder, She Wrote, but British, and I love it. I loved revisiting this quirky small village with its shady occupants, ferreting clues alongside Annie. She's such a fun main character to follow. While she may not always think things through before acting, she's plucky and has this charm you can't help but root for. Like the previous book, we get flashbacks to Francis's past, and I loved seeing how it tied into the present storyline. There were a ton of secrets to uncover, some more obvious than others, but that's par for the course when it comes to cozy mysteries. I wasn't as invested in this mystery as the first because the formulas were similar. I would've liked to have seen Perrin shake things up a bit more, but overall, I enjoyed it and will pick up whatever she comes up with next.
I adored the first book in this series, so I had high hopes for this latest installment. Everything about this series feels like Murder, She Wrote, but British, and I love it. I loved revisiting this quirky small village with its shady occupants, ferreting clues alongside Annie. She's such a fun main character to follow. While she may not always think things through before acting, she's plucky and has this charm you can't help but root for. Like the previous book, we get flashbacks to Francis's past, and I loved seeing how it tied into the present storyline. There were a ton of secrets to uncover, some more obvious than others, but that's par for the course when it comes to cozy mysteries. I wasn't as invested in this mystery as the first because the formulas were similar. I would've liked to have seen Perrin shake things up a bit more, but overall, I enjoyed it and will pick up whatever she comes up with next.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 10-13-24 Adult - Contemporary |
Hopeless- Elsie Silver: Bailey Jansen is used to being the town pariah. All the residents of Chestnut Springs have preconceived notions of Bailey because of her family, and half treat her like dirt while the other half barely acknowledge her. For years, Bailey has kept her head down, trying to fly under the radar and save enough money to leave this small town and their prejudices behind. But then Beau Eaton walks into her bar. The Eaton's have always been like Chestnut Springs royalty, and Beau has always been known for his carefree attitude. But after his last military mission, Beau returned home a little different. He's desperate for a purpose and helping Bailey seems just the thing. He proposes the two pretend to be engaged to see if the town will start to respect Bailey if she has a new name. But the longer their ruse goes on, the less fake it begins to feel.
This has quickly become one of my favorite romance series, and I'm so sad to see it end. I've loved being in Chestnut Springs and following along with all these characters. I've always liked Beau, so I was eager to get to his book. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I expected. It just felt very average. The fake engagement aspect was fun, and I liked seeing Bailey and Beau develop real feelings for one another, but something about their relationship didn't work for me. I think the age gap felt like too much, and it made Bailey come off as too naive and innocent. There was also no plot here. They mostly hung around Beau's house or the bar, so it was a little boring. I also thought it would be more emotionally charged, given Beau's history, but I felt the focus was more on Bailey. I still liked it, but it wasn't my favorite in the series.
Rating: 3/5
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| Pub Date: 3-26-24 Adult - Horror |
Diavolo- Jennifer Thorne: To say that Anna doesn't get along with her family would be an understatement. Her presence alone seems to offend them. When Anna arrives at this year's annual family trip, she plans to keep her head down until she can board her flight home. But it doesn't take long for Anna to suspect something weird is happening in their Italian villa. There are strange noises at night, the villagers keep giving them cryptic warnings, and there are chunks of time the family can't account for. When Anna looks into the villa's past, she finds it has a dark and violent past-- one that has latched onto Anna and won't let go.
I thought this was a fun take on the haunted house trope, but it didn't wow me as much as I'd hoped. I liked the Italian setting and getting into the villa's history, and I thought they added a nice layer to the story. Anna was fine as a main character, but I hated her family. I get that's the whole point, but good grief, they were the worst. The way they treated Anna was uncalled for, and it drove me crazy. As for the haunting aspects, I enjoyed it. It gave off all the creepy, side-of-your-eye, skittering vibes you'd expect from a haunted house story. I liked how Thorne wrapped everything up, though there were one or two things I wish we got more closure on. Overall, it was fast-paced and entertaining, and I'd recommend it if you like more of a psychological horror.
I thought this was a fun take on the haunted house trope, but it didn't wow me as much as I'd hoped. I liked the Italian setting and getting into the villa's history, and I thought they added a nice layer to the story. Anna was fine as a main character, but I hated her family. I get that's the whole point, but good grief, they were the worst. The way they treated Anna was uncalled for, and it drove me crazy. As for the haunting aspects, I enjoyed it. It gave off all the creepy, side-of-your-eye, skittering vibes you'd expect from a haunted house story. I liked how Thorne wrapped everything up, though there were one or two things I wish we got more closure on. Overall, it was fast-paced and entertaining, and I'd recommend it if you like more of a psychological horror.
Rating: 3/5
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