Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
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| Pub Date: 10-29-24 Adult - Mystery |
A New Lease on Death- Olivia Blacke: Ruby Young thought she lucked out by scoring a fully furnished apartment in Boston, but she wasn't expecting it to come with a ghost. A few months before Ruby moved to town, Cordelia Graves died in her apartment and never left. Instead, she's stuck watching Ruby kill off all her plants while wearing the most hideously ironic t-shirts. When their neighbor is shot and killed in an apparent mugging incident, Cordelia's convinced there's more to the story. But if Cordelia wants justice, she needs someone corporeal, and she enlists the help of her perky new roommate. Ruby and Cordelia are the definition of the odd couple but form an unlikely friendship as they ferret out clues and discover a bigger plot that may explain what truly happened to Cordelia.
I'm not the biggest fan of cozy mysteries, but this sounded too fun to pass up. I love it when older and younger characters are thrown together and have to team up, so the dynamic between Cordelia and Ruby was the highlight for me. They're so different but complement one another so well. Admittedly, Ruby annoyed me, but she grew on me by the end. I loved seeing the inventive ways they came up with to communicate and watching their friendship develop. It was entertaining and a little bit silly. I also liked the mystery aspect. It kept my interest the whole time, wondering how it would play out. Blacke's writing was so easy to binge, and I read it in one sitting. If you like paranormal mysteries with lower stakes, then I recommend checking it out, and I'm excited to pick up the next one.
I'm not the biggest fan of cozy mysteries, but this sounded too fun to pass up. I love it when older and younger characters are thrown together and have to team up, so the dynamic between Cordelia and Ruby was the highlight for me. They're so different but complement one another so well. Admittedly, Ruby annoyed me, but she grew on me by the end. I loved seeing the inventive ways they came up with to communicate and watching their friendship develop. It was entertaining and a little bit silly. I also liked the mystery aspect. It kept my interest the whole time, wondering how it would play out. Blacke's writing was so easy to binge, and I read it in one sitting. If you like paranormal mysteries with lower stakes, then I recommend checking it out, and I'm excited to pick up the next one.
Rating: 3/5
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| Pub Date: 1-14-25 Adult - Fiction |
The Favorites- Layne Fargo: Katarina Shaw has always had one singular goal: to become an Olympic skater. Since she was a young girl, she's wanted nothing more than to win a gold medal, and when she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely boy stuck in the foster care system, Kat knows he's the one to help her achieve it. The pair share an intense connection that comes through on the ice, making them formidable opponents, but their toxic obsession with one another makes them scandalous off it. Everyone thought the pair would win all the glory, but a shocking incident at the Olympic games brings their partnership to a screeching end. As the tenth anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary causes the buzz around Kat and Heath to ramp up once more. The pair want nothing to do with the documentary, but Kat can't abide the thought of someone else telling her legacy. After a decade of silence, Kat is ready to spill the truth, and it's more shocking than any headline.
This was an addicting look at the competitive and cut-throat sport of ice dancing. While these athletes may look graceful and poised on the ice, off the skates, they're relentless, and none more so than Kat. She was such a compelling main character because she didn't care to be liked; she only cared to be the best and did whatever it took to win. She wasn't likable, but you had to respect her hustle. Her relationship with Heath had so many ups and downs, but I didn't buy into the fact that they were in love. Unhealthily obsessed with one another? Absolutely. But in love? I thought they were two lonely kids who grabbed onto one another and didn't let go, no matter the consequences. While the pacing was quick and the chapters easy to fly through, I thought this was way longer than necessary and started to feel repetitive. I picked up on some foreshadowing of who was behind everything, but I still enjoyed seeing Fargo tie it all together. If you want something reminiscent of a toxic soap opera/CW drama, I recommend checking it out.
This was an addicting look at the competitive and cut-throat sport of ice dancing. While these athletes may look graceful and poised on the ice, off the skates, they're relentless, and none more so than Kat. She was such a compelling main character because she didn't care to be liked; she only cared to be the best and did whatever it took to win. She wasn't likable, but you had to respect her hustle. Her relationship with Heath had so many ups and downs, but I didn't buy into the fact that they were in love. Unhealthily obsessed with one another? Absolutely. But in love? I thought they were two lonely kids who grabbed onto one another and didn't let go, no matter the consequences. While the pacing was quick and the chapters easy to fly through, I thought this was way longer than necessary and started to feel repetitive. I picked up on some foreshadowing of who was behind everything, but I still enjoyed seeing Fargo tie it all together. If you want something reminiscent of a toxic soap opera/CW drama, I recommend checking it out.
Rating: 4/5
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| Pub Date: 4-1-25 Adult - Contemporary |
Say You'll Remember Me- Abby Jimenez: Samantha and Xavier may have started on the wrong foot, but after a fantastic all-night date, they know they're meant to be together. Unfortunately, Samantha must move across the country to help care for her ailing mother. The chemistry between the pair is palpable, but Samantha knows there's no way to sustain a long-distance relationship when she has so much going on with her family. She begs Xavier to forget her and move on, but he quickly realizes that's impossible. Both are miserable without the other, so they decide to make it work despite the strain it puts on their lives. Relationships are tough, but throw in 2,000 miles, family drama, and too-thin finances, and it's a recipe for disaster. Samantha and Xavier knew from the get-go that they were it for each other, but will their sacrifices be worth it?
I always know Jimenez's books are an emotional gut punch, but, man, this one felt pretty bleak. I felt so bad for Samantha and Xavier. All they wanted was to be together, and it was as if everything in the universe was conspiring to keep them apart. I had no clue how they would work out, but I couldn't help rooting for them. But on the flip side, there were aspects to their relationship that I thought were unhealthy. Xavier literally lands himself in the hospital because of it. There were also times when I felt the story focused more on Samantha's family problems, leaving the romance to fall to the wayside. It was still chock full of all the swoony moments I come to expect from Jimenez, but it started to feel repetitive the longer the story went on, so while I liked it, it isn't a new favorite of hers.
I always know Jimenez's books are an emotional gut punch, but, man, this one felt pretty bleak. I felt so bad for Samantha and Xavier. All they wanted was to be together, and it was as if everything in the universe was conspiring to keep them apart. I had no clue how they would work out, but I couldn't help rooting for them. But on the flip side, there were aspects to their relationship that I thought were unhealthy. Xavier literally lands himself in the hospital because of it. There were also times when I felt the story focused more on Samantha's family problems, leaving the romance to fall to the wayside. It was still chock full of all the swoony moments I come to expect from Jimenez, but it started to feel repetitive the longer the story went on, so while I liked it, it isn't a new favorite of hers.
Rating: 3.5/5
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