Erin

This book was a wild ride! There were so many moments that took me by surprise that I'm still thinking about them. This book touches on so many topics, environmental change, fertility, maternal expectations, and adds in grief, miscarriage, and a possibly-possessed painting. 

This book is set in the near future, where climate change is in full effect, and a virus had emerged that makes men sterile. Once the virus has been identified, a new company in the US, MotherWise, aims to help couples have children and the government provides many incentives to encourage couples to have as many children as possible to maintain the population. In this setting we're introduced to Mathilde ‘Tilly' Crewson, an art restorer in Savannah, Georgia. She and her husband, Wyatt, have one daughter, and Tilly is still grieving the loss of their second pregnancy and her inability to conceive again. She is hired to restore a newly-discovered painting by a scientist-turned artist, and once she begins work on the painting, she discovers that she's pregnant. She attempts to balance her desire to work with the societal pressure to become a housewife, but also starts to notice that something isn't right with the painting. As she continues to restore the piece, she finds her world isn't as safe as she hoped.

I inhaled this book. Every step Tilly takes had me on the edge of my seat, and her interactions with the painting are unnerving. The nanny-state that Tilly is ushered into with MotherWise is deeply upsetting, with the use of new technology to have her health monitored at every second. There's also the added horror from the painting, and the mysterious death of the artist. Add into this the constant health monitoring, the questioning from her husband and friends, and Tilly's on grip on reality, the general horror from this book was incredibly well-written. This book had me engaged the entire time I was reading, and I look forward to rereading this book soon.

I received an e-ARC of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

 I really wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I'm so glad that I read this! There's so much depth to these characters that's touched on, that I know I'll be picking up more of Emily Austin's books!

This book follows Darcy, a librarian that has just returned to work after a mental break. Her wife has travelled to her sister's home to help her look after her newborn baby, and Darcy is trying to work through the trauma of discovering her ex-boyfriend has passed away. She also has to deal with the patrons of her library, and with the growing protests of the services provided by the library. Told in a semi-stream of thought style, Darcy tries to come to terms with her family, her past, and herself.

This book grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. Darcy is struggling throughout the book, but it's her friends, coworkers, her therapist and her wife, Joy, that give her the strength and guidance to help her through her struggles. This story felt like a deep dive into grief and self discovery, while trying to work in the modern world. The conversations Darcy has with herself felt so believable, and resonated with me at many points in the book. Darcy's coworkers added so much to the book, and gave the library a sense of community. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will be picking up more by this author in the future!

This book was a sweet journey to an adventure, but fell a bit flat for me. This book reminded me of a Hallmark movie, mixed with a ‘what if' story and some magical realism, and while the story was quite cute, it was not quite for me.

This book follows Greta Perks, an actress who was the former star of the Maple Gold Coffee commercials. She met her husband on the sets, and ended up starring in commercials with her husband and daughter. Eventually, the company decided to not use her family anymore in the commercials, her daughter doesn't enjoy acting anymore as a teenager, and her marriage is falling apart. She's desperate to have the perfect life she once had, and then comes across a mysterious coffee shop and its proprietor, Iris. Iris offers Greta the ‘perfect cup' of coffee, which can transport her to her dream reality. Greta wishes to live in Mapleville, the fictional town in the Maple Gold coffee commercials, and finds a fantasy world that she finds incredibly tempting to stay in. Having a one-week mandatory break between visits to the coffee shop, Greta has to decide which world she wants to stay in, and if she's willing to give up her real life for the one in Mapleville.

I'm quite torn on this book. The overall character arc for Greta was quite believable, with her being so desperate to save her marriage and reconnect with her daughter. There were many parts of her personality that just rubbed me the wrong way. Greta's deep focus on her past is relatable, but she does push people at times in directions she didn't intend. I also found the mythos around the coffee commercials a bit far fetched; the idea that a family of commercial actors would be as famous as they are in this book was a bit much. Overall, this book was well written, but not quite the book for me. 

I received an e-ARC of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a great story! I was unsure of what this book would turn into, but this was a lovely, cozy read with enough magic and peril to keep the story going. It did tend to get a bit saccharine and predictable, but overall this was a fun story!

In this book, Kiela is a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, the capitol city. She and her assistant, Caz, a magically-sentient spider plant, escape the incoming revolution with cases of spellbooks and sail to her home island of Caltrey. She finds her childhood home intact but empty, and so the two of them move in. As introverted as Kiela is, she tries to stay separate from the community, but needs a way to sustain herself on the island. She finds her mother's recipe book, and starts to make jam to sell on the island, with a bit of help from the spellbooks she's hiding in her home. As Kiela gets to know her neighbours, she is determined to help the island flourish, and brings more of the magic out to the community. 

This book was really fun! There were times where Kiela's anxiety and introvertedness were a bit too strong for me, but she's a lovely character to follow. The mix of magical creatures, especially the merhorses, added to the magical world of this book. The book blurb compares this story to a Hallmark rom-com, and I'd agree with that comparison. I did immersion read this with the audiobook, and I highly recommend the audiobook; the narrator added so much to the story. Overall, if you're looking for your next cozy read, I'd recommend this one!

 This was such an amazing story! A story of lost love, war and vampires, this book was incredibly vivid and lush, with enough creeping horror to keep me engaged the whole time.

This book is set in 1840s Mexico and follows Nestor and Nena. Nena is the daughter of a rancher, and Nestor is the son of one of the ranch hands. The two of them grow up together and have a deep friendship. One night when they're 13, they go out into the wilderness looking for treasure, when Nena is attacked by a monster. Nestor takes her back to the ranch and, believing she's died, runs away. He bounces between ranches and jobs, always grieving the loss of Nena, until the invading US Army drives him back to the ranch he grew up on. When he arrives, he discovers Nena is alive, and has grown to be a curandera, a healer, and is trying to prove to her father that she shouldn't be married off to another rancher. Together, they join the cavalry of ranchers to fight the war with the US, and try to reconnect. But the monsters in the chapparal are always lurking along the way, and add to the journey the two are on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The relationship between Nestor and Nena was really fun to read, and the journey they are on was well balanced between the vampires and the US-Mexico war. I went into this book hoping for more of the vampire element, but having them in the background gave the story more of a gothic horror element. I did find some of the miscommunication between Nena and Nestor a bit much at times, but overall, this was a lovely book! 

This was an interesting take on consumerism, eco-collapse, and the future of humanity, but ultimately left me wanting more. This started as a fun heist tale set in the future, but ended with too much of the traditional heist tropes that left the ending quite flat for me.

Set in the near future, this book follows a group of ‘mades', clones of executives of the global company that created them, when they all find themselves suddenly unemployed as the company collapses. The collapse finds them all being sold, as they each owe a debt to their parent company, and live as indentured servants, trying to pay the debt off. The group are brought together by Mia, an executive of the company, to retrieve a digital wallet from a locker at a recycling plant in London, where the city has mostly been abandoned. Offering them each enough money to pay their debts and give them a chance at freedom, the heist seems too good to be true.

I enjoyed this story immensely, and the idea of a megacorporation collapsing gave the book enough depth to make the heist believable. The logistics of moving this group of people from around the world to London was well developed, but did follow a lot of the tropes of getting a group together to steal something. The near-misses that happen were very compelling and had me engaged throughout the story. It was the ending of the book where the story fell apart for me, but didn't lose my interest with the characters. While I didn't love this book, I did enjoy it and will keep an eye out for this author in the future.
 I received an eARC from Netgalley and Tor Books, all opinions are my own.

This was a fun story! This mystery kept me guessing up until the end, and was an enjoyable read. This was my second Tom Ryan book, and it was as enjoyable as the last! 

This book follows Alice and Samantha Van Dyne, former teen detectives of their hometown, as well as their friend Joey O'Day, who worked as a team to solve a string of crimes as teenagers. Their last mystery was trying to solve a set of murders, which ended with them identifying the man who ultimately murdered the twins' father. Twenty-five years later, they have all gone their separate ways and have mostly lost touch. When another murder occurs in their hometown that mimics the murders of the past, they come together again to help the police determine if there is a copycat, or if they didn't catch the right person before. 

This was a really fun mystery, and the twists throughout the book were well-placed and made the story incredibly compelling. There were a few times where I thought I'd figured the mystery out, only to be proven wrong. I enjoyed how the book explored the ‘teen detective' story, and how this part of their lives affected how they grew up.  There were a couple moments that felt a bit out of place, but overall I had a lot of fun with this book!

This book was everything I was hoping for, and then some! This was an emotional rollercoaster of a tale, and I loved every minute of it!

This book follows Steph Harper, a Cherokee child whose mother flees an abusive marriage with Steph and her sister, Kayla, in tow. While growing up in Oklahoma, Steph decides to pursue a career with NASA, with hopes of going to the moon. Throughout the next 3 decades, Steph has a turbulent journey through school, university and her dogged pursuit of her dreams, which drags in and leaves many people in her wake; her college girlfriend, Della, who is trying to reclaim her identity after her own experience with the Indian Child Welfare Act, Kayla's desire to reconnect with their tribe's history, and her mom, Hannah, and her desire to protect them from their past. Through it all, Steph pushes the limits of what the people in her life can endure in their bond with her. In the end, it's Steph's own growth and recognition of the fallout of her actions that brings this story together. 

This book was the incredibly powerful and emotional for me. Steph and her family felt so realistic and believable in their responses to Steph's drive to becoming an astronaut. I think Steph's ambition was amazing to read, and her development over the course of the book was impressive as well. I think it was her interactions with Kayla that was the best part of this book for me. And the last third of this story was emotionally devastating for me, and literally brought me to tears. Eliana Ramage has easily become a favourite author of mine, and I'll be looking forward to her next book!

I received an ARC of this book from Simon and Schuster Canada, all opinions are my own. 

This book was an enjoyable read, but often felt like something was missing. A cozy story of a library and its staff, this was an interesting character study of people trying to find a new work family, but felt disconnected at times when telling the backstories to the staff.

This book follows Otaha Higuchi, a young woman in Japan, who's about to quit her job at a chain bookstore. As much as she loves working with books, the job and her manager are making her question her love of literature. When she's about to quit her job, she gets an invitation to apply for a job at a library with no name, simply called ‘The Night Library'. Upon getting the job, she discovers The Night Library holds the personal collections of famous Japanese authors, and she begins working with a group of like-minded people. But when books mysteriously begin appearing in the building without collection stamps, the group attempt to discover if they're being robbed or why these books are appearing.

This was an interesting story! I really enjoyed the main storyline, where Higuchi learns the ins and outs of the library. Her interactions with the other staff gave a great introduction to those people. The book did feel a bit disjointed, when the backstories of the other library staff are told in first person. The mystery of the found books was also intriguing, but was wrapped up too quickly for me. The book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, and while this can be a great way to lead into another book, it felt a bit rushed and open-ended. This was a lovely, cozy read with an interesting idea of a library of people's personal collections, but the book left me wanting more. 

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, all opinions are my own.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I was very surprised with where this story went! This story was poignant, funny, and emotionally devastating, all wrapped up in a single day's events. Written in a free-flowing, train of thought, style, this book was a beautiful tale that I thoroughly enjoyed!

This book follows Firas, a young Palestinian man, who is trying to plan a birthday party for himself, as a way to come out to his family. Firas, while trying to maintain his exacting plans for the party, is often thwarted by his family's ignorance to what he has planned, as well as Firas' broader friend group that keep adding to the day's events. Firas keeps trying to maintain his plan for the party, but he keeps getting thwarted by his grandfather's escape from his nursing home, a surprise call from work, and a devastating turn of events within his family.

I found Firas a very interesting character, and resonated with how anxious he is as a person. His focus 0n how he's perceived, and trying to fit himself into his differing social circles felt very true to life. His meticulous planning that keeps going awry brought some much needed humour to the weight of the family dynamics that are examined in this book. The Dareer family dynamic was fascinating to read, with the drifting apart that is highlighted throughout the book, as well as his relationships with each member of the family. The humour in each snag in Firas's plans give the story a lightness needed for the end of the book, which I found devastating. This book will stay with me for a while, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I received an eARC of this book from Penguin Random House Canada and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

 This book was such a lovely read! This was a lovely, magical journey mixed with vivid descriptions, mystery and a burgeoning romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. 
This book follows Hana Ishikawa, as she inherits her father's pawn shop after his retirement. Instead of normal items, their pawn shop accepts people's regrets and unmade choices. The first morning Hana is in charge of the pawn shop, she discovers her father is missing, a choice has been taken from their vault, and the front door is open to the human world. In the chaos of this situation, she meets Keishin Minatozaki, a young physicist. Together, they journey through Hana's world, searching for her father and the missing choice. 
This was a fun read! The descriptions of each stop in the journey were so vivid, it brought the journey to life. There's such a dreamlike quality to each step in their search for Hana's father that adds so much depth to this book. There is a fair bit of time skips, where memories and previous histories are replayed, so the broken timeline may not be for everyone. But the mix of mystery, philosophical discussions, and burgeoning romance, this was a lovely read for me! 

This book was a delight! This continuation of the Quigley sisters' story was such an enjoyable read, full of mystery, magic, and love. From start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed this return visit to the Crescent Moon Tearoom. 

This book follows the Quigley sisters, Anne, Violet, and Beatrix, as they come together after Violet and Beatrix have been touring the country. Violet has been travelling with her husband, Emil, with their circus, and Beatrix has been touring her last book. Anne has remained at the Crescent Moon Tearoom, and has become the coven's Diviner. While all three sisters have been thriving in their new roles, all three have stumbled somewhat, and have gathered together to clear their heads, and to rekindle their magic. 

Anne has struggled with her growing responsibilites as Diviner, while balancing her duties at the tearoom. Beatrix fears she's lost her ability to write, and Violet is shaken after an accident at the circus. But as they come together, the threads of fate start to unravel, and the sisters must rely on each other, and another witch, to try to keep everything together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and returning to this world! The dynamic between the sisters has grown as they have, and the expansion of their family was a delight to read. I did find myself wanting a bit more of Violet's story to be told, but the weave of their parts through the book made the story a very cozy read. This story is the embodiment of the sisters' parlour, full of magic and love, and I will be revisiting this world very soon!

I received an eARC from Atria Books and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by this story! A fun blend of historical fiction and sci-fi, this story had a lot of whimsy and high-stakes that kept me engaged and anticipating the next chapter.

This book splits its timeline, following Lisavet Levy in 1938, where she's hidden by her father into the time space, a library where all memories from the past are stored inside of books. While she escaped Kristallnacht, she's left trapped in this strange place and spends her adolescence walking through the memories of those that have lived before her. Lisavet soon discovers that government agents from a variety of countries are also entering the time space, destroying some of the books it contains, and takes it upon herself to preserve the memories of those lost to time. Also, Amelia Duquesne is living in 1965, mourning the death of her uncle and guardian, where she's approached by the CIA's Temporal Reconnaissance team. Amelia is told about the time space, in an effort to recover a book her uncle had been searching for. 

This truly was a fun book! The time space is such a unique idea as a compendium of human memories, and the inclusion of government interference rings true, especially with the settings of the book. I found Lisavet to be an interesting character, with such a range of growth and personal change as she grows up in the time space. There were a couple character interactions that seemed a bit obvious by the time they came up (there's a twist partway through), but I loved how this story concluded.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada, all opinions are my own.

This book was a pleasant surprise! A murder mystery with enough twists to keep me guessing, I had a great time reading this book.

This book centres around the town of Thornecombe and Follyview College, the local private school. A body of a young woman is found in the nearby woods after a Halloween party, and the students and teachers attempt to find out who it was and who killed her. The book is told from multiple perspectives, including Rachel, the school's guidance counselor, her ex-husband Ben, the DCI assigned to the investigation, and their daughter Ellie, who's a student at Follyview College. Ellie has been keeping secrets from her parents, and may not have been where she said she was on the night of the party. Not everything is what it seems, and too many people at the school look like possible suspects. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The story kept me guessing the entire time, which truly enjoyed. There were a few points where I was sure I'd solved the case, and was promptly proven wrong. There were a couple points where I didn't understand the choices the characters were making, but overall I enjoyed this book.

I received an advanced copy of this book from @simonschusterca, all opinions are my own.

I'd picked this book up by chance, and it had been on my shelf for a while before I read it. A retelling of The Nutcracker, this story is full of magic and whimsy. 

This book follows Marietta Stella, a young woman in early 1900s England, who dreams of becoming a ballerina. Unfortunately, her parents are set on having her marry and take her place in society. As if by fate, a mysterious new neighbour, Dr. Drosselmeier, moves into an empty townhome on their street, and begins to win over high society with his magical toy creations. Marietta is wary of their new neighbour, and tries her best to redirect his attention, but she is unaware of his plans. Drosselmeier builds an elaborate set for her final dance performance at her family's Christmas party, and Marietta discovers that it has a magic of its own. When she tries to hide from Drosselmeier's advances, she is transported to the world of Everwood, which is covered in snow and suffers from its own tyrant. Marietta  is tasked with finding her way home, and helping her new-found friends escape the sugary castle.

This was an enjoyable story, but I don't think that it's for me. While highly detailed in describing Marietta's ballet classes and performances, I had a lot of difficulty in knowing what her poses meant, as I don't have any ballet background. I also found the budding romance between Marietta and Captain Legat a bit too chaste for my preferences. While I haven't read the original Nutcracker story, this tale was familiar enough for me to notice the references back to the original. While not for me, I did enjoy reading this story.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! I'll admit, I bought this book because of other reviews, and a bit of FOMO, but I'm really glad I did! This was a surprisingly fun book, and I'm already planning when to read the next one.

This book follows Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut. In the middle of the night, they find themselves outside when the Earth is invaded by aliens, and the planet is turned into a competitive fantasy dungeon, comparable to D&D and other RPG-style videogames. Carl and Donut enter the dungeon and try to survive each level, fighting various creatures and bosses, and meeting other people who are also trying to survive. While Donut, a prize-winning show cat, seems to have found her place in this alien-created TV show, Carl, while doing well in the dungeon, is not happy about his situation or with how humanity is being treated for alien entertainment.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. While it was fairly repetitive in structure (battle, recover, move on), the conversations between Carl and the other characters were quite entertaining. Princess Donut was hilarious to read, and fit the ‘pampered princess cat' stereotype quite well. The writing could use a bit of finessing, and so this is a book that isn't for everyone. There is a lot of discussion of gaming dynamics, including inventory management and weapons upgrades. There is also a mix of dark plot lines mixed with more juvenile humour, so it will depend if this appeals to you. Overall, I gravitated more to the plotlines than the humour, so I'm looking forward to the next book.

This book was incredibly sweet, and a lovely way to spend some time! A cozy, found-family, fantasy tale of witches and magic, I'm eagerly waiting for more of this world!

This book follows Mika, a young witch who has been hired to teach three children with magic powers. Mike has lived an unsettled life so far, always moving to a new town before she's willing to put down roots. But when she meets Rosetta, Terracotta and Altamira, the young witches that need her help, along with the adults that look after them, Mika is introduced to a way of living that she's never experienced before. She's challenged to see if settling down in one place could work for her, and if she can dream for more. 

This book was incredibly cozy, and the found-family was exactly what I needed. The witch lore in this book gave the magical side some depth and history, while not being so overbearing as to drag down the story. The characters are well developed, and each have their own strengths that add to the story. I was quite surprised with how much I inhaled this book, but it was a lovely ride!

This was a very fun book to read! A fairytale retelling, with a mix of tales and adventure, I had a lot of fun reading this!

This book follows Melilot, the stepdaughter of the sorceress queen of Skalla.   She is the middle child of her sisters, and has grown up resenting her stepmother, as she and her sisters have been sent on various impossible adventures by their mother. After being rescued by her more magically-adept sisters from her latest quest, Melilot is sent by her mother to be wed to the new king of Tailliz. On her journey to Tailliz, she's met by monstrous spider-wolves and is rescued by the 12 huntsmen of the king. Melilot then discovers her future home is beset by numerous monsters, and tries to discover what is actually happening in this kingdom. 

This book was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the mix of storytelling that is used as backstory, and the references to other fairy tales adds to the world building throughout the book. Melilot felt very human in her own way, still grieving the loss of her parents and in her resentment towards her stepmother. The plot did start to drag for me near the middle, but picked up to be a satisfying ending. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!

I received an e-ARC of this book from Random House Publishing and NetGalley, all opinions are my own. 

This was such a fun story! T. Kingfisher has become one of my favourite authors, since starting this account, and this short story did not disappoint! While I haven't read the original ‘Fall of the House of Usher', it wasn't truly needed to enjoy this retelling.
This book follows Alex Easton, a friend of Madeline Usher, and has received a letter from her, requesting they visit and help her brother, Roderick. Easton arrived at the Usher estate, and find it overrun with mushrooms and fungus. While the house is quite derelict, it's the hares that disturb Easton the most. The hares don't act like normal hares, but sit and stare as they go past and are not afraid of people. Once Easton arrives at the house, they notice how ill the siblings are, and how odd their behaviours are. There also appears to be something odd about the lake near the house, making Easton wonder what is happening to their friends.
I really enjoyed this book! This is such a lovely Gothic horror, with a slowly building creep of what is happening in the house. I really enjoyed how Easton seemed so unsure of the house and their friends, but tried to rationalize the situation for as long as they could. Madeline's illness comes across as a normal disease at first, and the descent into the end of the family was enjoyably creepy.

This book had been on my shelf for a while, and while it's not my usual genre that I enjoy most, I took a chance, as this had been in my mom's collection. While this book was well-written, and I did enjoy the characters, it turned out to not be the best book for me. 

This book is split into two timelines, and follows both Grace Hamblin in 1933, and her daughter, Trixie, in 1973. Grace grows up on the sprawling estate in rural England, as the daughter of the estate's beekeeper. As she grows up, she's torn between the two men she loves, knowing she can never truly love the one she wants.

Her daughter, Trixie, seems to follow her mother's path in a way, and falls for the singer of a band that visits the island in Massachusettes where her family lives. His band in about to go on tour, when tragedy strikes at home, and he must return to England to look after his family. He promises Trixie to come back for her one day, if she'll wait for him. 

As much as I wanted to love this book, it just fell a bit flat for me. The settings are lush, and I enjoyed the relationship between Grace and Trixie. The tale left unsaid between them felt incredibly real, as well as Grace's relationship with her father. I did find the romantic throughline was a bit too heavy-handed for me, but I did enjoy the book overall. 

This book was a fun ride! I'm enjoying this series, and returning to Cooper's Chase for another adventure with the Thursday Murder Club was a lovely time.

This book returns to Cooper's Chase, and to Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim. The club is thrown into another mystery when one of Elizabeth's old friends arrives at Cooper's Chase, with his own problems, asking for help. He'd been surveilling a suspected criminal banker, and was accused of stealing a large amount of diamonds, and he's hoping Elizabeth and her friends can help him out. In the meantime, Ibrahim has his own run-in with a local drug dealer, and so Bogdan, who is spending more time with Elizabeth's husband, joins their crew to help seek justice.

This series is quickly becoming one of my favourites, and I'm eager to pick up the next one! This story builds on the relationships of the first book, and gives the characters more depth and humanity. It's clear how much these people care about each other, and the insight into Elizabeth gives her perspective more weight in this book. Joyce's sidebar chapters are still relatable, and add more of her humour to the story. This story was a faster-paced tale than the first book, but overall was a great time!

This book was incredible and disturbing, engaging and shocking! I was not sure what to expect, but this book drew me in and didn't let go!

This book follows Julie Chan, a twin who was adopted by her Chinese aunt, while her identical twin sister, Chloe, was adopted by a white, wealthy family and grows up into an influencer. Julie unexpectedly gets a shocking phone call from her estranged sister, and is then unable to get ahold of her. After a few days of trying to get back into contact, Julie decides to travel to New York to make sure her sister is okay, and finds that she's died in her apartment. Julie is mistaken for Chloe, and decides to assume her identity and take over Chloe's influencer lifestyle. The more Julie pretends to be Chloe, the more she discovers of Chloe's secrets, and that not everything shared online was what it seemed.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, and it took some twists and turns I was not expecting! There were times where the amount of social media discussion got to be a bit much for me, but in the context of the story it made sense for Julie to be comparing follower counts and account types of Chloe's social circle. I found the twists within the story, as Julie tries to find answers in Chloe's past that could explain her death, incredibly engaging, and I couldn't put this book down at times! I was stunned by the end of this book, and would highly recommend this if you enjoy a good thriller!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advance e-book, all opinions are my own.

This book was a fun ride! With great murder mystery, a believable mix of characters, and a broken timeline, I enjoyed the ride this book provided!

This book starts with a dinner party of the Canadian Ambassador & staff with the mayor of a small Icelandic town. The Canadian delegation are there for the opening of an art installation, as well as for political connections. Each guest of the party seems to have some drama in their lives that involves another guest at the party. When the dinner is wrapping up, one of the guests dies in front of the group, potentially poisoned. The book then goes back in time to recount the arrival of the guests to the small island, and the town of Vestmannaeyjar.

I had a lot of fun with this book. While there wasn't as much political drama as I was hoping, the interpersonal connections between the characters were interesting. The descriptions of Vestmannaeyjar were beautiful, and gave the setting a Nordic twist on a Christie-style mystery tale. 

I was given an e-ARC of this book by @simonschusterca and @netgalley , and did buy my own paperback copy of the book. All opinions are my own. 

This book stayed with me for a while! I was so drawn in to the characters, and the story was so engaging, I couldn't put this book down. It was such an ethereal setting, with enough atmosphere to make the town atmospheric enough to keep the story moving.

This book is a split timeline, and starts with Abigail, a young woman who moves to Soap Lake with her husband for his research, but is quickly left alone when he accepts another research opportunity in Poland. Feeling alone in their new hometown, Abigail starts exploring the remote town and it's own urban legend, TreeTop. While on a walk, she comes across a young boy, running across the surrounding desert, and then leads her to his mother, Esme, who Abigail discovers has died in her car. Abigail tries to discover what happened to Esme, and how she ended up where she was. The book also tells Esme's story, from her years of growing up in Soap Lake to when she finally left, giving context to the events happening with Abigail. 

This was such an enjoyable read; I kept wanting to know more about the town and the people that live there. Abigail comes into her own, and develops her own strength as she connects with her small community. I really enjoyed reading how she gained confidence in herself, as well as Esme's own self-discovery. These two women had such depth to their story, and the sense of foreboding in the town added to my enjoyment of this book.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for my advanced e-book copy, all opinions are my own.

This book was a pleasant surprise! I didn't know what to expect with this book, so I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun this murder mystery story was!

This book follows Nora Breen, a former nun/nurse who has arrived in Gore-on-Sea in Kent to search for her friend, Frieda, when her letters stop arriving. Nora books a room in the same boarding house that Frieda had been staying in and starts to search the town for her friend, not disclosing their friendship to the other people in the boarding house. She quickly discovers that her housemates all seem to be hiding their own secrets, and enlists the local detective to help her find her friend. 

This was an enjoyable, cozy mystery in the same vein as ‘Murder She Wrote'. Nora is a feisty character, and has to deal with her own history as well as her attempts to find her friend. The 1950s setting adds to the sense of nostalgia, and allows for a slower pace to the mystery that makes it incredibly enjoyable to read. While I had my suspicions to the ending, this story wrapped up in a satisfying way and left me wanting more with these characters! Nora's interactions with Inspector Rideout were funny and enjoyable, showing how spunky Nora can be. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the advanced e-book copy of this book. All opinions are my own.