There was never a chance that I was going to *not* pick up this book - all I needed was "murder while mountaineering?" and I was in. Unfortunately the writing was disappointing and I saw the ending coming a mile (or 8000 feet?) away. Read this for the high-altitude danger vibes but not for the writing.

Creepy kid + creepy drawings + possibly haunted house? I'm in! This was such a fun read! The book is interspersed with the drawings done by the child and they sent a chill down my spine more than once. This wasn't the scariest horror novel I've ever read but it made for a fun read.

A dark fairytale about a family sacrificing it's children to the sea in order to hold onto it's power, and about the young woman intent on breaking her family's hold on her future? Yes, please! This book was pure Gothic folklore at it's finest.

This was a story about the lengths women will go to in order to protect their families, the generational trauma of abuse, and the systemic problems enabling abusers, wrapped up in a post-Covid dystopian novel. I found myself holding my breath and devouring it in order to make sure the women we followed kept themselves safe. This was a good book to read, especially now.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I went into it thinking it was going to be spooky, was down for the ride when it became a story of forbidden love, and was especially into it's eventual transformation into a tale of revenge. This was a great new take on a classic story and I recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of witchy folklore in their lives.

I picked this up, lured in by the Poe references (and certainly wasn't disappointed there) but this felt too much like a YA written for younger readers for me to love it. I enjoyed theultiple POVs and I'd love to actually know what was going on...just not enough to pick up the second book in this duology.

This book was unlike any other thriller I've read before. I picked it up because I'm always up for a good cult book but I stayed because of the dynamic between the MC and her sister, and for the twisty plotline.plot line. I never knew where it was going to go and I wasn't disappointed.

I usually love a good domestic suspense novel but this one had me gritting my teeth at the main characters. The setting was great, the premise was great, but the actual characters were not well-written. By the time the end rolled around (which explained why the characters were acting as they did) I found I didn't care anymore. I would recommend this to new thriller readers who may not be put off by a predictable ending and tropey characters.

Despite not being much of a fan of romance novels in general, I love a fun Regency romance that is light on the "bodice-ripping" and heavy on the slow burn. These characters were sweet and the story was heart-warming. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes historical romances and a friends-to-lovers trope.

I didn't realize this book was part of a series when I picked it up - I just saw "locked room mystery" and dove in. Sci-fi is a hard genre for me generally and so mixing it with a bit of a murder mystery helped smooth the more "scienc-y" elements. It was a fun read but I never found myself very invested in the characters or the "deeper" sci-fi plot. Perhaps readers who don't share my struggle with the genre will have better luck with this one.

Happy Pride Month, y'all! I'm ready for another month of #bookspin and #bookspinbingo! @TheAromaofBooks

My May #bookspin was kind of a mess. @TheAromaofBooks

My May tbr for #bookspin. I can't wait!

@TheAromaofBooks

My god, this was a slog. After loving Hex so much I had very high hopes but this just wasn't creepy, it wasn't atmospheric, it was just *work.* The opening had me but by the halfway point I found myself hoping for a quick and painless ending. At 416 pages, it wasn't even quick. 😭 2/5 stars.

This was a great thriller with a satisfyingly twisty plot and well-developed characters. I'm not usually a fan of books that feature the entertainment industry so prominently but this was a pleasant surprise. Steadman's writing is compulsively readable and I will continue to pick up her work. 4/5 stars.

Let be clear - Macbeth is an amazing play, full of witches, ghosts, paranoia, envy, revenge...all amazing stuff. Macbeth is my favorite of Shakespeare's plays, hands down. What I did not love was how much this book changed the language of the play. I didn't realize it was a modern translation and it fell flat for me. 5 stars for Macbeth, but 3/5 stars for this version.

I respect what this book was trying to do but it was not for me.

I reread this book in April and it continues to be one of my all-time favorite books! The writing, the characters, the put of control shenanigans they het up to...and the SHAKESPEARE! If you like dark academia I encourage you to pick this one up. 5/5 stars

This was an absolutely beautiful book. I'm sad that I left it so long to read but I think it came into my life at the perfect time. As the mom of a gender-fluid kid this book spoke to me in so many ways. I cannot recommend it enough! 5/5 stars

Combining my love of the English royals and of cozy mysteries, this book was a delight. Little old Queen Elizabeth gently nudging people in the direction of solving a crime might have been the perfect way to spend a day over a snowy weekend. I can't wait to puck up the next book in the series! 4/5

This felt more like a deliciously spooky middle grade novel than YA and I wasn't mad about that at all! Schwab's writing is fabulous and this is a richly atmospheric Gothic story. The ink drawings in the book were a perfect addition to the story. 4/5 stars

I adored this book! Meddy and her aunties and mom have quickly become some of favorite characters. Their hijinks are hilarious, outrageous, and so much fun. I look forward to Sutano's next installment.

Peter Swanson is a hit-or-miss author for me so I was pleased to enjoy this latest novel. This is one of the better reimaginings of And Then There Were None that I've read and, being a fan of the original, I felt that this did it justice. I did figure it out before the end but it didn't detract from any of the fun of reading it. 5/5 stars

This was a twisty thriller that kept me guessing right up until the final chapters. I loved the alternating chapters between the wife and the therapist - a departure from the more predictable husband and wife-told stories. This might be their strongest novel yet. 4/5 stars

I had high hopes for this book but was disappointed by the ending. It did have some truly creepy moments and great atmosphere. 3/5 stars.

Overall an okay reading month. Nothing I read this month blew me away except for All's Well which I highly recommend to everyone! I managed to finish my #bookspin and #doublespin, though, so I'm taking the win!

@TheAromaofBooks

A little later than usual, but my April TBR is finally ready!

@TheAromaofBooks

I'm ready for another month of #bookspin and #bookspinbingo! All of these books are high on my list to read so I'm ready to crack through them all! 🙃

@TheAromaofBooks

I didn't read as much as I wanted to this month but I enjoyed most of what I read so it wasn't too bad! 😅 I also read one of my #bookbingo picks and dnf-ed the second.

@TheAromaofBooks

I'm pretty happy with how my January #bookspinbingo went! I got a bingo, read a ton of my books, and completed both my #bookspin and #doublespin books!

@TheAromaofBooks

I'm all ready for my February #bookspin and #bookspinbingo! It's a weird collection of titles but I'm determined to move some of these books off of my tbr shelf!

@TheAromaofBooks

January #bookspin and #bookspin bingo board. I can't wait to get reading!

@TheAromaofBooks

No matter how many times I read this book I always find something new to love. 5/5 stars.

I'm excited to give #BookSpin and #BookBingo a try for the first time. I need a push to start picking up books again and hopefully this will be the thing to do it!

@TheAromaofBooks

This isn't the actual #beach but I figured a painting of the beach would be close enough. 😂 I can't wait to give this book a whirl. Scientists discovering a new species in deep, dark caves sounds like a great beach read to me!

#ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #summerreads #TheAnomaly
@Jess7

This is my #QuickRead for the day. I have books waiting for me to start when I get home so this, coming in under 200 pages, is perfect to bridge the gap. I read about 100 pages last night and I'm utterly fascinated by Christopher Knight, who camped alone in the Maine woods *ALL YEAR 'ROUND* for decades. 😳 I whine if I have to spend 10 minutes clearing snow off my car, you guys.

#ReadingResolutions #vacation #TheStrangerInTheWoods
@Jess7

Just small #waves at the shore today. The weather had been beautiful and I got to read this book by the water! This might be my favorite Ware book yet. Lots of Gothic touches and a housekeeper reminiscent of Mrs Danvers herself made this a winner for me!

#ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #vacation #TheDeathofMrsWestaway
@Jess7

These are the #EndPages for Crazy Rich Asians and they're kind of perfect!
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#ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #CrazyRichAsians #KevinKwan
@Jess7

Look at all of these #spines! Our vacation apartment is right across the street from a coffee shop and a bookstore, so obviously I had to do some vacation book shopping (that's a thing, right?).
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#ReadingResolutions #PhotoaChallenge #vacation
@Jess7

My current #SummertimeRead is the follow-up to the Andy Cohen Diaries. More of his adventures fending off Real Housewives in the wild, name dropping and party hopping, and trying to find happiness in NYC. Even reading about his Christmas party (at which a former RHoOC screamed at another guest) seems more appropriate while sitting in the sun with a cold beverage.

#ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #Superficial #AndyCohen
@Jess7

This book kept me on my toes the whole time. I didn't see the ending coming! It's loosely based on the Slenderman stabbing a few years ago, so people who enjoy true crime might be interested in this, too!
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#Suspense #ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #MisterTendersGirl #CarterWilson
@Jess7

I *might* have committed to too many buddy reads this month. 😕

#JulyTBR #ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #WhatHaveIDone?
@Jess7

Can't wait to participate! #ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge @Jess7

June was a slow reading month for me, so this #JuneWrapUp will be short.
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📚 The Outsiders by Stephen King - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📚 Two Girls Down by Laura Luna - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
📚 The Perfect Mother by Aimee Malloy - ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
📚 From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
📚 Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud - ⭐⭐⭐
📚 The Power by Naomi Alderman - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

Here's to hoping that July goes better!

#ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #JuneReads
@Jess7

Day 28: #ThrillerThursday
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I just started reading this and so far it's great! I love a good thriller for a summer read.
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#ReadingResolutions #SomethingInTheWater #thriller

Holy smokes! @BookwormAHN put so many goodies in my #summerslasherbookswap box I could barely fit them all in the photo. 😍 I'm especially excited to read The Troop...maybe it will be the book I bring along on my own troop's camping trip this summer. I also couldn't help but notice that the washi looks a lot like to a certain hotel carpet pattern...🤔😊 Thanks to @JoeStalksBeck for organizing this! I can't wait to do it again!

I adore Tana French and can't decide if I like this book better than Into The Woods. I think so? Maybe? Maybe they'll all be my "favorite." ? #ReadingResolutions #BookishSequel #PhotoChallenge #TanaFrench #TheLikeness #series #mystery #Ireland

1) Blue
2) Spring? Fall? It depends on whether I'm in a flower mood or a Halloween mood. 😊
3) Mystery
4) Other than reading? Planning and working in my BuJo, I guess.
5) It's a toss up between ruffled potato chips and onion dip or buttered movie popcorn.
6) A coke slurpie
7) My bookish Funko Pops

I'll tag @Karli because I haven't seen her around here in forever!

@Tiffy_Reads #GettingToKnowYou

My roses are finally blooming! #ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #BookandFlowers #TheCoincidenceMakers

@Jess7

Day 12: Book and Blanket - This afghan was a gift from my step-MIL and is one of my favorites when I curl up with a book and one of my favorite snacks! #ReadingResolutions #PhotoChallenge #BookandBlanket #TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo