I am reluctantly enjoying this series. Andie is a very confused character. Her sister/cousin Rhona has turned from her new best friend to her new mortal enemy. She is making the werewolves look like the better option. Sascha is still super horny for Andie. She is increasingly horny for him. And her best friend Wade is turning into the best part of the book. On to book 3.

I thought this book was wonderful. It takes place almost entirely during a mountain climbing expedition. I love reading about experiences and places I will probably never visit.
I loved every minute of it. Cecily and the other members of her expedition were interesting characters. I was kept guessing the whole way through.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. I feel like I need to reread this to better understand it.

The conversations between Ambrose and Martyr are so annoying. I can see why Martyr hates him.

I'm loving the novella within the novella.

This book was disturbing, mainly for the fact of how awful people were acting when they knew the world was going to end. The first half was pretty interesting. The second half just got crazy. Because this was a story of a sentient planet, I just went with it. I hate to say it was unrealistic, but that's how it felt, especially when the planet was spinning towards the end. The imagery was stunning. 4 stars

This felt a little formulaic. Like so many other books where a woman is pursued by an Alpha male, or in this case a Sigma male. I felt like Andie, the main character, was just stringing along Sascha, the werewolf. I didn't really understand her on again off again vibe. And I kept expecting it to be revealed that she was half werewolf or something, to explain her sexual attraction. So, I will probably read the next book in the series.

This wasn‘t a bad book. It‘s just not what I was looking for at this time. I‘m giving up, about half way through.

A sweet meditation on life and taking it slow. The author has a debilitating illness that keeps her bedridden. She begins watching a snail in a potted plant to pass the time. The author and the reader both learn a lot about snails.

At one pont she mentions The Quest for Blank Claveringi by Patricia Highsmith. That story of giant man eating snails traumatized me as a child.

The word of the day is “desuetude”. Although I can gather the meaning from context, I have not seen this word before. It means a state of disuse.

Kari is the new owner of the Serenity Animal Sanctuary. Her ex-husband shows up claiming they are still married and he wants her property. She must find out if they are really still married and how to stop him from destroying the sanctuary.

The actions of the husband, Charlie, really made me angry. The nerve he had in demanding Kari‘s land and business made me instantly hate him. He is a greedy sociopath. I enjoyed this book.

Kate‘s sister Lacie disappeared while vacationing at their summer home on the coast of Maine. 18 years later Kate returns following the death of her mother, for the first time since Lacie went missing.

The book was good but felt formulaic. I guessed some of the reveals but not all. This shows that you can never really know someone.

I received a free ARC from LibraryThing and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

11 books read this month. Breathless was my favorite, although Kingdoms of Savannah was a close second. In my 2022 reading bracket it is just edged out by Empire of the Vampire for the top read so far. Both are excellent books.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book. But it said it was a mystery, and I do enjoy mysteries, so I gave it a try. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It is well written and interesting. The book starts right off, jumping into the action. A young man is killed. Another man is in jail, claiming he was framed for the murder.

I received a free copy from Celadon Books in exchange for my honest review.

The book started a little slow, but by the end I was fully invested in the characters. Anders, a journalist, travels to Frick Island for a story. While there he meets Piper, recently widowed and acting as if her husband is still alive. Anders becomes fascinated with her, and by extension all the islanders. He also learns that the island is threatened by rising tides due to climate. He wants to help both Piper and the island.

I was hoping for more. Slow to start, some obscenely rich people decide that the world will end, and they are the only ones who will survive. The characters were so unlikable. I did find myself interested towards the end. I wanted to see what would happen. Unfortunately the ending was a disappointment for me.

I was drawn in by the cover. The first half was good, but the second half was better. Once Tybalt has his encounter in the bar things got weirder more interesting. This is a story of cosmic revenge.

I downloaded this free from Amazon after seeing another post about it.

Started out great. I liked how Lori kept trying to tell herself she wasn‘t a serial killer groupie when clearly she was. As Lori and her sister Abby got further into their journey to see the river man, Lori‘s true persona came out and boy was she a terrible person.

The book itself started out interesting, following the lives of gay men who disappear from Toronto. Starting in 1984 and going to 2016, I felt the time jumps were very abrupt. We would be in one time line, and the next chapter would be in a new year, following new characters. It got to be too much, too many people.

I enjoyed the supernatural aspect of this and wanted more. And I didn't understand the ending at the dinner party.

This started out great. Unexplained deaths, with feathers around the body. Slowly the detectives realize these people were killed by pigeons. Things get crazy when the pigeons increase the attacks. I really enjoyed it, until the pigeons started talking. Then it felt silly.

I received a free copy from Book Sirens and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date July 7 2022

How wonderful it was to be back in the world of Rizzoli and Isles. It was like reuniting with old friends. And I loved how much Angela was featured in the story. She played a big part in this one. Her voice was fun and refreshing.
The central murder case was interesting and kept me guessing.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely adorable. I was left with a smile on my face.

At the suggestion of his parents, Hudi is trying to find a sports activity he likes. We watch him try several until he finds his true love, theater. I love Hudi‘s optimistic attitude. It was great seeing him throw himself into everything with such enthusiasm.

Elementary/middle school reading level.

The story of Annie, who served as a maid on The Titanic and later as a nurse on its sister ship The Britannic. As a maid Annie develops feelings towards Mark, one of the passengers. Later on the Britannic she runs into Mark again, this time when he comes aboard as a wounded soldier.

The timeline switches between the two ships. The story on the Titanic was fascinating. There is a mild supernatural element here with possible ghosts and possession.

Even though this is an ARC and not out until July, this was my favorite read of the month.

I read 9 books this month. 3 were good, 6 were average. I recommend Listen to Me, Chunky and The Deep.

3.5 stars

Pippin and Grey are trying to lift the curse on their family, with their fathers research to guide them. A group of evil treasure hunters is also trying to get to the information, although not to lift the curse, but in the hopes it will lead to ancient treasure.

After 3 books they still don‘t seem any closer to solving the overarching mystery. The murder of the antiquarian book dealer seems incidental and doesn‘t move the story much.

My favorite- Tiptoe by Laird Barron and Skinder‘s Veil by Kelly Link.

Yes, I did get a Shirley Jackson vibe from the book. The stories were good but nothing spectacular. I think because the stories have a sense of dread, but never really show you anything.

Thank you to LibraryThing and Beaufort Books for this lovely ARC. I am excited to start reading this suspenseful thriller.

From an author known for extreme horror, this was pretty tame. The snowy wilderness setting was nice. A hunter in the frozen woods comes across a woman who needs help. Helping her is not a good idea.

3.5 stars. Body horror. A woman‘s journey to find her true self and where she belongs in the world. Angela is so beaten down by men‘s expectations of her that she doesn‘t trust her own feelings. You find yourself rooting for her to take back her life.

The story in 1962 was fascinating. The horrors of life in a asylum combined with the horror of a real life boogy man. It all felt very realistic to me. The framing story, set in the present, wasn't as interesting and seemed unnecessary.

I didn't know what to expect with the book and was pleasantly surprised with the storytelling. I enjoyed reading it.
I received a free review copy from Book Sirens in exchange for my honest review.

Janie and her companion Andrew get an opportunity to join a circus. This circus is fantastical and they travel aboard an extravagant cruise ship to get to their next location. The time spent traveling on the ship was fascinating and probably my favorite part. It seems like the perfect job, except for the circus owners, the Mandeville's. They demand perfection and will fire anyone who doesn't perform up to standard.

An ok way to pass the time. Stan and Joy are retired and bored. A stranger comes to the door for help and they invite her in to stay with them. This is a questionable decision coming from two people who otherwise seem smart. When Joy goes missing, family secrets come out. Nothing too earth shattering. For a book about a missing person, not much happens.

I loved the conversational style of the writing. The cases presented were interesting and I was left wanting more information about them. I was struck by how committed Paul was to his work. Even to the detriment of his family. His job was truly a calling for him.

I received a free copy from Celadon Press in exchange for my honest review.

“Others were sent here by husbands, fathers, even brothers who don‘t like the way their women think, don‘t like that they are outspoken.”

The second book I‘ve read recently where women are committed to asylums at a man‘s whim. What a frightening time to be a woman. This book takes place in 1916. The Savage Instinct takes place in 1872.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I was hoping this would be a horror novel, instead it was an historical thriller. Taking place in 1872 the most horrifying thing was how women were treated. How a man could have his wife committed just because he wants to. There is a pervading sense of hopelessness around Clara, the main character. She has been recently released from a mental hospital, only to find her husband Henry wants to get rid of her permanently.

The current leader for my #readingbracket. Thanks to @chasjjlee for the idea and the template.

Just started today.

The present day exploration of the town had the tone of a horror movie. Walking through abandoned buildings while ignoring the strange things happening around them. Typical denial until it is too late. By the end of the book we find out what happened to the villagers. It wasn't much of a surprise, and I feel that if people had looked a little harder they would have found them. I did enjoy the writing style and felt it was interesting.

What few stories I read I hated. Had to bail on this one.

I enjoyed this much more than The Last House on Needless Street.

A book about the monsters that live inside us. A book about family and the sins of the past. Can someone be “born bad”? And can you fix them? Just when you think you know what‘s going on, new information comes out that changes everything. I loved discovering the truth with Rob and Callie.

The Arrowood book inside the book was unnecessary and a bit boring.

This was an interesting book about a young slave girl who wins her freedom. Kemosha is always looking to better herself and is very ambitious. My favorite part of the book was when she was sailing on the pirate ship. A look at life during the 1600's that was so different than my own. I found the ending a bit abrupt and wanted to follow Kemosha on her journey for a while longer.

The book starts off great. A young woman is being attacked by spirits in an isolated house in the middle of a snow storm. We don't know anything about her, other than she is in peril. This is what I would call "slow burn" horror. I had a sense of dread that slowly built up. The last section is when things start happening more rapidly. I thought the last 15% of the book was pretty exciting. I enjoyed this book.

As always, the artwork is stunning

A collection of short horror stories in manga form. My favorites were Earthbound and Smashed. Earthbound was very melancholy, and Smashed had a great dark humor.

Palmetto by Ania Ahlborn a novella

Not the best Ania Ahlborn I‘ve read. Bugs are inherently creepy but I didn‘t feel any emotion while reading this. A little boring to be honest.

A creepy, trippy book of alternate time lines. Nate and Maddie are ok characters. For me the star was Ollie, their son. He was supposed to be in high school in the book but read like a 10 year old. I always felt a shock when I read his class mate was driving him someplace.

This is an epic story of good vs evil. Ollie and his family battle the forces that want to bring about the end of the world.

Mini book haul. I went to Barnes and Noble at lunch to use my gift card. Decided there‘s no point in saving it.

I liked it. Some brutal violence. Interesting look at life in Japan. Not the shiny glossy Japan in the movies, but the gritty, day to day struggle of the working class. 4 friends who cover up a murder.

Thank you for the ARC Celadon Press. This looks terrific.

A novella in the Detective Nessa Ainsley series, this was a fun way to spend a couple of hours. The case involves a private investigator who has gone missing. Lara, the ex wife of Nessa's partner, is involved in the case which complicates things. I liked the shortened format, and felt that the story was very interesting. It kept me guessing until the very end. I hope there are more books coming in this series.

A fun fast paced novella. The action starts with 2 couples trying to escape a raging forest fire and never lets up. They find a house in the middle of the forest and that‘s when the craziness starts. I liked the characters and was rooting for them to find a way out. I never got bored and will definitely read the next installment.

I wasn't sure how much I would like this. Usually the missing memory trope is annoying, but this was a very involving book. We receive snippets of information along with Liv. I never believed she was a murderer, but I had no idea who the bad guy was. My only complaint is that it does get a little repetitive, with Liz waking up and losing her memory over and over. This results in alot of explaining that we, the reader, already know.

This book was really fun and interesting to read. I loved all the references to older mystery books. There were a few twists along the way and I didn‘t guess the murderer so that was good. I enjoyed the main character, Mal, and his social awkwardness. He was a flawed character but you still root for him.