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I’ve had the pleasure of reading a lot of good books this year. So far, I’ve been surprised and impressed more often than not, and this last read was no exception.
When I received an invitation from Poisoned Pen Press to read This Girl’s a Killer, I was a little apprehensive, as I don’t usually read horror or “scary” books. But I loved Finlay Donovan, so I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did because I was absolutely blown away. This is why I love new authors; you never know what you’re going to find.
Cordelia Black isn’t crazy. She’s organized. She’s punctual. She has a killer wardrobe. She loves her best friend and goddaughter. She isn’t crazy. She’s just… Karma.
Everything is going just fine until it isn’t. Watching Cordelia’s perfect world fall apart actually gave me anxiety while making me laugh. It was an interesting paradox. This book is dark, twisty, and funny.
I cannot wait to see what Emma Wells comes up with next.
Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher Poisoned Pen Press for giving me this opportunity to read an ARC copy.
This Girl’s a Killer is out now and you can grab your copy here.
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If you’re ready for some great Christmas vibes and family drama, look no further than One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery. Normally, this time of year, I’m all about cozy mysteries, witchy romances, and everything fall-themed. However, I love Susan Mallery’s books, and I needed a break from my usual reads, so I figured it was the perfect time to get into the Christmas spirit🎄plus I’m all about the family drama.
Julie is a badass mom and business owner who’s looking forward to a quiet Christmas at her family’s cabin—aka mansion in the woods—with her younger boyfriend, Heath. Her kids all have their own plans, and his ex-wife has the kids for the holiday. But as we know, life doesn’t always go as planned. The cabin ends up packed with more people, secrets, and drama than anyone could’ve imagined.
I saw so much of myself in Julie that it was hard not to root for her. She cares deeply about everyone else and making them happy. It’s so evident in her detailed plans to ensure everyone has the most amazing Christmas ever. And while Julie might seem like the perfect mom and girlfriend, we also get to see her unravel and expose all her flaws as the story unfolds.
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The Book of Murder by Matt Murphy is a must-read for all true crime junkies out there. Law and forensic investigation have always fascinated me, and Murphy’s extensive experience with high-profile cases makes this book an absolute page-turner. You might recognize his name—Murphy was the prosecutor who put Dirty John behind bars, as well as Skylar Deleon and Rodney Alcala. Others may know him as a frequent guest on 20/20 or Good Morning America.
This book is part autobiography, part dos and don’ts of being a prosecutor, and part history of the horrific cases Murphy has worked on. He’s brutally honest about the toll his work took on his mental health, personal life, and relationships. His vulnerability and the regrets that came with throwing his entire life into his career add a raw and personal element to the story. Murphy gives readers an inside look at the emotional and mental strain of relentlessly fighting for justice.
I hesitate to call this an “enjoyable” read because the nature of the crimes Murphy prosecuted is so horrific but once I started reading, I was hooked—totally invested and unable to stop. His ability to bring criminals to justice is riveting, and his strong, clear voice makes him a master storyteller. If you’re a diehard true crime fan, you do not want to pass this one up. Even if true crime isn’t your usual go-to, this book is still worth diving into.
Murphy also shows a great deal of respect for his colleagues, even those on the other side of the courtroom. Often, you hear about bad blood between prosecutors and defense attorneys, but he seems to have genuine admiration for everyone involved in the process—from judges to fellow prosecutors and even defense attorneys.
I found myself constantly Googling the names, trying to put faces to the victims, heroes, and perpetrators alike. It felt like being in a twilight zone—totally invested and impossible to deter. This book offers an intense, all-consuming read, providing a gripping and insightful view into the life of a prosecutor who dedicated himself to seeking justice. Highly recommend!
As always, I encourage you to read this one for yourself and formulate your own opinion. Thank you to the author Matt Murphy, the publisher Hyperion Ave and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book!
On sale now, you can click here for the book, or HERE for the author narrated audio book (highly recommend!)
It’s safe to say that I added this book to my TBR as soon as I saw it was published. I practically grew up with Gilmore Girls—Rory and I are only a year apart in the show, and as a fellow bookworm, I strongly identified with her. (Not so much watching the show as an adult, but that’s another story/rant.) Having already devoured Lauren Graham’s book a few years ago, I was excited to see a side of the show from the perspective of the iconic Emily Gilmore. To say I didn’t fully appreciate who Kelly Bishop was and what she meant to the world of theater and performing arts is an understatement. Also, how did I forget she was Baby’s mom?! I thought it was pretty cool that she was actually supposed to have a small role in Dirty Dancing, but when she got there, the actress they hired to play Marjorie Houseman was let go and she was offered the role.
When you’re attached to a character, especially one from a show or movie that has been so defining in your life, it’s hard to see them as anything else. I was particularly eager to get to the part of the book where Kelly discusses Gilmore Girls. However, I soon realized that she had lived an incredibly rich and fascinating life long before the show, which was just as compelling to read about. Kelly is upfront and brutally honest, admitting to mistakes and experiences that Emily would never have dreamed of.
When we finally reached the portion of the book dedicated to Gilmore Girls—what I consider to be the “meaty” part—it was heartwarming to hear how she talks about Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham. It’s clear that although they were a TV family, they remain a real family to her. Her description of the kindness shown to her by Ed Herman’s wife in his final days brought tears to my eyes. I was also delighted to find out that some of my favorite Emily Gilmore scenes, such as when she tears down Shira Huntsberger and has a meltdown over Trix’s funeral arrangements, are also Kelly’s favorites.
This book is a must-read for all Gilmore Girls fans. I’m truly blown away by the life this amazing woman has lived. I grappled with whether to get the audio book or a hard copy and ended up choosing the audio book. It felt like Emily Gilmore was reading to me the entire time, and it was incredibly relaxing to listen to. I will eventually get a physical copy as a shelf trophy—it’s just too good not to. Kelly Bishop is an incredible lady, and I’m so glad she decided to share her life with us. Some of the things Kelly did in her life are so un-Emily-like that I couldn’t help but laugh, imagining how Emily would react if she knew just how scandalous the actress playing her really was!
On sale now, you can grab your physical copy here or the digital copy here!
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Phoebe and the gang return in the third installment of the Witches’ Brew Mysteries. There’s a lot going on in this book, so buckle up.
In the first book, Phoebe discovered she was a witch, and she’s been grappling with her new powers throughout the series. As it turns out, when she’s under stress, her powers tend to go a bit haywire—and there’s plenty to stress about in this one! She’s hosting a book signing for one of the hottest new influencers in… birding. (Such a millennial hobby! I love how the author worked that in.) But Phoebe quickly realizes something isn’t quite right with Sebastian and his entourage.
And she’s proven correct when Sebastian is murdered. While Phoebe isn’t directly implicated this time, she still feels responsible, having been the one to bring Sebastian to Raven’s Creek. When a childhood friend is arrested for the crime, Phoebe digs deeper, disregarding police warnings to stay out of it.
I also love that her relationship with Rich is continuing to develop, though it’s definitely the slowest of slow burns! Still, I don’t blame her for taking her time. This book focuses more on her learning to control her new powers than on romance. No spoilers, but by the end of the book, I think she’s got things under control—so hopefully we’ll see more of that sexy private eye in book 4. The ending was also VERY Scooby-Doo—the villain literally gets unmasked.
So, if you’re looking to kick off fall with a cozy mystery, grab a blanket and a cup of tea, and curl up with The Grim Steeper. It’s a classic whodunit, reminding me of Scooby-Doo meets Nancy Drew—but for adults. Bonus: There are tons of delicious recipes in the back, straight from the book.
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Where to start, where to start…
So, initially, I grabbed this book because the cover led me to believe it was a rom-com. Wrong! Insert buzzer sound here.
You could call it a modern-day Lord of the Flies, and you wouldn’t be far off, but there’s so much more to this book. It’s got a mix of romance, mystery, sci-fi, thriller, and satire. Like Lord of the Flies, it forces us to consider what would happen if the worst-case scenario became reality. What would society look like if our systems of law and order collapsed and we were left to fend for ourselves?
Who among us, male or female, hasn’t felt like Dan at some point in our lives? That kid in school who was told they could be anything they wanted but ended up only achieving mediocrity? And who doesn’t wrestle with the question of what it means to be a man or a woman and the stereotypes that go along with that? Mara is amazing in this story, loving Dan for who he is rather than who she could mold him into. She’s a total badass.
The writing is sharp; it’s funny while tackling some terrifying ideas and notions. The one-liners are hysterical, and the relationship between Dan and Mara is delightful to read. And who would ever expect a Bible-thumping preacher’s wife, who also happens to be an MLM creator, to be the one who stages a coup and steals all the food and power? But, as with all stories, not everything is as it seems, and there’s more going on at the resort than meets the eye.
I’d describe this as a “soft” thriller, not because it’s overly scary, but because it still gives you that anxious, “OMG, what’s going to happen next?” feeling that thrillers do. If you’re a fan of the Finlay Donovan or Riley Thorn books, I think you’ll really enjoy Zero Stars Do Not Recommend. As always, read it yourself and see what you think. I went in expecting a rom-com, but it turned out to be so much better!
Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher Sourcebooks for giving me this opportunity to read an ARC copy.
Zero Stars Do Not Reccommend is out now and you can grab your copy here.
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So, the month of June has been one big romance rabbit hole for me. I needed a nice police procedural to mix things up. Lucky for me, Allison Brennan just released the first book in what looks to be an exciting new series.
Margo Angelhardt is a private investigator in the middle of a family spat with her mom and siblings, who own Angelhardt Investigations. Margo has split from them and is running her own operation. She’s hired by Brittany to prove that her husband, Logan, is having an affair. Margo tracks Logan to his meetup with Jennifer, where she encounters her siblings Jack and Tess, who are running surveillance on Jennifer for stealing company secrets. Things get sticky when Margo and Angelhardt Investigations are forced to work together for the sake of their clients. Throw in the fact that Margo has a psycho cop looking for her (she has a side hustle helping abused spouses get out of bad situations) and that nothing is what it seems, and you have a classic Allison Brennan mystery.
The book is told in multiple POVs, primarily from Margo, Tess, and Jack. We also get the POVs of Peter Carillo (the cop), The Thief, and Theo Washington (a side character who works for Margo), to name a few.
I love this book for so many reasons. First off, Allison Brennan is a story-crafting goddess. I know that when I’m looking for a good police procedural whodunit cop PI book, I won’t be disappointed if I pick one of hers. I am also a huge fan of series. I don’t like getting attached to characters and then never hearing from them again. This book perfectly sets up the series. Margo’s dad is in jail for murder, and his refusal to fight the charges is what causes the Angelhardt family split in the first place. Our book ends with Margo coming back into the family fold and setting up the rest of the series.
As always, I encourage you to read this book and form your own opinions, just as I have. Thank you to the author Allison Brennan, the publisher Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book.
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GUP is back and he’s abroad! Patrick, Maisie, and Grant are bouncing around Europe as their dad prepares to remarry.
Set five years after the events of The Guncle, Patrick is trying to teach the kids about love as they struggle to accept their dad’s new soon-to-be wife.
The Guncle Abroad is chock-full of everything that I loved about the first book and more. The Guncle Rules are back, along with Guncle Love Languages.
Once again, I laughed, I teared up, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
The Guncle Abroad captures the essence of what it means to be a family, with all its imperfections and beauty.
Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and the publisher Putnam Books for giving me this opportunity to read an ARC copy, especially because I loved The Guncle so much.
The Guncle is out now and you can grab your copy here.
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💖Closed Door Romance
💖Forced Proximity
💖Grumpy vs Sunshine
💖Strangers to Lovers
💖 Workplace Romance
🏠 Hollywood Setting
🚫No spice (hence the bell pepper 😂)
Just finished The Rom-Commers and wow, what a ride. Seriously, the ups and down in this book. I can’t even. Even though I usually read romance books with a lot of spice, I adore Katherine Center’s books. The characters she creates jump off the page and come to life. This was no exception.
Emma is so strong and selfless. I instantly wanted to give her a hug. And I also kind of want to shake her. The poor girl has put her whole life on hold to take care of her dad, blaming herself for his accident and the loss of her mom. I really hate that she was manipulated into working with Charlie. Logan sucks. He’s sneaky and tells half-truths and keeps secrets. Thank goodness he somewhat redeemed himself. But he was a pretty awful friend for a while.
It took me a little bit longer to warm up to Charlie. He’s kind of a jerk for the first half of the book. I have to admit I was pretty nervous about his cough, though. As someone who is familiar with sarcoma and its recurrence, as soon as he started coughing I had to stop myself from skipping ahead to make sure he was okay. It’s sweet how he takes care of his guinea pig. By the end of the book, I had heart eyes for him. 😍
I love this ode to romance and rom-coms and the joy they bring. Hands down one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. I would have liked it to be dual POV, but if you check out the audio, you get a little sneak peek into Charlie in one of my favorite scenes (the diving board!!!).
As always, I encourage you to read for yourself and see how you like it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
A huge thank you to the author, the publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for sending me this amazing book for my review. It’s on sale now and you can pick up your copy by clicking here
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While I do my best to make sure my reviews are spoiler-free, I may inadvertently reveal information that can help you connect plot points. So, here’s my TL;DR spoiler-free review: A solid 5-star police procedural/romantic thriller from a seasoned writer with lots of twists and turns. Do yourself a favor and read the first 4 books first.
If Lindsay Boxer and Kinsey Millhone had a love child, her name would be Kara Quinn. She is prickly, unlikeable, and works best alone. She’s also fiercely loyal, hardworking, smart, and feisty. She faces parental disappointment, but not for your typical reasons. Kara’s parents were con artists, so she did an about-face and became a cop. As an undercover agent, she’s developed few attachments outside her squad. Until her identity is leaked to the media and she’s forced to go on loan to the FBI’s Mobile Response Team under the command of Mathias “Matt” Costa. She and Matt develop a romantic relationship, and Kara learns that she can be part of a team… most of the time.
Now in The Missing Witness, Book 5 in the Quinn & Costa Series, Kara is home in LA to put an end to the human trafficking trial that changed the trajectory of her career. We pick up shortly after Seven Girls Gone. David Chen is out on bail and has placed a $1 million bounty on Kara’s head. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryce Thornton from the LAPD branch is still making problems with the backing of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Chavez. Things escalate quickly when David Chen is murdered, and the only witness is a whistleblower on her way to expose a coverup within the LA Government. Violet is a computer geek with a personal connection to the growing drug and homeless crisis going on in LA. When she witnesses the murder, she disappears. Kara’s hunt for Violet leads to unexpected consequences, and forces her to confront what she thought she wanted versus what she knows she needs.
There are so many twists and turns in this book that I was actually surprised, which is hard sometimes since I’ve read so many thrillers/mysteries. I am also extremely hopeful that there will be more books in the series. Matt has a bad premonition about what will happen if James isn’t locked up for a long time.
The MRT also sees some new additions, such as FBI SA Sloane Wagner, a former Marine who goes undercover in Chavez’s office. I really hope we get to see more of her character since this book only touched on the surface. There’s also Nina Radinovich, the Assistant US Attorney and district attorney who hip-checks Chavez when she gets pushy about Kara’s alibi for Chen’s murder. You can just tell she’s a badass and I hope we get more of her. Brennan’s writing is so layered, and the story is so well-constructed that this was hard to put down.
While the story is billed as a romantic thriller, I would call it more of a police professional thriller with a side of romance. Matt and Kara‘s relationship is the absolute definition of a slow burn. And while I give it 1.5 spicy peppers for a heat reading, it’s pretty tame as far as a romance novel goes.
All in all, I love, love, loved this book! It’s no secret that police romance books are my absolute favorite, especially if they have multiple agencies and offices. I feel like I should know these characters (Lex?) from her other books, but honestly, it’s been so long since I read them that I can’t remember. Maybe at some point I’ll get to go back and re-read them.
Here’s hoping for more books in the Quinn & Costa series.
Thank you so much to the author, Allison Brennan, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC copy of this book. The Missing Witness is out now! You can grab your copy here.
Feed The Bookworm 