Review: Death at a Highland Wedding

Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's for the pre-release copy of Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong. Below is my honest review.

Yet another fantastic entry in A Rip Through Time, this time following Mallory and Gray and company to the highlands of Scotland for the wedding of McCreadie's sister. Of course, there have to be complications - including a history between McCreadie and the groom. Turns out, the groom is a man from the social circle that Gray and McCreadie were a part of in their youths, and McCreadie's family had an arranged engagement between him and the now-groom's sister, which McCreadie effectively ended, causing massive rifts. Things are further complicated by things at the estate, and eventually there's a murder.

Luckily for everyone involved (except the killer, and well, the victim), the crackpot team of Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are there to solve the case.

This one was really good, but I will give you a warning - there are some potential triggers revolving around grooming, sexual assault, etc.

Highly recommended. But you'd be wise to read the previous books in the series first for all the backstory. Though if you choose to, it's still a great novel on its own merits... you'll just miss some of the depth.

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Review: The Language of the Birds

The Language of the Birds by K.A. Merson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and RHPG Ballantine for the pre-release copy of The Language of the Birds by K.A. Merson. Below you'll find my honest review.

I'm gonna be honest - I love a good treasure hunt story. National Treasure? Yeah, saw it in theaters multiple times. Most of Dan Brown's novels, like Angels & Demons or The Da Vinci Code? Love. Indiana Jones? My favorite is the Last Crusade.

I absolutely adore the whole "let's solve puzzles and ciphers and riddles as we move along the hunt for a treasure or a place" trope. And this one did it so well!

Firmly in the YA genre, this one has the young MC follow a trail of ciphers and clues at the demand of some baddies who have kidnapped her mom. She's definitely a unique heroine, as she falls on the spectrum of autism/neurodivergence. As someone who is also neurodivergent, it was refreshing to see a character written so genuinely, who struggles with their differences as both a strength in some situations and a hindrance in others, but begins to learn the ways she can interact with the world on her own terms.

As far as the puzzles go, they were so much fun! The ciphers were interesting to read about, and we get to see Arizona's process documented as she thinks through and solves them. There are also plenty of visual references, which were amazingly helpful. And all the history of alchemy and Herbert Hoover was very cool to read about.

All in all, I absolutely adored this book. I will warn you - there's a bit of a scare with the dog, for those of you who need trigger warnings.

Highly recommended for fans of treasure hunts, YA, fun puzzle adventures with historical references, and neurodivergent representation. Five stars.

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Review: Archangel's Ascension

Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for providing me with a pre-release copy of Archangel's Ascension by Nalini Singh. Below you'll find my honest review.

More Bluebell! More Sparkle! Murder! Intrigue! Overly lovey-dovey swooning! Ascension! This book has it all.

I'm really interested in seeing where the series goes now, as there are some serious waves being made in the world of Guild Hunter, and a LOT has changed because of this book.

I don't want to spoil much, but this one has multiple timelines running through it, and it jumps around to tell different parts of different storylines.

I'm a little disappointed that yet again, the steamy parts are left out of the Illium/Aodhan books, whereas all the heterosexual couples get... details.. and the two Illium/Aodhan books get allusions to things happening. But I guess I understand it.

Anywho, this one has a lot of built up information culminating from a book series in the double digits, so you're doing yourself a disservice if you jump right in with this one.

Definitely recommended for paranormal romance, fantasy romance, angels/vampires, etc.

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