Review: Mislaid in Parts Half-Known

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Special thanks to Netgalley and Tor for gifting me an early copy of this book. Below you'll find my honest review.

This is one of those series that, even though each book is actually pretty dang short at around 200 pages, still hits hard with emotional depth. We continue the story of Antsy, girl from the store that holds the lost things and main character of the last book, Lost in the Moment and Found. She has found her way to Eleanor's school, and has started to settle in... so of course, people find out about her gift of being able to find almost anything, and some want to take advantage of it and use her to find their Doors. Hi-jinks ensue and it's a fantastic tale, hopping through multiple worlds, and with a twist at the end that makes me both happy *and* sad.

All in all, yet another fantastic entry into this series, that you should definitely read... but start at the beginning, please. Highly recommended for fairy tale lovers, YA lovers, and adventure lovers, and of course, for all fans of McGuire's works.

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Review: The Heiress

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley who gave me an early copy of this novel. Much appreciated! Below you'll find my honest review.

I love a good mystery twisted into a story about a rich family, mysterious deaths and inheritances, and old houses passed down through the generations. I love a story about an underdog. I love a story with unreliable narrators, or at least ones that take their time revealing everything even when they're being truthful.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were developed and realistic and easy to picture. The family history was well presented and in a manner that really held attention. The slow build to "what's going to happen, because this powder keg will have to explode at some point," from tension to denouement, was precision.

Highly recommended read.

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Review: Cocktails & Chloroform

Cocktails & Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for gifting me an early copy of this novella in one of my favorite Kelley Armstrong series.

This shortie really packs a punch. It's clear that Armstrong was going for some development of Alice and her relationship with Mallory/Catriona, and it was a wild success, in my opinion.

The story felt complete without feeling rushed, without feeling like it left anything out or should have been longer. It was just right.

And luckily, it was a perfect little morsel in the long wait for the next release in the main series.

Highly recommended, but I'd suggest you pick up books one and two in the main series first, as this takes place after book two and does provide minor spoilers for the first two books.

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Review: That's Not My Name

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for gifting me an early copy. Below you'll find my honest review.

This is how you write a thriller. I don't care if it's YA or adult, supernatural or fully realistic - this is how you do it. Absolutely unputdownable, totally just-one-more-chapter-able until the wee hours of the morning, and really, really compelling.

You're immediately invested in BOTH of the stories that are running through this novel, and I can't really say much else without spoiling the story. Let's just say... "invested" isn't a strong enough word.

Highly recommended!!! Read this one!

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Review: Good Girls Don’t Die

Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

Christina Henry is a pretty much guaranteed amazing read... EVERY. DANG. TIME.

This one is no exception! This one weaves themes of misogyny, sexism, and toxic masculinity in with a genre-bending, plot-twisting romp following the lives of women who find themselves in very... interesting situations.

The three major players each wake up in a strange place, dropped into situation that isn't normal. One finds themselves smack dab in the middle of a cozy mystery, another in a slasher movie, and a third in dystopian death-games type story. But not all is at it seems, as these situations might be part of something much larger, and when it comes down to it, their lives might just be on the line.

This one was so hard to put down. Seriously, I read late into the night, trying to race to the end to find out what was going on. And honestly, I was both thrilled and frustrated each time the story for one woman ended and a new one started, because each new beginning sucked me right in.

Highly recommended for fans of mixed genres, strong women, and really great twists and turns.

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Review: Where He Can't Find You

Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for giving me an early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

I read my first Darcy Coates horror story earlier this year, and was really excited to get my hands on this one. It did not disappoint!

This one drops you right into the thick of it, into the town of Doubtful. It lets you know that it's a bad place where bad things happen. It tells you the rules you must follow to have the best chance of staying alive, so the Stitcher doesn't take you. It doesn't explain what's going on, why these things are happening... it just lets you discover all of that as the story unfolds.

And unfold it does... when one of the main characters' sister is taken by the Stitcher, vanishing into the night, they do the unthinkable... they decide to fight back and try to save her.

The bonds of friendship, the isolation of only depending on each other as the town has given up trying, and the constant fear of the Stitcher - man or monster?, intertwined with the weird effects on wildlife and electronics and the empty, dead feeling of the town, really push this novel into true horror. The atmosphere is set up perfectly. The hook is set deep inside. And the action drives it forward.

My one complaint is that I'd have loved a little more detail of how things became the way they are. The explanation is satisfactory, but I'm craving more information on this well-painted world.

Absolutely loved this one. Highly recommend.

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Review: The Olympian Affair

The Olympian Affair by Jim Butcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for gifting me an advanced copy. Below you'll find my honest review.

I'm really torn on this one. The parts I loved were definitely worthy of 5 stars - mostly Abigail's storyline, the interactions with Folly, and everything involving Bridget/Benedict/Rowl/Fenli. I also liked the redemption ARC of a certain character, and the masterful development of some of the characters.

But there were a lot of places that felt like they needed more editing. There were sections that felt very repetitive, storylines that built and then were dismissed with no payoff, and lots of scenes that just weren't necessary to really push the story forward. This book could have lost probably 50-100 pages and been better off for it. So for those sections, which I still enjoyed for the most part, I'd have to give 3 stars.

That averages out to 4 stars. I really like the world, and absolutely adore some of the characters - the cats especially.

Recommended for those who enjoyed the first one and can deal with a little rambling.

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