Category: book review

Book Review: A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge, by Kate Khavari

Image belongs to Dreamscape Media.

Title: A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge
Author: Kate Khavari 
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery/thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

Saffron Everleigh returns to Ellington Manor after her grandfather suffers a heart attack. Back in her childhood home for the first time in years, Saffron faces tense family relationships made worse by the presence of the enigmatic Bill Wyatt, hired on as a doctor to the ailing Lord Easting. But the man is no doctor—in reality, he is a mysterious figure involved in the trafficking of dangerous government secrets, and his presence at Ellington can only mean trouble.

When their neighbors, the Hales, invite a spiritual medium into the village who starts angling for Saffron’s mother’s attention, Saffron realizes that there is more afoot in her hometown than she originally thought. Not to mention inviting Alexander to Ellington has put their budding relationship under her family’s microscope.

As tensions rise at Ellington, Bill demands that Saffron hand over old research documents belonging to her late father. With her relatives under his power as their ‘doctor,’ Saffron fears she may be forced to surrender the files along with her hopes of ever understanding her father’s obscure legacy. Nothing and no one is as they seem at Ellington. It’s through the perfumed haze of the séance’s smoke that Saffron must search for the truth before it’s too late.

I enjoyed this audio book. The narrator is good and is perfect for this series. So much family drama here! I thought Saffron’s grandmother was pretty awful, and her grandfather wasn’t much better. I enjoyed the mystery aspect quite a bit, but the family drama less so (that’s just my own personal preference). The writing is solid and kept me engrossed in the story. This is a good series!

Kate Khavari lives in Dallas-Fort Worth. A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Let’s Make a Scene, by Laura Wood

Image belongs to Atria Books.

Title: Let’s Make a Scene    
Author: Laura Wood    
Genre: Romance   
Rating: 4 out of 5

When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. There is only one problem…Cynthie’s arrogant and annoyingly handsome costar Jack hates her, and the feeling is definitely mutual. While they may be at war behind the scenes, their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and the studio sees an opportunity—have the two young stars fake a romance that will charm fans and draw crowds.

Thirteen years later, Cynthie and Jack have successfully kept their promise to stay far away from one another, until a surprising offer comes to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched their careers. But there’s a catch: they must also rekindle their pretend relationship…and this time there’s a documentary crew following their every move.

Cynthie and Jack both desperately need this film to work, but can two ex-rivals ever really trust each other? And what happens when the roles they’re playing start to feel all too real?

This was a really cute read! I liked Cynthie and Jack both a lot and enjoyed how much they’d gown as people between the past timeline and the now. The secondary characters were great, too, and really fleshed out the story. I liked seeing Cynthie start out just so innocent to how everything worked on set and became a comfortable, strong leader on set, too. This is perfect for a binge read!

Laura Wood is an award-winning author. Let’s Make a Scene is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Party of Liars, by Kelsey Cox   

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Party of Liars
Author: Kelsey Cox     
Genre: Thriller   
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Today is Sophie Matthews’s sixteenth birthday party, an exclusive black-tie bash in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where secrets are as deep-rooted as the sprawling live oaks. Sophie’s dad has spared no expense, and his renovated cliffside mansion—once thought haunted—is now hosting the event of the season. Then, just before the candles on the three-tiered red velvet cake are blown out, a body falls from the balcony onto the starlit dance floor below.

It’s a killer guest list . . .

DANI: Sophie’s new stepmother who’s been plagued by self-doubt ever since the birth of her own baby girl

ÓRLAITH: the superstitious Irish nanny who senses a looming danger in this cavernous house

MIKAYLA: the birthday girl’s best friend who is not nearly as meek as the popular kids assume

KIM: the cunning ex-wife who has a grudge she can’t let go of . . .

Everyone is invited in. Not everyone will get out alive.

I really never figured out exactly what was going on or who was guilty—of what until the end! Kim was pretty horrible for most of the novel, so much hatred and vitriol and alcohol. I couldn’t figure out if Dani was crazy, or as almost-perfect as she seemed. Sophie and Mikayla seemed like typical teenage girls on the surface, but were they really? Ethan and his friend Curtis were just a little too high-handed, weren’t they? There was a lot going on here, and I was engrossed from the beginning. And what about the dollhouse/mansion? Creepy!

Kelsey Cox lives in the Texas Hill Country. Party of Liars is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #336

This was a great writing week! I wrote five book reviews and DNFed on. Reviews written: A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge, by Kate Khavari, Girls of Dark Divine, by E. V. Woods, The Magician of Tiger Castle, by Louis Sachar, Woven From Clay, by Jenny Birch, and For the Record, by Emma Lord. DNFed Rivals to Lovers, by Elise Wayland. Just no.

Happy writing!

Book Review: Pretty Girl County, by Lakita Wilson

Image belongs to Penguin Group.

Title: Pretty Girl County
Author: Lakita Wilson    
Genre: YA   
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Girls like Reya Samuels always come from Prince George’s County. Reya is rich and she’s not afraid to show it—she wears designer clothes, drives a custom pink Audi, and lives in a neighborhood tucked behind a fancy cast iron gate. She works hard, but she can get anything she wants with a snap.

Sommer Watkins is from Seat Pleasant, where the cast iron gates are significantly smaller—and attached to the windows, where most folks are still trying to make ends meet. Every day for Sommer is a hustle, working at her dad’s bookstore, and using her art skills to scrounge up enough scholarship money for her dream school, Spelman.

Reya and Sommer used to be BFFs—back when Reya lived in Seat Pleasant, too. Now the girls are from different stratospheres—but when Reya desperately needs help to prove to FIT admissions officers that she has what it takes to make it in fashion, the only person who can help is Sommer. Reya promises to help Sommer in return—she’ll pay her for her services, helping Sommer afford the school her parents can’t.

As the girls work together, slowly they begin to trust each other again. But when new relationships push them both, and Sommer’s dad’s bookstore is suddenly in danger of closing, old wounds bubble up. Can the girls find a way to repair their friendship and stay true to themselves along the way?

I enjoyed this read and thought the author did a great job with the culture and setting. I liked the homey feel of Seat Pleasant, and I liked Sommer a lot. Reya, not so much. She came across as very bougie and snobby, and I’m really not sure she learned her lesson at all, even after watching her mom’s shenanigans. Reya also came across as bossy, and she wasn’t very good at being considerate of others.

Lakita Wilson lives in Maryland. Pretty Girl Country is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group in exchange for an honest review.)

The Best Books I Read in June (2025)

In June, I read 21 books and DNFed 10 more (!). Of those 21 books, several were really excellent reads.

The Firebird, by Susanna Kearsley. I’m really enjoying this dual timeline/historical fiction mashup. The characters are great, and I’m loving both the characters in the present and the past.

Den of Liars, by Jessica S. Olson. I loved this! The world is fascinating (and basically the entire thing takes place in a fantastical casino), and the characters were engrossing. I was sucked in from the beginning and couldn’t put it down!

The Alchemy of Flowers, by Laura Resau. Who wouldn’t want to run away from their grief and sadness and live in a magical treehouse in the middle of a garden of flowers that talk to you? I’m not sure what else to say about this novel…

What I Read in June (2025)

Books Read in June: 21
Books Read for the Year:  128/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Firebird, by Susanna Kearsley (TBR): Loved this!
The Spy Coast, by Tess Gerritsen (TBR): This was an excellent detour from Gerritsen’s normal (which I also love).
The Silent Corner, by Dean Koontz (TBR): This is exactly why Koontz has always scared me more than King.
Mystics and Mental Blocks, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): Still enjoying this series, and the whole Adept world.
Magic on the Storm, by Devon Monk (Re-read): I really love this series!


For Review:

Pretty Girl County, by Lakita Wilson. One of the two female MC got on my nerves a lot, but the community this books was about was so vibrant it was practically another character.

Party of Liars, by Kelsey Cox. There were a lot of layers in this, and I never put it all together until the big reveal. 

Let’s Make a Scene, by Laura Wood. This was a really cute second-chance romance. I liked the characters a lot.

Den of Liars, by Jessica S. Olson. I loved this read! The world was fascinating, and the characters were great. Can’t wait to read more of this.

An Irish Summer, by Alexandra Paigeff. Okay, the MC got on my nerves a bit with her absolute refusal to admit that Boston might not be the be-all/end-all of goals, but I enjoyed this read—and the Irish setting.

Vanished, by Dr. David Jeremiah. I enjoyed this thriller. Much more up-to-date than re-reading the Left Behind series.

The Lost Book of First Loves, by RaeAnne Thayne. Solid romance read/family novel. Beautiful scenery is a bonus.

Grave Birds, by Dana Elmendorf. This was a quirky little read. I enjoyed it, although the switch from enemies to lovers was so abrupt it felt fake.

Fire Mountain, by Dana Mentink. This was s solid thriller read, and the volcano about to erupt definitely added some spice.

The Sandy Page Bookshop, by Hannah McKinnon. I would totally hang out in this bookstore! This was a sweet read.

Give Me a Reason, by Jayci Lee. I really enjoyed this second chance romance. Really liked the characters, except the MC’s father and sister–they were horrible.

Road Trip with a Rogue, by Kate Bateman. Enjoyed this read.

The Alchemy of Flowers, by Laura Resau. This felt absolutely magical, and I loved it!

A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge, by Kate Khavari. This is another solid entry into an enjoyable series. The narrator for the audio book is perfect for this series.

Girls of Dark Divine, by E. V. Woods. I really enjoyed this! I love ballet and fantasy, so this was a no-brainer for me.

The Magician of Tiger Castle, by Louis Sachar. This was just a meh read for me.

Left Unfinished:

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds, by Allison Brennan. Look, Mia was so obsessed with finding a man when she was going on this great vacation that it got on every nerve I had. Then she hears about the missing woman on the island and is immediately obsessed with that. I just can’t waste my time reading about someone like that.

Inspired, by Rachel Held Evans. I tried, but I can’t read anything labeled “progressive Christian,” which is just code for interpreting the Bible how they want to.

After We Burned, by Marieke Nijkamp. All the different POVs made this feel too chaotic.

Dragon-Ridden, by T.A. White (TBR): I made it about halfway, but this really felt like a jumbled mess.

Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, by James Goodhand. I tried, but this felt slow-paced and boring.

All the Men I’ve Loved Again, by Christine Pride. Cora got on my nerves, so I gave up on this pretty quickly.

The Odds of Getting Even, by Amanda Sellet. Frankly, the MC came across as judgmental and mean, and I have no interest in reading about someone like that.

In the Veins of the Drowning, by Kalie Cassidy. This did not feel like it flowed cohesively. The plot developments felt jagged, not smooth, and they just didn’t make sense.

Smuggler’s Cove, by Fern Michaels. If a book is billed as a mystery/thriller, I expect there to actually be a mystery, but at the 50% mark of this read, it just felt like a very long, drawn-out family saga.

Mistress of Bones, by Maria Z. Medina. I read 10% of this and still didn’t feel the slightest interest in any of the characters, nor did I have any sort of feel for the world itself.

Book Review and Blog Tour: Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, by James Goodhand  

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
Author: James Goodhand    
Genre: Fiction   
Rating: DNF

lifetime ago, Ray “Spike” Thorns was a well-regarded caretaker on a boarding school’s grounds. These days, he lives the life of a recluse in a house rammed with hoarded junk, alone and disconnected from family or anyone he might have at one time considered a friend.

When his next-door neighbor drops dead on Spike’s doorstep, a case of mistaken identity according to the police, the hospital, the doctors—everyone—Spike is dead. Spike wants to correct the mistake, really he does, but when confronted with those who knew him best, he hesitates, forced to face whatever impression he’s left on the world. It’s a discovery that brings him up close to ghosts from his past, and to the only woman he ever loved.

Could it be that in coming face-to-face with his own demise, Spike is able to really live again? And will he be able to put things straight before the inevitable happens—his own funeral?

I loved A Man Called Ove, but I could not get into this. It was just a total non-starter for me. I have a hard time with neurotic people, and he was one, so there was just no connection for me.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: Grave Birds, by Dana Elmendorf

Image belongs to Harlequin/Mira.

Title: Grave Birds  
Author: Dana Elmendorf
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm hides ugly lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.

When a mysterious bachelor wanders into the small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens—blood drips from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crash into houses, fire tornadoes descend from the sky. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. But despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.

That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly deeds from some twenty-five years ago and the horrible things people did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins, or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever it takes.

This was a fun, quirky book. I loved the setting and the characters. Hollis was a lot of fun, and Cain was interesting. The small-town life was portrayed well, with enough eccentricities to be believable. I really enjoyed Hollis’s greenhouse home. That was so unique to me! The one problem I had with this was how abruptly Hollis and Cain’s relationship went from antagonist to romantic, with almost no transition. Other than that, this was a solid read.

Dana Elmendorf is from Tennessee. Grave Birds is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #335

This was a good writing week! I wrote four book reviews: The Sandy Page Bookshop, by Hannah McKinnon, Give Me a Reason, by Jayci Lee, Road Trip with a Rogue, by Kate Bateman, and The Alchemy of Flowers, by Laura Resau. I also DNFed In the Veins of the Drowning, by Kalie Cassidy, Smuggler’s Cover, by Fern Michaels, and Mistress of Bones, by Maria Z. Medina.

Happy writing!