Category: book 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!

Book Review: A Magic Deep and Drowning, by Hester Fox

Image belongs to Harlequin/Graydon House.

Title: A Magic Deep and Drowning
Author: Hester Fox          
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 3 out of 5

Holland, 1650. One fine spring day in Friesland, twenty-year-old Clara van Weiren is faced with an ill a whale, beached and rotting in the noonday sun. But Clara doesn’t believe in magic and superstition, and this portent is quickly dismissed when a proposal from a wealthy merchant arrives, promising Clara the freedom she seeks from her mother’s overbearing rule.

When her attempts at overseeing the household at the family’s estate lead to her chance encounter with a young man with russet hair and sparkling eyes the color of the sea, she finds herself strangely drawn to him. As Clara grows closer to Maurits, she must choose between the steady, gentle life she has been raised for and the man who makes her blood sing.

But Maurits isn’t who he seems to be, and his secrets, once hidden beneath the waves, threaten to rise up and drown them both. And when an ancient bargain, forged in blood between the mythical people of the sea and the rulers of the land, begins to unravel, Clara finds herself at the heart of a deadly struggle for power.

I have to be honest, this didn’t really work for me. I was drawn in by the beginning, liked Clara, and was eager to see what happened. But Maurits was clearly hiding things, and she just chose to ignore that and what she herself saw and heard and traipse merrily after him like it was no big deal. Her parents, particularly her mother, were awful. Maurits’s family was awful. And I felt like there was no chemistry between the two of them. She went from anti-this-mysterious-man-who’s-clearly-a-liar to being madly in love with him, with no transition? Not believable.

Hester Fox lives in Massachusetts. A Magic Deep and Drowning is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Look Before You Leap, by Virginia Heath

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Look Before You Leap   
Author: Virginia Heath         
Genre: Romance    
Rating: 4 out of 5

Nine years ago, Lord Guy Harrowby, Viscount of Wennington, was publicly humiliated when a reckless romantic gesture went very wrong. Despite that, his mother held tight to the promise he made her then: that she would have a house full of grandchildren by his thirtieth birthday. Still single, embittered, and swiftly approaching that milestone birthday, there’s not a grandchild in sight. His heart now lies with his land and work is his life. In desperation, his mother decides that if he refuses to venture back into society to find her future daughter-in-law, the only solution is to bring society to him via a weeklong houseparty so that she can find one for him. The first Guy knows about her plan is when her hand-picked gaggle of debutantes arrive at his estate, all competing to be his wife.

After failing miserably as a governess, Lottie Travers isn’t proving to be any better at being a lady’s companion. As the only girl in an all-male household growing up, she’s developed several bad habits she can’t shake and keep getting her dismissed. Even after years of Miss Prentice’s teachings, Lottie still climbs a tree better than she embroiders, and still cannot seem to curb the desire to gallop astride a horse in breeches whenever an opportunity arises. But with the family farm in trouble, and her father now in dire need of her wages to keep it afloat, she’s determined to conquer her wildness once and for all and concentrate on her career.

Even with his home full of eligible women, there is only one that catches Guy’s eye, as much as he tries to deny it. And succeeding in her new role is easier said than done for Lottie when the Wennington Estate is filled with horses and she can’t help but feel a spark around the grumpy Lord. By the end of the week, will the two of them remain stuck in their ways, or will they learn that they may just be the perfect match?

I really liked Lottie and found her a lot of fun. Guy was fine, but nothing that stood out to me. Now his aunt, on the other hand, was quite a trip, and when she started scheming with his mother, I wanted to run away. I can’t imagine being held hostage in my own home and surrounded by a gaggle of husband-hunting ditzes. This was a cute, fun read.

Virginia Heath is from London. Look Before You Leap is her newest novel.

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