Catch Lili Too by Sophie Wittemore: Book Review

I got a ton of “Buffy” vibes while reading the premise of this novel, and that immediately piqued my interest. I was also super excited about the idea of an urban fantasy that included non-Western myths and legends, and very intrigued by the concept of a depressed, asexual siren.

Catch Lili Too is a paranormal thriller, and tells the story of Lili, an immortal siren, who gets roped into trying to catch a serial killer terrorizing Gamin, the town she’s passing through. Along the way she manages to find herself a group of comrades, including ghosts, necromancers, vampires and more.

The representation in this book is really great, with many LGBTQ+ characters and even a couple queer romances. I also really enjoyed the diversity of paranormal creatures that made an appearance in this novel. Some were based on myths and legends I had never even heard of before, which was cool to learn about while reading!

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Of Magpies and Men by Ode Ray: ARC Book Review

This novel starts with two bodies washing up on the shore a small, Italian village. But how did they get there? As the clues get uncovered, it appears as though there may have been some foul play involved…

Taking place across multiple timelines, Of Magpies and Men tells the story of Benedict Grant, a lonely, workaholic, living a picture-perfect life that feels like a lie, and Marie Boulanger, a loving and hardworking, single mother who can’t seem to escape poverty. While it seems as if their lives couldn’t be more separate, when a long kept secret is finally revealed, they inexplicably find their fates barreling towards each other.

Told from mainly Benedict’s and Marie’s perspectives, with a few others thrown in along the way, Of Magpies and Men weaves a complicated tale that spans years, with unanticipated consequences lurking around every corner.

The Innkeeper’s Daughter by Bianca M. Schwarz: ARC Book Review

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a sucker for beautiful book covers. The first thing that drew me to this title was the gorgeous – and I mean gorgeous – cover art. And after reading the synopsis I was even more intrigued! The Innkeeper’s Daughter boasts of having it all – historical romance, suspense, mystery… As a fan of both period romances and mystery/thrillers, you can bet how excited I was to pick this novel up.

The mix of genres aside, from what I can see, The Innkeeper’s Daughter is first and foremost advertised as a romance between Eliza, the daughter of a deceased innkeeper on the lam from her abusive fiancé and step-father, and Henry, a known playboy and secret agent of the crown … something I found unfortunate, because the romantic aspects of the plot were my least favorite. 😕

The Three Mrs. Wrights by Linda Keir: ARC Book Review

This book was a disappointment for me, unfortunately. I really wanted to like it, but it just fell flat. I think the biggest mark against this book for me as a reader was a disconnect between the genres this book was advertised as, and what it felt like to me after reading it.

The book first piqued my interest because it was categorized under Mystery/Thrillers. That, coupled with the exciting description, had me hooked before even turning a page! Unfortunately, there was hardly ANY aspect of this story that fit the requirements of a suspenseful mystery novel…