What_Kel_Reads

 I’m all for a weird story and don’t mind when stories are more gruesome IF it actually contributes to the story. This was supposed to be some type of groundbreaking horror book, but it was really just a sequences of scenes on the page designed to make people gag. You can read some of the other reviews for more information on those. I do not want any of that in my brain anymore, and I should have DNFd this book and thrown it directly into the river where it belongs.

Nine Liars was my first book of the year for the Unhinged Reading Challenge, and it was mediocre at best. I really enjoy this series as a whole, but this feels like the weakest entry for sure. A trip to London and the opportunity to solve a murder should have been a slam dunk for this group dynamic, but it was kind of boring. The actual murder mystery was shoved into the last 15% of the book and it was so rushed. Stevie was the most insufferable whiner, and I was so tired of listening to her complain about things and pine after David (who isn’t all that great to begin with). I waited a long time to read this book after buying it, and now I don’t really feel bad for doing so. I’m glad I can go back to the rest of the books in the series and enjoy them, at least!

Frankly, I’m obsessed with this story and I’m not sure any review I could write would actually do this story justice.   I loved meeting our FMC, Shelbie.  It was so refreshing to see a main character “my age” who wasn’t a part of some awful pregnancy trope, made to be seen as a spinster, or made to be seen as some kind of perfect being with her life together.  She’s a freaking mess, like so many of us are right now.  She was so relatable, and meeting her felt like connecting with a long lost friend.  I absolutely loved how she just randomly decided she needed to go on a grand adventure after a few glasses of birthday wine, because it seemed exactly like something I would have done.  Even though she has no experience, she decides to take the leap.  It ends up being the best decision of her life. I loved everything that happened after, and I promise not to spoil anything.  Every character in the village was delightful.  Magnus had my whole hear...

I had a lot of fun with this book and thought it was simply delightful!  We meet Lexi, a college dropout struggling to scrape by while taking care of her family after her father’s passing and Will, heir to his family’s fortune.  Lexi is a terrible waitress even though she tries her best.  One day, Will is sitting in her section when friends from her high school come in and she panics.  Rather than let them know she waitresses, she sits down with Will and lets them assume she and Will are engaged.  What follows is a wild fake dating story with hints of miscommunication and Cinderella-esque details. This was so charming.  There was a whisper of a third act breakup, but not enough to destroy the story.  It was the perfect fluffy story I needed at the time, and I would definitely recommend giving this a shot if you’re in need of something light and happy.

 This was pitched as a rom-com about a young woman who returns home to run her family’s casket business and falls in love with someone who works for Death.  It sounded like the perfect read for spooky season.  It sounded right up my alley.  Man, do I wish that had been true. The FMC was so freaking insufferable that she made me want to throw my Kindle across the room every time I started to read the actual book.  There was a point shortly after Nora started dating Garrett, and she throws a fit about his coworker being a female.  What are we, 17 year olds?  It was so GROSS. The premise was everything.  The execution was garbage.  The writing was super choppy.  The characters were so cookie-cutter and basic.  This is a major skip.  I really hope her future books are better. 

 I really enjoyed the premise of this book.  Rose Barclay is a 9 year old with traumatic mutism after watching her nanny fall to her death and the Barclay family home.  Now Rose is collecting sharp objects, the parents are acting strangely, and Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is brought in to give her opinion on which parent should be awarded primary custody. This was like a domestic thriller with police procedural elements thrown in.  I really liked the two combined, but this was a bit too slow for me.  Something just felt slightly off, but I can’t really put my finger on what it was.  The twist was a fun one, and not one I expected.  Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read. 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.