I really wanted to love this book. But at the end of the day, it's hard to love something you don't really understand.

Let me start with what I enjoyed. Colored Television was interesting and unusual, and because I've never read anything like it, it fully engaged my brain. It constantly tried to explore so many meaningful topics that it often felt like every sentence and every paragraph had the potential to be something profound.

Every time I sat down with this book, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to keep going, to keep turning the pages. There was this perpetual feeling that something compelling was right around the corner, if only I could stick around for a few more pages to find out what it was.

But the problem is that the compelling bits never really emerged. This story had the anticipation and the tension, but not the payoff. The whole thing felt like a setup instead of a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

The same could be said for the would-be interesting explorations. It feels like a lot of great ideas were introduced, but then nothing came of them. Yes, the book made me think, but that's because it served up ideas without any follow-through, so I was forced to come up with stuff myself or just leave the ideas dangling. As a result, while the book may have arrested my attention, it didn't actually give me anything new I could take away with me.

Let me give an example. It's clear Jane suffered from envy and wanted an upper-middle class life. But neither she nor her husband were willing to give up their high-minded artistic pursuits in trade for a job that would make more money. In fact, they regarded everyone who did as sellouts and were bitterly against them. Okay, but so what? I understand (as I'm sure everyone does) the conundrum of either working a well-paid but soulless job versus pursuing your passions but making considerably less, so I didn't understand what this story was trying to add to that conversation.

Another example is Finn, Jane and Lenny's son. He is possibly special-needs, but they're not sure. Jane and Lenny have different parenting views on what this could mean. Okay, but so what? I'm pretty sure every set of parents have had differing views at one point or another regarding their child, special needs or not. Again here, I feel like the author is trying to say something, but what it is eludes me.

Maybe part of the issue is the characters. Jane was not really sympathetic and neither were any of the supporting characters. They all just seemed to muddle along, blissfully certain in their views of the world while being bitterly against everyone who doesn't share them. From beginning to end, it seemed like there were no character growth, no gained understanding from their experiences.

Or maybe the problem is that this is billed as a dark comedy, but I didn't see any humor. It's not that I read potentially funny passages and just didn't laugh because it wasn't my brand of humor. No, it's more that I didn't even understand where the humor could be. Instead, this story felt earnest throughout, almost overly so, and thus I had to take everything it said seriously.

I suspect if I'd understood the humor, this probably would've read like a completely different story to me. Or if it hadn't come across so shallowly traversed, as I always prefer more depth than breadth. But as it stands, I can't shake the feeling that I didn't quite get this story. Still, I really enjoyed Senna's writing and will check out more from her. Hopefully my next foray will be more successful.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

Did she sound like a whiny child? Yes. Did she care? Not even a little bit.

Oh boy. Here we go.

When I first heard about this story, I thought this was it. Billed as Knives Out meets enemies-to-lovers, you couldn't get me to say "Sold!" fast enough. I immediately dropped everything on my TBR and made room for this. But alas, I'm having a hard time pointing to even one thing I liked about it.

Let me start by saying that when an author wants a down-on-their-luck heroine but don't quite know how to write one, the result is often someone like Maggie. Instead of being a character who is sympathetic and cheer-worthy, you get one who is precious, annoying, and at times downright mean. She needs constant reassurance that she's special and worthy, but she's so stuck in her pity party that all she can give back is insecurity and insults.

Enter Ethan, our nice, handsome, charming male lead who crushes hard on Maggie, no matter what she does and says to him.

"Sometimes I lie in bed at night, thinking of ways to kill you and make it look like an accident."

In case it's not clear, that isn't the murderer talking, that's Maggie speaking to Ethan. Yikes. Seriously you guys, you know anyone who's attracted to people wanting to kill them? Yeah, me neither. And Ethan's response wasn't to run out of there screaming like a banshee, but rather something insipid and flirty. I just can't.

So when you put these two characters together, you'd be right to think their interactions would be vapid and cringe-inducing. And indeed they were. Every dialogue was as dull as dishwater, yet presented like they were some sort of witty repartee deserving of swoon. Reader, I did not swoon. Indeed, I should say I was lucky I did not suffer permanent damage from the constant eye-rolling.

In order for enemies-to-lovers to work, it has to make sense why they were enemies in the first place. But here, to pile on to poor Maggie's characterization of being annoying and full of herself, her only reason for disliking Ethan, which she states time and again, is that he's "handsome and charming and . . . universally adored." Ah, pettiness doesn't look good on anyone, and Maggie certainly didn't change my mind.

It's hard to stay engaged with such bland, unlikable characters, and the writing didn't help either. During what should've been emotionally charged moments, it often felt like we were just dropped there without any buildup or the necessary cues. In fact, when Ethan revealed the big ol' secret of his job prior to being an author, I actually laughed because I thought it was a punchline and he was joking.

But what about the mystery, you ask? Well, it had potential, but ultimately ended up rather clichéd. It's clear that the focus of the story was on Maggie and Ethan, and the rest of the characters were more or less cartoony cutouts lifted from the mystery genre. And I'm willing to put up with that, if not for the very end.

Mystery writers everywhere, in case it's not clear, I never want to reach the end of the mystery and see the line "there are some mysteries that are better left unsolved, some questions better left unanswered." Uh, no. Writers, it is your duty, after all that build up, to make sure I know every which way exactly how it all unfolded. It is not cute nor satisfying to leave a big part of the mystery unsolved just because.

But hey, don't let me dissuade you. I see nothing but glowing reviews for this book, so what do I know? But if you're unsure, I've devised a litmus test:

"Dobson thinks we tried to kill Eleanor. But that's crazy. Isn't that crazy? I think that's crazy. Because you are you. and I am me, and we are not a we?"

If that quote and all the italics made sense to you, have at it. Otherwise, you're probably better off saving your TBR—and your eyes—for a less exasperating read.

Readaroo Rating: 1 star

This was such a cute, short story. It was the perfect way to kick off the holiday reading season, or if you're like me, scrambling to fit in even one seasonal read, then you'd have successfully met your quota.

This has got everything I'd want in a romcom—tension, sizzle, romance, and absolutely hilarious banter. Honestly, I don't think anyone does banter quite like Ali Hazelwood. She often has me in stitches, and this time, I was at the library, so I had to stifle my laughter and do the silent shakes, for fear of being kicked out.

I will say, having read quite a few books by Hazelwood now, I've come to recognize what seems to be her excessive reliance on the miscommunication trope. Yes, the guy has professed every which way how much he loves the girl, and yet, she doth protest. But since this is a novella, it doesn't go on and on past the point of believability like it would in a full-length novel. Instead, we get it all sorted out pretty quickly, and that makes this reader very happy.

I can't think of anything bad to say about this other than it's short and I want more. But then that's my problem with every short story. Anyhoo, definitely recommend if you're a fan of Ali Hazelwood and looking for a fun way to spend an hour or two.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

From where I'm sitting, it seems like Richard Osman can do no wrong.

It's no secret that I love The Thursday Murder Club series. So when I heard the author was going to venture away and start another series with brand new characters, I was obviously excited. But also nervous. Because what if Richard Osman is a one-trick pony? What if he couldn't recapture the magic of four septuagenarians with a father and daughter-in-law duo? But my worries were completely unfounded, my friends, because the magic is all here.

From the moment I opened that first page, I knew I was going to adore this. All the hallmarks I've come to love about Osman's stories are on display here, from his loveable characters to his clever mysteries to the gentle humor that infuses every page. But this time, instead of puttering around a sleepy retirement village, our keen-eyed detectives traipse all over world, racking up the miles and adventures in equal measure.

The mystery here is a fun one. Amy is a private bodyguard extraordinaire, but someone has gotten past her security and is trying to kill her client. Oh oops, actually, the target is her. So Amy must turn to the one person she trusts the most, her father-in-law Steve, lure him out of retirement, and get his help before she ends up dead. Along the way, there are bags of money, assassins everywhere, and oodles of excitement as they race through exotic locales making new friends and foes alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way this all unfolded. As it typical of the best mysteries, we get clues and red herrings aplenty, and each new one serves up even more fun. First our attention is diverted one way, then another, and yet when the reveal finally happens, we're still taken by surprise.

Of course, one of the things that makes reading Richard Osman so special is how he portrays the characters and their relationships with each other. They come alive on the pages, and their interactions are so lovely and delightful, it makes me wish they were real and I really knew them. But it's not all rainbows and sunshine. Osman manages to tackle serious topics too, like grief and loneliness, with his trademark humor and wit, and the result is so heartwarming it touches something deep within me.

Now I'm in the happy position of being unsure which series I want Richard Osman to continue next. Either way, I'm sure to enjoy myself, so it's a good dilemma to have.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

I can never resist a wedding thriller. Call me a romantic, but nothing sets my heart aflutter quite like the prospect of murder and mayhem on that special day. So I went into The Last One at the Wedding with high expectations. But unfortunately, it disappointed from pretty much beginning to end.

Frank hasn't spoken to his daughter Maggie in three years. So when he gets a phone call from her, he's rightfully thrilled. And he's even more so when he hears that she's getting married and wants him to walk her down the aisle. But when Frank arrives at the three-day wedding extravaganza, he starts to realize that all is not right.

The story is told from Frank's perspective, and honestly, probably my biggest problem is that I just never connected with him. While I don't always have to love and be chummy chummy with all my protagonists, I do have to understand them. And I just couldn't get there with Frank.

His paranoia reaches the level of making my eyes roll with practically every thought and every sentence. Sure, it eventually turns out that his paranoia is justified, for how else would we even have a story? But it didn't make reading his perspective any easier or any more fun.

But it's more than that. For some reason, Frank came off as extremely unlikable. Now a lot of authors write unlikable characters, and they have no bearing or may even add to my enjoyment of the story. But in this case, I have the uncomfortable feeling that Jason Rekulak may have accidentally made Frank unlikable, that he thought he was crafting a personable guy and instead created a weird and bumbling one.

There were so many moments when Frank would make an observation in his head or open his mouth to say something, and I would just cringe so hard. Like he saw a couple where the man is old and the woman is young and called them "unnatural, a freakish mutation of human biology." It felt so unnecessary and inappropriate, and I winced in embarrassment for him. And it was like this the whole way through.

I tell you, it's hard to enjoy a story when you're wincing and cringing at the main character's every thought. I should've been focused on the thrills, but instead I was mired in second-hand embarrassment.

But it wasn't just Frank. I felt like all the characters were slightly off, doing and saying things that no actual person would do and say in those situations. It's clear that each interaction was there to further a specific point in the plot line and they were shoehorned in to achieve that, no matter how awkward the result may be.

As for the twists, they were fine, although with the weird characterizations, it made it hard for me to really buy in to them. It felt like characters were just randomly assigned roles in the reveal, and when the time came, their personalities were bent and changed to further that goal.

So when we finally reached the end of the book, I understandably breathed a sigh of relief. But then I turned the page and there was a whole nother section left? I realize now that this is Rekulak's modus operandi. He likes to end his thrillers with a nice leisurely wrap-up, just to spell out in long form how everything works out for everyone, kind of like a HEA for thrillers. But there's a reason no one does them. I tolerated it for Hidden Pictures because I loved that story so much, but here, it just made a mediocre tale feel even longer.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

Every once in a while, a book comes along that is so compelling, so superb in a multitude of ways, it makes me rethink every 5-star rating I have ever given. And so Big Little Lies falls squarely into that lofty pantheon.

On the surface, this seems like a story I've read a thousand times before. A neighborhood of women keeping secrets. A death, or could it possibly be murder? And an investigation into what really happened underneath the calm, placid facade of small town Pirriwee. And yet, this was so much more, and I'm still reeling from just how hard it hit me.

From the very first page, this book held me in its thralls. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't look away. Every scene, every character, every conflict, they all felt so vividly drawn. There is a sharpness to the writing and the observations that is so searing and spot-on, it could almost feel a little painful if not for the humor.

And this book was definitely funny. I often found myself grinning and chuckling along, trying to savor all the witty lines. If I were the sort to freely wield a highlighter at every whim, I'm pretty sure I would've marked up the entire thing. With satire, my preferences are always for the subtle. Is Liane Moriarty actually being serious or is she really poking gentle fun at the characters and us in turn? That fine line between truth and exaggeration is where her writing style really shines, as does her keen eye for the absurdity of human nature.

We take our turn following three different characters. Now usually when that's the case, it would inevitably lead to one or the other perspective being more interesting, while the rest are relegated to the role of the ugly stepchildren. But no such fears here. Every single narrative arc was just as interesting and compelling as the next, and I couldn't gobble them up fast enough.

I have to talk about one of the core themes of this book and a big reason why this was such an impactful read for me. Domestic violence, at least for those of us who are fortunate enough never to have experienced it, has always felt like a somewhat nebulous concept. Of course we sympathize with the victims, but underlying all that is always the vaguely puzzled questions—why do they stay? why don't they just leave? With this story, Liane Moriarty has sketched out with so much skill and emotional clarity exactly all of those reasons why. And in the process, she has given a voice to domestic violence victims and brought them to life.

Every page of this book has felt like a breath of fresh air, equal parts biting and invigorating. Everything I'd want in a story—light and dark, funny and scary, entertaining and insightful—is all here. Surely it should be impossible to achieve all that in one single book, yet through some special alchemy, Liane Moriarty has managed to do just that. And the result is something memorable and extraordinary indeed.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

Can a cozy fantasy be too cozy? Unfortunately, the answer here is yes.

When I think of a cozy fantasy, what I want is to be swept away in a story that's warm and comforting, but also compelling. And that last part is perhaps especially important since it can often be hard to achieve the right balance in this cozy genre. Because no matter how seemingly low stakes a tale may be, there must still be some depth and things of importance on the line. And for me, The Teller of Small Fortunes just never quite got there.

It pains me to say that my mind wandered constantly. The story failed to grab me, not in the beginning, nor in the middle, and not even eventually in the end when we get to the most exciting scenes. It lacked that all-important tension throughout, without which nothing really propelled the story forward.

It doesn't help that we had no permanent setting. Instead, Tao and her friends go from one town to the next. Each chapter brings a new location, so it felt like a string of short stories instead of one cohesive whole. Even though there were a few overarching goals for the merry band of travelers, they somehow felt very diluted and lacked the weight necessary to hold the story together.

Even the dialogue felt very low stakes, with no actual conflicts or surprises at play. As you enter each conversation, it's clear where it's going, and indeed it goes there. The way the characters talk to each other doesn't hold the authenticity of real, distinct people. Instead, it feels like an approximation of what dialogue should be, but cozified so that everyone talks the same and it achieves the warm fuzzy feeling without any of the give and take of real conversation.

And when we finally reach the end, that felt like a letdown too. All the overarching conflicts were instantly resolved, without any pushback or depth or even the slightest unexpectedness. It just felt so insubstantial after the whole journey.

Maybe it's me and this style of cozy isn't to my taste. A friend read this and greatly enjoyed it, as did the majority of readers for this book. So take my thoughts with a grain of salt and don't let me dissuade you, especially if you're a fan of this cozy genre.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars