After thoroughly enjoying The Last House on Needless Street, I was excited to see what else Catriona Ward has up her sleeve. But after finishing Sundial, I'm not sure I totally got it.

On the surface, Rob has the family she's always dreamed of: a husband and two beautiful daughters. But when her eldest daughter Callie starts acting strange and her husband seems to encourage it, Rob decides the best thing for everyone is to take Callie to Sundial, the desert town where she grew up. She left Sundial many years ago, swearing never to go back, but now she suspects it will give her the answers she's been looking for.

This was a really uneven reading experience for me. Initially, I had a lot of trouble getting into the story. There was something about the style that came across a bit awkward, with its abundance of odd phrases and metaphors and even characters. I think this is done on purpose to give the narrative a sense of discordance, but it made it hard to follow. It wasn't until the halfway point that I felt like I was finally invested enough in the story to want to continue.

There's a lot going on in here, maybe too much. What at first seems like a dysfunctional family story quickly morphs to include spousal and child abuse, animal abuse, infidelity, scientific experiments gone wrong, ghostly interactions, and lots of maggots. I'm a simple girl, and all of this put together confused me a bit. At times, I wasn't sure what exactly was going on or what the focus was supposed to be.

There is even a story within the story. It is a completely separate thing, but it uses the same names as the characters in our main story. If you're scratching your head like, What? you're not the only one. I'm not afraid to admit I was really befuddled. Even though it was only a few pages here and there, it didn't feel necessary and could've easily been left out.

That isn't to say I didn't enjoy the story because there were parts that really grabbed me. But as a whole, it reads more like a first draft instead of a final one. There were lots of interesting ideas, but they don't all seem to congeal into a cohesive narrative that flows and makes sense. Still, I remain a fan of Ward's imagination, and I suspect I'll keep coming back for more.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

My heartfelt thanks for the advance copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.

Rules of Civility transported me to 1930s New York. It made me nostalgic for a city I've never been and a time I've never lived.

Looking back, it's hard to put my finger on exactly what made this story so special. On the surface, there isn't anything terribly arresting about the plot itself. We follow Katey, a working class girl starting her adult life and trying to make it in New York. A chance encounter propels her to friendships with Manhattan's wealthy and elite, providing her with opportunities and experiences that end up shaping who she is.

And yet, this book is so much more. Towles's writing is undeniably compelling, shining brightly from every single page. I honestly couldn't look away. I can't think of another author who can stun me so thoroughly with just the power of their prose. There is so much charm, insight, and longing embedded in the words and the sentences. I often caught myself pausing and rereading just to savor them a few more times before I could move on.

This story is an ode to New York City, with all of its timeless elegance and unwavering vibrancy. And it's an ode to being young and having your whole life in front you. Towles deftly captures the endless possibilities of youth, with its numerous choices and all the lives yet unlived, as well as the feelings of excitement and loneliness that come with being young.

If I had one critique, it would be that the characters in here don't necessarily resemble real people with flaws. They're all a bit too perfect, more levelheaded and idealistic than anyone I've ever met. No matter the circumstances, they went with the flow, put their best foot forward, and always behaved with grace and composure. While us regular folks can only aspire to such lofty goals, every character in here has already reached this nirvana. Still, they made for an enticing and upbeat read, even if it wasn't entirely realistic.

It takes real skill to turn an otherwise pedestrian story into something special, and Towles achieves it flawlessly with his beautiful writing. It drew me in from the first page and I was swept away. At this point, I'm pretty sure if Towles wrote a treatise on paint drying, I'd find that riveting too.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

Certain problems have only one solution. That's just the way it is.

Maud, our favorite octogenarian, is back. And she's as ruthless and murderous as she's always been. This time, we follow her as she takes the trip of a lifetime to South Africa. Along the way, she reminisces about her past and all the problems she's had to solve.

Honestly, I have so much fun with this series. It's unusual, irreverent, and completely surprising. We've all had experiences where someone's just a thorn in our side and we wish they'd disappear. Well, Maud more than just wishes. And it's a real hoot to see her take care of them as if she's just taking care of business.

Obviously, this isn't a book to be taken seriously and it certainly isn't advocating for murder as a way to solve problems. But if you're able to suspend your disbelief, spending a few hours with this little pocket-sized book feels like a delightful treat.

I don't know what it is with me and reading about old people living their life to the fullest (and using a little murder to get their way), but I just can't get enough. I hope we'll meet Maud again before too long.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

What do you get if you remove the romance and comedy from a rom-com?

Answer: One Night on the Island

DNF - I stuck it out for 120 pages, and I'm calling it quits. I don't really understand what this book is supposed to be, but it sure isn't a rom-com. Where is the spark, the chemistry, the steam? Or the humor? Or even just a halfway interesting story? Give me something!

So far, the defining theme of this story is that Cleo is an entitled brat who whines constantly and has her feelings easily hurt. And Mack is a dad who misses his kids so much that he has to get away from them for their own good. Okaay. And whenever Cleo and Mack "talk", they just throw random facts about themselves at each other from across the room.

There's nothing for me to work with here. This story is so bland, I'm not sure who I could recommend it to. Maybe if you're suffering from an injury and any kind of emotions/laughing would make you double over in pain. Or if you're a nun and your habit forbids you from reading anything remotely funny or romantic.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars (DNF)

My heartfelt thanks for the copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review. 

I do not yearn to be their equal. In my heart, I yearn to best them.

Wow, what a start to the trilogy! I'm not sure what I expected going into The Cruel Prince, but it certainly wasn't this much fun or this much nastiness.

Jude was only seven years old when her parents were brutally murdered in front of her eyes. The man who killed them took her and her sisters to the High Court of Faerie, to be brought up as one of them. Yet, in the ten years since, Jude has never felt like she belonged. As a mortal, she is always less than in the eyes of the Faeries. In particular, she makes an enemy of the cruel Prince Cardan. When treachery comes to the High Court, Jude must figure out what she's really capable of in order to grab the power she so desires.

Right off the bat, it's clear that every character in here is somewhat morally corrupt, including our heroine Jude. To survive and thrive, they must continually scheme and do bad things. While I don't normally gravitate towards this sort of story, it works here because everyone's motivations make sense. I feel an emotional connection with each character, so I'm able to cheer them on, even as their actions become crazier and more questionable. It sure makes for an entertaining read, one I can't look away from.

The writing is truly top-notch, with a sharpness that keeps me on my toes. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue, which is so witty and scathing that it feels like every line is worth savoring and rereading. The worldbuilding is easy and effortless, drawing the reader seamless into this universe. It proceeds bit by bit, so there's never any confusion or info dumping. And the way every tidbit eventually fits together is satisfying to the extreme.

There's so much packed into this one story: politics, family drama, revenge, power, and murder. There's even a bit of romantic intrigue disguised as mutual hate, which is quite delicious. Everything builds up slowly, increasing in tension until we reach a turning point about halfway through. After that, the gloves are off, and we are treated to one surprise after another. I never knew what the next chapter would bring, so I was turning the pages as fast as I could.

When I think of a fantasy story I want to sink my teeth into, I'm looking for a few things: sharp writing, well-plotted story, compelling characters, and seamless worldbuilding. And if there's a dash of romance, I certainly wouldn't object. Well, this book has them all, and I'm in awe over how flawlessly everything came together. I can't wait for more.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

If boredom could kill, this book would have done me in for sure.

Emma is an artist at Gemini, copying priceless works of art for an elite clientele who want to enjoy their art but don't want to run the risk of something happening to it. So they commission Gemini to create an exact replica that they can display. One of Emma's biggest clients is a Russian billionaire with shady ties to the art world. When he asks more and more from her, she just goes and does it all without question.

First, let's think on this for a minute. What could possibly be happening to the copies Emma is creating? It's obvious, right? Well, that's indeed what happens and it's the whole story. I thought, with art forgery being such a fascinating topic, that I would find this story dazzling and riveting. Instead, what's in my head turned out to be more interesting than what's actually happening in the pages, and I don't even know anything about art.

This story suffers from a real lack of imagination. Quick, what do you think of when I ask you for a wealthy Russian oligarch? All the vodka you can drink? Check. Extravagant parties with caviar? Check. Private planes with many bathrooms? Check, check, check. And that's it. There was nothing else in addition to this parade of banality. Even though that's just one example, it is the crux of the problem with this whole story.

The characters aren't any better. Emma is the among the blandest and possibly dumbest main character I have ever read. She mostly gapes and stares at everything, and occasionally comes up with some dull/awkward one-liner to say, which makes me cringe so hard. What's even more strange is that her words are treated as if they're the funniest and most clever things anyone's ever uttered and that she herself is the most special of all people. Like at one point, she's working in a gallery selling art, and she says some simple words to a buyer, and he immediately buys the art. She's then congratulated effusively by her coworkers, as if she's some sort of art-selling god that has graced them with her presence.

And it's not just that she's bland, but that she's also a walking and talking cliché of what a twenty-something is. Even though she's dull as a brick, everyone wants to be her BFF. Some random guy smiles at her once, and she obsesses over him, acting as if they're going out. She starts an Instagram account, and we are forced to read her every middling post and track her follower numbers, which go from the thousands to the millions in like two weeks (she being special and all).

Because Emma has zero personality, the author does something which I find super annoying, which is to give her a random trauma in order to make her seem three-dimensional. She's afraid of fire, which is mentioned as often as possible, every time someone lights up a cigarette, or she's eating in a restaurant with a little candle at the table, or she sleeps and dreams of fire. How is it even relevant to the story? It's not, but it does fluff out the pages.

Speaking of fluffing the pages, it feels like the whole book is just boring and irrelevant details, one after another. Details should advance the plot or the characters, but in this case, there is no discernable plot or characters, so they are just random tidbits added for page count. For example, whenever a scene has a few people in it, there would be many sentences establishing where every person is standing/sitting in relation to everyone else. Who cares.

For the vast majority of this book (250 pages), nothing happens. Then the last 50 pages finally gets to the development that I've been waiting for. But the kicker is that it's not even a surprise; it really is exactly what I thought it would be just from reading the blurb.

This book killed me. How can such an interesting premise turn into such a dull non-story, with the blandest characters and the lamest dialogue and one cliché after another? Everything in here was so obvious. There was no surprise, no insight, no spark of imagination. You can skip entire paragraphs and pages, and not miss anything. Or better yet, just skip the book altogether.

Readaroo Rating: 1 star

My heartfelt thanks for the advance copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.

"Me, I work with my brains and am not ashamed of it."

Reading Agatha Christie is always such a treat. I know I'm in for a good time, so I clear out my schedule, put on my comfiest outfit, and settle in for a few hours of fun and cozy-murdering. And Death on the Nile sure delivers.

Wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway has it all: beauty, charm, and money. And now she has love too, marrying the man of her dreams and starting their lives together with a honeymoon in Egypt. But this exotic trip to a faraway locale is turning up a surprising number of familiar faces. And when their cruise along the Nile turns deadly, Hercule Poirot must step in and solve the case.

The pacing, at least initially, feels more luxurious than some of Christie's other mysteries. We don't jump immediately into the cozy-murdering. Instead, we settle in to meet the full cast of characters and really dive into Linnet's story. I found her character to be compelling, and the circumstances leading up to her marriage interesting and a bit scandalous.

And once we get to the mystery, it's as fun as any whodunnit I've read. Because we already got to know all the players before the murder even happened, there isn't that awkward chunk when we have to meet and establish everyone. Instead, we can really focus on the mystery, and it is a good one. It has so many juicy elements: intrigue, love, backstabbing, money, and deception. And we are treated to all the clues and red herrings we've come to know and love from the genre.

One thing I particularly enjoy about Agatha Christie's mysteries is the crispness of her reveal. They are always simple and logical, yet also completely surprising. It is her hallmark, one that I've searched far and wide and have found very few authors who can match. Often, other reveals are either too simple (so you see it coming from a mile away), or are so convoluted and outlandish that it borders on nonsensical. But with Christie, there's always that eureka moment when everything comes together in the most satisfying and logical conclusion.

Sometimes I wonder how our literary world would've been if Agatha Christie never came along, what a terrible loss we never would've known. Thankfully, we don't need to contemplate such an unspeakable scenario. We do have her and reading her books is always the most delightful of experiences.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

I confess to initially picking this up because I've always been curious about strippers and strip clubs. But I ended up staying for the story. Poignant and captivating, Real Easy grabbed ahold of me and refused to let go.

Samantha is a dancer at the Lovely Lady strip club, working under the name "Ruby" to make ends meet. She does well for herself, having built up a loyal clientele over the years. When new girl Jolene arrives, bumbling and a bit lost, Samantha keeps her head down, not wanting to get caught up in the drama. But one night, against her better judgement, Samantha offers the girl a ride home. And when they're run off the road, her life is irrevocably changed.

First and foremost, above everything else, this story is a character study. Rutkoski takes her time introducing us to each of the players in here, dancers and investigators alike. And this intricate and honest look at each person is what really sets the tone for the story. We dive deep into the minds and emotions of the characters, really getting to know them as people, with all their complex thoughts and feelings. We find out their history, their motivations, and what makes them tick.

Rutkoski's experience as a former dancer really shows. Her portrayal of the dancers is as compelling as it is honest. She neither attempts to make you pity them, nor does she glamourize the whole thing. Instead, she provides a candid and humanizing look at this little understood but often talked about world, and it just adds to the dark and gritty feel of the story.

Yes, there's a mystery here, but that functions to drive the narrative forward instead of being its primary focus. I know this book is labeled a mystery/thriller, but I think that does it a disservice and may set up the wrong expectations. I found the mystery itself to be its weakest part, but only because the characters in here are so vivid, they really steal the spotlight. To me, this has more the feel of contemporary or historical fiction (depending on where you'd place the late 1990s), with the seedy Lovely Lady as its striking backdrop.

This story really took me by surprise. I didn't expect to connect with the characters so deeply. It was a riveting read from start to finish, and I can't wait to see what else Marie Rutkoski writes.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

My heartfelt thanks for the advance copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.

How did Colleen Hoover ever think up this dark and twisted tale? It is so unique, so completely shocking that it blows away every other suspense story I've ever read.

Lowen is a struggling writer when she gets an offer too good to pass up. Jeremy, the husband of successful author Verity Crawford, hires Lowen to complete Verity's series when his injured wife is unable to do so. Once Lowen arrives at their home to start compiling notes and do research, she discovers an unfinished manuscript that looks to be Verity's autobiography. What is written in those pages will horrify and haunt anyone who reads it.

So many books advertise as suspenseful thrillers, but hardly any of them cause my heart to blip even a little. (I know, I'm a stone cold reader.) But this book! There is such a deliciously creepy atmosphere that permeates throughout and it got me good. I'll admit to heart palpitations, cold clammy hands, and being startled at the smallest noises. And as the story progresses and we find out more and more, the tension ratchets up to almost unbearable levels.

There was never any hope for me. I was hooked from the very first page. There is a creativity to this story that makes it hard to look away. I've never read anything like this, not even close. As a result, every page was a surprise and I just wanted to keep going. And as the truth gets darker and more tortuous, I had no choice but to hold on for the ride of my life.

This book employs one of my favorite formats, a story within a story. I've loved pretty much every book I've come across that uses this format, and it works especially well here. The interspersing of the inner manuscript with the outer story allows us to find out what's going on at the same time that Lowen is figuring things out.

I cannot believe this is Colleen Hoover's first thriller. Reading this feels like watching a master at their craft, setting the bar higher than I ever thought possible. This story is so astonishing and unsettling and completely original. It will stay with me for a long time.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!