"I was raised in hatred, Roma. I could never be your lover, only your killer."

Before you get too excited, that was practically the only pithy line in the entire book. I thought I was getting an exciting gangster retelling of Romeo and Juliet with some fantasy elements. Instead, the writing almost did me in.

In 1920s Shanghai, rival gangs the Scarlets and the White Flowers are engaged in a blood feud. Their young heirs Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov used to be secret lovers, until Roma betrayed Juliette. Now they are sworn enemies. When rumors of a monster reaches their ears, and dead bodies start piling up around the city with their throats torn out, they know they must act. But can they put aside their differences to save their people, or will they lose everything they hold dear?

The premise sounds so good, right? And did I mention it's set in Shanghai, the place of my birth and early years, one of my favorite cities in the world to visit? But even the scintillating setting and the story's numerous references to its beloved landmarks and delicious food could not save it.

It was such a slog from beginning to end. The writing feels overdone in the way that YA can sometimes come across. The melodramatic and ornate style is meant to impress the reader with how deep it is, but instead I'm just confused. Sure, it sounds good and all, but what does it actually mean?

There is so much fluff and unnecessary details packed in everywhere. No character can be introduced without pages of irrelevant background information, like how much they enjoy drawing spheres and what their favorite necklace is. But it's all telling and no showing. So even after all that, I still can't discern their personalities other than that they shoot first and ask questions later, as is typical of gangsters.

The pacing is absolutely glacial. The developments happen so slowly that I often forget where I am in the plotline. It doesn't help that the book keeps making big deals out of reveals that I thought were obvious many chapters prior, while still being unclear about key points. (What is the Larkspur?)

For a 450-page book, almost nothing happens until the very end. You could conceivable skip hundreds of pages in the middle and miss nothing. In fact, I barely have any memories of the middle chunk of the book.

I'm honestly baffled that such an amazing premise could turn into such a dull and onerous execution. There's a good story in there somewhere. It was just smothered to death by the overwrought writing.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

"What did you tell him?"

"I explained that you are a highly skilled assassin."

I've been so excited for this follow up to the Finlay Donovan series ever since I read book 1 last year. The dark humor and zaniness really left an impression on me. But unfortunately, I just didn't find Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead to be nearly as good as its predecessor.

If you'll remember from book 1, Finlay accidentally got mistaken for an assassin for hire when her conversation with her agent was overheard and misconstrued. The book ended on a twist that perfectly sets up for this one. And so we pick up right where we left off, with Finlay yet again trying to untangle herself from the world of murder and mayhem, with her loyal friend and nanny Vero by her side.

This series has always been a bit over-the-top, and that is part of its charm. Bad things happen, so Finlay has to find a way to fix them, and in the process, more bad things happen. But this book took that formula and just went to town with it, such that it no longer felt like dark humor so much as slapsticks comedy. We follow hijinks after hijinks, and it never ends. After a while, I didn't really see the point anymore.

It doesn't help that there were so many characters in here, each of whom had their own reasons and their own antics. Soon, so much was happening that it all became a bit muddled. It felt like we were just going in circles, and I had trouble keeping straight who was related to who in what way and why they were all doing what they were doing. It felt like a hot mess, honestly.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy it at all (because hot messes can be fun in their own way). But looking back on the first book with its charm, wit, and dark humor, this one just doesn't quite compare.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

With Reminders of Him, Colleen Hoover cements her status as queen of the emotional read.

You'd think having read so many of Hoover's books, I would be better prepared. One, always have a box of tissues ready. Two, never read it in public. But I haven't learned my lesson. This time, I was in the doctor's office, sitting in the waiting room, when I got walloped with the feels. I tried to pass it off as allergies, but sobbing and allergies don't exactly look the same, you know?

Kenna has just been released from prison, where she served her time for an accident that had forever altered the course of her life. She returns to the town where it all went wrong, in the hopes of being reunited with the daughter she's never known. But old grudges die hard, and the town isn't so ready to welcome her back. The only ally she may have is Ledger, owner of the local bar, who has his own ties to her past.

This book sure packs a punch. I don't know if it's just where I am in my life currently, but reading about Kenna's separation from her daughter was particularly painful and heartbreaking. It was hard not to cry through most of it, if I'm being honest. The other thing that really struck a chord with me is Kenna's hope for a second chance after having done her time. It's still pretty rare for literature to include this important theme, and I'm always so heartened to see it.

There are so many sides to this story, so many different ways of looking at it. There's no real right or wrong, just lots of gray in the middle. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of readers felt strongly that Kenna's situation is too harsh or too lenient. And I certainly wouldn't be surprised if those two groups ended up overlapping, with the same readers feeling both. This is exactly the sort of story that balances on an edge, tugging your heartstrings one way, then another.

If I had one quibble, it's that the pacing of the story felt a little bit off. The middle part dragged on for longer than necessary without much in the way of plot advances. Then when we get to the end, the resolution happens seemingly out of nowhere, without any of the anticipated pushbacks. After the odyssey that was the journey, the ending felt a bit abrupt to me.

Still, Colleen Hoover is known for delivering eminently readable stories, and this is just as riveting as the rest. Though she puts so much emotional toil into them, they never make me want to turn away. I want to continue flipping the pages. I want to feel whatever emotional punishment she has in store for me. And that's what makes her stories so special.

Just don't forget my two tips if you're going to read this. And maybe I'll even remember them myself one day.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

Now that I have found in myself a taste for power, will I be loath to give it up?

Jude finally has what she so desperately craves. Now she must do everything she can to hold onto it. But that is no easy task. How was she to know how much harder it is to keep power than it was to take it by force in the first place? After all, she is just a mere mortal in the world of Faerie.

Ah, this series is just so darn satisfying! All the political intrigue and scheming and backstabbing I loved in the first book are back, and now there is even more deception afoot. Usually, all these machinations and power struggles aren't my thing. But it's absolutely riveting here, mostly because it's so clever and I never see it coming.

Every character is as nasty as they were in the first book. It's one of the hallmarks of this series, and it really speaks to the author's ability. It must not be easy to write such morally corrupt characters, yet Holly Black makes them compelling and relatable. Even if I don't agree with their actions, they make sense to me. I understand why they must behave the way they do, so it makes them likable in their own way, even if they aren't inherently good.

The writing is as sharp as ever, with witty barbs and putdowns traded on every page. It's hard to look away. Often, I would slow down to marvel at the dialogue and reread it a few times just to make sure I fully soaked it up.

I have this fear when reading the middle book of a trilogy that it won't be as exciting as the first book (all that setup!) and the last book (the ultimate climax is here!). And this does start off a little bit slow. Not much really happens in the first two-thirds, though it was still an interesting read. Could this be the dreaded middle-book slump?

But I needn't have worried. When we hit the last 100 pages, so much happens, one right after another. I thought I could foresee where it was all going, but I was just fooling myself. I was surprised, again and again. It was so thrilling, with a showstopping finish that perfectly sets up for the next book.

I can't wait for book 3. I already know I'll be sad when this trilogy is over and I'll have to say goodbye.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Not gonna lie, The Maid was a disappointment. After all the praises heaped on it, I'm not sure I read the same book as everyone else.

Molly loves order and cleanliness. It's a good thing she works as a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, ensuring that every room is meticulously made up to her high standards. When she finds a dead body in one of her rooms, she's immediately the prime suspect. I mean, who would have more to gain from the death of a customer than a lowly maid?

If you're confused by this premise, you're not alone. It doesn't make any sense. Why would the maid be the prime suspect? But let's move on, because that seems to be the least of my problems with this book.

Where to even start? Clearly, Molly is supposed to be on the autistic spectrum. She has problems understanding social cues and reading others and is obsessed with cleanliness. Except she doesn't read like a fully-formed autistic person so much as a neurotypical author's fantasy of what a cutesy, loveable one should be.

She is depicted as essentially a precocious but dumb child. She is naïve to the point of incredulity. She is unable to understand the simplest of interactions, even when the other person is being direct. She bumbles around, sticking her foot in her mouth and acting as strange as possible to forward the plot of story. However, that's only when it suits the story. Other times, she has more insight than anyone else, even when it comes to things unsaid. Inconsistent much?

It's clear that the author cherry-picked the autistic characteristics that would best serve her story, then exaggerated them to the point of making Molly seem infantile, and created a whole plot out of it. So what's the problem? Well, there's something off about a neurotypical author crafting an adorably stupid but inauthentic autistic character, all for the sake of entertaining a predominantly neurotypical audience. In fact, it feels decidedly icky.

But it's not just Molly who is depicted as a dumb brick. What is up with Juan Manuel? Just because he's an immigrant doesn't mean he's stupid, but the book seems to equate the two. *facepalm* In fact, there is a simplicity and one-dimensionally, not to mention stereotyping, of every character in here that grated on my nerves.

I also have a problem with the story in general. It was so slow and hardly anything happens, I was bored most of the time. There is so much filler, with lots of passages on cleaning and reminiscing of the past. Every development is spelled out in so much detail, just in case the reader is dumb too. The actual plot is straightforward and probably could've been told in 50 pages. And the end was just ludicrous, with a few "twists" thrown in for shock factor, even though they don't make sense for the story or the characters.

However, not all is bad. Every time someone wrongs Molly and she figures it out, she'll wish evil things on them in the most creative and explicit fashion. And those few gems totally made me chuckle. So I'll give an extra star for that.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

I was in the middle of a dreadful read, and I needed a diversion. Digging through my towering TBR pile, I came across this gem. The silly cover and laughable title both promises to at least offer some respite from my current predicament, and hopefully I'll get a bit of steamy fun out of it too.

Marian has been in dire financial means ever since the passing of her father. She has to find some way to make money and take care of her younger siblings. So she comes up with the idea of becoming a high-end mistress, but she needs someone to show her the ropes. And who would make a better tutor than the depraved Duke of Warrington?

I know, you snorted at that ridiculous premise. I did too. But the story surprised me in all the best ways. It was entertaining, steamy, and definitely a bit hammed up. And it has one of my favorite things from this genre: a strong female lead. Marian is smart, resourceful, and determined to make her way, even though she knows that her choices are limited. I felt for her and could not help but cheer her on.

This isn't a love story for the ages or anything. It's insta-love at its best, or more accurately, insta-lust. If I'm rating it in the the strictest sense, this is more of a 3.5 stars since it wasn't particularly memorable, but it was such a fun, lighthearted way to spend a few hours, I'm going to bump it up to 4 stars.

I always mean to read more Regency romances, but I just never get around to them. In total, I think I've only read a handful so far, and it's clear I'm missing out. Please let me know if you have any favorites I should try.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Profoundly brilliant, Death's End is the stunning conclusion to a science fiction trilogy that has held me in its thralls. It will undoubtedly rank as my favorite of all time, unlikely to ever be surpassed.

What a journey it has been. When I think back to what I expected when I first started the series, it certainly wasn't this. Or rather, what was in my head was so small in scope, so limited in thinking, it was only a tiny fraction of what this eventually turned out to be. There was no way my imagination could've ever prepared me for this.

The sheer audacity of the ideas in here and how far Liu Cixin took them throughout this series, I stand in absolute awe. Not only is he telling a story, but he also tackles some of the most fundamental questions of the universe and existence, questions that have puzzled scientists for all time, and he manages to weave a cohesive framework to examine and explain them.

Liu Cixin's style when it comes to unfolding the plot works particularly well here. He takes something fairly complex and makes it easy to grasp by the end. He would leave hints early, then come back again and again to poke at them with examples. Along the way, I would think to myself, where is this possibly going? Then when he finally gets to the explanation, it's a complete eureka moment. Every puzzle piece slots in perfectly, and the groundwork he's laid up till then makes the whole thing easy to understand.

There's a part of my brain that constantly craves novelty. When I'm reading, I just want new, new, new. And this book delivers by the boatload. Just when I've got a handle on what's going on, another development will happen that completely throws me for a loop. Then I'll have to rejigger my thoughts all over again. And this just kept happening, over and over. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

I have to mention the fairy tales in here. Seriously, is there nothing this author can't imagine and write? Anytime there's an opportunity to have a story within a story, I'm a huge fan. And the fairy tales in here are so creative and compelling in their own right. They completely work as standalones, but then to see how they fit within the framework of the larger story is absolutely astounding. If Liu Cixin ever gets in the business of writing fairy tales, I'll be the first in line.

At its heart, what makes this series so riveting is that it feels like it's real. It very much reads like a historical account of human history. And to achieve that effect, the science in here is true to what we understand today. There's no handwaving, no hoping that the reader will just forget about it and move on, if only the author could pull enough wool over their eyes. Instead, every clue laid out eventually fits into the big picture and is thoroughly explained, and that makes for an extremely satisfying read.

When you think about it, very few books contain truly innovative ideas. The few that do are so unique as to be transcendent. They offer entirely new, never before seen or heard or thought of concepts put together in ways as to delight and astound and transfix. This trilogy is that. Reading it has been the experience of a lifetime.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

Wow! I had so much fun with Nine Lives. I found it unputdownable and pretty much devoured it in one go.

Nine strangers receive the most puzzling piece of mail: an identical list with their names on it. What could it possibly mean? They each chalk it up to nothing, and move on. But soon, bad things start happening to them, one by one, and they can no longer dismiss it as coincidence.

If you're thinking that sounds a bit familiar, you're right. It's a nod to And Then There Were None, arguably Agatha Christie's most well-known and beloved mystery. But rest assured that Swanson has put his own spin on it with this tale. And the end result is fresh and exciting.

It must not be easy to write a book that riffs off of such a famous work. You have to appeal to two different audiences, those who have already read the original work and those who haven't. I think Swanson does a good job balancing the two and appealing to both. This is a wholly self-contained story if you haven't read the original (although, what are you waiting for?) but it's still surprising and fun if you have.

The book even mimics Christie's style. It's pretty common for her to introduce all her characters in one go while providing a list at the beginning for easy reference. And so we have the same here. I found it useful reading a physical copy of the book and being able to flip to the character list whenever I needed it. If you're reading an ebook, I recommend taking a snapshot of the character list or just copying it out beforehand. It'll make for a much more pleasant reading experience.

I particularly enjoyed how mystery-focused and concise the narrative is here. Other than the initial 30 pages of introduction to all the characters, which is a bit slower due to the setup, the rest is so tautly paced. There is no meandering, no wasted time, no eye-rolling pages spent in a paranoid narrator's head. We just dive right into the unfolding story and are treated to one development after another.

One thing to note: if you haven't read And Then There Were None, this spoils it thoroughly, which would be a crying shame. So do read that first and without delay. It's one of the most beloved mysteries of all time for good reason, and lately so many books are either retelling it or taking inspiration from it.

I feel like Peter Swanson really outdid himself with this one. It's thoroughly entertaining and a marvelous homage to one of the most famous mysteries of all time.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

When it comes to dark and compelling psychological thrillers, The Patient's Secret hits all the right notes.

Lily Bradley has what seems to be an enviable life, living in affluent Story Cove with her loving husband Tom and two wonderfully unruly children. But she's been on edge lately, feeling like she's being followed and her husband is keeping secrets from her. When a newcomer is found dead at the base of the cliffs and Tom is the one who finds her, Lily realizes the careful life she's cultivated may just be an illusion.

This was an atmospheric read, and I found it to be riveting. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. While it's a much-trodden genre, there were elements in here I've never seen before, which made the whole thing feel fresh and unusual. I wasn't exactly sure where it was going, and there were plenty of twists and turns to sustain my interests throughout.

For me, this struck a really good balance between the psychological and the thriller. Normally, my complaint with this genre is that we spend too much time in the character's head with their fears and paranoia, and it all turns silly after a while. And while we do have some of that here, it wasn't overdone. And to counterbalance it, we get to follow the investigation as it unfolds and secrets are revealed, which was plenty satisfying.

I first started reading Loreth Anne White with her book In the Dark, and I find her offerings to be entertaining and gripping. She takes an oversaturated genre and adds something new to it. I'll definitely continue to seek her out.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

If your mother is the love of your life, what does that make your husband?

I think that quote pretty much sums up everything that didn't work for me with this book.

When Katy's mother Carol dies after a battle with cancer, Katy is lost. She and her mother were extremely close, their relationship being one for the ages. They'd been planning a trip to Italy together, so Katy decides to go by herself. She leaves her life and her husband behind and jets off to Italy for the closure and clarity she desperately needs.

I'll be honest, I had a really hard time connecting with Katy. She just goes on and on about her mother being the one great love of her life. And for some reason, she thinks she's her mother's great love too, and that her father must only be Carol's distant second love. My eyes rolled so hard. You would think Katy was five years old, but she's thirty and married! It makes no sense. It's as if her only identify as a person is being Carol's daughter.

And the way Katy treats her husband was really hard to stomach. He's there for her through thick and thin, supporting her emotionally and physically during her mother's decline. Yet Katy just whines about how she can't possibly love him anymore because he's not her great love (which is her mother). And when she gets to Italy, she immediately latches onto some random dude and proceeds to have an affair.

Then as Katy learns more about her mother and the fact that she had a life outside of being a parent to her, she is shocked. I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. What adult feels this insane level of attachment to their parents? It's too bad, because the story would've been a lot better had Katy's love for her mother been generous instead of self-centered. There is so much hypocrisy and selfishness in Katy's behavior and her treatment of everyone around her, it really detracts from the story's emotional impact.

However, one thing the book does do right is its ability to transport me so completely to another place. It's as if I'm really in Positano, at the elegant Hotel Poseidon, soaking up the Italian sun and eating all the wonderful food there is to offer. Everything is so vividly portrayed, it fully engaged all my senses. I was swept away to this beautiful location.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

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