"Remember it's only the body that's fragile. You are unbreakable."

Ahh, that was pretty awesome. I'm going to need a moment to process all this.

Many moments later...

Right, onto my thoughts.

Allow me a second to gush here. I love it when a book knows what it's there to do, and that is to entertain the reader. It isn't there to be slow or boring or god forbid, pretentious (shudders). Rather, its goal is to squeeze every ounce of joy and delight out of the pages, and that's what this series does best.

Cracking open the first page, I was sucked right back into the world of Navarre and Violet Sorrengail. It's as if I've never left it. Everything I loved from the first book is here—nonstop action, characters I could root for, snarky dragons, and sizzling romance. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

The only thing I didn't love was our main couple having squabbles for half the book over reasons I couldn't make heads or tails of. I get that Rebecca Yarros has to inject some sort of strife between them to keep things interesting, but I was just confused. But if it's that or hundreds of pages of lovey-dovey mush, I guess I'll take confounding couple problems any day.

I always have a sliver of trepidation going into book 2 of a series. What if my enjoyment of the first book was a fluke, a figment of my imagination? Or that the author somehow found the magical formula once, but can't reproduce it again? Or worse, that there's no interesting story left to tell? But I needn't worry because Iron Flame contains all the magic of its predecessor.

I will say though, going in, the length at more than 600 pages was a bit daunting. But once I started, it didn't even matter. I was riveted throughout. It felt like every single page served a purpose—except for the aforementioned confounding couple problems—building momentum and eventually hurtling towards a stunning conclusion. Honestly, if there were another 600 pages, I'd happily gobble those up too.

Before this book, I admit I was a bit puzzled that there could be five books in this series, like how much more is there to this story? But seeing the way Yarros has built out the universe and the war in this book, and especially that ending, I get now how there could be so much more to this. And I'm glad. I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to Navarre any time soon, so I'm happy there are still a few more books to come. I just hope the wait isn't too long.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Ooh this was such a fun, murderous little Christmas tale!

Ashley Smith has no family to spend the holidays with. So when her classmate Emma Chapman invites her to spend Christmas at Starvewood Hall, she immediately accepts. After all, what could be more delightful than Christmas at an English manor? But soon after she arrives, Ashley begins to suspect everything isn't all jolly and cheer. There is a sinister figure lurking in the woods and an unsolved murder hanging over the family.

I'm always a little hesitant to pick up a novella. Just as you're getting into the story, it's already over. But I found this to be a satisfying little tale. The first half is mostly told through journal entries from the past, while the latter half is set in the present. And for how short this is, there was plenty of entertainment packed in.

I feel like Peter Swanson's books always turn out a little darker than I'd think and so it is with this one. But there's a difference between fun dark and no-fun dark, and his books are always the former. The characters are nasty, the plot eyebrow-raising, and the twists just keep coming.

A lot of books advertise as one-sit reads, but this one really is. My copy is a short 96 pages, and I bumped through it in about two hours. I imagine it would be a fun one to read on actual Christmas day or Christmas Eve, after all the festivities are wrapped up and one's tummy is full of eggnog and good cheer. Then you can crack this open and see how crazy a family can really be during the holidays.

Every year, I have grand plans to read all these festive books during the holiday season. And inevitably, I never make it. So when January rolls around, I admit defeat and relegate the poor pile to next December, when the ignominious cycle repeats. If you're anything like me, let me recommend this book. Not only is it fun and short, but it puts you in the jolly murderous spirit. And hey, when January rolls around, at least you can say you've managed to read one holiday book.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

At what point did I promise to stay seventeen for the rest of my life?

Growing up, I remember being fascinated by Britney Spears. Not only did I love her music—I'm a pop fan through and through—but at a time when I was an awkward teenager, she seemed to have it all: the voice, the confidence, the adulation of millions. Now looking back, I realize it must've all been a façade.

Reading Britney's words was so sad and heartbreaking. How is it that this girl had no one in her corner? Every single person she loved and trusted would go on to eventually stab her in the back in the most awful and exploitative ways possible. Let's enumerate, shall we?

Her father — Definitely a shoo-in for Most Awful Father of the Year Award. Took her money, committed her to psychiatric wards for no reason, kept her from her kids, gaslighted her, dictated every big and small thing in her life. The list goes on. And this went on for 13 years. What the fuck. How is this legal and why is this guy not in jail?

Her mother — Just stood by and watched it all happen. Tried to profit off of her name and fame.

Her siblings — Ditto.

Ex-husband K-Fed — The ultimate deadbeat. Took her kids from her and prevented her from seeing them. Clearly sought sole custody to squeeze as much child support money from her as possible. And apparently a judge went along with it.

Justin Timberlake — Made a big fucking deal out of her cheating on him and breaking his heart. Turns out, he's the serial cheater in their relationship. Also made her have an abortion because he wasn't ready to be a dad. Then went on to break up with her over text, paint her as a harlot, and profit off of her public shaming. Well, can't listen to his music anymore, that's for sure.

Over the years, there were things that puzzled me about Britney. But reading what she went through and what these people did to her, it all makes sense. I would've shaved my head too if it was the only way I could show some small amount of autonomy, that I wasn't just a body on display, a cash cow existing solely to make money for my parents.

Thirteen years is a long time to lose control of your life. How can she get back the time she lost, to have the relationship she wanted with her kids or the career she imagined? She can't. That's what's so heartbreaking about all this. She can only look ahead and move forward, hopefully without bitterness or regret.

The writing style is simple and straightforward. Even though Britney used a ghostwriter, it sounds very much like her real voice. There is a rawness and vulnerability that permeates the pages. Though the book never holds back on revelations, it does feel at times like it's just scratching the surface. Even though she talks about all the horrible things that have happened to her, it still comes across so polite, as if she's holding back, afraid to offend those who have done her wrong.

I had trouble getting through the book even though it isn't long. Parts of it were so gut-wrenching and horrible that I had to take frequent breaks. Especially when she talks about how her ex-husband and her family would keep her away from her young babies for weeks at a time, it made my heart hurt so bad for her.

This memoir is a long time coming. After enduring so much and keeping her silence, I'm glad Britney finally has a chance to speak out and tell her truth. Everyone has the right to live the life they want, and after everything, I hope she finally finds the peace and happiness she's been searching for for so long.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

I don't think I'll ever step foot on a Boeing MAX again after reading this.

Additional thoughts -

1. The failure that caused the crashes is absolutely appalling. It was a series of bad engineering decisions made to shave a few dollars and some design and training time off of the MAX development. It absolutely boggles the mind that it was designed this way and no one foresaw it could lead to the failures that it did.

2. This is what happens when a company decides to focus solely on short-term gain (stock performance) instead of quality and innovation. Corporate culture comes from the top down. And it's just Boeing's luck that it had a string of executives who all slavishly subscribed to Jack Welch's philosophy. [start vent] Welch is pretty much the scourge of capitalism, single-handedly ushering in an era of business that exist solely for the purpose of boosting stock prices. Forget innovation, R&D, sustainability, the future of the company, being a positive force in the community, or any loyalty to its customers and its employees. None of that matters, according to Welch. And his influence was huge, as is evidenced by Boeing's executive team. [end vent]

3. So the FAA and Boeing were pretty much in bed together even though one was tasked with overseeing the safety and flight-readiness of the other? What a joke.

4. When hundreds of people die due to a company's willful concealment and negligence, how is it that no one ends up standing trial and going to jail for it? It seems like it would be a pretty good deterrent if we can throw CEOs in jail, especially when it's clear that they encouraged these decisions despite knowing the risks. Bet they would think twice before saving a few dollars at the expense of people's lives if their asses were on the line.

5. Only 3 stars because I had hoped for more about the plane crashes, but this book spends the majority of time on the history of Boeing. Recommend if you're wanting to learn more about Boeing's corporate history and how they run their business (terribly, as it were). 

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

"Decide, Violet. Are you going to die a scribe? Or live as a rider?"

Oh, this is good. I see now why y'all love it so much.

If Fourth Wing were a drug, I'd be an addict. It grabbed me so thoroughly from the very first moment and refused to let go. I was fully immersed, I didn't want to sleep, didn't want to eat. I just wanted to inhale it as fast as I could. And honestly, isn't this why we read, for this exact feeling?

The action begins right on the first page and never lets up. There was no onerous worldbuilding, no endless backgrounds or introductions. We just seamlessly slip into the world of Navarre and Violet Sorrengail. Every time I get the itch to read fantasy, the one thing that holds me back is how much worldbuilding I would have to endure just to get to the good parts. But no such issues here. The good parts start right at the beginning.

Is this the most original story? No. Is this the most well written? Also no. (Don't kill me for saying that, all you rabid fans.) In fact, the dialogue has me cringing at times, with its penchant for f-bombs as emphasis and its often basic but slightly pompous back-and-forth that only teenagers can pull off. I guess in that way, it is true to its characters since they're all not much older than teenagers.

But slight criticisms aside, this story is executed to perfection. It takes several well-trodden tropes and not only cohesively blends them together, but also manages to squeeze every ounce of entertainment out of them along the way. And I'm not above being entertained.

This is my first real foray into the romantasy genre that's got everyone aflutter. And I can see the appeal. Fantasy is a bit of an adrenaline rush and so is romance, so blending the two together is really the perfect symbiosis. Of course you'd want your hero to fight hard in a war between good and evil. And it totally makes sense that they would love hard too if they could die any day. And if the object of desire is one's enemy instead of one's friend? Even better.

I'm a little late to the Fourth Wing party, and there's good reason. I was certain this was a duology (don't ask me why I thought this), so I figured if I just held off a little bit, I could bam my way through both books without having to stop and deal with the inevitable anguish of waiting for the next book. Well, the joke's on me because this is actually a five-parter. So lots of waiting will be had by me. As a consolation, at least I can dive straight into Iron Flame.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

"There's always something just out of reach. . . . Everyone chasing the thing they don't have. Going mad until they get it."

My favorite Thursday Murder Club to date, The Last Devil to Die gave me so many emotions and a riveting mystery to boot.

In this installment, murder hits close to home when a friend of Stephen's is killed. With their trademark forthrightness and humor, Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, and Ibrahim stick their noses where they don't belong, and are soon caught up in the world of heroine dealers, antiques, and fake art.

I usually try to bam my way through murder mysteries like nobody's business. After all, I want to pick up clues as fast as I can, put it all together, and get to the whodunnit pronto. But this series feels like one to savor, and this installment is especially so. I read it slowly, immersing myself in these characters who over the course of four books now feel like friends rather than just characters on a page.

This was an entertaining mystery, with more chaos and mayhem (hehe) than you'd expect old people to get themselves into. We see Joyce really come into her own here, stepping in for Elizabeth who is otherwise indisposed. I feel like all the side characters were particularly charming, and I even started to like Connie if you can believe it. We also have a little side mystery going on to catch an online scammer, just to add a bit of extra zing to the whole thing.

I can't talk about the series without talking about its humor, and that's on full display here. Humor is subjective, and what one reader finds funny may not click with another. But for me, it completely works. Richard Osman has this gentle way of poking fun at the folly of human nature and growing old. It's cheeky and lighthearted, and it never comes at the expense of the characters' humanity.

I have to warn you though, this book feels like the series' most intimate and emotional one yet, so get the tissues ready. Osman doesn't shy away from talking about growing old and dying. In fact, couched in all that humor and sleuthing is the ever-present specter of death coming for everyone, especially when you are of a certain old age.

And yet, reading about these four friends who take life by the horns when it would've been much easier to just coast and fade out is so inspiring and invigorating. As Richard Osman puts it wisely via Joyce, "The urgency of old age. There's nothing that makes you feel more alive than the certainty of death."

I suspect I come back to this series again and again because it fills me with hope that I can still have a life worth living when I reach the twilight of my years. To have it be filled with friendship and intrigue and purpose, what more could I ask for?

I am a little bummed that Richard Osman is taking a break from this series to start another one (though I'm excited to see what he comes up with). Visiting these septuagenarians has become a highlight of my fall every year. But don't worry, for whenever the next book comes out, I'll be right here waiting to be reunited with my old friends.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

I've read quite a few Colleen Hoover books, some I've loved and some I've hated. Heart Bones lands right in the middle of the pack for me.

Beyah comes from a life of poverty and neglect. When her mother dies of an overdose, she goes to live with the father she barely knows. Once there, she feels an immediate attraction to Samson, the handsome guy next door. Beyah recognizes something in him that makes her think they are kindred spirits. Before the summer is over, all their secrets will be revealed to each other.

Even with the main character's unusual backstory, this feels more like a regular new adult romance than anything else. And to be fair, that's really what Colleen Hoover does best. She has this way of pulling you into the romance and keeping the book firmly glued to your hands until the very last page, even if the main couple does come across as somewhat cringey and angsty.

Still, I need a little bit more than just a straightforward new adult romance in order to really enjoy it, and this didn't have that. Colleen Hoover's books usually elicit such strong emotions in me, melting me into a puddle of snot and tears. But not this one. It lacked that all-important emotional punch. I didn't cry, my heart remains unbroken, and my tissues are dry.

Maybe I'm finally outgrowing the new adult genre. (Say it ain't so!) At the risk of dating myself, it's been almost two decades since I was the age of the characters in this book. And even though I'd like to think I remain young at heart, I suppose there is a limit. My reading preferences can only remain that young for so long, especially when it comes to angsty romances.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

I know fiction is called fiction for a reason. But this is so far from reality that it's almost bordering on science fiction.

Caz is on board the luxury cruise liner RMS Atlantica for a well-deserved vacation with her new boyfriend, Pete. When she wakes up after a night of fun and delicious food, Pete is not there. She steps out of her cabin to investigate and soon realizes that everyone is gone. There is not another soul on board, and that is only the start of her nightmare.

Dun, dun, dun!

Ah, that premise is so good. It makes it seem like this is a locked-room mystery/thriller, and I love those! So of course I dug in with gusto. And the initial 100 pages were exactly what I wanted. I was on the edge of my seat, turning the pages as fast as I could, trying to figure out what happened to Caz. Could it be aliens, or ghosts, or interdimensional visitors?! What could it possibly be?

But then we reach a turning point about a third of the way through, and it took all the wind out of my sails. (See what I did there? Sorry, couldn't resist.) I thought I was reading a thriller, but it turned into a survival/gory horror story, which I'm just not into.

And from then on, it became more and more bizarre, to the point where it wasn't believable anymore. The more I read, the more incredulous I became. Sure, I didn't see the developments coming, but that's because they don't really jive with reality. I had a hard time investing in the story because it felt like someone was pulling my leg the whole time.

Also for a thriller, this really dragged on. Every time there is an action scene, we take a detour inside Caz's mind as she ponders about her parents and sister, their problems, and how that follows her around everywhere. It feels like 100 pages could've easily been cut out and we would still have the same story.

Oh, and right when I thought it was over, we were smacked with one last parting shot at the very end. Talk about pulling someone's leg. Not only did it not make sense, but it felt like the biggest troll of all.

I'm so disappointed. The beginning of this book was amazing, and I thought I had a 5-star thriller on my hands. But as I read on, slowly but surely, I came to enjoy it less and less. It feels like I was deducting a star for every 100 pages, until I arrived at the ignominious 2 stars.

Still, I applaud the author for trying something different. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for you. In fact, this is one of those books that's so crazy, I hope everyone reads it just so we can all talk about it.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars

I usually have a lot to say about a book (shocking, I know), but this one left me a bit befuddled. Did I enjoy it? I think so. And yet, I wanted more than what I got.

Daphne has an unusual quirk—every time she meets a new man, she gets a piece of paper with his name and the exact amount of time they will be together. Until one day, she gets a piece of paper with just a name: Jake. It seems all her waiting is over, and she has finally met the one. But as their relationship continues, Daphne starts to wonder what it means to be with someone she isn't entirely truthful with.

With a premise like that, I was expecting something, well unexpected. To know the future before it happens is a double-edged sword. Do you forge your own destiny or do you let yourself be steered by what you know your destiny to be? Ah, a subtle but important distinction and a quandary to be certain. So I settled in for what is sure to be an interesting read.

We follow Daphne as she meets Jake and their relationship grows. And through flashbacks, we see some of her other relationships in the past, including her three-month romance with her now best friend, Hugo. As time goes on, she can't help but be cynical as relationship after relationship ends, exactly as the papers predict.

But then as the story continues, I started to realize that it isn't what I was expecting. Or rather, it is, but I thought there would be more. For such an fascinating premise, this seems more like a romance or women's fiction rather than the profound read I was hoping for.

Yes, we do spend a little bit of time contemplating Daphne's unusual issue, but otherwise, this story unfolds along the same vein as any other fictional relationship. In fact, the story focuses a lot of time on another thing altogether, which while worthwhile, feels a bit like a bait-and-switch to me.

It doesn't help that Daphne and Jake lacked chemistry together. They feel rather bland, so it was hard to invest in their relationship or to understand what they saw in each other. The only chemistry was between Daphne and Hugo, which made this a somewhat confusing read because I wasn't sure who to cheer for.

But that isn't to sell the story short. There were definitely moments when it got ahold of me and I felt its emotional pull. And its message of living your life to the fullest because it's the only one you've got is a worthy one, even if it got a little muddled in the tale.

So yes, I did enjoy this, even if it didn't end up being as profound as I'd hoped for. The undeniably fascinating premise and little nuggets of emotional moments left me with some interesting food for thought. For that, I'll round it up to 4 stars.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

I can't count the number of times I go into a book with high expectations, drawn in by a heck of a premise, only to end up sorely disappointed. So imagine my surprise and delight when I encounter a book that's so much more than I thought it would be.

Lou is part of a serial killer survivors group. But she didn't really survive a serial killer, did she? Rather, she's a clone brought to life by a government program after her other self was killed. And she's grateful for this second chance at life with her husband and her young baby. But she's not really sure how she's supposed to feel, being a clone and all. And there seems to be mysterious circumstances surrounding her murder.

Going in, I really wasn't sure what to expect. On the surface, this seems to be a mystery/thriller, but Book of the Month put it in their literary fiction category. So whatever it was, I knew it wasn't just going to be your standard thriller. And indeed, it turned out to be something more.

If I were to put a label on it, I think it would be character-driven speculative fiction. Even though the book's title and blurb would have you thinking that the murder investigation was the focus of the story, it really was just a small part of it. Instead, the focus is on Lou and how she's doing and coping given her unusual circumstances.

You guys know me, I love anything science fiction related. And so of course I found the parts around cloning and what it means for Lou to be particularly interesting. This isn't the first time I've encountered the concept of cloning a person to bring them back from the dead, but it's the first time it's really made me think. If I were a clone of Yun, would I be Yun to others and myself? Or would I feel that the original Yun and I are actually two separate entities, and that I'm really an interloper in her life? It's quite fascinating to contemplate.

I also really enjoyed this book's portrayal of motherhood. I'm a new mom myself, and Lou's baby and mine are about the same age, so it particularly resonated with me. The feelings of uncertainty and wanting to run away, but also the fierce love and devotion, they all rang true to me. The only part that didn't ring true was how much time Lou had to meet with her survivor's group and nose around about her murder. But then we wouldn't have a story otherwise, would we?

As for the mystery itself, I found it interesting, but I didn't focus on it. And when the reveal came, I really enjoyed the way the story chose to go. It was both surprising and thought-provoking. Based on all the upset reviews out there, I can see why it might be polarizing, but it totally worked for me. [view spoiler below]

I'm glad this didn't turn out to be a standard thriller. I've read so many of those, it's hard to distinguish one from the other. As soon as I've finished with one, it passes from my mind. This one though, this one I'm going to remember. I feel like it came into my life at the right moment and was exactly what I needed.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

Spoiler past this point:

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In fact, in the early days of motherhood when I was so overwhelmed and exhausted, wondering what I had gotten myself into, I remember thinking I could run away from this life if only there was another me who I could trust to love and raise my baby as I would. A clone would certainly do the job. But then don't all mothers think every once in a while about running away, even as we love our babies fiercely?

Is this the slowest thriller or what?

Our narrator Elliot Chase has a story to tell, and he invites you the reader to hear it. Pull up a barstool, pour yourself a drink, and settle in. This is a story about murder, or perhaps it's a story about love. Either way, it's sure to surprise you. Or at least that's what our narrator promises.

Of course I dove into this with gusto. The Silent Patient is one of my favorite books of all time—utterly unputdownable and that memorable twist—so I eagerly await anything from Alex Michaelides. My expectations are always sky-high when it comes to his books and I know that isn't really fair, so I try to tamp it down to a more reasonable level. But hey, the heart wants what the heart wants.

The first few chapters were full of potential. I absolutely love the prospect of murder on an island, with a limited number of suspects and all that remote isolation to give it ominous vibes. It's very à la And Then There Were None. And Michaelides's tendency to include a fair bit of psychology in his stories adds a fascinating slant to the whole thing.

But as I read on, I started to realize something. The story isn't grabbing me, not right off the bat nor even 150 pages in. There's so much setup to get through, not to mention what feels like excessive dangling of the proverbial carrot. We are told by the narrator over and over how we need to know this or that in order to understand what comes next—dangle, dangle. And that he promises the good parts are coming—dangle, dangle. And it's sure to surprise us—dangle, dangle. Honestly, it got a bit much.

All that dangling left me with anticipation fatigue. I know it's a fairly common technique used in modern thrillers, but I'm just not a fan. It feels like unnecessary fluff to me. I know the good stuff is coming—why else would I be reading this?—so just get on with it. Nevertheless, I persevered. I slowly trudged my way through and was ever so thankful when we finally reached the point when things started to happen.

And what crazy things they are. We are hit with one reveal after another, crafted to bamboozle the reader with amazement and delight. And I was definitely entertained. But the problem is that by then, left for so long with such a slow narrative, my brain had already used its free cycles to mull over all the possibilities and arrive at the conclusions. It's like an unwelcome guest, always ready to crash every slow-thriller party and ruin it. So yeah, no real surprises were had by me.

I can't help but feel disappointed. This book seems so far from The Silent Patient, they might as well be written by two different authors. Whereas The Silent Patient was tightly paced with a sparseness to the prose that just pulls you in, The Fury is fluffed out and meandering, taking all the time in the world to arrive at every little interesting part. The Silent Patient had the feel of a proper mystery with clues and red herrings, whereas this feels more like your standard thriller with twist upon twist added for shock value.

Gosh, that all sounds super negative, but it really isn't. I did enjoy this, especially the last 100 pages. At least after all that buildup, the story comes together and we get a fun payoff. It's just that in a crowded field of thrillers, this one doesn't really stand out, neither for the writing nor for the plot.

Oh and one last thing. If you haven't read The Silent Patient yet, don't read this book first. For some inexplicable reason, this story contains a spoiler for it. Maybe it's just my early copy and it will be removed in time for publication. I sure hope so. Because otherwise, you'll have read a fairly middling thriller at the expense of ruining an amazing one.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

They say you always chase your first high. And that's the way it is with me and Alex Michaelides. His first book The Silent Patient is one of my all-time favorites. I still remember the visceral experience of reading that book—the headiness of an unputdownable thriller, the gut punch of that reveal. It's seared into my memory.

So it's no wonder every mystery/thriller I've picked up since then, that is the experience I'm hoping for. And now Alex Michaelides has come out with his second book. Of course my expectations are immense. I want the high of his first book again.

So did The Maidens deliver? Yes, but not to the tune of The Silent Patient.

Mariana is called to Cambridge when her niece Zoe's closest friend is brutally murdered. Mariana soon realizes that this idyllic campus of higher learning conceals something sinister lurking beneath the surface. The dead girl was a member of The Maidens, a secret society of beautiful female students led by the charismatic Professor Fosca. Mariana immediately suspects Fosca and becomes obsessed with proving his guilt. She must stop him before more innocent lives are lost.

This story feels unusual and intriguing right off the bat. Its use of Greek mythology adds this creepy and almost otherworldly atmosphere to the tale. Every page is permeated with an ominous foreboding, as if misfortune could befall at any moment, and it made for a most unsettling and tantalizing read.

We are introduced to a small but interesting cast of characters, all harboring secrets and puttering around in their own suspicious behaviors. As the story progresses, I can't help but take each person, mull over their actions and try to suss out their true intentions. For me, this deliberation of each character is one of the most entertaining parts of reading a murder mystery.

However, it did take me a while to warm up to this story. I found the initial buildup to be on the slow side. There was a fair amount of background information to introduce and also a lot of references to Greek mythology and psychotherapy. But once it got going, the pacing tightened up and I was hooked, all the way until the very end. And what a fun ending it was.

But to enjoy this story, it's important to go in with the right expectations, namely that it's no The Silent Patient. How could it be, right? What are the chances you would write a book—your first book—and have it be hailed by many as the greatest thriller ever, then write another book and have it be the greatest again? Pretty much none (no offense to Alex Michaelides). This doesn't have the compulsive readability of his first book nor the jaw-dropping reveal, but I still found it to be an entertaining thriller in its own right.

Recently, I decided to read The Maidens again. There were so many negative reviews of this book, I wondered if I imagined my enjoyment of it. But no, I enjoyed it just as much on the second go-around. I happily chomped it up over a few fun-filled hours.

At this point, I can safely put Alex Michaelides on my list of must-read authors. There is something about his writing and his stories that just draws me in, and I'm always left surprised in the best ways possible. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

This is easily one of the best mystery/thrillers, if not the best, I have ever read.

Alicia shoots her beloved husband in the face five times, then never speaks another word. Theo, a psychotherapist, is captivated by Alicia's story and wants to help her. He thinks he can get her to speak again and divulge why she killed her husband. What follows is a search for truth in what really happened between Alicia and her husband.

First of all, if you haven't read this book yet, you absolutely should. And you should stop reading my review and any other reviews/blurbs/thoughts about this book until you do. Because while I always strive to make my reviews 100% spoiler-free (this one included), there's something to be said for expectations. And there's no way reading anything about this book wouldn't sway your expectations.

I made the mistake, after reading this book and loving it, of not only recommending it to a friend, but also talking up how much this book amazed me, how great the reveals were, yada yada yada. And so when she read it, she had built up an inkling of something to come and anticipated it, hence losing the element of surprise. So I inadvertently committed the biggest book faux-paus ever and ruined a fantastic book for a friend. It's something I regret to this day. (Elaine, if you're reading this, I'm so sorry!)

I certainly don't want to do that again. So yeah, I'm warning you. Last chance to turn back if you haven't read this book.

Okay, now that I'm among only those who are in the know, I feel like I can freely gush. How amazing was that reveal?! I usually have terrible book memory, but I'm certain I will remember that reveal for the rest of my life. It wasn't just what it was, but also how it was executed. Not only did I not see the twist coming, but I was so surprised I stared open-mouthed at my book and reread it multiple times to make sure my brain could comprehend the complete mind bend of what I had just experienced.

But to simplify this story down to just its reveal feels like an injustice. At its heart, this is a confounding murder mystery and it includes all of the requisite parts—clues, suspicious persons, and red herrings. We are directed one way, then another. But like any great mystery, the real magic is in its sleight of hand. While we are focused on one thing, really something else is going on altogether. And at the end, we can only wonder at the sheer audacity of what it takes to pull off such a magical feat.

The story grabbed me from the very beginning with an intensity that didn't let go. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. I was turning the pages as fast as I could, immersed in the experience and loving every moment. It only took me a few hours to get through the whole thing, and at the end my head was definitely left spinning in the best way possible.

Recently, I read it again. I wanted to see if the magic of the first time is still there or if, now knowing the twists, the story would feel lesser than. And I'm so happy to report that I loved it just as much the second time around. Now, instead of having to pay attention to the plot, I could really focus on how masterfully Alex Michaelides built up the mystery and its reveal. And it really is something to marvel at.

I have to say, books of this genre are always billed as astounding and surprising when most of the time they just feel contrived and silly with no payoff at the end. But wow, does this book deliver! It's so darn satisfying to read such a compulsively addicting story, with twists done right that left me absolutely speechless.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

I love Ali Hazelwood, but this one stretched my incredulity to the limit. No one can possibly be this much of a doormat, can they?

Elsie is slaving away as an adjunct professor teaching too many classes to make ends meet. She supplements her meager earnings by being a fake girlfriend, putting her people-pleasing tendencies to good use. When a chance at her dream job arises, the only thing standing in her way is Jack, the annoying older brother of someone she's fake-dating, who also happens to be on her interview committee. But do they really hate each other or is it more like they secretly have the hots for each other? Ha!

I really enjoyed the first half of this story. It starts strong with all of the hallmarks I love from Ali Hazelwood—snark, banter, science, smart female in STEM, and puns. I was breezing through it, smiling and chuckling to myself on pretty much every sentence. No one does funny situations and dialogues quite like Hazelwood, and she had me in stitches.

I'll grant you that the premise is a bit out there. What are the odds that the guy Elsie is hating/lusting after, is also the brother of a guy she's fake-dating, while also being the only person who almost beat her at Go, while also being the guy who irreparably damaged her field of study back in the day, while also being the head of the physics department at MIT where she is interviewing? I'll tell you what, it's 100% according to this book.

But as the story went on, Elsie started to annoy me. First, she refuses to believe that Jack is attracted to her even though he tells her so on multiple occasions. At one point, she even interprets him saying "Can I take you out?" as he wants to murder her mob-style. Like what?

Elsie also takes people-pleasing to heretofore-unseen heights. She lies to her roommate about pretty much every preference she has. She runs interference for her brothers at her mom's behest even though she doesn't want to. And she must get her mentor's approval before accepting a job offer that would give her several times her current salary and health insurance. Have mercy! My eyeballs were bruised from all the rolling.

It's no secret that I prefer my female characters to be strong and smart, ready to kick ass and save the world. Elsie is strong in her work, but the opposite in every other way. And slowly, over many demure "You can't possibly like me," it started to grate on my nerves. Not even Hazelwood's many comedic reliefs can save it from such never-ending waffling and meekness.

This may just have been a case where I wasn't a good fit for the book. Without being able to connect with Elsie, I never really invested in the story. Not to mention I couldn't feel any chemistry between Jack and Elsie, and it all made for a rather lackluster read by the end.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

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

Just as I'm getting jaded, here comes a thriller the likes of which I haven't seen before.

Jen is up one night waiting for her 18-year-old son to come home. She sees him out the window, but before he can reach their door, a stranger crosses his path and he commits an unthinkable crime right in front of her. She is shocked. How could her beloved child do this? When she wakes up the next day, an even bigger shock awaits her. It's not tomorrow, but yesterday. Is this her chance to figure out what's going on and to stop it from happening in the first place?

First, let's take a moment to admire that premise. It's such a fun take on the mystery/thriller genre and time loops. We follow Jen as she tries to figure out how to save her son, but instead of seeing the investigation unfold in order, we see it in reverse. As she goes backwards in time, we're right there with her as she discovers each clue bit and bit. It's all quite fascinating.

I'm a big fan of time loops (or any sci-fi element really), so I can't resist when they show up. But to set expectations correctly, it's important to note that this story isn't science fiction. The time loop is merely a device to set up the premise and enable the story to be told in a different way. And it totally works. The explanation provided was quick and clever, and it allowed the focus to remain on the mystery where it should be.

There were so many twists and turns in here, it made for a most exciting time. I don't want to talk them up though, since whether or not you'll be surprised will depend on what you've seen before. As for me, I guessed a few things beforehand, but there were still plenty that surprised me and kept me on my toes.

I will say though, I didn't love everything. For one, I found the writing style to be a bit odd, especially in the beginning. There was an excess of punctuation everywhere, particularly commas. This isn't the sort of thing I usually notice, but it was really flagrant.

And, right then, it had felt, suddenly, like spring, even though it began to rain again only minutes later.

If you're wondering how this got through editing, you and me both.

Also, there was a lot of telling and no showing when it came to setting up the main characters. Supposedly Kelly is really witty, and Jen and Kelly banter a lot. We know this because we're told many times, usually right after the characters say something mundane and awkward. Between this and the punctuations, I found it all really distracting. But once the action got going, I was able to block it out and just concentrate on the mystery.

If it weren't for the writing hiccups, this could've easily been 5 stars for me. The more I read, the more impressed I became. This is such a layered and complex story, with lots of clues and parts that all funnel towards one cohesive explanation. I bet now that I know the ending, if I go back and reread it again, I would catch so many things I missed the first time around.

It's not often I come across a book that adds something new to the thriller/mystery genre, and this one sure does. For that alone, it is worth a read.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Let's face it—it isn't a proper summer without the quintessential beach read. And Elin Hilderbrand's books have become a go-to for me in recent years. But unfortunately, The Five-Star Weekend didn't quite end up scratching that summertime itch.

Hollis is grieving for her dead husband. She gets the idea to host a weekend get-together for her best friends, inviting one from each phase of her life, in the hopes that being surrounded by friends will help her heal and move on. But each of these women is battling her own issues and the weekend doesn't really turn out the way Hollis expects.

Elin Hilderbrand's books always feel light and fun, and this one's no different. It's the sort of story I pick up when I need a distraction. It's easy to get sucked into the island of Nantucket, with all of its water, sunshine, and delicious food. But at the end of the day, something about this story just didn't click for me.

Maybe it's because this feels more like a disjointed collection of stories about the different women rather than a cohesive whole. They're each having their own issues, and for the most part, they don't overlap. Hilderbrand could very well have written separate stories for each of them, and it would've still made sense.

Or maybe I just don't buy into the premise. I can't imagine a former friend dropping everything to fly out and spend a weekend with me and a few others they don't know, just to comfort me. But perhaps that's me being cynical and this sort of thing really does happen.

Or maybe it's because while the women's issues are real, the resolutions somehow end up feeling a bit shallow. Everything is wrapped up too neatly by the end of the book, whether the issue was medical, spousal, or work. Like the proverbial happily ever after, everyone gets one, even if the circumstances are too convenient or magical to be believable.

Whatever the reason, this story just didn't quite rise to the level of beachy magic I usually associate with Elin Hilderbrand. Don't get me wrong, I still had fun with it. But I always hope for a memorable reading experience, and this one was all too forgettable.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

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

Gotta love a thriller that delivers on the surprises!

Nine-year-old Avery Wooler is missing. Her parents are frantic and want her found. But in this small neighborhood, secrets abound, and not everyone is willing to share theirs in order to help find Avery. And is so often the case, the biggest secrets tend to lie closest to home.

Shari Lapena writes stories across the gamut of the mystery/thriller genre. Some of her stories are more of mysteries, with clues galore where you can suss out the culprit. Not this one. I would categorize this as more of a neighborhood thriller. There are no real clues to follow, but there are plenty of surprises. Just when you think you've got a grip on what's going on, the story changes on you and you have to start again. It's great fun.

I always enjoy Lapena's writing style. It's sparse and action-driven, without a lot of emotional or psychological fluff that is common to the genre. Instead, there's an ease and energy to the writing that keeps you wanting to read just one more page. And before you know you it, you've reached the end.

And what an end it was. It's quite coy, winking at the reader and implying a certain conclusion. Usually I don't mind using my own imagination to fill in the blanks, but in this case, I wanted that certainty. I wish there had been one more chapter to spell it all out so I could get the satisfaction of seeing the villain get what they deserve. But that's a pretty small quibble overall.

Shari Lapena has definitely become a must-read author for me. While I didn't love this one quite as much as Someone We Know and Not a Happy Family (both more of a mystery with clues and red herrings), I did have a lot of fun with it. It hit the perfect spot for an unputdownable thriller.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

You are a dream. A hope. A remembrance of what we once were.

Of course this story completely slayed me. I should've known better than to doubt. I thought I'd already found a favorite from T.J. Klune in The House in the Cerulean Sea and it would have been impossible to top that. But here comes a story that I love just as much, if not more.

On the surface, In the Lives of Puppets seems simple enough. It's a tale about a boy and his father and some robots, and they go on an adventure together. But the more I read, the more I realized it is so much more.

If ever there was a story about what it means to be human, this is it. It's an ode to our affinity for love and friendship, as well as a celebration of our flaws and quirks. And it does so with humor and heart, alternating between making me chuckle and filling me with joy. Of course humor is subjective, but the blend of innocent and naughty in here totally worked for me. It brought a spark of levity to an otherwise very sweet story.

Klune did a wonderful job with the science fiction elements, taking an interesting premise and building it into something fascinating and thought-provoking. Often with speculative fiction, either we don't get enough explanation and so the whole thing feels vague, or we get too much explanation and you get mired in the how's and why's. But Klune struck it just right, and the sci-fi elements end up feeling natural and wholly believable.

It did take me a little bit to get into the story, so don't be discouraged if you don't find it riveting right off the bat. Like any good fable, the first 100 pages or so introduces us to the cast of characters and their circumstances. It builds up slowly and easily, all the while feeling quite cozy. But then we get to the main conflict, and I was hooked.

I've been trying to put my finger on exactly why T.J. Klune's tales feel so special, and I've finally figured it out. It's because reading them makes me feel like a kid again, stepping into a magical world where you can cheer on the good guys as they triumph over the forces of evil. Along the way, you fall in love with the characters and their world, and it feels like you are really there, immersed in the wonder of it all.

As a reader, every time I pick up a book, this is the experience I'm hoping for. To have a story sink into your thoughts and wrap itself around your heart and leave you discombobulated afterwards, there's no other feeling like it in the world.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

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

She invited us all here for a reason. We're not just going to enjoy a holiday and then go home.

Every once in a while, I get the itch to pick up a psychological thriller. That exciting premise! The jaw-dropping twists and turns! And so I get my popcorn ready and prepare to be amazed.

But I should've known. Yes, this story was an entertaining diversion, but unfortunately it didn't really deliver in terms of surprises. And so yet again, my jaw remains firmly closed.

Four friends receive the invitation of a lifetime. The girl they used to bully in school is getting married, and she's inviting them to an all expenses paid holiday on a tropical island for her hen party. Of course these four women saw nothing strange or sinister about this request, and they accept the generous offer posthaste. But what happens when they arrive and things start to go wrong?

I found the beginning of this book riveting. But then as time went on, my attention started to flag. Part of the problem is that I had some trouble differentiating between the four women. They all have the same voice and the same self-centered vileness. And since the chapters alternate between each of their perspectives, I kept getting them and their secrets mixed up.

Also, not much happens for quite a while. There is the promise of secrets and impending doom, but nothing actually happens until more than halfway through. In the meantime, it's a lot of shallow drama and posturing, all of which isn't that exciting.

Then once we get to the twists and turns, I just wasn't surprised. Here's the problem—when there are only five people on the island, there's not that many ways this can go. Not to mention the beginning gives away part of the ending on purpose, and I've already seen similar things before in other mysteries. So all told, I saw every twist and turn in here coming from a mile away.

No doubt this was a decently fun way to spend a few hours. But how much you'll be surprised will depend on what you've seen before, and unfortunately for me, I've already seen it all.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

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

Ooh, how fun to don one's detective cap and suss out a killer in the midst, all under the guise of a party!

Pip, our favorite teen detective from A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, is joining friends for an evening of sleuthing. They're having a murder mystery party set in the 1920s, complete with costumes and accents. And when someone "dies", there are plenty of clues and red herrings to cast suspicion in every which way.

Reading this novella reminds me just how much I loved the original series. Pip is such a smart and spunky heroine, and it's thoroughly entertaining to follow along as she tries to figure out the killer. The way the clues are laid out and the setting of a remote island with a dysfunctional, wealthy family exude so much Agatha Christie vibes.

Since this is just a pretend murder, the stakes are low. It feels more cozy than suspenseful, but the book does a nice job of injecting some dark atmosphere into the mix, so it's still quite riveting. In fact, I had trouble putting it down and breezed through the whole thing in about two hours.

I will say, I don't generally gravitate towards novellas (or short stories, for that matter). It's because I find them to be a bit unsatisfying. Just as you're getting into the whole thing, it's already over. And it felt a bit like that here. I wanted more. More of the murder, more of the solving, more of the explanation. But I suppose it's better to end up wanting more than wanting less, so that's a small complaint.

It was definitely fun to revisit Pip's world. I was a little sad that the series was over, so I'm glad to have this bonus story so I could experience just a bit more of what I loved.

Also, as an aside, is this sort of murder mystery game a real thing? Because I need it in my life pronto.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Ah, another satisfying romcom from the queen of the spicy read!

Hallie Welch has been harboring a secret crush on Julian Vos since their high school days, when they almost smooched in the romantic vineyards that belong to his family. Now Julian is back in town, and Hallie might finally get a second chance at that kiss. But they are so different—he an uptight professor and she a carefree, chaotic gardener—that surely nothing can come of their attraction, right?

I always dig into Tessa Bailey books with relish, knowing I'm in for a swoony, steamy good time. The characters are flawed but loveable, the chemistry is off the charts, and the dialogue is cute and sassy. Sure, the premise can be a bit over the top, and if you think too carefully, the conflicts often don't make much sense, but that's romance for you. I'm in it for the light and fluff, and that's exactly what I get.

This story's combination of tropes—grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, and second-chance romance—is a fun one and there's sure to be something for every romance reader. And the setting of a vineyard could not be more romantic and undoubtedly appeals to the lush in me.

My only small nitpick here is that the secret admirer angle doesn't really make sense. It dragged the story out longer than was necessary and could easily have been left out. But then the title wouldn't make any sense, so there you go.

Of course since it's a Tessa Bailey book, I have to mention the spice level. Her books are pretty explicit, possibly shockingly so if you haven't read one before. So tread carefully and definitely avoid if that isn't your jam.

I'm already excited for the next book. I see that Julian's sister will get her own story and I can't wait to read it.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

More and more, I've really come to enjoy Sally Hepworth's brand of domestic suspense, and The Soulmate is another worthy one to add to the collection.

Pippa and Gabe's perfect house is situated on a cliff, with sweeping views and a dramatic drop down to the jagged rocks and sea below. That's why they always warn their children to stay away from the edge. But the spot attracts unwanted attention, with people coming there to end their lives. Up till now, Gabe has managed to talk all of them from jumping, but his luck has finally run out. But when Pippa learns that the woman who jumped has a connection to Gabe, she starts to wonder if she really knows her husband at all.

Dun dun dun! Okay, that premise sounds awesome. I can't help but be drawn in, and it turned out to be a riveting read. This easily could've been one of those books I read in one sitting if I had the time.

But to properly enjoy this, I think it's important to set the right expectations. This book isn't a mystery or thriller by any means. It's more of a domestic drama, with the narrative told in a nonlinear fashion to add that necessary bit of suspense. And it works. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, even though there was nothing that shocking or crazy going on.

Hepworth has a way of sketching out the dynamics in dysfunctional families that just hooks the reader. This time, it's a marriage that seems perfect from the outside, but the flaws are there once you peel away the layers. Add to that children, extended families, and a dose of mystery, and it makes the whole thing very fun and exciting.

As for the big reveal at the end, there really wasn't anything like that. While everything is explained and resolved, there certainly weren't any jaw-dropping or even eyebrow-raising moments. But it still feels like a satisfying conclusion.

This is the third Sally Hepworth I've read, and now that I have my expectations set correctly, I've really come to enjoy her stories and writing style. Whenever I want a family drama with a dash of suspense mixed in, she's definitely an author I reach for.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

Oh my word! Is cozy fantasy a thing? Because I absolutely need more of this in my life!

I don't know what I expected going in. The cover would have me thinking it's some sort of Dungeons and Dragons fanfic. But I don't know anything about the game, so I imagined this wouldn't be my jam. Ha, was I wrong.

Viv is tired of being a bounty hunter and is hanging up her sword. The orc is settling down to the quiet life, opening a coffee shop in the city of Thune. But can she really leave her previous life behind and find success and a new home, especially in a city where she is a complete stranger and no one even knows what coffee is?

Ah, this story! It's just brimming with joy and heart on every page. To read it is to be enveloped in the gentlest, warmest of hugs. You don't have to be an orc or bounty hunter to fully appreciate the themes in here—of starting anew, finding yourself and a place to belong, and opening your heart to never thought-of possibilities. It's such a core part of the human experience, and this book captured a most lovely rendition of it.

But to say this story is cozy doesn't mean it's boring. To the contrary, there is excitement and tension aplenty, with all the right components to have me turning the pages as fast as I could. I wanted to gulp it down, but also to savor it slowly. I couldn't think of a single thing I didn't enjoy in here, from the characters to the plot to the writing.

I can totally see why this book has gotten all the hype, and I can't recommend it enough. Now I know what you're thinking: But Yun, I don't read stories about orcs or hobs or gnomes. Well, neither do I, and look where I am. Obviously, if you only enjoy tales of sadness and misery, this book isn't for you. But if you want something truly heartwarming and delightful, then this is not to be missed.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

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

I'll be right here. Until they drag me off the line. I'm not going anywhere.

Oh, Anthony Bourdain. The world lost a great chef and unmatched culinary ambassador the day you died.

Kitchen Confidential is the memoir that originally put Anthony Bourdain on the map. I never got around to reading it when it was first published back in 2000, but I've always been a fan of his, catching his No Reservations and Parts Unknown whenever I had the chance. So it's with no small amount of excitement that I've finally gotten around to his famed memoir.

Reading it for the first time more than two decades later, I can't help but feel as though a ghost has leapt off the pages. His voice is as vibrant as ever, his eye for the delicious and the shocking coming through on every page. To read his words is to experience his view of the world, and it is filled with food, drugs, profanity, and astonishing candor.

If you've ever been curious about how a professional kitchen is run, well, this will satisfy that curiosity. And what's in here is eye-opening, to say the least. Sprinkled with Bourdain's self-deprecating dark humor, it's sure to make you chuckle and cringe in equal measure. After having read this, I'm not sure I'm in a particular hurry to eat out, at least in the types of restaurants he highlights.

What makes Bourdain so special is clearly evident amongst the pages here, even from a book he wrote long ago. He has a way with words, building what would be mundane happenings at the hands of a lesser wordsmith into riveting and scintillating vignettes. And he does this again and again. I couldn't look away.

In particular, his chapter on his first visit to Japan has all the flavors of what would become his trademark later. His unabashed enthusiasm for trying new foods and experiencing new cultures, and his innate understanding that the two are inextricably linked. To read his words is to feel his emotions, and they are tinged with the bittersweet—wonder for new culinary adventures but also sadness for all that he wouldn't have the chance to experience.

I confess I'm a full-blown foodie. I love trying new restaurants, finding new things to eat that I've never had before. That moment, when you take the first bite of a never-before-tried dish and realize you've found a new favorite, it's one of the best feelings in the world. And Anthony Bourdain passionately embodied that. To read about his early days is an honor, and I'm glad I finally got around to it.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

All of Our Demise is a solid conclusion to the duology, and yet...

I can't help but feel unsatisfied. I remember how much I enjoyed the previous book. It was fresh and exciting, filled with memorable characters and interesting story arcs. I wanted to keep turning the pages and couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

But this book somehow lacked that vital energy. Where is the fun? Where is the excitement? Almost everything that happens in here, you could foresee from book 1. The only exception is a development near the end, and I'm not sure I totally buy it. It feels like it came out of nowhere and was thrown in for emotional punch rather than to add something meaningful to the story.

It doesn't help that this book is so long. Instead of just sticking to the tournament (the most exciting part), we also have side stories involving random spellmakers, follow the detailed fallout as townspeople freak out about the curse, and putter around as each champion deals with their families. It's just too much and takes the momentum away from the main plot.

The writing also feels more YA. There are lots of moments when we stop right in the middle of the action to pontificate the meaning of various champions' lives, or take multi-page detours into their romances with each other. Perhaps if I were younger, this would appeal to me, but it doesn't work for a grizzly old curmudgeon like myself.

Don't get me wrong, this is a decent story. But it seems to suffer from sequel syndrome. On the surface, everything that worked for the first book is here. But somehow all the elements don't quite come together into the riveting tale it should've been. Instead, it feels like a rather mundane, long-winded wrap up of a foregone conclusion.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

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

Not just roommates, but bedmates (though not at the same time)! Really, what an intriguing premise! I suspect my early twenties broke self would've been tempted, if only I'd been clever enough to have thought it up.

And yet, the tantalizing premise somehow didn't translate into a riveting story for me. I'm not sure what happened here, other than maybe it wasn't quite what I was expecting.

I thought it was a story of two strangers slowly falling in love with each other thanks to their cramped quarters. And yes, that is part of the story, but it felt like it wasn't the main focus. For one thing, because Leon and Tiffy aren't at the flat at the same time, it takes quite some time before they really start to interact and eventually meet.

Instead, we spend a lot of time on side characters and side plots, with Tiffy's ex-boyfriend, her three best friends, her place of work and work drama, Leon's girlfriend, his brother, and his search for Johnny White. Phew, there's a lot going on!

In fact, the storyline around Tiffy's ex-boyfriend just went on and on. He was clearly the bad guy here, but I didn't feel scared or repulsed by him as I should've been, only annoyed. He is so overwritten that he comes across as rather cartoony, more like the caricature of a villain rather than an actual one.

I also didn't jell with the way Leon's point of view was written. He is meant to be a guy with few words, so his parts were written as sentence fragments. But it just made him feel wooden and awkward to me.

Still, there were enough cute moments and the characters are undeniably loveable, so it wasn't a terrible read or anything. I definitely had fun. But in the end, I just didn't see the magic here that everyone else did.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

If I had a choice, I wouldn't want this life either.

What is it about Prince Harry's story that is so riveting to us common folks? Is it morbid curiosity about the royal life? Or is it that we can all relate to dysfunctional families and it's hard to look away when it plays out on such a public stage?

It must not be easy to be Prince Harry. He lost his mother when he was just 12 years old, and instead of being protected by the adults in his life, he was forced to parade through London behind her coffin in some sort of bizarre show of stoic grief. At a time when he needed abundant love and support, his family became ever more uptight and withdrawn, with their motto of "never complain, never explain." I'm not sure how any child growing up in such circumstances could hope for happiness or even normalcy.

And yet, against all odds and with many missteps along the way, he grew up to be a soldier and dedicated public servant, and eventually found happiness with Meghan. But through it all, his family seemed determined to keep him silent and in his place, even at great personal cost to him and his wife.

Here finally is his chance to tell his story in his own words.

And the result is everything I could want in a memoir: heartfelt, reflective, and bracingly honest. Prince Harry doesn't shy away from talking about the mental and emotional toll of his unresolved grief for his mother nor addressing the controversial events of his life. But if you're hoping for jaw-dropping revelations or juicy gossip, this isn't it. I only follow royal news in passing, and there's nothing in here that really took me by surprise.

In approaching this, I'd heard a lot of commentary around why Prince Harry felt the need to write this memoir at all, especially when he and his wife have been so expressive about wanting privacy and peace for their family. But after having read this, it totally makes sense.

In psychology, there's this concept of the Real Self vs. the Ideal Self, which states that the bigger the gap between who we present to the world and who we really are on the inside, the more cognitive dissonance we feel; whereas the more aligned the two are, the happier we are. For so long, Prince Harry has been toeing the family line while being forced to keep silent about every mischaracterization and abuse printed about him and Meghan. Thus, the version of him that he showed to the world is not his authentic self. I imagine the mental anguish at having to pretend must wear one down, and it is freeing to finally show the world who he really is.

This memoir also has a heck of a love story, and I'm always up for one of those. I've very much respected Prince Harry ever since his deployment days and then seeing all the good that he has done for veterans with the Invictus Games. And while I didn't watch Suits, everything I've come to know about Meghan seems to indicate she is also worthy of my respect, using her fame to support women's rights and social justice. Every time I see them interact, it's clear their love for each other. So to read their love story is a joy, despite all the ugliness that was going on at the time.

For me, my personal philosophy has always been to live the life that is most authentic to who I am, and I certainly couldn't begrudge others doing the same. And so I must applaud Prince Harry for having the courage to live his best life and to share his story, even in the face of overwhelming opposition. Good for him.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

How crazy can a story on infidelity be? Hmm, crazier than I expected, that's for sure.

Lillian leads a rather pedestrian life as a wife and a mother, until one day she meets a handsome stranger at a coffee shop. What follows is an affair filled with lies and deceit (aren't they all? But this one's got more than your usual), and Lillian's life slowly spins out of control. Suddenly, nothing is quite as it seems.

I always find Alessandra Torre's writing to be eminently readable and here's another demonstration of that. Lillian's story sucked me in, and I was drawn into her tale of infidelity and deception. There were many surprises along the way, and it all made for great fun.

However, the characters and their actions were quite over-the-top, which made the whole thing feel rather loony and unreal. Obviously, domestic thrillers aren't meant to resemble real life (hopefully), but this story feels even more out there than usual. And its heavy focus on love and infidelity made it at times more drama than thriller.

Still, it was an enjoyable way to pass the time, and I always look forward to more from Torre. If you've never read her though, I'd recommend starting with Every Last Secret or The Good Lie instead of this one.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

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