What sort of business though? Diamonds? Murder? Perhaps a bit of both? That would be nice.

Our four loveable septuagenarian are at it again. With their trademark mix of sweetness, smarts, and humor, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron come together to stick their noses where they don't belong. This time, they need to recover twenty million pounds' worth of diamonds and suss out a murderer.

The draw of this series has always been its characters. They are its heart and soul, and this book is another superb display of that. Their affection for one another, their enthusiasm for anything remotely exciting, and their good humor all exemplify the best of humanity, not just for old people, but for people of all ages.

The mystery itself is compelling and an improvement over the first book. Though it took its time getting started, leisurely leading us to the murderous moment, once we get there it's off to the races. From that point on, I found it completely unputdownable.

I've always enjoyed the dual points of view in this series, which alternate between third person omniscient and first person in the form of Joyce's journal. I find Joyce's voice to be particularly delightful and her colorful commentary of the events a real hoot and highlight.

Oh, and on an unrelated but practical note, I also learned that if you're ever attacked and you have a knife to defend yourself with, you should hold it with an overhand grip instead of an underhand one, as that allows for greater force. It's always nice when stories not only entertain but also impart useful information.

It's clear that in just two books, this series has become a favorite of mine. I can't wait for the next installment!

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

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

In recent years, I have instituted a strict policy: I can't watch any tv or movie adaptation without having read the book first. And so in this fashion, many shows are forced to languish while I furiously try to read through my TBR. The Duke and I was one such victim, but no more.

And now that I'm done with the book, I can't help but feel slightly underwhelmed. Like, is this what everyone is swooning over? To be fair, the story is mostly fine, though a bit superficial. The majority of it is told via dialogue form. And while witty repartee is a big part of reading a Regency romance, this felt less witty and more cheesy. So while I smiled a lot, I also cringed at the overwritten and hammed up style.

The characters are all fairly one-dimensional. The only personality I was able to ascertain were from the men, who behaved ever more apelike as they asserted dominance over situations and each other. It really was a bit over the top. The fake dating trope of Daphne and Simon is one I'm normally a big fan of, but somehow I didn't quite connect with it this time. One moment, they were fake dating, then the next moment they were in love. Where is the transition? Still, it was mostly a bit of harmless fun.

However—and this is a big one—there is one particularly questionable scene near the end that I think most readers will object to. Reproductive coercion is not okay, and I'm baffled that this book not only portrayed it as no big deal, but in fact made it into the moral high ground. (I know this book is set during the 1810s, but was it written during that time too?)

Maybe I'm just too used to historical romances with more substance, where women are actually empowered, the plot is complex, and the dialogue makes me swoon. In comparison, this book feels rather simple, with a thin premise, fairly bland characters, and questionable scenes that masquerade as romance. It's an alright way to pass a few hours, but that's about it.

At least now I can finally go on to watch the show, so yay me!

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

I'm going to call it right now. Even though I only just finished book one, I'm certain The Three-Body Problem will go down as my favorite sci-fi series of all time.

This book blew my mind so thoroughly that it leaves only destruction in its wake. Where could Liu Cixin have possibly come up with all of these ideas and concepts? No wonder everyone says this is wildly imaginative. Even a single one of the ideas in here would have sufficed for a book of its own, but to put them all together into a single cohesive epic tale is absolutely jaw-dropping.

The pacing is relentless and the surprises just keep coming. In fact, it has more twists and turns than most mysteries and thrillers I've read. Not only is the story utterly riveting, but it's also insightful and thought-provoking, touching upon science, politics, philosophy, and history. I found myself glued to the pages. I wanted to inhale the story as fast as I could, but I had to slow myself down periodically to reread and fully absorb all that the book was trying to tell me.

This is my favorite type of science fiction, one that puts science front and center and unabashedly celebrates everything about it. There's no handwaving, no hocus pocus. Every point brought up is eventually explained via actual science in ways that made complete sense. And what ingenious explanations they are, sure to stun and amaze any reader.

I found the initial pages, set during the Cultural Revolution, to be enlightening. This was the defining event of my parents' generation, yet they hardly talk about it. How do you put into words the frenzy that overtook a whole country, such that science and learning were denounced, and friends turned on friends, neighbors turned on neighbors? It's like a fever burned through the population, and left famine, trauma, and destruction in its wake. This emotionally fraught experience influences all who went through it, including the characters in this book.

With translations, there's always the fear that some vital but intangible part of the story will be lost. And this is especially the case when the two languages in question do not share a common linguistic ancestor, so translating between them is not as simple as one-to-one. In the translator's notes at the end of the book, Ken Liu mentions that he was cognizant of this and tried hard to preserve not only the story, but also the cadence and feel of the Chinese language and culture in his translation. I think he did an excellent job.

One thing to note is that the official book blurb is quite short for this story, but in my opinion, even that gives away too much. This is a book best experienced blind, so if you're going to read it, don't look up anything about it ahead of time.

What a tremendous way to start the trilogy. My expectations for the remaining two books are sky high, and I'm assured by everyone I know who has already read them that they will be met and exceeded. I have no doubt only goodness awaits me.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

I haven't met a multiverse story I didn't like, until now.

Conceptually, The Space Between Worlds has a lot of potential. In this version of parallel universes, you can only travel to a different one if your counterpart is already dead. Enter Cara, who has died in most other worlds, so she's able to travel between them. Yep, I can totally get behind that. But that was pretty much it for things I enjoyed, and it was only a very small part of the story.

Where this book fell apart for me is in almost everything else.

To start with, this story is extremely hard to follow. I'm honestly baffled because the concept of a parallel universe isn't that difficult to grasp; it's just like our universe but with a few minor changes. And yet, the worldbuilding here is maximumly awkward and lumbering, turning small differences into obscure and confusing concepts that were never fully explained.

Information is just dumped on the reader without any consideration for whether it's necessary or relevant. Pages upon pages are spent on completely irrelevant worlds we won't visit again or people we don't need to know (most of whom have multiple names in each universe). But when we get to crucial information (what is a runner?), no explanation is given, so I never got a solid grasp of these worlds.

And it's not just the worldbuilding, but the writing as a whole. It feels fragmented and random. Sentences, paragraphs, and scenes don't logically follow from previous ones. Even dialogues don't really make sense. It's as if the author had written monologues for each speaker, then just interweaved their lines together and called it a conversation.

There was supposed to be a queer love story in here, but that baffled me too. Like, where is it? If Cara didn't explicitly tell the reader that she's in love with Dell and constantly state that she's flirting with her, I wouldn't have guessed from her words or their interactions.

I also couldn't connect with any of the characters. Their motivations, feelings, and actions all remain a mystery to me. In particular, Cara's simultaneous blend of cynically detached while also angsty philosophical narrative tone did not work for me, and came across as very naïve and immature. Also, what kind of names are Nik Nik and Mr. Cheeks? I kept thinking I'm reading about a toddler and his pet instead of an emperor and his runner.

Still, all that can be overlooked if the plot made sense. But it doesn't. It feels like there are multiple separate stories in here instead of one coherent one. And they were all just mashed up together in the most convoluted and haphazard way possible.

What a waste. Conceptually, this is a good one. But the execution is so confusing as to be almost incomprehensible. Nothing in here made sense to me. Not the writing, nor the story, nor the characters, nor the worldbuilding. What a complete disappointment this turned out to be.

Readaroo Rating: 1 star

Ooh, is someone getting cozy-murdered during the most festive time of the year? Sign me up! That should put me right in the holiday spirit.

Wizened patriarch Simeon Lee wants his family around him for Christmas. So he puts out the call, and his children all answer, coming from far and wide to gather for the holidays. But when he's brutally murdered, no one seems that upset. In fact, they all appear somewhat relieved to be rid of the old man and his tyrannical ways. But who among them actually did the deed? Well, Hercule Poirot will find out.

What a perfectly plotted locked-room mystery this turned out to be. Just about every time I read Agatha Christie, I stand in awe of her genius, and this time it's no different. This has all of her hallmarks: a small cast of characters, clues and red herrings galore, and a reveal that is sure to surprise the pants off any reader.

Speaking of the reveal, I didn't see it coming. And that's what I love about Agatha Christie. Until the actual moment when Poirot gathers everyone together and unveils his hand, I had no idea what was going on. Of course the clues were all there. And on top of which, I've read this book before, although the last time was a decade ago. Obviously, I haven't become a better armchair detective in the meantime.

Every time I pick up an Agatha Christie, I'm just filled with glee and anticipation. I know only goodness awaits me. Add in the festive atmosphere, and this one hits all the right notes for the perfect holiday whodunnit.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

No one does naughty & nice quite like Tessa Bailey. So when I saw she had a holiday romance coming out, I couldn't resist. I picked it up a few weeks ago, but I've exercised enormous restraint and held off reading it until just the right moment before Christmas for maximum festive effect. And that moment is finally here!

When Stella stops outside the windows of Vivant department store and scoffs out loud at their pathetic holiday display, she catches the attention of their charming general manager Aiden. He challenges her for better ideas, then offers her a job as their window displayer. Of course Stella jumps at the chance to prove herself. And the fact that her boss is a hottie? Well, that didn't factor into her excitement at all.

There is so much goodness in this story. For one, Stella just got out of prison and she's desperate for a clean start. In steps Aiden, who believes in her when no one else would give her a chance. This really struck a chord in me. As a society, we don't give ex-convicts enough of a second chance. They often cannot find jobs, and without a way to earn an honest living, many recidivate. So to see Bailey touch upon such an important topic in a lighthearted story centered around the season of generosity and goodwill is both surprising and heartwarming.

I loved Aiden's character. His cheerful soul is the perfect foil for Stella's weariness and pessimism. It was wonderful to follow along as she gains confidence in her job and their relationship grows. The story takes place in a post-pandemic world, which is a lovely escape from our real one. It also completely captures the spirit of the holidays, with its storyline of department stores and decorating for the holidays.

Whenever Tessa Bailey comes up, I feel like I always have to make a mention of the steam factor in her books. They are HOT, perhaps shockingly so if you've never read her, so reader beware. She definitely doesn't hold back when it comes to those scenes, which are a bit incongruous with her cute and innocent book covers.

This isn't some serious love story for the ages or anything. It's pure unadulterated fun, with heaping doses of feelgood and raunchy. Add in the themes of finding oneself and getting a second chance, along with loads of Christmas cheer, and this is just about the perfect holiday read for me.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

Even though A Flicker in the Dark has an interesting premise, its reliance on the confused and drugged-up female narrator trope prevented this story from being as great as it could've been.

Chloe Davis has lived in the shadow of fear for a long time. When she was twelve years ago, six teenage girls disappeared in town, one right after another. The nightmare finally ended when her own father confessed to the killings, upending her childhood and leaving her family in ruins. Now twenty years later, girls are going missing again. And Chloe can't help but feel there is a link between what's happening now and what happened so long ago.

I've read plenty of serial killer stories from the perspective of investigators, the victims and their families, and regular townspeople, but I'm not sure I've ever read one from the killer's own daughter. And coming at it from that angle makes this story feel fresh and unusual. Chloe still suffers from the fallout of her childhood, and her narrative envelopes the whole story in her dark and foreboding mood.

Where this didn't quite work as well for me is the pacing. It's very slow, with hardly anything happening in the first 250 pages. Instead, we spend a lot of time in Chloe's head as she ruminates, freaks out, consumes copious quantities of alcohol and prescription drugs, sticks her nose where it doesn't belong, and in general, just bumbles around being confused and paranoid. To be fair, this is a pretty common trope for the genre, but it just isn't my favorite as I find it to be pretty dull and a bit exasperating.

Clearly, this is the sort of psychological thriller that leans heavily towards the psychological side, whereas I like mine to be more on the thriller side. I always enjoy a more active investigation instead of a more active rumination. However, that's just a personal preference. I think a lot of what I found to be slow is what a lot of readers find fascinating, so your experiences may be the opposite of mine.

The pacing does finally pick up in the last 100 pages, and we are treated to one revelation after another. I wouldn't necessarily say any of it is surprising (I've read too many thrillers at this point), but it is exciting. The way everything comes together is really the highlight of the book, and made this a worthwhile read for me.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

This was my Book of the Month pick for December. If you're curious about BOTM or want to find out how to get your first book for $5, click here.