Murder Uncorked by Maddie Day

I always like giving a new series a chance. I picked this up because it is the first in another cozy mystery series with a different setup. Our leading lady works at a wine bar and an unlikeable man makes an appearance in the beginning and we know who the intended victim will be. I…

Magician and Fool by Susan Wands

I like strangely written books (most of the time). The ones that meander through the protagonists' lives and give glimpses of seemingly random people in the periphery who turn out to have major impacts at later stages in the narrative.This was one such book that I did not enjoy as much as I wanted to.…

And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The story begins like one of those prompts that creating writing classes provides, one that says a fictional World comes alive. A man struggling with his finances and his life suddenly finds out that his life has held actual secrets. A woman in his family who claimed to have escaped from a magical world was…

Where Ivy Dares to Grow by Marielle Thompson

I must admit, as I begin this review, that the author's writing style and narration set the right tone. There is a very ominous atmosphere throughout, and the claustrophobic feeling drips off the page.There are two ways I do not enjoy a book. One is where I do not like the writing and, therefore, by…

Lilac Skies by Shivani Bansal

I thought long and hard about this review. I even talked to my husband at length to ensure I didn't sound unreasonable when I talked about why I did not enjoy this book. I wanted to like this book before going in because I end up reading very few Indian-origin stories in any given year,…

Murder Under the Tuscan Sun by Rachel Rhys

I wanted to like this book so much more than I actually did! The plot is ominous to the extreme. We have a well-adjusted English mother/widow chaffing at her lack of activity who takes up a job in a remote Italian castle as a nursemaid/companion.The book is set in 1927, with the growth of Fascism…

HellSans by Ever Dundas

I keep dipping into dystopia every once in a while to keep my reads different. This was one such book. I wanted to like it; I even liked the underlying theory, but given the amount of time I spent with the story, I felt like I should have had more of a positive reaction.There is…

Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy

The premise of this story appealed to me. A woman of colour running her own bookshop, specifically trying to help her community. To top that off, the romantic angle is also related to books. I am not too into explicit descriptions of certain scenes, but that is not a deterrent. I could always skim past…