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celeste_velocci's reviews
417 reviews
A Christmas Witch by Jennifer Munswami, Joynell Schultz, Harper Ash
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
2.0
I’m a sucker for a second chance romance. This was cute and witchy for the holidays. Quick read on kindle unlimited to help with your yearly reading goals.
This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
After the unexpected passing of her father a young college student is trying to distract herself and learn the ebbs and flows of grief. While dealing with her sudden life change she begins playing an amateur sleuth online and ends up teaming up with some other true crime amateur sleuths who feel just as lost as she does in her new world. The group decides to meet up in real life and team up together to solve a crime when college students in Idaho keep getting murdered. These true crime buffs put their heads together and track down what the police and FBI seem to constantly be missing.
This book was fast paced and my first by this author. I am looking forward to reading more of her work. I enjoyed the true crime aspect as I find true crime interesting as well as the main character's process of grief and her outlook on life and loss. This book releases in March 2025 and I definitely recommend it being added to your TBR if you are a crime fiction and or true crime fan.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the gifted copy of Ashley Winstead's latest thriller.
This book was fast paced and my first by this author. I am looking forward to reading more of her work. I enjoyed the true crime aspect as I find true crime interesting as well as the main character's process of grief and her outlook on life and loss. This book releases in March 2025 and I definitely recommend it being added to your TBR if you are a crime fiction and or true crime fan.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the gifted copy of Ashley Winstead's latest thriller.
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
for never reading fantasy I loved this one so much! I loved the plot , characters , and all of the lessons learned along the way. It was adventurous enough that gave me Hunger Games vibes , the spice and romance was just enough , and I enjoyed the mystery element it had as well. I love how the author thread her journey with anxiety disorders through the main character of this book. If you are like me and really never gravitate towards fantasy this is a good one to read that won’t make you feel completely thrown into a different genre. This is one of those books that took me out of my comfort zone but I’m so glad I read it!
Someone We Know by Shari Lapena
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
No one does domestic suspense and suburbia quite like Shari Lapena. This one had me guessing until the end. One of my theories was off but my antennas went up correctly for another.
This street is whacky and I am here for it. Scandal , deceit , murder , affairs you name it it’s being done in this neighborhood. A solid who done it mystery when a neighbor shows up murdered. Who murdered Amanda Pierce? Find out which neighbor isn’t so neighborly after all.
This street is whacky and I am here for it. Scandal , deceit , murder , affairs you name it it’s being done in this neighborhood. A solid who done it mystery when a neighbor shows up murdered. Who murdered Amanda Pierce? Find out which neighbor isn’t so neighborly after all.
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I read this one in less than 24 hours because I just could not put it down. It kept me guessing and having theory after theory the entire time while reading. The ending was a bit confusing but overall I liked it. I will be looking into some discussions online and through booksta and booktok to discuss the ending. While it made sense it also left me questioning some things too?? Overall it was a fast paced winter thriller that I’m glad I finally read because it has been sitting on my shelf for so long.
My Knight Before Christmas by Amanda P. Jones
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I’m not your typical romance girly so I tend to cringe or roll my eyes at some romance books. I did that during this one but it was cute at the same time. I love a second chance romance but I found myself being annoyed with the characters at the same time! I also thought it would be more Christmas-y than it was. Overall cuteish.
Along Came a Spider by James Patterson
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
So glad I am finally reading a James Patterson book! Also so happy there’s over 30 books in this series because I am so ready to dive more into it! After watching the new show on Prime I knew I had to see where these amazing characters originated from.
I love a good crime fiction series and this was a gem! Short chapters , engaging writing , and very fast paced even for how long the book was. For sure recommend this one and it is a great place to start as it’s the first book in James Patterson’s Alex Cross series.
I love a good crime fiction series and this was a gem! Short chapters , engaging writing , and very fast paced even for how long the book was. For sure recommend this one and it is a great place to start as it’s the first book in James Patterson’s Alex Cross series.
Nothing Ever Happens Here: A Thriller by Seraphina Nova Glass
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I really wanted to love this one. On A Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass is one of my favorite books ever. This one unfortunately did not work for me but I would still recommend it to other thriller readers it may have just not been my cup of tea. There was so many characters to keep track of and I just did not connect with the plot and characters. Big thank you to NetGalley and The Hive for this gifted copy of Nothing Ever Happens Here.
I'll Be Alone For Christmas by Kristin Mulligan
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
2.5
I was loving this and then it kind of lost me. Super fast paced thriller that takes place around Christmas in an isolated cabin in the woods. It gave me more horror vibes than I thought it was going to be. It wasn’t bad just seemed rushed a bit.
The Housemaid's Wedding by Freida McFadden
fast-paced
2.0
Meh. Wasn’t expecting much and that’s exactly what I got. A short and sweet story that was fine! I do love this series but I think I’ve heard enough about it lol