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soobooksalot's reviews
978 reviews
Hello, Juliet by Samantha M Bailey
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Head Cases by John McMahon
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
Head Cases is leading a great new crime thriller series.
Criminal Minds fans, this is for you.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC for review!
Meet the five agents of the FBI Patterns And Recognition (PAR) unit - Cassie Pardo, Joanne "Shooter" Harris, newcomer Richie Brancato, boss Frank Roberts, and the story told from POV of special agent Gardner Camden.
The team finds new theories and leads on cases where investigations have grown stale.
They are all specialized in their own rights, with Gardner being a genius with puzzles, and not so much with human interaction.
The case that opens Head Cases is of a recently-deceased body found. But the man was on record of having died seven years prior.
The "world building" here is great, Camden being the central character but we know we will learn more of the others as the series progresses. I'm very much looking forward to the next book, expected in 2026.
Released on Jan. 28.
Criminal Minds fans, this is for you.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the ARC for review!
Meet the five agents of the FBI Patterns And Recognition (PAR) unit - Cassie Pardo, Joanne "Shooter" Harris, newcomer Richie Brancato, boss Frank Roberts, and the story told from POV of special agent Gardner Camden.
The team finds new theories and leads on cases where investigations have grown stale.
They are all specialized in their own rights, with Gardner being a genius with puzzles, and not so much with human interaction.
The case that opens Head Cases is of a recently-deceased body found. But the man was on record of having died seven years prior.
The "world building" here is great, Camden being the central character but we know we will learn more of the others as the series progresses. I'm very much looking forward to the next book, expected in 2026.
Released on Jan. 28.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.75
I added The Resurrectionist to my cart for the cover. But I stayed for the corpse procurement.
(Having the Aardvark edition of this is a pure bonus, as the quality of their books is awesome.)
Author A. Rae Dunlap made me an instant fan, as I loved the writing style from the start. It's kind of a tongue-in-cheek old timey classical feel, infused with dark humour.
I also loved the characters, the romance, the medical and the mystery, the overall atmosphere of the streets and underbelly of 1820s Edinburgh.
Yes, I'm gushing. Do check this one out!
(Having the Aardvark edition of this is a pure bonus, as the quality of their books is awesome.)
Author A. Rae Dunlap made me an instant fan, as I loved the writing style from the start. It's kind of a tongue-in-cheek old timey classical feel, infused with dark humour.
I also loved the characters, the romance, the medical and the mystery, the overall atmosphere of the streets and underbelly of 1820s Edinburgh.
Yes, I'm gushing. Do check this one out!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Medical content, Murder, and Alcohol
Cross My Heart by Megan Collins
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Toxic friendship
Sweet Fury by Sash Bischoff
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Sweet Fury combines bringing a feminist adaptation of literature to the screen, with the lives of those on-screen and off.
It's a glamorous backdrop amidst personal traumas.
Thank you to @simonschusterca for my gifted copy for review!
Lila Crayne is an actress starring in the new movie version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is The Night. Off-set, however, she's experiencing domestic issues and trying to process events from her earlier life.
Enter therapist Jonah Gabriel. Portions of the story are told through Lila's journal entries to Jonah, as well as chapters detailing his increasing obsession with her.
Debut author Sash Bischoff's writing captures the lush celebrity lifestyle, yet is nuanced - an element I think I would have appreciated more if I was familiar with Fitzgerald's writing outside of Gatsby. But it's a literary thriller to take notice of right from the get-go.
The twists were unexpected, and I appreciated the interesting approach to suspense.
Recommended!
Released on Jan. 7.
It's a glamorous backdrop amidst personal traumas.
Thank you to @simonschusterca for my gifted copy for review!
Lila Crayne is an actress starring in the new movie version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender Is The Night. Off-set, however, she's experiencing domestic issues and trying to process events from her earlier life.
Enter therapist Jonah Gabriel. Portions of the story are told through Lila's journal entries to Jonah, as well as chapters detailing his increasing obsession with her.
Debut author Sash Bischoff's writing captures the lush celebrity lifestyle, yet is nuanced - an element I think I would have appreciated more if I was familiar with Fitzgerald's writing outside of Gatsby. But it's a literary thriller to take notice of right from the get-go.
The twists were unexpected, and I appreciated the interesting approach to suspense.
Recommended!
Released on Jan. 7.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Murder, and Alcohol
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol