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There were some interesting observations in this book & a lot to mull over regarding choices - sitting with them, escaping them, wondering about alternative paths or the chain of events that brought you to this moment. It was also quite passionless despite the subject matter. Perhaps this is intentional, reflecting a broader sense of millennial futility. It doesn‘t necessarily elicit strong feelings, but it does leave you thinking #BOTM
so-soI‘m bummed I wasted my birthday #BOTM credit on this…despite its lovely cover. Like a romance series, this one shifts focus from Ophelia to her younger, single sister, Genevieve. Following clues to dig into their mother‘s past, Vivi winds up at a mysterious Italian manor— one with its own family curse & rounds of games. I love forced proximity/fake relationships but the central romance here isn‘t compelling. Not as steamy but just as repetitive!
so-soI‘m not sure if I‘ll complete #BOTM‘s #PagePulverizerChallenge, but I‘m trying— this was a #LollyFinalist2024 & the beautiful cover set some high hopes for me…but, the 9 levels of Hell in this haunted house/deadly game show frankly got repetitive. The family secrets failed to shock & mostly this felt like it was steam without substance to the central romance… the OCD added a modern twist but I just wanted something more from this chunkster!
pickThis was such a fun holiday romance. I devoured it and wish I could have stayed with the characters longer. #BOTM
Book 33 of 2025
pickI‘m surprised this was a #BOTM offering, because it‘s a strange story…entrancing, but a weird genre blend. The Haddesley family keeps to themselves on their WV land, inside their crumbling manor bordering the cranberry bog (no mention of the spiders, the one bit of creepiness I was prepared for!). When the patriarch lays dying, his estranged daughter returns after a decade. These 5 adult children flounder in this fresh but grimily beautiful book.
pick#Read2025
Getting all my November reviews in so bear with me! I finished this one a couple of weeks ago, switching between my #BOTM & the audio book & I quite liked this unusual story of a guy who can taste the favorite foods of the dead & make them appear when he cooks the dish. It did get a bit long in the middle but I was caught up in Konstantin‘s story & the blend of foodie novel & ghost story. It even ended up on my #AuldLangSpine2025 list.
