This is my favorite thriller this year. Ruby is a serial killer with a conscience. She only kills people who deserve it. Which is why she couldn't have murdered her husband. But his death is the one that could bring her down. This one sucked me in from the start & I couldn't put it down. This might be one of the only novels that had me rooting for the killer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Where has Annie Hartnett been all of my life? I am so in love with this book. I am not usually a fan of books that have fantasy elements but this one incorporated the spectral elements so well that they became "real" characters in the story. They were the voice of the neighborhood which was its own character. She also tied in real places and historical figures into a modern setting in a way that was convincing and beautiful. 4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐?

Rainy day!! Perfect for starting this #arc. It sounds really interesting! ?? Debut novel from Katie Gutierrez. "An evocative drama about a woman who's caught leading a double life after one husband murders the other, & the true-crime writer who becomes obsessed with telling her story." #fiction

I was really surprised by how much I liked this novel. The writing is beautiful & very well-done. I actually couldn't believe this was a debut. I found Willa to be sympathetic & relatable. Her struggles with identity, self-image, relationships, & confidence felt realistic. I really liked this one! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was pretty terrible. I didn't think a single character was likable. The plot was goofy. The authors tried to weave in too many hot-button topics. It also touches on the pandemic in a way that I am not interested in reading about at this point. It was just a silly mess overrun by unlikely conflicts. ⭐⭐

I was really looking forward to this book. While I liked the story, I didn't love it the way I thought I would. It tells the story of normal family dysfunction. The reader is taken back to a single family vacation that changes the course & relationships within a family for generations. ⭐⭐⭐💫
This wasn't remarkable to me. Beautiful but forgettable. Soft pick.

I finished it! The first 100 pages were a struggle for me. It took me WAY too long to get through them. Once I got past them, I was immersed in the story. Told from the perspective of Vivian, a poor, Irish orphan, Schellman does a fantastic job setting the 1920's speakeasy scene. The cast of characters is diverse & I thought the mystery was well-executed. In the end, it was a pick. Because of the slow start I give this book ⭐⭐⭐💫

Seriously, I cannot wait to get into this novel!! Nietzsche quotes on the first page?! I'm here for it!

Here's my May #bookspin #bookspinbingo

🌷All of the spines look so flowery & lovely & I seriously cannot wait!🌷
@TheAromaofBooks

I'm reading one now & I am on the struggle bus 🚌 with it. Ugh. I try to review all ARCs that I receive but I don't have a whole lot of positive feedback for this one.

Do you review ARCs that you don't enjoy?

Rainy day read. I won this finished copy in a Goodreads giveaway!
Living my best life. #catsoflisty #catsy #littenskittens

This is a tough one for me. I really like Sally Hepworth & I enjoyed this novel... Until I got to the end. The ending had me wanting to throw the book. Otherwise, classic Hepworth with well-developed, relatable characters & engrossing family drama. I enjoy the suspense & humor she brings to her books. ⭐⭐⭐💫 Stars because the ending was so upsetting.

If you're a fan of Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven, I would recommend this less well-known dystopian cli-fi story about a society who has built a giant wall around its border. The only purpose is to keep out the Others. Each member of the society must serve time defending the Wall. It's a fairly short novel but has a lot to say about climate change, survival, & social divisions. ⭐⭐⭐💫

This was a great book until the end. There was so much reflection of contemporary society & a dark, hopeless, bleak future expressed as an epidemic of teenage suicides. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the two main characters. The fantasy elements at the end knocked the book down a little for me because they felt out of place. I would still suggest that anyone interested read it. ⭐⭐⭐💫

This book is between a so-so & a pan for me. I think I might just be a needy reader. There wasn't a lot of character development. Hazel is a married police transcriber who falls in love with one of the detectives whose reports she types up. The book takes place over approximately a month & she is madly in love with Investigator Kole before three weeks are complete. The writing is beautiful & I loved the syntax but the story didn't work for me. ⭐⭐⭐

I'm not usually a fan of YA books. I usually find them too focused on unhealthy relationships. This was my first Ruta Sepetys novel & I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the short chapters which were perfect for my short attention span. Also, I knew nothing about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff. It was informative & the characters were captivating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

You all were correct! This book was fantastic! Once I got through the beginning & found a rhythm, I flew through this book. I don't think I've ever annotated with this level of intensity. It helped me immensely. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ahhh!! It's finally here!! I'm so excited! I've had rotten luck with thrillers lately. Please let this be amazing! 🤩🤞🏽

I'm not usually a fan of magical realism type books. But I really enjoyed & appreciated this one. A masterful job of imbedding the magical elements into the story without taking away from characters or their struggles. A woman who wants to become a mother desperately crosses paths with a powerful & wealthy family known for their magical cauls which are rumored to have protective qualities. A story of family, tradition, & community. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was pretty disappointing for me. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. I also didn't think that the author did a good job of handling some of the issues that she tied into the book. The situations & relationships were too unbelievable. This was a ⭐⭐⭐ read for me. But it was my #doublebookspin square 18! @TheAromaofBooks

If I could pick a book to represent the "meh" sentiment, it would be this one. I had high hopes for it but in the end I was underwhelmed. I didn't feel any connection to the characters or the story line. It isn't the worst thriller that I have ever read but I don't think it will be particularly memorable. ⭐⭐⭐

This was different. I liked the tense relationships between all of the characters. I kind of guessed the twist about 2/3rds of the way in. I'm on the fence about the mentally ill/crazy woman characterization. I just don't like mental illness as a plot line. I thought the story was interesting though & it was an easy read. I pre-ordered her upcoming release. Minus my personal issue with the mental illness angle ⭐⭐⭐💫 Stars.

I need some help from anyone who has read The Appeal by Janice Hallett. I started it & got about 40 pages in & realized I still didn't understand anything going on. I can't keep the characters & their relationships straight.

I want to read it. Everyone who has finished it has said amazing things & I have serious FOMO.

For anyone who has read it, how did you keep it all sorted? Any tips, tricks, or advice are appreciated!

This is an AMAZING book. I really enjoyed that the author chose to tell the book from KB's perspective. The innocent perspective of a child tackling hard issues about addiction, generational trauma, mental health, sexuality, & racism made the book digestible & gave it a quiet power. The writing consumed me. I definitely cried. The characters are so well written and sympathetic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It was beautiful & broke my heart.

When I closed this one, I had to flip to see if it was considered a thriller. This has to be one of my favorite BOTM picks ever. It was SO good! The pacing was perfect & the tension had my heart pounding! Emma is happily married & living an ordinary life with the love of her life, Leo, & their daughter, Ruby. But Emma has secrets- their entire life is based on a lie. A seemingly unrelated event threatens to break her past wide open. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a lighthearted fake dating romance. I actually liked it more in the beginning than in the end. The story was hopeful & cute. I had issues with the characters. The two male MCs could have been the same person. Nothing made them unique. All of the characters had an unusual level of self-awareness & could easily identify motivations that usually take years of counseling to unearth. ⭐⭐⭐

If you liked Michelle McNamara's l'll Be Gone in the Dark then you will like Unmasked by Paul Holes. The book explores the way that he blended science with his knowledge of human behavior and relationships with law enforcement to solve cold cases. It's a true crime novel for true crime fans. Engaging and a quick read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is an #arc I received from a Goodreads giveaway. I had high hopes but ultimately it wasn't for me. There were stylistic choices that I felt were distracting, such as not using quotation marks. Also, detailed descriptions of opera tryouts & I felt my lack of familiarity with operas was a disadvantage. It's a modern, coming-of-age book about a young woman trying to balance the demands of her career while engaged with a wealthy older man. ⭐⭐⭐

Put my #bookspin #doublebookspin #bookspinbingo list together for April. I chose books with blue or gray spines to match the April Showers theme.
@TheAromaofBooks

When a woman is identified from remains found at the site of the Twin Towers twenty years later, TV journalist ,Avery Mason, smells a winning story. As Avery begins to dig into the story she discovers that Victoria Ford was wanted for the murder of author Cameron Young. Some crazy twists & short chapters made it a quick read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Insomnia & currently reading. If you like Loreth Anne White's The Patient's Secret, then you'll love this one. It has had me sucked in since chapter one!

This is my third St. James novel but I don't think it's my favorite. I felt like the supernatural, creepy vibe wasn't as strong with this one, which was a bummer because she usually blends it all together so well. Still an entertaining read. Still a pick. Just not my favorite. ⭐⭐⭐💫

I really enjoy Sally Hepworth novels. Even though they're marketed as thrillers, I find them to be more suspenseful contemporary fiction. Hepworth always delves into complicated relationships & has a way of making the characters relatable without losing momentum. This book focuses on the relationship between Lucy & her MIL Diana. It shows the way intentions can be misconstrued & break a family. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ @TheAromaofBooks this is my #bookspin square 19.

Just scrolling through Waterstones' website minding my own business when this book caught my eye. It sounds so good. I love truth-is-stranger-than-fiction type books.

Check below for synopsis!!🔽

Short stories are not my thing. But I guess a book of essays totally is! I really enjoyed this compilation by John Green. The essays were insightful, thought-provoking, & timely. I could feel his writing. I'm glad I picked it up in spite of my aversion to short story collections. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 I 100% recommend this one to anyone that feels like they're flailing through the present.

This book was not what I thought it would be. There are multiple storylines that by the end become braided together. I enjoyed it because it was something different in the thriller genre. I can't recall reading anything like it before. The relationship that is given the most attention is that of sisters Kit & Natalie & how the relationship has strained under the weight of history & secrets. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cats weren't cooperating. #catsoflitsy #catsy

This book is blowing my mind. It's wow!! I don't know if I have ever tagged so many pages before. 🤯🤯🤯

Ugh. This one isn't even good enough to justify taking a picture of. It was misogynistic & gross. I can't understand the high marks on Goodreads. Ellie has potential to be a great protagonist but the description of every person as "hot" & the sexual urges that take focus off the mystery were yucky. This felt like smut & that's not really my jam. ⭐⭐ Wish I would have DNF'd.

This is my third Jennifer Hillier book & I cannot get enough. Her thrillers are dark, twisty, & unputdownable. Geo is a corporate executive living the life most people only dream of when her past comes back to haunt her. The disappearance of her best friend Angela 14 years earlier threatens to upend her world again. When new bodies begin to turn up, Geo must decide if she will keep her secrets buried in the past. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am surprised that this book hasn't gotten more attention. Although it deals with tough topics about childhood exploitation, suicide, & strained relationships there is something really hopeful about the book. The writing is beautiful & the main character Bea, gives me Evelyn Hugo vibes. I really enjoyed this book & the way the author deals with discussing the lasting impact of childhood abuse. ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Has anyone heard of this one? It's a Goodreads giveaway win but I don't know much about it!

Wow! This is the best book that I have read in a long time. It's beautiful & tragic. It tells the story of a serial killer, Ansel. Unlike most novels, it is told through not only Ansel's perspective but also 3 of the women with whom his life has intersected. His mother, Lavender, Hazel, his sister-in-law, & Saffy, the investigator who brings his murderous spree to an end. This novel is brilliant & I will be thinking of it for a long time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really loved Every Last Fear. And this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. It's definitely a pick but not nearly as good as Every Last Fear, IMO. The 8 months pregnant FBI agent kind of ruined the story for me. I'm not sure why other than she felt unnecessary & out of place. It is fast paced & twisty but I didn't enjoy it as much as his previous novel. Maybe my expectations were too high? ⭐⭐⭐💫

Surprise ARC in the mail today from Celadon Books. Pretty excited to start this one.

I love dark academia & this book is the metric of the genre. All of the characters were mostly unlikeable. They fall into the spoiled rich kids trope. They're entitled & elite in their own way. The group of six studies Greek classics under the guidance of an eccentric professor at the exclusive Hampden University. When the group finds themselves suspects in a murder investigation they close ranks & not everyone will make it out alive. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My February #bookspin #doublebookspin #bookspinbingo card. I didn't get to Caste but I did get 5 #botmbacklog books completed. I'm hoping to read a couple of backlogged ARCs today and looking forward to March!
@TheAromaofBooks

This is a YA Survival Thriller. I don't typically read YA novels so this was kind of new to me. This is a firm ⭐⭐⭐ book. It was an easy read & pretty straightforward.Teens are going on senior ski trip. The road is blocked. They take a short cut & wind up stranded. It's described as "The Breakfast Club meets Five Total Strangers" which is pretty accurate. It took an unnecessary religious bend which is a turnoff for me.

This book is exactly what I think of when I say a mindless read. It wasn't memorable. It didn't require any real effort or thinking. The characters are created from & reinforced by stereotypes. A quick, forgettable book that can be read in one sitting. ⭐⭐💫

#doublebookspin #bookspinbingo Square 10. I don't think short story collections are for me. I'm never quite sure how to rate or review them. Though there are a couple of stories in this collection that I really liked (including the title story) most were just okay. This is three star ⭐⭐⭐ read for me. I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone either.

This book totally gave me Lee Child/Jack Reacher feels. It is fast paced & has all of the expected elements for an action thriller. Government agents, double agents, a jaded ex-CIA informant, corruption, ties to terrorist organizations. I read this one quickly & enjoyed the pace. ⭐⭐⭐💫