A Good Hard Look by Ann Napolitano. This book instantly transported me back in time to Milledgeville. I loved getting a peek inside Flannery’s life, and I love how everyone's lives twisted together. This book is the epitome of literary fiction to me - getting to know everyone at a leisurely pace and letting it build until it all unwinds. It gave me Tom Perrotta vibes in a way. Read more here.
The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer. This might be one of my new favorite books. I was totally immersed in Clover’s world and really identified with her in so many ways, probably more than any other character I’ve “met.” I loved the different ideas around death and how Clover kept notes for the people she worked with. I thought the romance was a bit rushed and too romance-novel-y, but overall this was so good that I’ll admit maybe I’m just jealous of what she found in the end. Read more here.
A Daughter's Guide to Mothers and Murder by Dianne Freeman. I love this series and read the first seven installments earlier this year. I was looking forward to this one, even though I skipped the novella that came before it (but read it after). Thankfully, it all stands on its own, and it was nice to revisit these characters. However, I didn’t find the mystery too compelling - I think the characters involved with the murder were too much on the periphery, so the stakes felt too low. Still a quick, cozy read, though, and I’ll continue on with the series.
George and Frances Roll the Dice by Dianne Freeman. This was a good novella to satisfy the “honeymoon” need for George and Frances without devoting a whole book to it. I understand it was a novella but everything felt a little flat and rushed to me; however, that could be because I just read book 8 and was kind of rewinding to read this, so I already knew some bits that came next, and the rest was like fitting puzzle pieces into things I had seen in book 8.
Death on Tap by Ellie Alexander. I didn’t love this one as much as the first in The Body in the Bookstore series but I love the cute little town and the mysteries that seem like they’ll span more of the series, so I’m definitely going to read a few more. It felt like the main mystery in this book was resolved way too cleanly, though, right at the end, after being dragged out and looking at so many other suspects. More of the story focused on the cheating husband (which got a bit repetitive) than the mystery. But I like the cliffhanger of Sloan’s past, so that’s the main reason I’ll read on.
The Twits by Roald Dahl. I read this as a kid and vaguely remembered the Twits themselves, but not the whole story. I wanted to re-read it before watching the movie. The Twits are disgusting and the description of Mr. Twit’s beard almost made me stop reading, but I love the Muggle-Wumps and how they outsmarted the Twits in the end.
Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton. I’ve read this one before but didn’t remember much, so it was time to revisit. I LOVE the Kinsey Millhone short stories - quippy and satisfying in terms of the mystery. Some of the personal stories were really hard to read, and after a few I had to take a break because they really got me down. It strikes me how literary Grafton’s writing really was though - those stories seem like things we could have read in some college English/writing courses.
The Sherlock Society by James Ponti. This was such a fun read - I love that the grandfather was part of the crew. I think all the characters are unique and fun and would recommend this to younger readers - plus *I* want to see what happens later in the series!
The Unwedding by Ally Condie. Was this a thriller? It didn’t play up the suspense, though the potential was there. Instead, it felt like I was ambling around the rainy resort with Ellery, and not in a good way, like we were solving the mystery together. Instead, it felt like I was stuck following her around even though I wanted to be doing anything else. That said, I did feel like I needed to finish this book once I started it, so I guess that’s on me. Read more (with spoilers) here.
Vladimir by Julia May Jonas. This book reminded me of Miranda July’s All Fours in many ways, mostly that I enjoyed reading it overall but don’t know what to think of it now that it’s done. I initially thought the twist at the end that brought it all down was overkill, but I think it’s fairly realistic and can’t think of another way for things to have played out. But overall, I kind of have the feeling of, “Okay, I read that.” It didn’t change me, it’s not something I’ll re-read, but I’m not angry I read it and I like the author’s writing enough to read another book by her, which I think is a favorable review overall.
Perfect Little Children by Sophie Hannah. This story was not compelling enough for a novel for me. A novella, maaaaybe. I initially found the concept interesting but it dragged on way too long, the suspense seemed low stakes, and it took forever to get a resolution. And that resolution was not particularly thrilling or dangerous to me, so by the end, I felt like I’d read all that for nothing.
Beyond a Reasonable Stout by Ellie Alexander. I think this was my least favorite murder in the series so far, but I did like how it all came to a head without being the typical cozy mystery “risky” resolution. I also love how the brewery is developing.
Without a Brew by Ellie Alexander. This has been my favorite mystery yet in this series. I think it was really interesting how it all came together and it kept me guessing the whole time.
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