The Mystery of Locked Rooms by Lindsay Currie. This was a fun, adventurous read, but I felt like the problems the main character and her friends had felt really tacked on just to give the story depth. There was also a lot of detail in some scenes, then the book would totally skip over some major action just to get them to the next room/plot point. Younger readers who like Mr. Limoncello, Book Scavenger, etc, would probably like this.
The Cure for What Ales You by Ellie Alexander. This was a major book in terms of the background story of Sloan’s history, but I found it a bit tough to follow. I couldn’t piece together everything she was discovering about people from her past and have it make sense, so it fell flat for me.
The Tattered Cover by Ellery Adams. This one took a bit for me to get into, and I’m not 100% on board with Nora and McCabe moving forward for some reason, but I’m so invested in the series that I’m sure it’ll work out and I’ll be fine with it. This one felt a bit scrambled to me, but that might have just been my mindset as I was reading it. I felt like it wasn’t as rooted in the town or bookstore this time for some reason.
Heart the Lover by Lily King. I LOVE Writers & Lovers so when I heard this was connected, I knew I had to read it. King’s writing is fantastic and though the ending seemed a little overwrought, that final line SENT ME. I immediately got out my copy of Writers & Lovers to re-read (it’s been 4 years!).
Writers & Lovers by Lily King. This is my third read of the book and it never fails to put me in such a comforted state of mind, as strange as that may sound. Something about the writers surrounded by writers fuels my creativity. This time I was reading it to better understand how Heart the Lover fit in but it still conveyed the same mood and got me writing.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. This book was interesting until incel Shiraha came into play. His rants were too realistic and repetitive, so I had to skim a lot of his sections. The resolution definitely improved my thoughts of the book, but I was much more intrigued by the essay included at the end that spawned the book idea. I like the concept of the romantic relationship with the store more than the overall novel itself.
Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen by Vicki Delany. I’m not a huge Christmas fan but liked the idea of this Christmas town and thought I’d give the book a try to get in the spirit. However, it fell flat for me. The main character felt like a paper doll in her actions and reactions. And she had two men pursuing her but didn’t seem to care, and it wasn’t really played up much, despite basically being the cliffhanger at the end of the book. It wasn’t compelling enough for me to want to continue the series.
Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond. I heard there was a new third book in this series so I wanted to re-read the first. This is SO cozy to me - I love the mystery dinner theater concept, and set in a castle makes it that much better. This is one I'll definitely re-read again.
Castle Deadly, Castle Deep by Veronica Bond. This one didn’t pull me in as much as the first. I thought Nora’s relationship drama seemed kind of middle school and immature, and that dragged on for most of the story. Some of the twists were good though, so the ending redeemed the book overall.
Sky Daddy by Kate Folk. I wanted to read this book because the title made me laugh and I was curious about how the concept would play out, but damn did it become my favorite read in December 2025! I read it in about a day and keep thinking about it. I wish it had gone on longer just because I want to immerse myself in Linda’s world more, but I have to say the ending is PERFECT and I would be so angry if it ended any other way.
Death at a Castle Christmas by Veronica Bond. This was a bit too sweet for me. It felt like it was more of a clean romance than a cozy mystery. The ending seemed especially over the top, with everyone getting engaged for Christmas? After dating six months? I also felt like the storyline of the men trying to find treasure in the castle was a bit too similar to the last book, which is disappointing. I’d read another installment if it went back to “seeing” the murder mysteries performed in the castle - I think there could be 3 or 4 unique storylines around that concept and I wouldn’t think it was too played out.
Mrs. Wilson's Affair by Allyson Reedy. I wanted to love this one. It’s no secret I love Gatsby and retellings, and I was interested to see things from Myrtle’s point of view. But this was a real struggle to get through. Most of it was Myrtle’s interior thoughts, and I get that happens when you’re isolated and having an affair, but they were SO repetitive. Then there were weird little asides that made me all too aware I was reading a book, like “Since Myrtle wasn’t present enough to recount the details, here they are:” and “The sins, for the uninitiated or the merely forgetful, are:” Some of it was also really heavy-handed, like after showing Myrtle thinking of two things, it literally says “One symbol actually there; the other imagined.” You’ve got to trust the reader to pick up on these things. Way too much telling rather than showing. I think affairs have so much potential for emotions and guilt and hopefulness and I didn’t feel any of that here.
Always Happy Hour by Mary Miller. I’ve been wanting to read more short stories and this collection interested me with Miller’s Mississippi proximity. I like her writing a lot but the stories were pretty depressing, which I understand can be the point and “the vibe” and that’s fine! But so many were little glimpses of bad relationships with bad boyfriends and it became hard to tell them apart after a few. I like the narrators and would like to see them in different situations instead of always centering men.
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. I’ve been reading the YA version of this book but read the OG (well, not the REAL original, but still) for a Sisters in Crime book club-type discussion. It’s really helpful to learn how the same story beats can work in so many different ways to help you ensure your idea is complete enough for a novel.