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reading_under_covers's reviews
1584 reviews
The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs
4.0
This book was such a fun time! It was quirky, chaotic, and had so many ridiculous moments that made a book about murdering husbands a riot of a time.
Thanks to William Morrow and Libro.fm for the physical and audio copies of this book for review!
Thanks to William Morrow and Libro.fm for the physical and audio copies of this book for review!
The Thrashers by Julie Soto
4.0
"The night I died was supposed to be my prom night."
It's the night of the junior/senior prom when Emily dies and eyes are immediately turned to the cliquey popular friend group - the Thrashers. As the blame for Emily's death is cast to them, tragedy seems to follow the group around and soon the police are also out to get them. Will they get themselves out of trouble or will somebody else get "thrashed"?
THE THRASHERS is my first read from Julie Soto and it should be no surprise that it's her first thriller as well!
This story was 👏binge👏worth👏y👏
When I say the tea is piping and that it's giving Pretty Little Liars and the messiest of high school drama and a toxic friend group (that you also feel on the outs of *oooh drama*) I SAY IT WITH MY CHEST.
The mystery was intriguing and had some fun paranormal elements, and there were several instances throughout the story that had me crying (in public, mind you) because Soto's character work was done so well.
There were some points that had me ~annoyed~ hence the 4 stars, but dang I hope there's a sequel!
Definitely recommend this one if you're new to the thriller genre and still want some of that romance sprinkled in 🤭
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the early copy for review - out May 6!
It's the night of the junior/senior prom when Emily dies and eyes are immediately turned to the cliquey popular friend group - the Thrashers. As the blame for Emily's death is cast to them, tragedy seems to follow the group around and soon the police are also out to get them. Will they get themselves out of trouble or will somebody else get "thrashed"?
THE THRASHERS is my first read from Julie Soto and it should be no surprise that it's her first thriller as well!
This story was 👏binge👏worth👏y👏
When I say the tea is piping and that it's giving Pretty Little Liars and the messiest of high school drama and a toxic friend group (that you also feel on the outs of *oooh drama*) I SAY IT WITH MY CHEST.
The mystery was intriguing and had some fun paranormal elements, and there were several instances throughout the story that had me crying (in public, mind you) because Soto's character work was done so well.
There were some points that had me ~annoyed~ hence the 4 stars, but dang I hope there's a sequel!
Definitely recommend this one if you're new to the thriller genre and still want some of that romance sprinkled in 🤭
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for the early copy for review - out May 6!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Suicide, Death of parent
Polybius by Collin Armstrong
4.0
"I want to be as blunt as possible about this: the game is not safe to play."
I can't believe POLYBIUS is a debut! The setting, atmosphere, and overall world-building were really well-crafted.
I loved the urban legend surrounding this book and the arcade game within it and watching the small 80s town slowly crumble was eerie and unsettling, but also had me rooting for the teens like no other 😤
The pacing did slow down for me a bit around the halfway mark and the character list became quite extensive, but, if this book is a sign of anything, it's that Armstrong knows how to write a damn creepy story!
I'm looking forward to what he may be writing next - and can we have a moment of silence for this cover?? 🙇♀️
Thanks to Gallery Books for my free copy for review!
I can't believe POLYBIUS is a debut! The setting, atmosphere, and overall world-building were really well-crafted.
I loved the urban legend surrounding this book and the arcade game within it and watching the small 80s town slowly crumble was eerie and unsettling, but also had me rooting for the teens like no other 😤
The pacing did slow down for me a bit around the halfway mark and the character list became quite extensive, but, if this book is a sign of anything, it's that Armstrong knows how to write a damn creepy story!
I'm looking forward to what he may be writing next - and can we have a moment of silence for this cover?? 🙇♀️
Thanks to Gallery Books for my free copy for review!
Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie
4.5
This story was just so fun and sassy!
It was surprising to see a book from the 30s (Agatha’s no less) throwing around words like “bitches” 😂
A lot of interesting insights in this one on women and the men who seek out younger women.
It was surprising to see a book from the 30s (Agatha’s no less) throwing around words like “bitches” 😂
A lot of interesting insights in this one on women and the men who seek out younger women.
How to Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin
4.0
"People who know too much about the skeletons in the Gravesdown closets? They tend to disappear."
HOW TO SEAL YOUR OWN FATE by Kristen Perrin brings us back to Castle Knoll with Annie Adams as she finds herself framed for the murder of fortune teller Peony Lane shortly after she delivered a cryptic message to Annie.
It was so much fun to be back in this world and with these characters! I love the way Perrin writes a cozy mystery and how this story connected so much to the first book in this series (a note that you should have prior knowledge from the first before diving into this one)!
The Gravesdown Estate was as picturesque as ever (despite the body count within its walls 🫢) and the dual timelines really aided in the mystery and in getting to know characters that no longer exist in the present timeline.
I can't wait to see where the mystery leads in the next Castle Knoll book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the early copy for review - out April 29!
HOW TO SEAL YOUR OWN FATE by Kristen Perrin brings us back to Castle Knoll with Annie Adams as she finds herself framed for the murder of fortune teller Peony Lane shortly after she delivered a cryptic message to Annie.
It was so much fun to be back in this world and with these characters! I love the way Perrin writes a cozy mystery and how this story connected so much to the first book in this series (a note that you should have prior knowledge from the first before diving into this one)!
The Gravesdown Estate was as picturesque as ever (despite the body count within its walls 🫢) and the dual timelines really aided in the mystery and in getting to know characters that no longer exist in the present timeline.
I can't wait to see where the mystery leads in the next Castle Knoll book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for the early copy for review - out April 29!
A Town with Half the Lights On by Page Getz
4.0
When Scarlet's father passes away and she inherits his old home and plot of land, her and her family find themselves treking from Brooklyn to a small town called Goodnight, Kansas. Her husband Sid just recently ran the diner his father and grandfather had before him into the ground and is looking for some time to distance himself from that fiasco, while saving up money to begin again in Brooklyn. What the family doesn't expect is for the city and people of Goodnight to change their lives in the way that they do.
A TOWN WITH HALF THE LIGHTS ON by Page Getz is a small town contemporary focused on love, loss, community, and failure.
It's an epistolary novel, meaning it's told entirely through emails, journal entries, newspaper articles, and letters, which I truly loved. It poses quite the challenge for the author when it comes to presenting us with a full story through these pointed views, bur Page did a wonderful job.
I laughed, I cried, I wanted to eat some really good food, and I just really enjoyed my time in Goodnight. The cast of characters was fun and sometimes kooky and I loved seeing them rally around one another when the going got tough.
At this point in writing this review, I'm realizing this is A DEBUT - I can only begin to imagine what Page might have in store for us next!
Thanks to NetGalley Sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy for review - out now!
A TOWN WITH HALF THE LIGHTS ON by Page Getz is a small town contemporary focused on love, loss, community, and failure.
It's an epistolary novel, meaning it's told entirely through emails, journal entries, newspaper articles, and letters, which I truly loved. It poses quite the challenge for the author when it comes to presenting us with a full story through these pointed views, bur Page did a wonderful job.
I laughed, I cried, I wanted to eat some really good food, and I just really enjoyed my time in Goodnight. The cast of characters was fun and sometimes kooky and I loved seeing them rally around one another when the going got tough.
At this point in writing this review, I'm realizing this is A DEBUT - I can only begin to imagine what Page might have in store for us next!
Thanks to NetGalley Sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy for review - out now!