The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (NetGalley ARC, pub 2/17)

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn (NetGalley ARC, pub 2/17) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This story started a little bit slow to me and I found the main character's backstory more tedious than sympathetic. But once we made it to the Astral Library the story picked up and I loved how imaginative it was. There were no huge surprises but I enjoyed the ride and the cast of supporting characters, especially The Librarian. A modern story for the timeless value of books and the sanctuary of libraries. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Humor Me by Chris Duffy (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/6)

I’m glad that Ingrid Fetell Lee chose this as the next book club pick as it wouldn’t have been on my radar otherwise. I liked how he wrote about humor in various contexts such as how and when to laugh at yourself (and when that goes too far), how to use humor for social connection, in a political sense, and even to acknowledge grief and resilience. It was also interesting for me to read this as I started a new job and am thinking a lot about establishing new relationships in the workplace. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/20)

Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/20) ⭐⭐ I read a teaser in a Minotaur samplers and was intrigued enough to request the full book when it became available. This book had sections that made me enjoy it, but also a lot of cringe moment. I flat out disliked the main character which is a big challenge, and it felt very slow going for much of the book - it was much longer than it needed to be. There was also an interlude where it was trying to be a romance and I just found that unnecessary. By the end I couldn't understand what anyone saw in the MC and why they stood by her, and her growth was minimal and the unraveling of the mystery was just not that satisfying. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Inside Man (Head Cases #2) by John McMahon (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/13)

Inside Man (Head Cases #2) by John McMahon (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/13) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book makes me willing to reconsider the thriller genre. You know that feeling when you’re worried you are reading a book too fast, and want to make yourself slow down more to savor it? That happened with this book. It had been a year since the first book in the series, but I was able to drop right back in with the characters and it was just as fast-paced and exciting as the first book. I hope there are more books coming and this author is now an auto-read for me. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

That Murder Feeling by Neve Maslakovic (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/13)

That Murder Feeling by Neve Maslakovic (NetGalley ARC, pub 1/13) three and a half stars. This book ended up being a mixed bag for me. I thought the premise (a PI who can see people’s emotions) was interesting and it was set in 1985 so it counts as historical mystery. But as the story went on, it seemed to lean heavily on dialogue between the characters discussing events and suspects and there was not enough action. The soul garden theme also felt convoluted and hard to follow so I grew impatient as I read the book despite liking the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronika Dapunt

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronika Dapunt ⭐⭐💫 I agree with other reviewers who felt like the blurb for this book didn't align with what it actually is. Some of this I liked, but it felt like it need to have 100 pages cut to make for a shorter story - it was really hard to stay with the meandering plot and I don't understand why it didn't have sharper editing. I liked the ending well enough, but it felt like a very roundabout way of saying something not all that original. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Fire Must Burn (Sparks & Bainbridge, #8) by Allison Montclair

Longtime Sparks & Bainbridge fan and quite happy to receive the latest ARC. You know you're a big fan when you wish the page count was longer. I enjoyed learning some of the Cambridge backstory but I found that the flashbacks sometimes took me out of the story. I was happy to be reunited with this duo and seeing the story edge its way into some new territory. For me, the story had darker themes both in terms of the content and ending compared to earlier books. This book also had a sharp focus on Sparks and Bainbridge with limited time for secondary characters. I'm excited to read what will unfold next! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.