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.

The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook by Sana Javeri Kadri & Asha Loupy

The Diaspora Spice Co. Cookbook by Sana Javeri Kadri & Asha Loupy (NetGalley ARC, pub 3/3) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I was really excited to be given an ARC to preview this cookbook. I’ve followed this company since they only offered two spices. Early in the book there is a page called “where to begin” that helpfully organizes recipes into categories such as beginner friendly, 45 minutes or less, freezer friendly, good for CSA overflow, etc. There is also a section dedicated making your own spice blends, which are key building blocks for these recipes. The spice blends are also very accessible, generally requiring no more than toasting and grinding spices. There are sections based on the families who shared their recipes and details about the land on which these spices are grown, as well as organization of spices by course. This book is a lovely recipe of history, culture, and flavor. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Picasso Heist by James Patterson & Howard Roughan (NetGalley ARC, pub 10/13)

The Picasso Heist by James Patterson & Howard Roughan (NetGalley ARC, pub 10/13) ⭐⭐⭐💫 I was excited to read my first Patterson novel plus the timing of the recent Louvre theft made this book appealing. This book throws a lot of characters at you, but none are memorable or pleasant. The cons are nested inside of cons, like Russian matryoshka dolls. There were parts that were propulsive, but it felt too long and tedious at times for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Daily Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (NetGalley ARC, pub 11/25)

The Daily Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (NetGalley ARC, pub 11/25) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book really lends itself to a page a day format, so it’s hard to review reading it as if it were one story. I really like the writing prompts and the quick summary at the start around morning pages and artist dates. Taking another crack at The Artist’s Way feels doable with the help of this book to guide me over the course of the year. I’m looking forward to rereading it at the start of 2026. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Minotaur Sampler Vol 19 by multiple authors (NetGalley ARC, pub 12/2)

Minotaur Sampler Vol 19 by multiple authors (NetGalley ARC, pub 12/2) ⭐⭐⭐⭐Another good sampler to try out some upcoming releases. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof - I didn’t find the writing to be very clear so I found my attention drifting even though the premise (a dog investigator) was amusing. Harmless Women - This has good writing and was fast-moving but I think a little too creepy/thrillery for my taste. Stakeouts and Strollers - the attempt to blend humor and baby jokes with an investigation didn’t work for me. Liar’s Creek - the setting and story setup piqued my interest, so I grabbed the full ARC of this. Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies - A mystery rom-com with solid writing and the preview gave me enough setup to be invested - grabbed the full ARC. Dark Is When the Devil Comes - dark and atmospheric but didn’t engage me enough to want more. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 18: New Books to Make Your Heart Race

The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 18: New Books to Make Your Heart Race

A great sampler of some upcoming new releases in the mystery/thriller genre. Standouts for me were:

-Wreck Your Heart - about a country singer in Chicago (strong sense of place) navigating murder and family drama

-How to Get Away with Murder - following a Scotland Yard detective recovering from a trauma hunting down a serial killer who published a self-help book on murder

-Murder Will Out - another story with a strong sense of place, this time in Maine, investigating the mysterious death of her estranged godmother

These stories give me enough of a taste to determine which books I wish to go back and read in full. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow (NetGalley ARC, pub 10/28) ⭐⭐⭐ I struggled with this book. I really liked the idea of it and the writing was good, but I found the time loop descriptions overly repetitive and in need of much stronger editing. I also didn't find that the romance worked all that well for me. While there were elements I liked, this book took a lot of effort to get through with the last 30% being the most interesting to me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.