The Wedding People by Alison Espach

The Wedding People by Alison Espach ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I thought this would be light and funny, but a summary did say it had a dark premise and is grim in parts. At 14% in, I wasn't sure I wanted to keep reading. I gave it one more try and finished it. I think the author lays it on too thick at the start but then smooths it out. I felt frustrated by the caricature-like nature of some of the characters and it felt longer in places than needed, but overall appreciated how it came together. I enjoyed what it was saying about being human and how many of us share the same fears and doubts.

The Black Bird Oracle (All Souls #5) by Deborah Harkness

The Black Bird Oracle (All Souls #5) by Deborah Harkness ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 This had a great combo of magical cozy autumn vibes while taking place over the summer. I felt like it dragged in a few spots and could have been shorter than 464 pages, but overall I really enjoyed the new characters and setting that were introduced.

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This started a bit slow and the characters sometimes annoyed me, but it was propulsive and I sped up my reading once I hit about the halfway mark. I will continue reading the series.

Time’s Convert (All Souls #4) by Deborah Harkness

Time’s Convert (All Souls #4) by Deborah Harkness ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I had low expectations based on reviews, and it did seem 100-150 pages longer than it needed to be, but it was still fairly enjoyable and I like the backstory on Marcus more than the part featuring Phoebe's transformation. Excited for the next book.