Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd

Murder at Gulls Nest (Nora Breen Investigates #1) by Jess Kidd - I really like mystery and historical fiction as a combined genre, but this book was a lot slower paced than I prefer. I couldn't tell if that was deliberate or if it just needed some stronger editing. It created a strong sense of place but the exposition dragged on for me. The story had Gothic vibes which I was not expected, and is generally not my preference. But I enjoyed the writing enough to keep going and can see why this would make sense to become a series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto - Vera Wong strikes again. I overall enjoyed this book and even cried a little at the end. The challenges were that the books tries to retain all the characters from the last book while adding several new characters, so it becomes a bit confusing to remember who is who. There are also the same mannerisms that are sometimes cute, sometimes cringey. However, the key themes around found family, being honest and accepting yourself in order to move forward, and caring deeply for others are what make this a satisfying read. The author's note at the end is also worth reading to learn about some of the inspiration for the themes in this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.