Reviews: THE MAID & RECKLESS GIRLS
I’m not Sharon and it’s not Thriller Thursday, but today I have two mystery/thriller reviews to share. One is in the vein of a cozy mystery, while the other is somewhat of a locked door mystery that reminds me a lot of the TV show Lost. I read both of these while I was on vacation the week after Christmas and quite enjoyed them.
The Maid Goodreads Author: Nita Prose
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Ballatine Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The Maid by Nita Prose follows a lovable, quirky maid named Molly who discovers a dead man in one of the hotel rooms she cleans and then ends up wrongfully accused of the man’s murder.
Molly is such a unique and charming character that I fell in love with her right away. She may only be 25 but she has somewhat of an old soul, probably because she was raised by her recently-deceased grandmother. Molly is all about cleanliness and order, and so she loves working as a maid to help bring a sense of order to the lives of others. It was actually adorable listening to her describe her work with such pride and passion. She reminded me a bit of Mary Poppins! Although she comes across as this old soul, Molly is also quite naïve and innocent in the ways of the world. When someone befriends her, she immediately trusts that their motives are sincere. Her trusting nature, endearing as it is, is unfortunately what lands her in hot water regarding Mr. Black, the murdered hotel guest.
The bulk of the story follows Molly as she sets out to prove her innocence and to figure out what really happened to Mr. Black. I don’t want to give away too many details about the plot itself since it is a murder mystery, but I did want to share that what made this such a special read for me was that the entire story comes to us from Molly’s perspective. As you can imagine based on what I’ve shared about Molly and the way she views the world, it’s quite an interesting and unique perspective.
Molly stole my heart and had me cheering her on to prove her innocence, but there were also several other fantastic characters in the story, a number of whom come to Molly’s aid because they believe in her and because they know she has no one else in her corner now that her grandmother has passed away. There’s a definite “found family” vibe with these characters and I loved that for Molly. It’s not often that I think of a murder mystery as having a heart-warming element, but this one definitely does.
The Maid is an engaging mystery that is filled with twists and turns and features a heroine that you can’t help rooting for. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries, especially cozies. 4.5 STARS
Reckless Girls Goodreads
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is advertised as being perfect for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware and I agree wholeheartedly as those two authors immediately came to mind once I started reading this book. Reckless Girls is a variation on the locked door mystery in the sense that it takes place on an isolated island in the Pacific Ocean and the characters in the book end up stranded there. We all know that no good can come from that and as the story unfolds, we get to see firsthand just how bad things can get.
The novel’s main character is Lux, a young woman who has recently been fired from her job and is temporarily crashing at a friend’s place with her boyfriend. In need of cash and eager for an adventure, Lux and her boyfriend accept an offer to earn a tremendous amount of money by sailing two women, Amma and Britney, out to a remote island in the South Pacific that they keep hearing about. What they don’t realize is that they’re about to get way more adventure than they had planned on, starting with a treacherous storm that nearly capsizes their boat before they even get to the island. When they finally make it to the island, they realize they won’t be alone because another man and woman apparently had the same idea they did. No worries though. The more the merrier, right? That is, until yet another stranger shows up and things take an ominous turn. Missing people, disappearing boats, sabotaged radio equipment, the list goes on and on. If they’re alone on the island, who is responsible?
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that the most fascinating part of the book for me were the backstories we get on each of the other characters who are on the island with Lux. As their stories unfold, it becomes clear that no one is as they seem and there are definitely some hidden agendas as to why they have all converged on this island at the same time. I enjoyed watching all of their threads come together to give a complete picture, especially as we follow Lux who is trying to put all of the same pieces together we are. Hawkins definitely kept me guessing the truth about all of them until the very end.
Aside from the twisty mystery itself, I also really loved how atmospheric the story is. The island itself has an ominous, creepy history that we learn about as the story progresses. It reminded me a lot of the TV show, Lost. The story also has a Gothic, almost supernatural vibe to it at times.
One element that surprised me was that I didn’t really like any of the characters in the book. I guess Lux is probably the one I cared about the most, but even then, I wasn’t overly attached to her. Normally I don’t like books where I don’t feel like I’m rooting for anyone, but with this book, I was so curious about what bad things would happen next and whether or not they would all make it off the island alive, that not liking them didn’t really bother me.
If twisty thrillers, locked door mysteries, and Gothic settings are your jam, be sure to check out Reckless Girls. 3.5 STARS
Top Ten Tuesday – My 10 Most Anticipated Reads for the First Half of 2022
Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Top Ten Tuesday has been one of my favorite memes ever since I started blogging, so huge thanks to Jana for taking over the hosting duties!
This week’s TTT topic is Most Anticipated Releases of the First Half of 2022. This is an especially easy topic this time because several of my favorite authors have new books coming out in the next six months. I have ARCs for several of these and have pre-ordered the rest because I’m so excited to read them.
My Most Anticipated Releases of the First Half of 2022
1. GALLANT by V.E. Schwab – “Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source. #1 New York Times–bestselling author Victoria Schwab weaves a dark and original tale about the place where the world meets its shadow, and the young woman beckoned by both sides. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak in this stand-alone novel perfect for readers of Holly Black and Neil Gaiman.”
2. BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry – “Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby. Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away…But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor…If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.”
3. MR. WRONG NUMBER by Lynn Painter – “Things get textual when a steamy message from a random wrong number turns into a thrilling anonymous relationship in this hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter.”
4. HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER by Tessa Bailey – “In the follow-up to It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey delivers another deliciously fun rom-com about a former player who accidentally falls for his best friend while trying to help her land a different man…”
5. BOOK OF NIGHT by Holly Black – “#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies in the vein of Ninth House and The Night Circus.”
6. ADULT ASSEMBLY REQUIRED by Abbi Waxman – “A young woman arrives in Los Angeles determined to start over, and discovers she doesn’t need to leave everything behind after all, from Abbi Waxman, USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.”
7. ONE NIGHT ON THE ISLAND by Josie Silver – “Spending her thirtieth birthday alone is the last thing that dating columnist Cleo wanted, but she is going on a self-coupling quasi-sabbatical–at the insistence of her boss–in the name of re-energizing herself and adding a new perspective to her column. The remote Irish island she’s booked is a far cry from London, but at least it’s a chance to hunker down in a luxury cabin and indulge in some quiet, solitary self-care while she figures out her next steps in her love life and her career. Mac is also looking forward to some time to himself. With his life in Boston deteriorating in ways he can’t bring himself to acknowledge, his soul searching has brought him to the same Irish island in search of his roots and some clarity. Unfortunately, a mix-up with the bookings means both solitude seekers have reserved the same one-bedroom hideaway on exactly the same dates. Instantly at odds with each other, Cleo and Mac don’t know how they’re going to manage until the next weekly ferry arrives. But as the days go by, they no longer seem to mind each other’s company quite as much as they thought they would…Written with Josie Silver’s signature warmth, charm and insights into the human heart, One Night on the Island explores the meaning of home, the joys of escape and how the things we think we want are never the things we really need..”
8. SOMETHING WILDER by Christina Lauren – “From the authors of the “heartfelt and funny” (Publishers Weekly) sensation The Unhoneymooners, this page-turning adventure full of second chances, complicated relationships, and the breathtaking beauty of the American Southwest will take fans on one wild ride.”
9. THE MAGNOLIA PALACE by Fiona Davis – “Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Lions of Fifth Avenue, returns with a tantalizing novel about the secrets, betrayal, and murder within one of New York City’s most impressive Gilded Age mansions.”
10. THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET by Diane Chamberlain – “From bestselling author Diane Chamberlain comes an irresistible new novel that perfectly interweaves history, mystery, and social justice. When Kayla Carter’s husband dies in an accident while building their dream house, she knows she has to stay strong for their four-year-old daughter. But the trophy home in Shadow Ridge Estates, a new development in sleepy Round Hill, North Carolina, will always hold tragic memories. But when she is confronted by an odd, older woman telling her not to move in, she almost agrees. It’s clear this woman has some kind of connection to the area…and a connection to Kayla herself. Kayla’s elderly new neighbor, Ellie Hockley, is more welcoming, but it’s clear she, too, has secrets that stretch back almost fifty years. Is Ellie on a quest to right the wrongs of the past? And does the house at the end of the street hold the key? Told in dual time periods, The Last House on the Street is a novel of shocking prejudice and violence, forbidden love, the search for justice, and the tangled vines of two families.”
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Question: Are you planning to read any of these?
Reviews: WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE & 30 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MYSELF
Happy New Year, everyone! Here’s hoping that 2022 is good to all of us, both in terms of our lives in general and of course in terms of our reads for the upcoming year. Today I’m sharing my first reviews of 2022, a fun read from an author I enjoy, Emma Lord, and a thought-provoking read by a new-to-me author, Radhika Sanghani.
When You Get the Chance Goodreads Author: Emma Lord
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Wednesday Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
If, like me, you’re a huge fan of the musical Mamma Mia, you’re going to just fall in love with Emma Lord’s latest contemporary romance, When You Get the Chance. It follows Millie Price, a talented teen who has dreamed of becoming a Broadway star from the moment she saw her first musical. She’s determined to get there and nothing and no one will stand in her way – not her overprotective father, not her drama club rival Oliver, not even her own intensely emotional moments of self-doubt. When Millie secretly applies to an elite high school drama school and gets accepted, her dad says no way.
Millie decides she needs someone on her side and thus embarks on a search to find the mother she has never known. She thinks she has hit the jackpot when she stumbles across her dad’s LiveJournal from 2003. After reading post after cringy embarrassing post, Millie has come up with a list of three possible women who might be her mother. First there’s Steph, an aspiring actress who works as a receptionist at a local talent agency. Then there’s Farrah, a dance teacher in the area. And finally, there’s Beth, a fellow musical theater enthusiast who also happens to have a daughter just a couple years younger than Millie. Millie sets out on a mission to get to know all three of these women in hopes that it will become obvious who her mom is, and thus begins her “Millie Mia” journey, which is the focus of this book.
I had so much fun reading this book! I adored Millie and was fully invested in both her dream of being on Broadway and her search for her birth mom. I loved her spirit and her sense of determination. I also fell in love with basically all the other characters in the book too. Millie’s nerdy dad and cool aunt are both so fantastic and so supportive of her, even if they don’t necessarily agree with her choice of schools. Millie’s best friend and neighbor, Teddy, is a sweetheart and I loved the closeness of their friendship. Steph, Farrah, and Beth were all so delightful that I couldn’t even decide which one I hoped would turn out to be Millie’s mom. Millie’s nemesis, Oliver, is also fabulous. I loved watching the two of them interact when they both end up working as interns at the same talent agency. Their escalating rivalry is hilarious, especially since it’s pretty clear they’re both just hiding their true feelings for one another.
If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming story about family, friendship, and following your heart that also features an utterly delightful cast of characters, I highly recommend Emma Lord’s When You Get the Chance. 4.5 STARS
30 Things I Love about Myself Goodreads
Author: Radhika Sanghani
Publication Date: January 4, 2022
Publisher: Berkley Books
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Life is not going well for Nina Mistry. Her career is going nowhere, she has just broken up with her fiancé and moved back home with her overbearing mother, and as if that isn’t enough, she finds herself locked up in jail on her 30th birthday wearing only her pajamas. While sitting in her cell contemplating the sad state of her life, Nina finds herself in possession of a self-help book called “How to Fix Your Shitty Life by Loving Yourself,” Nina decides to embrace the philosophy of this book and it turns out to be a life changing experience for her. 30 Things I Love About Myself by Radhika Sanghani follows Nina on her journey of self-discovery and self-love.
Nina’s journey to find 30 things she loves about herself is compelling and it’s one that had me wondering if I could find anywhere near 30 things I loved about myself. I found myself very interested in what kind of wisdom Nina’s self-help book would dole out and even though some of Nina’s experiences as she follows the book’s instructions might be a little over the top for dramatic purposes, I think the essence of the story is one that many readers, especially those right around Nina’s age, will relate to. Nina makes plenty of mistakes along the way as she pushes herself out of her comfort zone, but overall, the book’s advice to embrace bold actions and try new things, whether it’s yoga, meditation, or even tantric sex is truly the game changer Nina needs.
While I enjoyed following Nina on her journey, I do have to confess that I found my attention wandering a little by about the halfway point. I think part of that was that her story is so sad in the early stages that I found it somewhat draining, especially since I was grieving the loss of two loved ones around the time I read this book. I probably wasn’t in the best headspace to read a book about someone hitting rock bottom. Plus, her brother, who is also living with their mom, is suffering from depression and can barely function, which was also just so heartbreaking to watch. Thankfully though, the more Nina learns about herself and continues to build her list of 30 things, the more upbeat and hopeful the story got.
Even though the emotional weight of the book made me struggle with it a bit, I still think 30 Things I Love About Myself is a very worthwhile read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about self-love or who may be looking for inspiration to embark on a similar journey. 3.5 STARS