reading

The Perfect Neighbour by Susanna Beard

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I read this in the height of my thriller obsession and even though the book kept me reading and guessing I was not as obsessed with this one as the others. The book read with a really easy flow, and I really enjoyed Beard’s writing style. You can tell that the author loved writing this book and put a lot of work into the research behind some of the themes of this book.

“Falling in love, a first kiss, the late teenage years, full of possibilities. I miss my family, my mama, my papa, my little sister, my lovely cousin Elena. The joy of a hug. Human contact. The anguish is a twist in my chest, a rock in my belly.” 

When Beth moves into a house she just wants to fit into this perfect neighbourhood; she wants a new group of friends, a new job and she desperately wants to become friends with her new neighbour Oksana. However, when she runs into her garden one day after her runaway dog, she sees a girls face in the window. With a sign baring two words. HELP ME. Beth quickly wants to discover who this girl is and figure out what is going on in this quiet neighbourhood. 

Starting with my favourite part of this book which was the dual perspective. I loved seeing both sides of the story through the different situations in the book. It also always left you on a cliff hanger and wanting more from the story. It was an element you do not often get in thriller books but one I really enjoyed. 

“If you have hope, every small disappointment, every single, tiny failure builds and grows into a huge mass until your mind can’t deal with it anymore and you go mad.”

The story started off strong but once it got to the middle it really started to go slowly. By the end I was just waiting for the ending, and I knew exactly what was going to happen. I was happy with the ending, but it was predictable, and I was waiting for the shock factor just a little bit. I wanted to be left on the edge of my seat, but I did not find that in the end. 

The focus on the real-world issues was really heart-breaking to read about since it is something that does not get as much attention as it should in the media. Human trafficking is an issue that should be addressed more and seeing Sofia’s despair throughout the book was really hard to read about. Susanna Beard has clearly done her research surrounding the topic and it feels authentic in the book. 

This book was a page turned which is ultimately why I ended up giving it three stars however I just wanted more twists and turns for a thriller. I would be interested in reading her future works and I really respect the work and research that went in this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things by Amanda Lovelace

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I read a few of Amanda Lovelaces books before I picked up this one. However, I felt like this one did not sit with me as much as the other collections did. I felt like I had read it all before during different feminist poetry collections. Despite really looking forward to this one due to it having mythology references I did not enjoy it half as much. The mythology aspect was definitely my favourite aspect of this book. 

“Never once has she felt as if she’s interesting enough to be the daring heroine of her own story, & she’s oddly okay with that. —she likes being nobody.”

Flower Crowns and Fearsome Things is Amanda Lovelaces delve into poetry through mythology and folktale inspired poems. Whilst this was a little shorter than Lovelaces previous collections it did not feel too different to me in size and there was still plenty of poems to enjoy and read. 

My favourite aspect of this poetry collection was the fact it focused on mythology specifically Persephone, goddess of spring and the underworld. One of my favourite people from the Greek myths and I was so excited to see how she brought her across in the style of poetry. The symbolism with the flowers portrayed Persephone so well and by bringing in more masculine aspects just perfectly portrayed Persephone as the strong, independent woman that she is. It showed women as strong, powerful, fierce and formidable which was my favourite aspect throughout. 

“Being friends with girls isn’t TOO MUCH DRAMA, but you know what is? Constantly trying to burn your sisters…at the stake out of pettiness & resentment when you could just support them instead…”

Lovelace brings across difficult aspects of life and makes you realise that you are not alone in these feelings. However, I feel as though this was portrayed better within previous works. There were certain quotes that really resigned with me throughout but only a few stuck with me once the collection had ended. I just did not feel absorbed by the writing as I had previously, and I felt as though this was more like quotes, I would see on Instagram rather than an actual poem collection. 

Overall, I would go back to Amanda Lovelaces works however this one didn’t hit home with me. I ended up rating the book a two and a half stars. I loved the myth retelling but that was where my love of this book extended too. Hopefully the next Lovelace book I pick up I will love just as much as I loved her previous works. 

Love In The Time Of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

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This book was made for me. I am the girl obsessed with true crime always suspecting people of crimes that I know they haven’t committed. And I felt all of this reflected in this book. Alicia Thompson writes such a funny and loving book about a girl who is obsessed with serial killers but still finds love along the way and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next. This book was one of my favourite kinds of romcoms; easy to read and funny in all the right places. Also how cute is the cover!

“It made me dream, for one night at least, of something I hadn’t even dared to as a young girl lying in this same bed— that all the pink heart valentine, sappy love song stuff might be real, and be something I could have.” 

Phoebe has just moved back home after her dad’s death in order to clean out his house whilst also trying to finish her dissertation on serial killers. However, when her new neighbour starts behaving suspiciously, she starts to suspect him of being a serial killer. But as she gets to know Sam, she starts to find herself feeling more than she has in a long time. As she starts to spend more time with her brother, old friends and Sam she begins to realise how much she suspects the worst and maybe something she finds much scarier is love. 

I loved the characters in this book. Phoebe is so prickly and sarcastic; she has a wall up and its going to take a lot to bring it down. Seeing her overcome these issues within this book was so interesting and seeing her interactions with Sam was adorable. Also, her writing her dissertation was so relatable to me at the moment as I am doing my masters, so I loved reading this aspect. Sam was the gender-reversed version of the girl next door. He was sweet, loving and you just wanted to know him in real life. Of course, her brother and his girlfriend were also just the cutest.

My main love of this book was the referencing to pop culture as well as true crime cases that were familiar to me. I did wish that it references how the true crime community can be harmful when taken to the extreme but other than that I loved the references. It showed that the author clearly had an interest in this topic, and I feel as a reader that I really enjoyed reading about it. 

“True crime is especially interesting, because it tends to reflect and shape our cultural attitudes toward crime in general.”

The writing style, the themes and the setting of this book was super enjoyable to me. I was worried that this book sounded too good to be true and I am so glad I loved it as much as I did. My favourite bit was definitely when Phoebe suspected Sam of being a serial killer in the beginning. The relationship aspect of this book was definitely a lot more than the romance which I really enjoyed. It was about Phoebes relationships with the people around her which was really refreshing to see rather than a pure focus on the romance. 

This book was just really fun and sweet. I gave it a four stars and it could even be a four and a half stars because I just had such an enjoyable time reading it. I wish there were more books that contained a romance as well as true crime aspects because I just loved the cross over! I would definitely read more of this authors work in the future and I hope she brings out more like this. 

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book for review!

Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy Review

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Elle Kennedy is definitely bringing a new heat to summer with her new series A Good Girls Complex. I adored the first book, and I was so excited to receive the second book from Hachette. Elle Kennedy is such a fun author to read from and I am instantly transported into her stories giving the perfect break from everyday life.

Bad Girl Reputation follows Genevieve after she returns from her year away. However, she is determined to move away from her bad girl image; no more partying or drinking and the biggest factor to that is her ex-boyfriend Evan. After she left him without any explanation Evan is determined to find out what exactly went wrong between him and Gen. They have a big history that extended past the passion and one year ago they ran wild together. As they set out on a summer of finding themselves, they realise that maybe they’re both after the same thing and that could mean that they finally must accept what might be right for each other is each other. 

This series is perfect if you are wanting to just relax into the story. The progression between the two characters and watching them develop from their messy past together. You can see how they mature within this book and become better people because of one another. 

“I’ve always loved myself best in Evan’s eyes. The adoring way he looks at me: part impressed, a little intimidated. But more so the person he thinks I am. The way he tells it, I’m invincible. Thunder and lightning. Not much scares me, and even less when he’s around.”

Watching the connection between them resume and grow was my favourite part of this book. They definitely have passion between that which is arguably mainly physical, but you can also tell that both of them care for each other more than that physicality. Their story is explosive and seeing them develop through these changes in their lives. 

The only part I was not as keen on was the love triangle within this book. I loved both boys involved and felt extremely bad for the other guy. I understand why it was necessary for the story, but it is not my thing in books, but I loved seeing how this developed how Gen and Evan interacted for the rest of the story and it seems like Harrison got his happy ending as well so it worked out in the end. This mixed in with the miscommunication made me want to throw my book at points despite still loving it. 

“There’s no point in either of us pretending we know how to stay away from each other. It’s chemistry.” 

My favourite part of this book was definitely the setting. The beach and the small town made me feel so warm and cosy. It definitely gave me the summer feels and made me want all the cold weather to disappear so I could go sit on a beach. Or get on a plane somewhere.

It was really fun seeing characters from the first book and see how their relationships have developed throughout. Cooper and Mackenzie showed up a lot and it was nice to see them although Cooper seemed a lot angrier in this one than the first. Of course, my favourite character showed up: Daisy the dog who of course is the true star of the show. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I did give it a four stars! I cannot wait to see who the next part of the series focuses on, and I will definitely be getting it as a summer read!

Thank you to Little Brown Books and Hachette who sent me my copy of this book in exchange for review!

You And Me On Vacation by Emily Henry

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This was my first Emily Henry book and although I can understand what the hype is about there was also some issues that I had with it. The dual perspective was great, and the travel aspects of the books were fun to read about. It is a friend to lovers with whit and close near misses with the protagonists and where there relationship lies at the end of it all.  

“I still have a lot to figure out, but the one thing I know is, wherever you are, that’s where I belong. I’ll never belong anywhere like I belong with you.” 

You and Me on Vacation follows Poppy and Alex. Twelve years ago, they met, and they hate each other convinced that they will never speak again and after eleven after he offers her a lift home forming a long friendship. Then two years ago everything goes wrong. This year Poppy offers Alex one last vacation to try and fix everything they do wrong. Showing their relationship as it develops throughout the years and the highs and lows of friendship, family and love.  

My favourite part of this book was definitely the dual timeline. It was so interesting seeing different snippets of their lives. It left you wondering the whole way through the book about what happened with Poppy and Alex and how it all led to this point. Although they’re complete opposites with Poppy being a complete extrovert whilst Alex loves spending time alone as with every classic rom com, they soon overcome their differences and find that friendship. So, seeing these two come together was really interesting to read about. I love the opposite attracts trope, so this was really fun. 

“Sometimes it feels like I didn’t even exist before that. Like you invented me.”

I loved reading about the vacations as well. From Tuscany to San Francisco as well as New Orleans I loved travelling through the pages of a book. The settings of the book are described so beautifully and made me feel as though I was actually there. Emily Henry has such a way with words and the settings as well as the side stories along the way filled me with a warm feeling as though I was on holiday myself. 

The only issue I had with this book was the miscommunication. Miscommunication is my least favourite trope All the conflict in this book could have been solved with a simple phone call or conversation. The big lead up to the reveal left me wondering why this issue was not solved years before it was and was not as bad as I expected it to be. 

Overall, this book was a perfect summer read and I recommend it for anyone looking for something to read on this beach this summer. The characters were fun to read about and even if you are not going on holiday, you feel like you’re on one. I am looking forward to getting to Emily Henry’s other works eventually. 

Top Ten Books of 2022

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I read some amazing books in 2022 which included some new favourites and I am so excited for the 2023 reading year. It was so hard to narrow down to ten picks for my 2022 favourite books and this is definitely not in any order but they are my top ten picks!

10. When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

This was one of my NetGalley books for this year and I cannot express how much I loved it. There’s a full review on my blog if you want to know my full thoughts on this but I thought this entire plot was amazing. When Millie Price’s dad decides that she’s not allowed to go to a prestigious drama school Millie takes it into her own hands. She attempts to reach out to her mum only there is three different potential women to choose from. I loved everything in this book; from the Broadway references to the dad-daughter relationship it had me smiling the whole way through. Millie was an extremely relatable character and watching her try and navigate through such a difficult point of her life was so interesting to me which is why it had to be in my top ten. 

9. The Righteous by Renée Ahdieh

This is the third instalment in Renée Ahdiehs the Beautiful series. This series follows Celine and Sebastian as Celine is introduced to the world of the vampires. This beautiful atmospheric world is one of my all-time favourite series. I love the characters and the character development throughout and I cannot recommend it more. This however did not make a higher spot because it followed Pippa instead of Celine in the lead roll and I did not find her as interesting as Celine’s side. However, I am so excited for the next book that comes out later in 2023. 

8. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint 

I have been loving Greek Mythology especially since I have booked to go to Athens in May. Jennifer Saint is definitely one of my favourites and this is now one of my favourite books. Ariadne follows the story of the princess of Crete as she grows up in the shadow of her brother the minotaur and as her story develops as Theseus arrives in Crete. The world of Greek myths is so rich and complex I love reading every moment. Ariadne is so complex and interesting to read about her decisions and how her life develops until the end. 

7. Amari and The Night Brothers by B.B. Alston

I have not read much middle grade in years but when my friend gifted me this book I read it immediately and loved every second. Amari follows Amari as she attempts to find her missing brother only to discover a briefcase that leads to a school of magic. This book has everything, mythical creatures, a school of magic and a deadly competition. Some of my favourite tropes all wrapped into one book. Amari is so interesting to follow and see her journey trying to find her brother. The school is insane, and I especially loved reading about each of the different departments. 

6. The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea by Axie Oh 

I have no words for this book. The entire thing was breath-taking. From the mythology to the world building and the descriptions I had no faults with this book. This follows Mina as she attempts to save her village and her brother by sacrificing herself to the Sea God as his bride. However, once there she learns the secret of the fact that the Sea God is in an enchanted sleep. It was whimsical and beautiful, and I could read about the Spirit Realm forever. This book made me feel loved and what more could you ask for from a book. I highly recommend picking up this one up if you have not already. 

5. Only A Monster by Vanessa Len

I received this one as both a Fairyloot book as well as a NetGalley review and my review is up if you wanted to know more of my thoughts, but I loved this book. The fact that this is a debut novel blows my mind. This follows a world where 66monsters and monster hunters actually exist. As they travel back in time Joan and Aaron are forced to work together as they are hunted through time. The romance in this was so interesting and I cannot wait to see how this develops in the next books. I also love time 66travel in books and seeing the characters interact within the time period they have gone back too. Another book I highly recommend picking up if you have not already. 

4. Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

I feel like out of all of Taylor Jenkins Reids books this is not at the top of anyone’s list but I loved this book. The Riva family are so complex and interesting to read about and I flew through this book. This follows the Riva siblings; Nina the supermodel, Jay the surfer, Hud the photographer and the baby sister Kit. As the time comes closer to the annual Riva end of summer party all the siblings have secrets and those are about to come to the surface. The sibling love is what made me love this book so much. It was so interesting to see how much they cared about each other yet how much they were hiding. But they were all banded together over one thing: the urge to love someone that is not there. 

3. The Sad Ghost Club by Lize Meddings 

This book series has my heart. I find them so relatable, heart-breaking but also heart-warming. I think it’s unusual to find yourself in a book like you can in this one. The writing is so beautiful, and the characters were so relatable. Sad Ghost Club is a graphic novel about a ghost who is having one of those days. When two people connect over their feelings it shows them form The Sad Ghost Club; a club where Sad Ghosts can come together and just display their feelings. This book makes me want to laugh and cry but makes me feel like I’m not so alone and I will definitely be rereading these many times. 

2. A Song Of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown 

As much as I loved all the other books in this list this one blew them out of the water. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin follows Malik and Karina, one who is escaping a war-torn country and the other who has just come into power over a country. When both set out for differing reasons to kill one another they realise not everything is as it seems. This book had everything. A deadly competition, assassinations, enemies to lovers. You name a great trope and this book had it. The characters were complex, and the mental illness representation was so interesting and important to read. I cannot believe this is her debut and I will be picking up everything she writes. 

1.Tomie by Junji Ito

I could not have a top ten list without Junji Ito and here it is. Tomie is my favourite Junji Ito book of all time. I have read quite a lot of his books this year, but I did not want to put more than one on this list. Tomie is beautiful and the artwork as always captured my attention the entire way through. Tomie is a beautiful girl with long black hair and a beauty spot under her eye who seduces any man she comes across. However, these are the men who usually end up murdering her. Junji Ito is one of my favourite authors of all time and I cannot believe someone’s brain comes up with these stories but as long as he writes them I will read them. 

So there is my top ten books of the year to star 2023. I hope you had the best reading year and have an amazing 2023. Let me know what your favourite books of the year was and what you are looking forward to reading this year!

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

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I was not expecting much from this book, but I definitely was not disappointed. Feeney creates the perfect atmosphere a private, isolated island on Halloween in the middle of a storm. This book was perfectly written with the intricate plot and prose which kept me gripped at every moment.

“Don’t spend all of your ambition on other peoples dreams.”

Daisy was diagnosed with a heart condition when she was little and since then she has not been allowed to do anything a normal child could do growing up. When the family is brought together on Halloween night for Nana’s birthday only for her eighty clocks to strike midnight and a scream to echo round the house. A creepy message on the wall and Nana dead on the floor with secrets about the family written in the poem.

The atmosphere in this book was perfect with the mysterious island and the storm. It gave a cozy atmosphere that you could just sit and read for hours. It makes it the perfect book for this autumn on a rainy day. Seaglass house is also beautiful with its unique design, the eighty clocks on the wall and the crazy colour pallets.

“Daisy Darker’s family were as dark as dark can be, when one of them died all of them lied and pretended not to see…”

This was definitely a mystery that gave the impression of a locked room mystery. The metaphors and the lyrical writing were beautiful but what really gripped me was the small poems about the family at the endings of the chapters. Each one was so interesting to read and only added to the mystery of the story. The atmosphere is perfectly written and the vintage elements such as the VHS tapes and the clocks on the walls makes this feel extremely homely.

This followed a dual timeline with half taking part in Daisy’s childhood and the other half taking part in the present. I preferred the childhood perspective which captured my attention a lot more and the twist really took me by surprise. At some points the present storyline seemed to follow the same plotline and became a little repetitive but otherwise was really interesting to see the family dynamics throughout.

Daisy Darker was definitely filled with twists and turns some of which were unfortunately predictable however, a lot of them I did not see coming. The ending was definitely a shock and whilst it could have been explained a little bit less, I did enjoy how the entire story was brought together, both the past and the present narrative.

The characters in this are flawed and imperfect bit fascinating to read about. They are really dysfunctional and unlikable, but they captivate you. This is a very character driven book which really explored the characters backgrounds extensively which made me feel as though I personally knew the characters. Especially the Nan who was amazing with her palm reading and her pink and purple clothing which I loved so much.

Alice Feeney is an author that I have not read before, but I will definitely be checking her backlog of books because I loved this one so much. I ended up giving it four stars simply for the fact that the childhood point of view kept my attention so much more than the present. It was so much fun and so perfect for the autumn time.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing me with this copy in return for a review.

When You Get The Chance by Emma Lord

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I have not read anything by Emma Lord before however when I heard that this book was a theatre kids dream, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. This is a Mamma Mia retelling however the genders of the parents are reversed. My face ached by the end of this book from smiling so much from this little book of sunshine. If you want a Mamma Mia meets Glee (because Millie is nothing if not dramatic and only what Rachel Berry dreams she could be).

“What were the last seventeen years of aggressive jazz hands and late nights watching bootleg Lea Salonga videos and openly weeping to the Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack for if not this?”

Millie Price is the stereotypical theatre kid who lives with her dad and her club owner aunt however when her dad decides to stop her from going to a prestige drama school, she decides to take things into her own hands. By reaching out to her mother who gave her away when she was born. Her best friend Teddy, a geocacher who can reach any information in seconds, finds her three potential mothers. When Millie decides she wants to speak to all of them she embarks on a summer full of theatre and plenty of drama.

Everything about this book made me smile but the dad and daughter relationship made this book for me. The relationship between Millie and her dad was heart-warming especially when they both begin to accept their relationship and watching them strengthen their relationship.

“She’s also single-handedly responsible for putting baritone heartthrob Baron Levait on the map.”

The musical theatre references were amazing, and I loved how they were referenced throughout this book. Also, the actor Baron Levait was such a subtle nod to the theatre industry, and I loved what his character brought to the book. I wish I had highlighted how many musicals were mentioned because it was like seeing myself in book format. This is Broadway in a book, and I need more.  

I loved this book because Millie felt so relatable. Her moods and dreams of going to a drama school made me so happy to see her develop throughout this book as a person and as an actor. Millie has so many questions that she needs answering and she’s struggling to find them showing her feeling lost.

Overall, this book was a fast-paced, drama filled book which left me wanting more and to be Millie Price. It was fun whilst covering serious issues accompanied by Broadway references and hilarious friendship moments. This book was undeniably a five out of five for me just because I loved every moment of this book and I want more of these books to exist. I definitely recommend picking this one up for some light-hearted musical fun.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Fu

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A multi-perspective narrative spanning generations in modern China, this book is haunting and powerful. This story is honest and heart wrenching with striking writing. I can not believe that this is a debut novel; Fu did an amazing job of detailing the details of the war. The writing is detailed escaping you to a place with her words and her beautiful imagery can make you imagine that you are there.

“It belongs only to itself, the notes tumbling into his ears like waterfalls, drenching him in their urgent beauty.”

Peach Blossom Spring spans 70 years starting with Meilin in China after she is displaced by the war with her child Renshu. After they spend years fleeing the war Renshu moves to America with nothing but a few papers the first time being apart from his mum since the war began. As his life in America grows so does his family but once his child Lily starts asking questions about his part the lines between his American life and his Chinese life starts to cross.

This book is built on its characters. Meilin is a beautiful soul even after everything that happens to her in this book. Her determination and devotion to her son is unmatched and inspiring to read about. Renshu is confused about his past which causes his conflicting feelings surrounding that of his mother and his history. The conflict between him and his daughter is so hard to read knowing that Renshu knows he is protecting his daughter only for her to be so troubled by his past. The characters are so compelling to read from and creates a vivid story which at times makes you believe that these characters are real.

During this book I felt as though I learnt so many things despite it being a non fiction book. Finding out about the war and everything that happened to the people involved was heartbreaking to read about. It allowed them to show the various outcomes from being lost to the war to not surving the journeys they had to take as well as the unspoken deaths in the books.  Seeing how many people were impacted by this war and seeing how long the impacts have lasted through this being a multigenerational narrative was hard to take in at times. After reading the authors note and discovering that this book is semi-biographical by honouring her fathers’ stories of the war makes this book even more heart wrenching. At times I struggled to follow it however this is due to my own unawareness on this war and now I want to know more.

“I guess the thing about Peach Blossom Spring is that if you are fortunate enough to find it, you are also unfortunate because you have to decide what to do. Do you stay, and forego all else? Or do you return home, with the understanding that you’ll never find it again? Is it a blessing? Or is it a curse?”

My favourite thing about this book was the beautiful fables woven into the story and teaches through the narrative such as the Peach Blossom Spring story. It adds a sense of place and discovery to the book and made me consider each of the lessons throughout.

This book was beautiful and I gave it a four stars because it just instantly transported me to a world I never knew existed. Learning all of this information about the war was heartbreaking but so informative. I am excited to see what Mellissa Fu brings out next and I think everyone should read this if only to learn about a war in which most people don’t know what happened in.

The Woman In The Library by Sulari Gentill

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‘Already watching my inbox for your next. Yours, Leo.’

I had heard so many mixed things surrounding this book that I knew I had to see what I thought of it and I am so glad I did. This book was so hard to put down and I was so invested in every second of it. It was a book inside a book inside a book which was difficult to wrap my head around at first but a couple of chapters in I was hooked on every second. As much as I was invested in the book my favourite part of this was the letters in between each chapter and I could not figure out where they were going.

‘And so we go to the Map Room to found a friendship, and I have my first coffee with a killer.’

This follows Hannah Tigone who is a mystery writer and her beta reader who is corresponding with her. The book features Hannah’s book and Leo’s responses to each chapter. In Hannah’s book it follows Winfred a writer who is in the library writing her newest novel when she hears a scream. On the table is Cain, Marigold, and Whit. As they work to figure out what happened they begin to realise everything is not as it seems.

My favourite part of the book was definitely the multimedia aspect of having both the letters and the novel going on. Each one surprised me more and I wasn’t sure where either of them were going. Leo was so interesting to read about. I especially found it interesting how Hannah’s responses were not included which just added to the mystery of the story.

Even though I did guess the ending of the novel part of the story it was still fun to figure out how it got to that part. All the characters were so interesting, and I loved Marigold so much. She was so fun and fresh to read about and was so unapologetically strange. At times I found Winifred a little hard to read from her perspective mainly due to the obsession she had with Cain despite his questionable choices, but I still loved them both as a whole.

Overall, this book was so interesting, and I had no idea where either of the mysteries was going so it kept my attention the entire way through. I gave this book a five star because I thought it was so interesting and this would be the perfect autumn cosy read. The whole multimedia aspect of the book was definitely my favourite part and I really hope I can find more like this in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this copy!