January Wrap Up

 There's Murder Afoot ~ I was plopped right into the middle of this cozy mystery series. The main character and her friends are usually in Massachusetts, but this book has them in London. The Mystery was interesting and kept me guessing. I want to go back and try the first in the series, so I can see how all the characters come together.

The Violin Conspiracy ~ I did figure out "who done it" in this musical mystery thriller. That didn't stop me from enjoying the story. I also loved looking into the life of a concert violinist and all the musical references. Highly recommended if you're a music and mystery lover.

The House in the Pines ~ This was a fast read with an unreliable narrator. Or is she? I enjoyed unwrapping the mystery, but struggled with the drug use. The main character is struggling with addiction, so that makes it a difficult book to read, but it's a good story overall.

The Whalebone Theater ~ This was not a fast read, but it was worth the time it took. The writing was beautiful, and the characters pulled at my heartstrings. It reminded me of Everyone Brave is Forgiven. Snappy dialogue while everything is falling apart and bombs are dropping. It will probably make my top ten this year.

Sam ~ Another book with a lot of drug use. This was also fast paced, but much more character driven. I have to give a content warning for suicide. Some of this book is just so sad. I wish Sam had had some better examples in her life. There is a fairly hopeful ending, but I don't know if I would recommend this book.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold ~ This is a fun quirky book with a lot of heart...and time travel. It's translated from Japanese, so sometimes the dialogue felt a little stiff. I loved the characters, though, and a coffee shop is the perfect winter setting. Highly recommended.

The Scent of Water ~ Well, this was disappointing! I had this on my Kindle for YEARS, so I think I built it up a little too much in my mind. It was slow. Real slow. And nothing happened. And there was infidelity going on that people were just kind of ok with. Not recommended.

Remarkably Bright Creatures ~ And this was a delightful surprise! Sweet, charming, and funny in parts. If you can buy into a self aware octopus you should give it a try.