The Transcendental Murder (Homer Kelly #1) by Jane Langton

The Transcendental Murder (Homer Helly #1) by Jane Langton
Publisher/Year: Mysterious Press, 1964
Format: E-book (Libby)
Pages: 358
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

In Concord, Massachusetts, the discovery of century-old love letters leads to murder–from “today’s best American mystery writer” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

The citizens of Concord, Massachusetts, never tire of their heritage. For decades, the intellectuals of this little hamlet have continued endless debates about Concord’s favorite sons: Emerson, Hawthorne, Thoreau, and their contemporaries. Concord’s latter-day transcendental scholars are a strange bunch, but none is more peculiar than Homer Kelly, an expert on Emerson and on homicide. An old-fashioned murder is about to put both skills to the test.

At a meeting of the town’s intellectuals, Ernest Goss produces a cache of saucy love letters written by the men and women of the transcendentalist sect. Although Homer chortles at the idea that Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson might have had a fling, Goss insists the letters are real. He never gets a chance to prove it. Soon after he is found killed by a musket ball. The past may not be dead, but Goss certainly is.

What I thought

I was absolutely charmed by this mystery! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this up, but I ended up immensely enjoying this. I loved the portrayal of Concord, and I adored this cast of characters. I actually feel a bit sad to be finished–that’s how fond I feel of this town & its quirky residents.

This book isn’t perfect, by any means. There are a couple of minor plot holes, and there were a few times when Mary would get lost in a daydream that felt out of place. Other than that, I probably would have given this 5 stars.

I just really enjoyed this. It was written in a way that’s perfect for slowing down & cozying up with a good story. The mystery kept me guessing, and I’m glad to report that I didn’t figure it out. And even though having a bit of knowledge about the Transcendentalists (think Thoreau, Emerson, Alcott, Dickinson) added to my enjoyment of this, I wouldn’t say it’s necessary.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and charmed by this. It’s a little dated, but that actually kind of added to the charm for me. I would love to continue reading this series!

She Be Damned (Heloise Chancey Mysteries #1) by M. J. Tjia

She Be Damned (Heloise Chancey Mysteries #1) by M. J. Tjia
Publisher/Year: Legend Press, Ltd., 2017
Format: E-book (Hoopla)
Pages: 223
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

London, 1863: prostitutes in the Waterloo area are turning up dead, their sexual organs mutilated and removed. When another girl goes missing, fears grow that the killer may have claimed their latest victim.

The police are at a loss and so it falls to courtesan and professional detective, Heloise Chancey, to investigate.

With the assistance of her trusty Chinese maid, Amah Li Leen, Heloise inches closer to the truth. But when Amah is implicated in the brutal plot, Heloise must reconsider who she can trust, before the killer strikes again.

What I thought

I loved this book, everything about it. I’m actually feeling sad to have finished it, but then I remember it’s part of a series–yay! I simply haven’t had enough of Heloise Chancey.

So where to begin? Let’s talk setting first. M. J. Tjia absolutely brought Victorian London to life, seedy parts and all. Between the description of her surroundings and the variety of true-to-life characters we meet, I loved the feeling of authenticity and of being transported somewhere while I read.

As for the crime-solving, murder mystery aspect–folks, this story was gruesome. In lieu of listing every trigger warning in the books, let me simply advise you to tread lightly here. There were parts that were extremely difficult for even me to read, and that’s saying something. As for the mystery, although the reveal did feel slightly abrupt, it was no less horrifying. And kudos to the author–I never saw it coming.

My favorite part of this book, hands down, was Heloise. She was strong, independent, and witty. She was confident, almost to the point of being arrogant, and she embraced (and was proud of) her sexuality and her femininity. And of course I loved her feminist attitude. I couldn’t help but rage with her over the plight of sex workers, and women in general, of the time. For as gruesome and disheartening as this story could be, I couldn’t help but admire Heloise because she was also funny and raunchy and sexy and lively and kind. She was the kind of character who felt like a friend.

Despite all of my rambling, suffice it to say–I loved this book and truly can’t wait to read the next one. This book was so much more than the run-of-the-mill cozy mystery I was expecting. As I mentioned, this book won’t be for everyone–you can feel free to message me with any questions. But if you’re comfortable, I wholeheartedly think you should give it a try. I promise: you haven’t met a character before quite like Heloise!

The One Who Got Away by L. A. Detwiler

The One Who Got Away by L. A. Detwiler
Publisher/Year: One More Chapter, 2020
Format: E-book (Nook)
Pages: 312
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

“Get out while you can. You’ll die here…”

Adeline Evans has recently moved into a home for the elderly. A safe space, where she can be cared for.

When she begins to receive cryptic and threatening notes, she is certain that someone is out to get her.

But the residents are warned against listening to a woman who is losing her memory. It would seem Adeline is tormented by the secrets in her past, and that the menace is all in her mind.

Until danger comes down the corridor and starts knocking in the night…

What I thought

I consider myself pretty lucky to have a local author whose books I enjoy so much, and The One Who Got Away was no exception. This was my first time reading one of her thrillers, and it did not let me down–this book went to some DARK places. The feeling of a claustrophobia and tension absolutely permeate the pages of this book. And I really loved how unique this story was–from the setting taking place inside a corrupt nursing home to Adeline’s perspective. Her point-of-view put such a distinct twist on everything. Having dementia, she was, at times, an unreliable narrator, but it was also heartbreaking to read, at the same time. The pacing of the story does ebb and flow a bit, but the ending hit me like a sucker punch. I did NOT see that coming. I appreciate it so much when an author doesn’t take the safe way out, and in this case, it just added to the overall bleakness and horror of this book.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I am so glad to have read one of Lindsay’s thrillers, finally. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of psychological thrillers and suspense novels!

Firewatching (Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler #1) by Russ Thomas

Firewatching (Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler #1) by Russ Thomas
Publisher/Year: Putnam, 2020
Format: ARC – paperback
Pages: 358
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

A taut and ambitious police procedural debut introducing Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler, a cold-case reviewer who lands a high-profile murder investigation, only to find the main suspect is a recent one-night stand…

When financier Gerald Cartwright disappeared from his home six years ago, it was assumed he’d gone on the run from his creditors. But then a skeleton is found bricked up in the cellar of Cartwright’s mansion, and it becomes clear Gerald never left alive.

As the sole representative of South Yorkshire’s Cold Case Review Unit, Detective Sergeant Adam Tyler is not expected to get results, but he knows this is the case that might finally kick-start his floundering career. Luckily, he already has a suspect. Unluckily, that suspect is Cartwright’s son, the man Tyler slept with the night before. To further complicate matters, tied up in his investigation are an elderly woman with dementia who’s receiving mysterious threats referencing a past she can’t remember, and am ambitious young Muslim constable seeking to prove herself on a force of good old boys.

Someone in the city knows exactly what happened to Gerald. Someone who is watching from the shadows. Someone who has an unhealthy affinity with fire…

What I thought

Thank you to Putnam for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Hello, reader friends! Today I’m bringing to your attention an excellent debut novel and a solid addition to the crime fiction genre.

I want to start out by saying that I haven’t read much crime fiction, but I have always wanted to read a detective series from the beginning because there’s nothing I love more than getting to know and becoming attached to a character over time. After having finished this book, I can already tell that this is going to be the case with DS Tyler. His character was my favorite part of this book! This is going to be a weird comparison, but if you know, you know–Adam’s personality reminded me of Geralt from The Witcher. And I love me a gruff lone wolf with a sarcastic, begrudging sense of humor!

As for the mystery, I’m never good at figuring them out, but the reveal at the end took me TOTALLY by surprise. I think I had suspected nearly every character but that one. I do want to point out that the pacing of this one is sort of slow (at least until the end), but I think that is more to do with me–one of the last books I read was a psychological thriller, which flew by. Firewatching is not so much a thriller, but rather a crime fiction/police procedural/mystery. These stories tend to progress a little slower, but they’re just as good. I’m merely pointing out that the juxtaposition of the two different genres made the pacing a little jarring for me, but I soon settled in and found myself absorbed.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read, and I think crime fiction junkies will, too. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next installment!

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
Publisher/Year: Park Row Books, 2020
Format: ARC – paperback
Pages: 359
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

She tried to run, but she can’t escape the other Mrs.

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. It’s the eerie and decrepit old home they inherited. It’s Will’s disturbed teenage niece, Imogen, with her threatening presence. And it’s the troubling past that continues to wear at the seams of their family.

As the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of Morgan’s death. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

What I thought

Thank you to Park Row Books for the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book STRESSED ME OUT in the best way, and to me, that is a sure sign of an excellent domestic thriller! This was the first book I’ve read from Mary Kubica, and I really enjoyed it. I know where to turn now when I’m in the mood for a thriller!

I want to keep this very short because it’s better to go into this knowing next to nothing. The unsettling atmosphere and the unreliable narrators instantly drew me into this story and kept the pages turning. Mary Kubica has such an easy writing style–simple, yet effective without being overdone. Honestly the only thing that kept this from five stars was the considerable amount of suspension of disbelief required from the reader. That isn’t something that bothers me exactly, it’s just that it takes me out of the story. I will also say that despite several theories, I never saw the “twist” coming–I love when authors can keep the suspense going!

All in all, kudos to Mary Kubica for writing one helluva thriller! It kept me up at night, flipping the pages, and I cannot think of a better recommendation than that.

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
Publisher/Year: Celadon Books, 2020
Format: ARC – paperback
Pages: 343
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

Hailed as a “marvel of a book” and “brilliant and unflinching,” Alexis Schaitkin’s stunning debut, Saint X, is a haunting portrait of grief, obsession, and the bond between two sisters never truly given the chance to know one another.

Claire is only seven years old when her college-age sister, Alison disappears on the last night of their family vacation at a resort on the Caribbean island of Saint X. Several days later, Alison’s body is found in a remote spot on a nearby cay, and two local men–employees at the resort–are arrested. But the evidence is slim, the timeline against it, and the men are soon released. The story turns into national tabloid news, a lurid mystery that will go unsolved. For Claire and her parents, there is only the return home to broken lives.

Years later, Claire is living and working in New York City when a brief but fateful encounter brings her together with Clive Richardson, one of the men originally suspected of murdering her sister. It is a moment that sets Claire on an obsessive pursuit of the truth–not only to find out what happened the night of Alison’s death but also to answer the elusive question: Who exactly was her sister? At seven, Claire had been barely old enough to know her: a beautiful, changeable, provocative girl of eighteen at a turbulent moment of identity formation.

As Claire doggedly shadows Clive, hoping to gain his trust, waiting for the slip that will reveal the truth, an unlikely attachment develops between them, two people whose lives were forever marked by the same tragedy.

For readers of Emma Cline’s The Girls and Lauren Groff’s Fates and Furies, Saint X is a flawlessly drawn and deeply moving story the culminates in an emotionally powerful ending.

What I thought

Thank you to Celadon Books for the free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

You guys. I LOVED this book. I’m talking LOVED like every time I (reluctantly) put it down, I felt like I was coming up out of a trance kind of LOVED. I was 100% sucked into this book, and I’m legitimately sad that it’s over. Not only that, but I am completely blown away by the fact that this was a DEBUT novel.

So, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. I went into this book VERY hesitantly, fully expecting a “meh” read. I had seen SO many mediocre review of this, and even though I’m one to keep an open mind, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy as I went into this one. So, imagine my surprise as I fell in love with this book–was I even reading the same book as everyone else? And now that I’ve finished, I think I understand. Obviously, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and not everyone’s going to enjoy the same books–that’s what makes reading so great. However, I went into this knowing not to expect a fast-paced, murder mystery, thriller–and I truly think that made all the difference.

Saint X is, instead, a deep and riveting character study that looks at all of the ripples created by tragedy and how it affects those closest to it, as well as those on its periphery. Alexis Schaitkin has some serious writing chops like I haven’t seen in some time. The settings and especially the characters felt so real and vivid to me that this book hardly felt like fiction. And there was so much to delve into, I think any book club discussion could go on for days.

If you enjoy reading about real (and flawed) characters, if you enjoy contemplating how we all have an effect on others we encounter, and especially if you have ever pondered a question like, “I wonder how it would have all turned out if I had turned left instead of right?”–get your hands on this book. So, so good!

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
Publisher/Year: Atria Books, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 257
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

Soon after her twenty-fifth birthday, Libby Jones returns home from work to find the letter she’s been waiting for her entire life. She rips it open with one driving thought: I am finally going to know who I am. She learns not only the identity of her parents but also that she is the sole inheritor of their abandoned mansion on the banks of the Thames in London’s fashionable Chelsea neighborhood. The home, even in its dilapidated state, is worth millions. Everything in Libby’s life is about to change. What she doesn’t know is that others have been waiting for this day as well–and although they’ve been in hiding, they are now heading her way.

Nearly twenty-five years ago, police were called to 16 Cheyne Walk with reports of a baby crying. When they arrived, they found a healthy ten-month-old safe and sound in the upstairs bedroom. In the kitchen, three dead bodies, all dressed in black, were seemingly posed next to a hastily scrawled note. The four other children reported to live at Cheyne Walk were gone.

In The Family Upstairs, the New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone and master of “bone-chilling suspense” (People) delivers a powerful and propulsive story of two families living in a house with the darkest of secrets.

What I thought

The Family Upstairs was my introduction to the much-beloved author, Lisa Jewell, and I must say, I definitely want to read more from her now. This was a deeply unsettling, engrossing, slow-burn of a Gothic-style mystery, and I very much enjoyed my time reading it.

I’ve seen some mixed reviews, but I think what it comes down to is whether you enjoy multiple-perspective plot lines or not. Me? I love them, and I loved how Jewell used them to keep the momentum going. There’s nothing better than following multiple storylines, wondering how they are all going to come together, and knowing that when they do, it’s going to be jaw-dropping. Especially when you realize that one of your narrators is 1000% unreliable. And for me, that moment of realization was deliciously chilling.

The other thing that worked for me with this format was that I enjoyed each perspective equally, which kept the pace moving relentlessly forward. I’m trying to stay as vague as I can, but I will say that one character in particular was so freakin’ horrifying that all of my murderino senses were going off. Two of the things that scare me the most in this world were present here–cults and sociopaths. And that last sentence? Totally made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

The Family Upstairs was a delightfully entertaining, completely absorbing read–you’ll want to set aside a block of time for this one because once you pick it up, it won’t let you go.

Ninth House (Alex Stern #1) by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
Publisher/Year: Flatiron Books, 2019
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 480
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

The mesmerizing adult debut from Leigh Bardugo, a tale of power, privilege, dark magic, and murder set among the Ivy League elite.

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most prestigious universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. Their eight windowless “tombs” are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street’s biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living.

What I thought

Leigh Bardugo’s name is not unknown to me. Previous to this novel, she had taken the YA world by storm. Honestly, I have no idea why I hadn’t read any of her books before this other than my inherent aversion to hyped books (so hipster, I know). And although I was interested in Ninth House, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up now if it hadn’t been for B&N Book Club.

What the hell is wrong with me?!

Hyped books are usually hyped for a reason, and every. single. time. I get to them years too late and fall in love anyway. ::facepalm::

Anyway. On to the book.

I. LOVED. IT.

Talk about the perfect October read! It was dark and gritty and horrifying and spooky and kickass. And I felt like I should be reading this in my housecoat and slippers by the fire in my dark, wood-paneled library with a pipe and a glass of Scotch on ice.

I don’t even know what Scotch tastes like.

Needless to say, I fell in love with how atmospheric this story was. I’ve never been to Yale, but Leigh Bardugo took me there.

I fell in love with just about everything else in this novel, too. The secret societies and the different magic they used were SO COOL. Alex was an INCREDIBLE heroine. I was rooting for her from page one. She is strong, witty, wily, stubborn, flawed, and so damned smart. At times, I fist pumped for her, and at others, I just wanted to wrap her up in the tightest hug. And Darlington–don’t even get me started on him. How do I love him? Let me count the ways. The banter between the two of them killed me. Other characters I adored included Dawes, Turner, and of course, Lethe House. I mean, I NEED that library!

Leigh Bardugo has expertly combined multiple elements to create one hell of a book. And while there are many moments that are difficult to read, I also appreciated what she was trying to say about many modern issues. And that “just about everything” I mentioned earlier? The ONLY downfall to loving this book so hard is that with that ending, I have ZERO IDEA what I’m supposed to do with myself until Book #2 arrives.

Salvage by Duncan Ralston

Salvage by Duncan Ralston
Publisher/Year: Shadow Work Publishing, 2014
Format: E-book (Nook)
Pages: 281
Rating: ⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

Something is lurking under the lake…

When his sister drowns, Owen Saddler follows in her footsteps, determined to uncover the circumstances surrounding her death by diving into the murky waters of Chapel Lake.

30 years ago, the town of Peace Falls was flooded for a hydroelectric dam, and its ruins remain below. The disappearance of the church’s Pastor and parishioners still haunts the citizens of Chapel Lake, but does the church haunt the lake itself? Is Owen really seeing ghosts, or has he succumbed to the depths of madness?

Salvage is the debut novel of author Duncan Ralston, a darkly disturbing story of depression, religious fanaticism, and the afterlife, illuminating the darkness lurking within us all.

What I thought

Unfortunately, this book was just an okay read for me. It looks like plenty of others loved it, though. I think Duncan Ralston is a talented writer, don’t get me wrong. This story is completely original. I’ve never read anything even remotely similar, which speaks for this book in a way. I also really enjoyed Ralston’s use of description. He definitely had a way of writing that brought Chapel Lake to life, and as a reader, I love when an author creates a vivid world in which I can escape for a little while. I think where I struggled with this one was that I never reached that moment where it just clicked for me, where I was hooked. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I just never connected with this book. But that’s only me–you might really enjoy it, plenty of readers do. For a debut novel, it was pretty good, I just think it could use a little trimming and polishing, that’s all.

The Ice Princess (Patrik Hedström #1) by Camilla Läckberg

The Ice Princess (Patrik Hedström #1) by Camilla Läckberg
Publisher/Year: Pegasus Books, 2010
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 393
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

Returning to her hometown of Fjallbacka after the funeral of her parents, writer Erica Falck finds a community on the brink of tragedy. The death of her childhood friend, Alex, is just beginning. Her wrists slashed, her body frozen in an ice-cold bath, it appears that she has taken her own life.

Erica conceives a book about the beautiful but remote Alex, one that will answer questions about their shared past and lost friendship. While her interest grows steadily into an obsession, local detective Patrik Hedström is following his own suspicions about the case. But it is only when they start working together that the truth begins to emerge about this small town with a deeply disturbing past…

Already a sensation across the globe, Camilla Läckberg and her penetrating portrayal of human nature at its darkest are sure to place her alongside Scandinavian greats like Henning Mankel and Stieg Larsson.

What I thought

I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to Scandinavian crime fiction! This one seems to be hit or miss with readers, but I, for one, enjoyed it immensely. This was my latest “work” read, and I had the hardest time putting it down when breaks would end. I was just absolutely immersed in this one. The characters came to life, and the mystery kept me guessing the entire time. I know that some found fault with the way that clues were “revealed,” but I just found that to be the author’s style, and it didn’t bother me. If anything, it just kept me flipping pages to find out what had been discovered. I also enjoyed the subplots here, as well, and I liked that the added depth helped to develop the characters more. I especially found myself attached to Erica and Patrik, and I’m glad that the series continues to follow them. I can’t wait to read the next book! It’s actually nice that this book didn’t end on some big cliffhanger–there’s enough left open to make me want to continue the story, but at my own pace and when I’m in the mood for the genre again, instead of almost feeling coerced by an abrupt cliffhanger ending. One final thing I wanted to note was that I was also impressed by the seamless translation. Overall, this was a great, entertaining read and a perfect introduction to a genre that I’m looking forward to reading more often!

The Night Flyers (History Mysteries #3) by Elizabeth McDavid Jones

The Night Flyers (History Mysteries #3) by Elizabeth McDavid Jones
Publisher/Year: Pleasant Company Publications
Format: Paperback
Pages: 149
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

Summary

It’s 1918. Pam Lowder and her papa raise the best homing pigeons on the North Carolina coast–homers with the rare ability to fly at night. While Papa’s away in World War I, a stranger with a foreign accent comes to town. Soon Pam’s best birds start to disappear, and Pam is sure the stranger is stealing them. Instead, she finds evidence of something much worse. Could the stranger be an enemy spy, threatening everything Pam holds dear–even Papa?

What I thought

I will never be able to get over how American Girl made such an impact on the historical fiction genre for young girls. I truly believe that they are one of the biggest reasons why I became such a history lover and why, to this day, historical fiction remains one of my preferred genres.

But anyway, enough rambling.

This was a great story that I read in an afternoon. I remember reading it when I was younger and enjoying it, and reading it as an adult, I still very much enjoyed it. Jones has a way of driving the story forward with a mystery that even as an adult, I wasn’t able to solve. I grew fond of Pam, and I appreciated how her story offered a glimpse into the time period. Plus, I liked how that “glimpse” was historically accurate and how it tied into the historical text at the end. Not to mention that Jones’ writing was beautifully descriptive–I mean, I was there with Pam in the woods and in the swamp.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I’d recommend this one if you are looking for a great historical fiction for the young reader in your life…or if you are a young reader yourself!

An Old Soul by Kristyn Gansen

An Old Soul by Kristyn Gansen
Publisher/Year: Gansen Media, 2018
Format: Paperback
Pages: 112
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads

 

Summary

Until that night, Mira didn’t know she was dead. 

Answers from a Ouija board have done nothing but raise questions for twelve-year-old Mira. When a series of strange events follow the Ouija game–including the discovery of a gravestone with her name on it–Mira sets out to find out just what exactly happened to her twelve years before.

A new boy in town does nothing to quell Mira’s fears. James dresses in strange clothes, hangs out in the cemetery, and makes bold claims about Mira’s past. As she gets to know the new boy, Mira wonders if James could hold the answers to all of her creepy questions.

Together, Mira and her best friend work to find out what, exactly, the new boy has to do with Mira’s past–before he can impact her future.

What I thought

I am so grateful to have been gifted a copy of this book from the author, and she was even kind enough to sign it! (Thank you, Kristyn!)

*Please note that this, in no way, affected my review!

If you are looking for a middle grade read that’s just the right amount of spooky for October, look no further! I thought this was an adorable read that young readers will just love. The writing was accessible without feeling dumbed down, and the plot was just spooky enough for those Halloween feels without being too scary. I also loved how sweet the ending turned out to be!

Anyhow, this is a short review for a short little book, but it’s one you definitely don’t want to miss out on if you’ve got a middle grade reader in your life this Halloween season!