A really fun look into an apartment building and the relationships within it. It read like a play, or stage production which is fun. There was good characterization and drama throughout. Some of it was a bit confusing, I could not tell what time period it was set in and none of the characters were described very well(I was confused between Hugh and Hank a few times). I had some issues with the formatting and writing style (over complicated/archaic word choice), but the overall story was entertaining and I liked the ending! I wish there was an illustration of the apartment. But it was a fun drama nonetheless. Unfortunately it will not stick with me. This author did a terrific job with character building and I enjoyed the ride. It was a fast read, and I would love to see it as a play or limited series for television.

I disliked every character, and all of the “twists” this book had were pretty lame. There is very little revenge that actually takes place and it is not a page turning thriller- it’s limp. The multiple POV’s added very little to the story, often repeating what was already said. I’ve read more interesting family drama stories on Reddit, this book was unfortunately not for me.

I love the snark. I love the sass. As someone who has recently gotten into booktok/booktwitt/Goodreads writer drama, I was amused. As a white woman who grew up in Asia, I was very amused. Terrific satire, I will be looking into more books by this author.

I love gothic tropes, and spooky houses so I was into this spin on a classic format. It was a bit long for what it was, and some of the dream bits were too dreamy for me to understand and invision them, but it was spooky nonetheless! I’ve rated it a 4 but it’s a low 4. The love interest was bland as broth and the heroine kept describing him as ugly

Bits of this book were really good. I loved the writing style for the most part. The multiple POV’s with no clear differentiation between speakers made the book a bit jumbled and confusing. I did like that the murderer had flashbacks, it helped me get a glimpse into his psychosis/persona. Those scenes were the best of the book. I finished the book in a day because I had the time and it was gripping enough. The leading character was really limp, and- to be honest- so were the murders.
This novel would do really well if it was optioned into a series for television. The pacing was pretty good, and clues came up organically. I liked the small town murder mystery vibe, and the town was really well fleshed out. So were auxiliary characters, at the detriment of main characters. Too many voices telling one story.

SPOILERS
I didn’t love the twist that one of the female characters was slightly clairvoyant- if the detective was better at his job he could have just solved the crime. Also the lead detective just… didn’t do much. Why focus on him as a main character, when there were other perfectly good characters that could have used more narrative time? Also some of the language used to describe minors bodies in a sexual way really grossed me out. I get that it was the intent in some places, but, ew.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the gifted copy of Granite Harbor. The expected publication date is April 30th, 2024.

I listened to the audiobook, it was really well produced! Great twists, and it felt believable. I’m excited for the show coming!

Holy shit. A beautiful and horrifying series of 6 short stories and a novella. The book focuses on themes of race, culture, history, and gender in tottally unique and insightful ways. Who gets to tell us the truths of American History, and what is the cost of setting these stories straight.

I really enjoyed the short stories Richard of York Gave Battle in Vain and Anything Could Disappear.

The Office of Historical Corrections was a really fascinating look into family histories and the relationships we make. The ending was astonishing.


Read more short stories and novellas!

Sapphic, fae, Belle Epoque fantasy. It was great! I wish there were more books like this when I was young. Really quick read. Heavy YA, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want! Beautiful world descriptions and a fast paced story (too fast if you ask me, I flew through the book and would have liked to lounge in the world a bit longer!)

Regarding the controversy I say that while I understand it to an extent, if y’all are willing to trudge through other similar novels with similar romantic plots *cough cough* a court of thorns and roses- you should put those thoughts aside and instead focus on other facets of this book. It’s also the first in the series, let it cook.

I love the world building.

For a debut novel it’s wonderfully written, and it’s a fast read, which I appreciate. It’s quick pace made it immensely more enjoyable

I’m really liking it. The magic vs science is really interesting, and themes of feminism bolster the story.

I’m excited to see what else this author has to offer, I think she’s a great talent.
Everything about this story seems like it should be bogged down by too much descriptors- but the storytelling prowess of the author makes the novel something more than the sum of its parts.

It’s one of Illumicrates better recent picks, in my opinion because it captured my fancy!

Can’t wait for the next in the series!

It is excruciating to bleed the love I have for this book into words, but I feel like I must leave a review so that others like me will somehow find this book and adore it as I have.

Admittedly. It was good from the start, but it became great with every page I turned.

Often, with multiple narrators, readers pick favorites- that was not the case with this book, where I loved each voice that this story was told through.

The journey felt large, but moved quickly and I adored every moment of it. Jude, Zara, and Emer all felt like completely realized creations, and their dynamic was really powerful.

This book is for the person who loved Jennifer’s Body, but wanted something more. I can’t quite put into words how these works are similar, but trust me, the vibe is there.

It’s for the weird girls, who long for a coven of their own. It’s also openly queer and unafraid to let women be grotesque.

This book also completely stuck the ending and was a satisfying read.

Thank you to @CeladonBooks for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! As someone in their mid 20’s I really resonated with the lead character. The comedy aspect definitely took a backseat to the relationships (platonic and romantic) but I diddnt mind it! There are some truly wonderful human interactions in this book, I love Prestley’s friendship with Susan, for me it was the soul of the story. Terrifically written, phenomenal characterization- I really recommend this book! I devoured it in a single plane ride.

#celadonreads #humormebook

A magical murder mystery that had me invested from the jump. The main character is exceptionally likable and some scenes were so good I had to put the book down and kick my feet while giggling.

4.5 stars!!!

Such a fun read! This is going to be a perfect book to read by the pool or at the beach this summer. It’s so shocking that it’s Isabel Banta’s debut novel, it was so polished! I loved the multi media scattered throughout the book, it helped visualize the world of the story, I also thought it did a great job discussing all different types of relationships in profound and multi-faceted ways!

Terrific read!

Thank you to Celadon Books for sending me an ARC #celadonbooks #readhoney

For my first book of 2024 written by a man (yes, I know I’m 11 books in) this one SLAPPED. It’s incredibly well written. This book reads like a Matthew Vaughn movie done well. If you liked the first Kingsman movie, you’ll love this book. If you liked Get Smart (with Anne Hathaway and Steve Carrell) you’ll like this book. If you, like me have eccentric taste and enjoyed Cars 2 (I know there’s someone else out there who loved it like I do), you’ll like this book. It’s quick, the dialogue is witty, and there are twists and turns that made me openly giggle often. Normal guy gets thrown into a world of villains and talking cats. It’s pretty perfect.

Half of this book has my girl Freya in the worst situations possible, the other half she’s horny as hell. Loved it.

A terrific collection of short stories, and Eve’s novella at the end was also an absolute blast.

The top three short stories (in my opinion) were The Line, The ballad of Timothy Touchett, and Hasta Luego.

Take your time and don’t read the entire book in one go (let the stories wash over you!)

I’ll read anything Towles ever writes, and so should you.

Fabulous if you need a train/plane/beach read! It’s a fun way to do a murder mystery and I liked the inclusion of the podcast sections, it made the story stand out! The pacing had me glued to this book, and it was tricky to put down. @celadonbooks #celadonreads

A grim (pun internded) fairytale retelling. Ava Reid writes incredible leading ladies, and the best love interests. The world building is beastly and beautiful in equal measure.

Totally beefed the ending, but I liked most of the middle bits!

This book is a love triangle between Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Bridgerton. I was constantly on the edge of my seat and I loved the blending of worlds and time periods.

After I finished the book I tried to look up fan art or theories on Tumblr and Twitter only to find…. a ghost town.

Then I realized that I had gotten an early copy through Illumincrate, and thats when I knew I had to do my part and get my friends and loved ones to read this so we could obsess about it together.
I even recommended it to my dad!!! (He loves sci-fi, but still- it’s daunting to recommend a book to your dad).

This book centers black and queer stories in a way that more books really should, because it was beautiful, epic, and expertly crafted.

Speaking of epic, the book is long- but you should treasure that and take your time while reading it to soak up all the delicious details.

There is joy in every chapter of this book, and I don’t mean the characters joy, because they go through some crazy things… but the author Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson clearly had such fun building this world and concocting this story, that I was immediately along for the ride.

I honestly feel that if this series continues in this fashion, it will be the next Harry Potter/Hunger Games/Percy Jackson phenomenon. It was vibrant, it was poignant. While I was reading it I could see the future film version, and it was spectacular.

I had such a fun time reading this book, and I look forward to the rest of the series! Do show more yourself a favor and pick this one up. (Then message me about it because I am enamored and I must talk with someone about it!) show less

I support women’s rights. And wrongs. Especially if they’re witchy.

A must read for insane women

I read this because I’m gay and I love vampires. Tbh it should be required reading for people who are gay and love vampires

Stuck the ending, which is rare for books to do. I enjoyed Henry and the modern parts of the story more than the historical bits, which surprised me. Beautiful language and storytelling- but felt long, and sometimes I felt like I had to slough through exposition to get to the gems. Still enjoyable overall!

This novel was described as fast-paced, and boy was it! I really liked the pacing because I felt like the author took the appropriate amount of time with all the really important story bits, while moving the plot along like a freight train. I liked hearing perspectives from the entire family, because each POV character had really fascinating insights to what was going on. There were sections of the book I personally did not connect with, but it was really buoyed by the beautiful prose, and again, the story moved so fast that moments I was iffy about zoomed past.
Thank you to Grand Canyon Press for this gifted copy!