Melody's Reading Corner

Melody

Hodder & Stoughton | 19 August 2021 | 384 pgs

Source: Library

Dr. Kate North is trying to gather herself after a tragedy that took her lover, Ben, away. So when she's given an opportunity to be an emergency replacement at the UN research station in Antarctica, she said yes to the offer without much thinking. At that point, she's only glad that no one around will ask about her past and that she'll have all the freedom in an isolated place like the Antarctica, in spite of the harsh weather condition and any other risk factors associated with it. Furthermore, there's only thirteen staff there, including herself.

Upon her arrival, she's shocked to learn that no one is there to guide her regarding her job scope. The previous doctor, Jean-Luc, died in a tragic accident while out on the ice and when Kate tries to ask more about his accident, no one offers more information or they just simply brush it off. As the days go on, Kate soon find that the group’s dynamic has become more strained and there's a sense of mistrust lingering among them. She has a feeling it has got to do with Jean-Luc's death and she's set to find out on her own whether if Jean-Luc was murdered and who's the murderer living among them.

I was intrigued by the claustrophobic atmosphere in this book. After all, Antarctica isn't a tourist destination for that matter and we could only experience it through armchair travel. To begin with, Kate's narrative was engaging but I couldn't connect with her as a character. For a medical professional, I felt that she was rather impulsive and overreacting in some circumstances. She relies too much on pills (given her mental state over the past tragedy) and this made her vulnerable. Also, since there are other twelve characters, I didn't feel they were flesh-out enough although a few stood out due to their (loud) personality. Pacing- and intensity-wise, it was slow until the last third of the story and thereafter things started to escalate and it ended quickly. Overall it had a good premise but I think it'd make a propulsive thriller with better execution.

© 2023 Melody's Reading Corner (https://mel-reading-corner.blogspot.sg/), All Rights Reserved. If you are reading this post from other site(s), please take note that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 5 comments |

A Death at the Party by Amy Stuart

Melody

Simon & Schuster | 7 March 2023 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

The story begins with a dead body at a birthday party. His identity is a mystery and Nadine Walsh, our lead character, was found standing over his body in her basement while a birthday party is still in full swing.

Flashback to that fateful morning, Nadine is checking her to-do list for her mother's birthday party. She has made sure that nothing will be left out and that everything will go according to plans; after all her mother is bestselling author, Marilyn Millay, and she's turning 60. Nadine didn't invite a lot of guests, they're all merely her and her husband's closest friends and colleagues, as well as their neighbours. But, what the others didn't know is that the birthday party isn't entirely a celebration for Marilyn, it also marks the day of another anniversary. As the time begins to count down towards the party as Nadine prepares for the party, she'll come to reflect on the past events that still haunt her till today, as well as the whole truth she's been looking for.

This was a slowburn domestic suspense, but then it was necessary given the story was set over the course of one day and there were the emotions and reactions from Nadine towards the present and the past, as well as her interactions with the few neighbours around her whom they play a huge part to the story. Nadine's character was well described though I couldn't say I liked her; she was too much of a complicated woman with secrets and it didn't help that a past event had kind of traumatised her in a way. There were enough red herrings throughout the story; and it was satisfactory to see the past and the present kind of connected towards the end as the truth unveiled. I loved this author's writing so I'll be sure to check out her other books.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 4 comments |

The Last One by Will Dean

Melody

Atria/Emily Bestler Books | 8 August 2023 | 448 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Caz is excited to be on board the exclusive cruise liner RMS Atlantica with her new love, Pete. Well, who would want to turn down a vacation and do nothing but eat, dance and make some new friends on board the ship, right?

But when Caz wakes up the next morning to find Pete is missing, she thought he's just wander off to explore the cruise without her. However, as Caz walks out into the corridor and find all the cabin doors are open and the cabins empty, she has a bad feeling that something has gone terribly wrong. As she goes from floors to floors and from cabins to other various places, she's horrified to find that there's no one out there, not even the crew except herself! Their cruise liner is steaming into the mid-Atlantic and Caz is trapped alone out in the sea. What happened and what'd she do?

At first glance, the blurb sounds like an intriguing locked-room mystery but there's much more to the story. Unfortunately, I couldn't divulge more from that point and let's just say this novel may polarise readers into two groups. You either love it or hate it. From my point, I don't hate it but I don't love it either. Initially I'd the notion that this story might gear towards the direction of "Mary Celeste mystery" given the blurb but it was anything but. After going through a few chapters as lost as Caz, something came up and from there the story started to go downhill for me. To be fair, the story was good from another angle and there were even some very intense moments, but the direction and the motive are lost to me. I think I'd have loved it if it was a straightforward locked-room thriller. I enjoyed Will Dean's previous novel, First Born, but this novel just didn't work for me.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 8 comments |

Ghost 19 by Simone St. James

Melody

Berkley | 3 January 2023 | 146 pgs (Ebook)

Source: Library

This novella was set in Meritville, New York in 1959. A woman named Ginette Cox moves into a rented house at 19 Howard Avenue. Used to be a Broadway actress, she left her job and took her doctor's advice to stay away from cigarettes, alcohol and with minimal social visits and stimulation of any kind, mainly due to her agoraphobia condition.

With no entertainment and alone at home, Ginette watches her neighbors from her window, making up names and stories for them since she couldn't step out of her house with her condition. She named a little girl Trixie who's carrying her doll all the time, a married couple by the surname "Lowell" and Mr Elias who seems to be typing most of the time and figures he must be a writer. You'd think that Ginette would find comfort in watching her neighbours going about their life, but in truth she's too terrified to sleep in her bedroom and she thinks there are strange noises coming from the basement.

At some point, she sees a mysterious man in black making appearances outside her window, following the old Mrs Lowell (the mother-in-law) and she's worried that something bad might happen. But she couldn't leave the house, because she feels something in the basement is trying to stop her from escaping.

Ginette is the typical unreliable character because one wouldn't know if her thoughts and her behaviours are due to her mental condition so it was an engaging read as the story is one sided according to Ginette's narrative. Her interactions with the two detectives makes one wonder if there's truly a murder has taken place; so perhaps she's not mad after all and maybe something dark and sinister is at work? As in Simone St. James's signature style, this novella was atmospheric, suspenseful and a bit spooky. I wished that this story would be longer.

[The novella is only available in ebook and audio format.]

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Paranormal, Suspense 9 comments |

Wild Prey by Brian Klingborg

Melody

Minotaur Books | 17 May 2022 | 304 pgs

Source: Library

This is the second book of Brian Klingborg's Inspector Lu Fei Mystery and while this can be read as a standalone, I'd suggest to begin with the first book (Thief of Souls) for the flow of the characters developments.

Inspector Lu Fei is a meticulous, responsible and a highly righteous person not only of his profession but because they're his characteristics as well. Not a person who would curry favour his way up, he often finds himself in hot soup with his superiors because of his straightforwardness and uncorrupted demeanour. This is one reason why he was transferred to a backwater town in a rural area of Northern China after some disagreements with his superior, as told from the first book. But working at a rural village doesn't demoralise him at all, in fact Lu Fei works harder to right the wrongs whatever is tossed his way.

When 15-year-old Tan Meirong approaches him in search of her missing sister, initially he and the staff at the Public Security Bureau think it's merely a runaway case. But Meirong's persistency in showing up at the bureau eventually convinced Lu Fei that Meixiang's disappearance is more than meets the eye. According to Meirong's statement, Meixiang (who is nineteen) never run away no matter how difficult life is; she's the sole breadwinner of the family ever since their mother died of cancer and their father quit his job after he hurt his back and become an alcoholic. Lu Fei then begins to investigate the restaurant where Meixiang worked and found out that they also serve delicacies of rare and endangered animals discreetly to their selective rich and powerful customers as well.

Pressurised by his superior to drop the case since the restaurateur has some powerful connections, Lu Fei is forced into suspension eventually from the police force until he is approached by a mysterious official to look into the restaurateur's illegal activities, leading him to an undercover mission in Myanmar in which they believed is the sources destination. Unlike Lu Fei's previous cases, this assignment is risky and dangerous as not only he has to travel deep into the lawless wilderness, but also he has to risk his life to infiltrate the hidden compound of a mysterious and ruthless female warlord who's overseeing the animals trafficking trade.

Well, it's hard not to like a person like Inspector Lu Fei. He's the type who appears tough on the outside but soft on the inside; he's devoted to a widow named Yanyan who owns a bar and he shows his compassionate side interacting with Meirong and most of all, his sense of righteousness shine in this series. This book has the balance of a police procedural and an action-packed plot as we follow Lu Fei into the wilderness in Myanmar and the cruelty world of animals trafficking. The latter wasn't an easy read, but it helps to raise awareness so hopefully this inhumane act would cease. I'd definitely recommend this series if you enjoy reading a police procedural and also to learn a bit more about the Chinese culture and the political views of their legal system.

Labels: 5 stars, Book Review, Crime Thriller, Police procedural 12 comments |

The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda

Melody

Quercus | 11 April 2023 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Ten years ago, two vans crashed into a ravine killing two teachers and several high school students. Nine students survived the crash. All of them weren't really friends but the tragedy has kind of bonded them together. Then a year later, one of them, Clara, committed suicide and thereafter the remaining eight survivors decided to meet annually at a beach house called "The Shallows" to commemorate the anniversary of the accident as well as a promise to look out for one another and make sure that what really happened that fateful night isn't disclose to anyone.

Cassidy, our narrator in this book, decides to move on from that tragedy after a decade and has gradually removed their contacts until she receives a text from an unknown number informing her that Ian, another of the survivor, died. Cassidy has no choice but to join the reunion since she wants to know what happened to him, considering he was the closest friend among the others. But the reunion feels a little off as if someone was watching them, and then another disappeared. Cassidy begins to fear that something darker than survivors' guilt has bound them together and wonder if there's someone outside who wants the truth. Could there be more secrets among the remaining survivors and could she trust any of them?

The story alternates between the present and the past, featuring Cassidy's POV in the present and varying voices from the past. I enjoyed reading the past more partly because it was more intense and action-packed, while Cassidy's narrative was a bit erratic due to her emotions and her reactions towards various circumstances. The pace of the story moved slowly and nothing much happened and it only speed up towards the end as the past unravel. While the story has a foreboding atmosphere and there's even a twist towards the end, I felt the setup was far too long for the revelation which I find a bit disappointing. That said, I liked the way how the author created the claustrophobic setting within The Shallows and the group’s dynamic so I'll still be interested to check out her future releases.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Horton

Melody

Penguin | 20 April 2023 | 368 pgs

Source: Library

This is the third book of India Holton's Dangerous Damsels series and each book can be read as a standalone.

Alice Dearlove, known as Agent A, is one of the top operative agents in the Agency of Undercover Note Takers (A.U.N.T.) Alice has worked in many secret assignments in all sorts of roles and so far nothing has fazed her until her latest assignment.

Daniel Bixby, known as Agent B, is another top agent of A.U.N.T. Like Alice, Bixby is competent and he's also most admired by many of his female peers in the Agency. His latest assignment is to infiltrate a pirate house party and to foil their assassination attempt on the Queen. But he's not working alone and A.U.N.T. has come up with a better plan - Agent A and Agent B will pretend as a married couple for this important assignment.

As much as Alice views Bixby as her greatest rival, she has no choice but to grit her teeth and to take the job. Bixby, on the other hand, has always been working solo and he's equally fazed after learning that he has to work with someone who share the same rank and popularity as him. But they are professionals, as Alice often say, so they'll adjust to their role no matter what happens and see that their mission is accomplished towards the end. But as the days go on, they soon find that fighting off the attraction towards each other may prove harder than the mission itself.

Well, I've to say this is the best romcom I've read thus far this year. Hilarious and swoony, the plot never get bored with these two agents' banter, the adventures they went through and the mission they carried out as a team. I don't think I'd ever laughed so much reading a book (and a historical romcom for that) and loved the characters so much like this twosome. The secondary characters are equally interesting and on top of it, there's some fantastical elements like flying houses, magical tools and gadgets that would either make you wonder or cringe with the agents (oh, they malfunctioned at times, ha). So all in all, I loved this book so much that I've made a note to read the other two books at some point. And not to mention that India Holton has now become one of my favourite fantasy romcom authors.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Fantasy, Historical Romance 8 comments |

Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

Melody

Forever | 19 January 2023 | 336 pgs

Source: Purchased

Love finds its way through a mixture of tradition and modernity in this debut romcom by Lauren Kung Jessen.

Olivia Huang Christenson, a mixed-race Chinese American, is elated to take over her grandmother's matchmaking business known as Lunar Love. Through Chinese zodiac, they make thoughtful and personalised matches based on their clients' compatible animal sign traits. Because of Olivia's grandmother's legacy and the successful rates over decades, Olivia has high expectations of herself and she'd see that the matchmaking business would continue to strive under her lead.

But with today's information technology and various social platforms, it didn't take long for someone like Bennett O'Brien to take matchmaking business to another whole new level - a dating app with the traditional Chinese zodiac approach. When Olivia finds out that ZodiaCupid is making the headlines and views as a threat to their family business, she is ready to meet head-on in a deal with Bennett. The rule is simple: they'll find a match for each other and whoever falls in love loses. But it seems like fate has already found these two people despite their differences and their zodiac incompatibility for they'd already met each other way before learning their real identity.

This enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favourite setups for a romcom and mixes with the Old meets New concept (traditional matchmaking vs online dating), I know it'd make a fun read. I also loved the diverse cast of characters and read more about the Chinese American living lifestyle, the Chinese culture/traditions and even their foods. Olivia and Bennett are both interesting characters and it was always fun to read their banter and see how they fall for each other eventually. The story was sweet and predictable, but it also made a good escapism so different from the other books I usually read. Last but not least, I want to thank Lark for putting this book on our buddy read list. Now go check out her review here and see what she thought of this book.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Buddy Read, Contemporary Romance 12 comments |

The Patient's Secret by Loreth Anne White

Melody

Montlake | 8 March 2022 | 383 pgs

Source: Purchased

I may have only read three books (4 including this) by Loreth Anne White thus far, but I find her writing and her storytelling are excellent and this is no exception.

The story begins when a female jogger is found dead beneath the cliffs of an idyllic coastal community where many of the wealthy families live. Lily Bradley is one of them. She's a respected psychotherapist and is married to a distinguished professor. In everyone's eyes, they're a perfect family with two lovely children, Phoebe and Matthew. Lily thinks she has everything in order, until the day she found her husband, Tom, behaving suspiciously and thereafter with the police arriving, stating that he's a person of interest relating to the female jogger's case, never mind that he'd found her first and tried to resuscitate her.

After the initial investigation, it turns out that the dead female jogger is Arwen Harper, who moved into their neighbourhood together with her 16-year-old son, Joe, not too long ago. The neighbours have a deep impression on this pair of mother and son, especially Arwen who worked in the bar and many men (usually patrons) are acquainted with her. Tom and a few of the husbands frequent that bar regularly, and the wives don't often have a good impression on Arwen and think she's too friendly towards their men.

Detective Rue Duval is assigned to the case and being a person of colour and one who works in a male dominated field, she's adamant to prove herself capable in solving the case. As much as Rue is capable of digging information, she's also an expert in keeping secrets, and she has a few of her own.

The story was told by multiple narratives between the present and the past and one would think it'll be confusing but this is where the author's writing skill shines. The chapters are not hard to follow and in fact read very quickly. I was sucked into this multilayered psychological thriller/police procedural from the beginning till the end. The characterisations are great and almost everyone of them read like a case study. Alongside the suspense, the story also portrays the human nature and what one would do in order to save himself and to survive. Recommended.

Labels: 5 stars, Book Review, Police procedural, Psychological Thriller 12 comments |

Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins

Melody

Atria Books | 11 July 2023 | 320 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law and business partners as well. To them, Jason (Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother) is a good and a hardworking man who'd put others before himself. He's also been working diligently for a promotion at work and life is happy for them, until his boss, Gavin, is found brutally murdered.

A few days later, Jason is met in an accident and is in a coma. The police investigation points to Jason as the prime suspect of Gavin's murder, since the murder weapon is found in his car. The news rattled Julia and Sienna, since they didn't believe Jason would hurt anyone. Sienna believes in Jason strongly since he saved her from a sexual assault years ago. With Jason in a coma and he couldn't defend himself, Julia and Sienna decided to take matters into their own hands and investigate themselves, starting with his colleague, Maeve, who claimed that Gavin was acting suspiciously before his death. But as Julia and Sienna dig further, they find their opinions are divided and this put their friendship at risk.

The story is told between Julia’s and Sienna’s POV. Julia's narrative is calm while Sienna’s is full of rage and in a defensive mode. As much as this book was interesting in a way that it captured the relationship between two sisters-in-law, the pace was extremely slow and there wasn't much intensity and thrill as too much was focused on the two sisters-in-law's investigation and their reactions. Perhaps this is the intention by the author to portray their dynamics as the story progresses. While the plot did escalate towards the end, it felt a bit rushed and although there was a twist, it was easy to figure out if you follow through the story. Overall, I enjoyed this more of a domestic suspense than a psychological thriller.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 8 comments |

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams

Melody

Berkley | 1 December 2020 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Professor Naya Turner's life has always been simple and routine. She's devoted to her work but the university is undergoing a restructuring so that means their flailing department might land on a chopping block anytime. To cheer her up, Naya's bestie suggested she shed her usual self and do something fun for an evening in town, such as making a to-do list and challenge herself to various tasks which are out of her norms. Starting off with striking a conversation with a stranger at the bar. Naya isn't totally against the idea, after all her bestie is coming along and she might not be doing anything from the list at all. But a family emergency came up and Naya is left alone at the bar.

But Naya's loneliness is only temporary after she met Jake who's also nursing his drink alone. Jake is visiting for a business meeting as well as his friend's wedding party. A boisterous bachelorette party nearby prompts him to strike a conversation with Naya and both of them hit it off quickly. Naya thinks Jake is funny and friendly and soon she finds herself sharing her to-do list with him. Jake tells her that he could check off the items on her list, starting with buying her a drink and ending with a no-strings-attached hookup. But their so-called date doesn't seem to end there that night, as Jake wants to get to know Naya more and vice versa.

And as fate would have it, Jake happened to be the management consultant hired by the University; and by the time Naya finds out it's a little late to retrace her steps (and her heart). Aside from the complications of their relationship, Naya also has to face the wrath of her ex-partner after learning that he'll be working in the same university as her. Losing her job and/or love is one thing, but having to deal with his ex-partner's threats and abusive behaviours is another thing.

I haven't read a romance for a while so this was a refreshing read to me. I loved the interactions between Jake and Naya and I thought Jake was a catch - he's funny, considerate and understanding. Naya, on the other hand, appeared to be strong on the surface but deep within she was simply a woman who's looking for someone who'd understand her and respect her. Although this is a romance, it also delves into some serious subjects like domestic abuse and gaslighting and these scenes are particularly hard to read. But Naya was a changed person by then so she wouldn't submit to her ex's behaviours. I enjoyed this book (minus the abusive parts) and all the more for the author's writing. I'll definitely keep a look out for her other books.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Romance 10 comments |

All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

Melody

HarperCollins | 2 February 2023 | 336 pgs

Source: Library

Isabelle Drake's world has turned upside down ever since her young son, Mason, disappeared from his bedroom a year ago. With no clue and evidence, the police have stopped looking and even her husband, Ben, wants her to move on and keep herself together. Isabelle has a tendency of sleepwalking during her childhood days and while the issue seems to have stopped as she gets older, she couldn't help but to think if she's responsible for Mason's disappearance. After all, she has a traumatic past after the passing of her younger sister and she's not sure if she has fully healed from that unfortunate incident.

Despite everything, she has not given up on searching for Mason so she decided to take things into her own hands by holding talks and eventually allowing herself to be interviewed by a true crime podcaster named Waylon Spencer even though she isn't keen of this idea in the beginning. But Waylon had solved a cold case before and Isabelle is interested to see how he could assist her if they decided to work together. However, Waylon seems to have motives of his own and as Isabelle continues to be troubled by her insomnia in connection to her past, she isn't sure what and who to trust anymore, including herself.

I enjoyed the twisty ending, but the journey to the end was long and a slow one. Don't get me wrong, I love a slowburn thriller, but there wasn't much to hold my attention in the first three quarters of the book and truth be told, I wasn't enamoured by Isabelle’s constant whining and her reckless behaviours (e.g. why did she invite Waylon to stay with her? He may be her working partner, but she's all alone at home and he was still an outsider after all.) The writing was great but too wordy and poetic for a suspense thriller (perhaps it's only me). That said, many Goodread readers loved this book so please do not let my opinions deter you from reading it.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 6 comments |

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

Melody

St. Martin's Press | 3 January 2023 | 288 pgs

Source: Library

"Houses remember." With this sentence it begins the story in Rachel Hawkins' latest release set in Orvieto, Italy.

Emily and Chess are good friends since young but their friendship kind of fizzled out as the years go by. Both of them are writers; the former writes cozy mysteries and the latter self-help books. When Chess suggested a trip to Italy one day, Emily knew this would be a chance to reconnect with her and that the trip would reignite her creativity in writing the next installment of her bestselling series.

Prior to the trip, Chess has booked themselves into Villa Aestas. Once known as Villa Rosato, the high-end holiday house is also famous by the stay of a notorious rock star and his entourage way back in 1974. Noel Gordon was on the verge of losing his creativity spark, so he planned on a Summer trip at Villa Rosato and invited up-and-coming musician Pierce Sheldon, his girlfriend, Mari, as well as her stepsister, Lara. Alongside was Johnnie, who was Noel's friend-cum-drug dealer. It was supposedly to be a trip of fun and relaxation, but the group’s dynamics took an ugly turn and ended one being dead.

Despite what happened at Villa Aestas, Emily and Chess are intrigued by the past and Emily even think that there might be more to the story and she's keen to find out more. After all, what could motivate her creativity more than this? But as Emily digs further, the tension between her and Chess also rises due to some unforeseen circumstances and a secret one harbours from the other. Will history repeat itself in Villa Rosato?

I enjoyed this story a lot. I loved the alternative storyline between the present and the past. Villa Rosato was atmospheric on its own but regrettably there wasn't much coverage of this rented holiday house but there was sure a lot of tension among Noel's group of friends. It was a treat reading how the story in 1974 unfold; and how intriguing to learn more about the dynamics between Emily and Chess in the present at the same time. I've read comments by some readers that they preferred more of the present story, but in my opinion both are good and equal in terms of intrigue and one wouldn't stand out and/or proceed without the other. If you ask me, I was most intrigued by Mari as a character; not only was she a writer like Emily and Chess but her inner thoughts as well. I think the ending is a love-it or hate-it kind of closure and personally I found it quite fitting to the overall tone of the story.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall

Melody

Flatiron Books | 28 February 2023 | 336 pgs

Source: Library

Naomi, Cassidy and Olivia are best friends since their childhood days. During those times they spent a lot of their moments roaming the woods and playing the Goddess Game - their own game made up of three different goddesses who they believe to have their own strengths and magic. Some might say they're simply silly girls game, but the three girls think their imaginative goddesses play an important part in their lives and they gave them courage and confidence. Sadly, their happiness came to a halt after Naomi was attacked and she lived to identity the perpetrator who stabbed her seventeen times. Alan Michael Stahl was eventually put in prison after the girls' testimony and for nearly two decades they've somehow left that horrifying past behind until Alan's death (of cancer) in prison brought back their unpleasant memories.

Naomi, now a wedding photographer who struggles to make ends meet, reunites with her two friends in Chester after hearing Olivia's remark about coming clean from a secret they've since hidden those two decades ago. To complicate matters, Naomi is approached by a guy named Ethan who does podcast and he's interested in interviewing her, especially he has some questions surrounding Alan's trial and her testimony. These circumstances propel the story forward as the reader learn more about the past through flashbacks and the present through Naomi's unreliable narrative as she come to realise that her memory of that fateful day might be tainted.

To begin with, I enjoyed the author's writing. The story was engaging and her characters were well described and well developed. However I've to say while there are some parts which are good, there are times I wished some chapters read quickly instead of fillers. Naomi's narrative was well done but I didn't like some of the decisions she made, e.g. how silly to explore the crime scene alone. As far as the suspense goes, there are some clichés and predictability but there was the final twist which I didn't see coming, which was a good thing. This book is Kate Alice Marshall's debut adult thriller but she's written novels for YA and middle grade. I can't wait to read what she'll write next.

Labels: 4 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 4 comments |

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Melody

Macmillan | 18 August 2022 | 352 pgs

Source: Library

Inspired by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, this latest release by Alice Feeney was an engaging tale of a dysfunctional family and how their doom was fixed when a family gathering forced them to unravel their secret past.

This was a great psychological thriller which I'd suggest diving in totally blind so I tried my best to keep this minimal. Daisy Darker, our protagonist, was an intriguing character from the start. She was born with a broken heart; and her relationship and the dynamics with her family was the core of this story. The isolation at Daisy's grandmother's estate on a private island in Cornwall provides a claustrophobic feel to the family's tension, further trapping them and forcing them to probe into each member's inner dark thoughts and secrets after someone was found dead overnight.

On top of that, the characterisations and the characters developments are great, too. The author has done a great job in describing their personality but yet not revealing too much at the same time. However I've read that there are some mixed reviews about this book and while I could see their point, I thought the ending was twisty and clever. In fact, this is my favourite amongst all of Alice Feeney's books so that tells how much I enjoyed this book. Have you read this? I'll be curious of your thoughts if you did.

Labels: 4.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 1 comments |

A Venom Dark and Sweet by Judy I. Lin

Melody

Feiwel & Friends | 23 August 2022 | 352 pgs

Source: Purchased

[May contain spoilers of the first book, A Magic Steeped in Poison]

There are times that you loved the first book of a series so much so that you harbour lots of hope, anticipation and expectations for the next installment. That's how I felt with this duology - I loved the first book but this, not so much.

This book picks up where the first book left off with the return of the Banished Prince to take over the throne of Dàxi through the help of Chancellor Zhou's dark plots and conspiracies, leading to the people living in fear as many are poisoned and the court officials and disciples from the Wulin are being controlled by dark magic.

Although Ning is glad to be able to revive her sister, Shu, out of her deathbed after the tea poisoning, circumstances didn't get any better as they find themselves on the run together with the princess and her bodyguard. A boy Ning once fancied and trust leads to more complexity in their ambiguous relationship, for Kang is the son of the Banished Prince and while there's a sense of righteousness in his blood, the fact that their kinship remains.

While the first book is filled with the intrigue of the tea magic and the intensity of the competition among the Shénnóng-shi, this book lacks the two i's (intrigue and intensity) and on top of it the first half of the story moved slowly with nothing much happened except more court politics. The interactions among the characters were minimal too and while the alternative narratives between Ning and Kang gave the reader a glimpse of their inner mind, they weren't enough to make the story more engaging. The pace only picked up towards the last third of the story but then it came a bit too late and a bit too fast for wrapping up the whole story. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this duology. I was entranced by the fantastical world of the tea magic as well as the role and the skills of the shénnóng-shi. I'd definitely want to read more of Judy I. Lin's books in future. Last but not least, I want to thank Lark for reading this book with me. Go visit her blog here and see what she thought about this book.

Labels: 3 stars, Book Review, Fantasy 6 comments |

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

Melody

Atria/Emily Bestler Books | 21 February 2023 | 320 pgs

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

What'd you do if you're an aspiring writer who receives an opportunity to attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of your favourite author; never mind that someone has pulled the string for you and that your frenemy is attending the retreat, too?

Alex, our protagonist, is elated when she heard that she'd be attending a writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo, even with the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend turns rival is also attending. There's some history between them and the reader would find out the reason as the story progresses. But, there's more dynamics behind their relationship once they've stepped into Roza’s isolated mansion. There are other three attendees as well and Roza announces that they'd have to complete an entire novel from scratch after their stay and the winner of the best novel will receive a seven-figure publishing deal.

The task seems simple enough, but as Alex gets to know more about the other three attendees (and not to mention facing Wren) including Roza’s erratic behaviour, she begins to wonder why they're selected in the first place. But Alex is adamant to finish the novel despite having writer's block for a while; and through the one-to-one writing séances with Roza she begins to share about her past with Wren and in return, Roza offers some advice about writing and in particularly the history of the Blackbriar estate where they're currently staying.

Alex thinks that as long as she could finish her novel and make it to the top, her life will get better once she leaves the Blackbriar estate. But the writing itself is not the only challenge, Alex soon finds out that the other attendees harbour some secrets of their own and aside from Wren's cruel mind games, Roza’s demands have become more unconventional and worse, unethical. As bad things start to happen within the isolated haunted estate, Alex has to find a way to escape from the place alive.

There're several things I liked and disliked about this debut book. To begin with, I loved the author's writing style and the claustrophobic feel of the setting. The premise was refreshing and the characters were flesh-out and intriguing in their own ways, especially the erratic author Roza Vallo. The first half of the book was good and engaging, but the story started to go downhill when Roza started to show her erratic side and the unexpected genre/occurrences that were mixed in this thriller which had me thinking that the connection was getting further away and lost from the plot, thus the outcome didn't work for me. That said, it was still a good read for a debut novel and I look forward to the author's future releases as I enjoyed her writing style.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Thriller 4 comments |

The Hollows by Daniel Church

Melody

Angry Robot | 8 November 2022 | 400 pgs

Source: Library

This book has "movie adaptation" written all over it. A folk horror set in a remote snowbound Peak District, well could you sense the thrills and the intensity already?

The story begins with our heroine, Constable Ellie Cheetham, finds a body and initial speculation is that he drank too much and froze to death, considering his reputation as a good-for-nothing and an alcoholic. However, there's something strange about the victim, Tony Harper's gesture. He was found clutching a knife and appeared to be hiding from someone. And what most stranger is the odd mark that was drawn on a stone beside him. Ellie couldn't explain this strange occurrences, but there's another bigger problem for her ahead as she has to deliver the bad news to the Harpers family and they're bent on or engaged in lawless violence.

What follows next are more disappearances and unexplainable causes after more bodies are found, and Ellie and the few of the residents have to face the horror that they might be dealing with something more sinister and more terrifying than the menace of the Harpers family.

Isolation and fear are the core elements in this atmospheric folk horror tale. Added to the draw is our fearless heroine, Constable Ellie Cheetham, who carried an emotional baggage from her broken family yet one who stands strong for the villagers when destruction struck. And speaking of characterisation, the Harpers family played an important role in this story regardless of their notorious deeds and the author described each of these family members' characteristics incisively and vividly. However, there're something more that I wished the author had worked on it to make this book a better read, such as the history and more information about the ancient evil and cutting down a few chapters in between which seemed to drag a bit. Nevertheless, it was a compelling read and fans of classic horror will probably enjoy this.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Horror 6 comments |

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

Melody

Simon & Schuster UK | 29 September 2022 | 400 pgs

Source: Library

This book features one of the most unusual families I've ever read and if you've watched this movie, Ready or Not, they've similar vibes though this is more of a whodunit kind of story.

Harriet Reed is basking in her success after selling her first thriller book and while she is writing and worrying over her second book's deadline, her mind nowadays is occupied by her engagement to Edward Holbeck. Edward is a perfect man in many women's eyes - he's young, good-looking and he's the heir to a successful and powerful family who has their name and reputation well-built over decades.

When Harriet first receives an invitation from Edward's sister for a drink, she's nervous yet she's excited too. She could tell the Holbeck family exudes power and authority after Mathilda's assistant changed her meeting appointment with her publisher so that she could attend the meet up with Mathilda. Granted, the publisher is a part of the Holbeck's business conglomerate and Harriet only finds out much later. It's not long that Harriet is invited for dinner with the family and she finds herself attracted by Edward’s father's charisma yet there's an edge behind his cool demeanour which she couldn't put her finger on.

But Harriet is quick to impress Robert Holbeck so when he hands her a cassette tape of a book he's been working on, she couldn't say no. And the more Harriet listen to it, the more Robert's narrative read like a murder confession than a fiction. And as if this isn't enough, the Holbecks has several (weird) traditional family games which they'd play during occasions which scare her. Harriet isn't sure if all these are simply part of their plan to test her loyalty; if not would she be able to escape from the Holbecks' mind games?

As much as the story goes, I think it was a bit far-fetched yet it was very entertaining and unputdownable. The characters drove you crazy yet you couldn't shift your attention away. I'd mixed feelings towards Harriet though; one moment I felt sorry for her and then frustrated and annoyed at her actions next. Robert's narrative was intriguing and I always love reading a frame story. I'd have given this book a 4-star but alas that ending (more of the motive) felt a bit ridiculous in my opinion but suffice it to say there wasn't any boring moments so overall it was an engrossing read.

Labels: 3.5 stars, Book Review, Psychological Suspense 8 comments |

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin

Melody

Feiwel & Friends | 29 March 2022 | 384 pgs

Source: Purchased

A Magic Steeped in Poison is Judy I. Lin's debut and the first in a duology featuring a fantastical world of shennong-shi (Master of Shennong magic) and the art of tea brewing and magic set in the imperial city of Dàxī.

Ning has been living in guilt since the death of her mother and her younger sister seriously sick with poison. It isn't her fault actually; who'd have known that the tea bricks are laced with poison? Nonetheless Ning blames herself for her negligence for not detecting it earlier. To save her sister, Shu, from following their mother's fate, Ning leaves her hometown in Su to the imperial city of Dàxī for a competition that would allow her to receive a favor from the princess should she be the winner.

On her way to the palace, she meets a boy who intrigue and capture her attention at the same time. Little does she know that she'd soon cross path with him again and learn his true identity once she's in the palace. Though winning the competition is Ning's goal, she soon finds herself embroiled in the politics and conspiracies within the palace and all the more with the rise of a revolt led by the General of Kăiláng, who's being exiled and better known as the Banished Prince. Is there a hope for saving her sister now that the kingdom is threatened by the rebellion?

Ah. I loved this fantasy a lot. I'm a big tea drinker so when I read the blurb and learned that teas play a major part in this story, I knew I've to read it. And I enjoyed the story, too. Ning was a likeable character who's courageous and determined and I loved her fighting spirit and her devotion towards her sister. The tea brewing and the tea concoctions (sounds a little like Traditional Chinese Medicine), together with the various magic cast by the shennong-shi are fun to read, though some of the tasks required for the competition made it so hard to read. But, there's also some heartwarming moments as well, e.g. the friendship between Ning and Lian (fellow participant), and the palace kitchen staff's loyalty and helpfulness when Ning was in danger.

All in all, I enjoyed this book immensely and I'm glad my book buddy, Lark, shared this reading journey with me (visit Lark's blog for her review).

Finally, here's my answers to Lark's questions:

1. What are your favorite tea ingredients, and if they had magical properties, what would they be?

One of my favorite tea ingredients would be chrysanthemum flowers and goji berries (with a few rock sugar). They make a refreshing drink and I read that this concoction is a powerful boost to improve our eyes' health and cool our body heat. If they had magical properties, I wish they could eliminate all the cancerous cells in our bodies.

2. What characters do you hope to see more of in the next book? And which character surprised you most in this book?

I've a few characters in mind, but the one who stands out amongst the rest is the General of Kăiláng. Considering his exile and the uproar of the rebellion towards the end, there's so little information about him and his appearance was minimal (perhaps in the next book, A Venom Dark and Sweet?)

As for the character who surprised me most, she's none other than the princess, Ying-Zhen. She gave me the impression that she's a person who guard her feelings well so it's hard to decipher what kind of a person she is. I suppose it's necessary considering her role as a princess and she couldn't wear her heart on her sleeve.