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  • Writer's picturehaleylynnthomas22
    • Sep 1
    • 4 min read

August Reading Wrap-up and Mini-Reviews

1. Prose and Cons by Amanda Flower (Adult Cozy Fantasy) (323 pages) (4⭐️)
This is the second book in the magical bookshop series which follows Violet who works in a bookshop where the books 'talk' to her and help her solve mysteries. In this book one of the members of her writing club, the Red Inkers, is murdered and another member is suspected. I really liked the mystery in this one - I never saw the final reveal coming! I am getting tired of Violet's love triangle between the town mayor and police chief.
Full Review:

2. The Djinn Entrapment by Leigh Eskin Mascolino (YA Fantasy) (271 pages) (4.25⭐️)
Melody has always feared the djinn but then she learns they're being captured by another human and forced to do things against their will. She teams up with a couple of djinn to try and free them. This is an indie published book and I was impressed by the character development. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat. This would be great for a fantasy beginner.

3. The Dallergut Dream Department Store by Lee Mi-ye (Adult Cozy Fantasy) (284 pages) (4⭐️)
This novel takes place in a mystical town where people travel to when they are sleeping. There is the titular department store there where customers can purchase custom dreams. This novel reads like a series of short stories with lessons like old time fairytales. This isn't a book for high stakes fantasy readers but is instead a light, fluffy read.

4. Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson (YA Mystery) (370 pages) (3.75⭐️)
Marlowe is working at the titular Morning House on Ralston Island conducting tours of the house where a wealthy but cursed family once lived. The novel is told from alternating present and past (early 1930s) timelines about the various deaths that took place on the island. This book is very similar to Johnson's Truly Devious series. I had a good time reading it and it took me out of a semi-reading slump.
Full Review:

5. The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast by Sophie Love (Adult Cozy Mystery) (198 pages) (3⭐️)
Marie inherits her late aunt's house and decides to open a bed and breakfast there. A paranormal investigator thinks he's caught ghostly activity which makes Marie's business boom. When another man, who threatens to reveal it's all a hoax, dies under suspicious circumstances, Marie must solve the murder to save her business. This was a quick, easy read but it was also very average. It's more about saving the business than the mystery.

6. The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow (YA Fantasy) (477 pages) (3⭐️)
Ying Yue discovers a mirror world inhabited by reflections of herself and all others. The reflections want to take over her world and she must stop them. This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The concept, the pacing, and even some of the prose are great, but Ying is a beyond frustrating protagonist.
Full Review:

7. Be My Ghost by Carol J. Perry (Adult Cozy Mystery) (288 pages) (2.5⭐️)
Maureen inherits a struggling inn that is haunted by ghosts. A ghost hunter is murdered on the premises and she finds herself as a suspect. This was my second haunted inn cozy mystery after The Ghostly Grounds and the synopsis had such promise. Like the other, however, it sidelined the mystery for a plot about saving the inn. Maureen was also a lackluster protagonist to follow around.

8. The Frangipani Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu (Adult Historical Mystery) (312 pages) (3.5⭐️)
In 1936 Singapore, Sul LIn takes a job as a nanny for the child of the acting governor after the previous nanny's suspicious death. Despite its title, this book leans way more in the historical fiction than the mystery genre. The mystery is so predicable I'd figured out all the reveals halfway through the novel. This books strong suit is making you feel transported back in time and across the world to its setting.
Full Review:

DNFs

1.The Body in the Attic by Judi Lynn (Adult Cozy Mystery) (read 154 pages/70%)
This book is about cousins Jazzi and Jerod who renovate and flip houses. During one such renovation they discover the body of Jazzi's long missing aunt in the attic. It's a shame I had to DNF this book because it had a strong set up. There were a lot of characters but that wasn't why I DNF'd it. The reason I DNF'd was because Jazzi makes a comment about drugging and 'having her way' with her crush Ansel who is havign relationship troubles with his girlfriend. I was horrified and disgusted and shocked that no one else mentioned this in reviews that I read. I'm mystified that made it to publication and how anyone thought it was okay.

2. Town in a Blueberry Jam by B. B. Haywood (Adult Cozy Mystery) (read 102 pages/34%)
This book is about Candy Holliday who lives in a small town that has a blueberry festival. A famous Olympian townie and the winner of the beauty pageant at the festival end up dead and she investigates. This book was nothing special - I've read very similar plots before that were done better. Also, the main character and her best friend mock the death of the beauty pageant winner which - annoying as her character was - I found to be incredibly tasteless and gross.

TOTAL PAGES READ (JAN-JUN): 20,535
AVG. BOOK LENGTH (JAN-JUN): 366.70 pages
AVG. BOOK RATING (JAN-JUN): 214/275⭐️ (3.82⭐️)

AUDIOBOOKS (JAN-JUN): 14/56
PHYSICAL READS (JAN-JUN): 43/56
BORROWED FROM THE LIBRARY (JAN-JUN): 30/56
DNFs (JAN-JUN): 15
REREADS (JAN-JUN): 6/56
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