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January Reading Wrap-up + Buzzwordathon Update

  1. The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan (Adult Mystery) (368 pages) (2⭐️)
In the town of Maple Bay there is a legend of a lost pirate treasure. Peter,a descendant of the original treasure hunters club, Dandy, a local teenager, and Cass, a writer, are all searching for it. They must be careful, however, as someone is willing to kill for the treasure. This book was a very disappointing read for me. The big reveal that was promised was one I've read before. The characters (with the exception of Dandy) are flat and do nothing to progress the plot.

  1. The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan (Adult Fantasy) (381 pages) (3⭐️)
    Shean lives in a world where people are threatened by monsters known as the Shod. The only way to combat the Shod are with living dolls made by the titular dollmakers. I had such high hopes for this book as the concept was one like nothing I'd read before. It was ruined, however, by the protagonist. Shean was the most unlikable protagonist I've ever read and her maturing came too late. She made my reading experience unpleasant.
    Full Review: Coming to the blog

  2. Dead and Gondola by Ann Claire (Adult Cozy Mystery) (318 pages) (4.25⭐️)
    Two sisters, Ellie and Meg Christie, run a bookstore in a small, snowy tourist village. One night they become 'witnesses' to a murder. The characters in the Christie family (Ellie, Meg, Meg's daughter, and their Gram) are all so lovable - I just adored them. I thought I had the mystery solved but the end reveal surprised me. This would be a great book to curl up with on a chilly snow day.
    Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6192402805

  1. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson (Adult Mystery Thriller) (371 pages) (3⭐️)
    Ernest's family is having a tense reunion on a snowy mountain where they are hunted by a serial killer. The novel has dark humor and its gimmick is that the narrator, Ernest, speaks directly to the reader. I had mixed feelings on the narrative style. It was a very foreign experience for me, though I grew used to it. It's definitely a polarizing writing choice, but one that makes the book standout.

  1. The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker (YA Historical Fantasy) (424 pages) (5⭐️)
Fan Zilan and her cousins travel to China's capital where Zilan competes to become an alchemist for the royal family. There is a romance in this story between Zilan and the crown prince, Li Hong. Zilan is a morally complex protagonist. She and the naive but kindhearted crown prince are opposites, but their romance is cute. There are a lot of really cool action scenes featuring alchemy.
Full Review: Coming to the blog

  1. Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (Adult Mystery/Thriller) (320 pages) (3.5⭐️)
    This is the sequel to Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. As the title implies, it takes place on a train where Ernest is attending a crime-writing festival. This novel has the same dark humor and style of Ernest speaking directly to the reader as the first book. It keeps things fresh with a new setting and a new cast of eclectic characters. I liked this book a little more than the first.
    Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7247227561

PAGES READ (JAN): 2,182
AVG. STAR RATING (JAN): 20.75/30 (3.46⭐️)

2025 Buzzwordathon
Youtuber Booksandlala (Kayla) does this annual event in which every month she gives a prompt for either a specific word or concept for you to find in book titles. In order to not stress and have fun completing the challenge, I'm not worrying about doing it in order - just finding them all within 2025.


Buzzwords/Concepts:

Truth and Lies
Water words
Thing (words with 'thing' in them)
Animals
"To"/Guides
Memory related words
Punctuation
With
Events
✅Violent words: Everyone in My Family Has KILLED Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Never
Alliteration
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