"The Fox Bride" by Sasha Peyton Smith

 

The Fox Bride by Sasha Peyton Smith is an imaginative standalone YA fantasy following two 18-year-old protagonists, Cass and Holden, with strong Wuthering Heights vibes, but lighter in tone. It is written from the first-person POVs of both characters, mostly from Cass's perspective, with a few of Holden's chapters inserted in between. I loved the author's previous duology, so I was delighted to read her new book. Unfortunately, it fell a bit short of my expectations. But more on that later.

Cass, the daughter of Lord Tattershall of the Wilds from his first marriage, is forced to marry Holden, the prince of Alcadia, on her 18th birthday. She is surprised to discover that her future husband is actually Heath, her childhood sweetheart. However, the boy she once loved is now a cold and distant man who seems to have forgotten their shared past. He is also the leader of the Foxes, a ring of magical art thieves who recover stolen art and return it to its rightful owners. Needing Cass's ability to sense magic to locate a painting said to show the end of the world, Holden reluctantly involves her in the search. Meanwhile, his uncle Martingale, who wants the throne, offers Cass a way out of her obligations in exchange for her help in retrieving the painting. She must choose between her heart and her duty.

The novel started off quite strong, and I was thoroughly enjoying it. However, it quickly lost momentum in the middle and only regained it toward the last section. There were secrets, prophecies, and power struggles aplenty. I appreciated the banter and dynamics of the Foxes, enjoyed the heists, admired the magical house, and loved the cat. The magic system was unique, and I liked the connection between art, enchanted objects, and the magic in the land.

That said, the two main characters frustrated me to no end, which unfortunately made it difficult for me to stay invested in the story or care about them. Cass often acted foolishly, such as going out at night in an unfamiliar place or trusting the wrong man, and came up with sorry excuses to justify her plans. Later, she was angry at her husband for the same behavior she herself had exhibited.

Holden, oh Holden! One minute cold, the next caring. His behavior was explained later on, but I felt it was just for the sake of the trope. While I did enjoy the slow-burn romance, the miscommunication was taken too far. There is miscommunication, and then there is miscommunication. Also, he stole art for the excitement, not just out of altruism. While I understand his motives, he could have paid for at least some of it. It's not as if he lacked the money. Truth be told, I found his chapters less engaging. Luckily, there weren't too many of them.

The writing was good. The fact that I felt so strongly about the main characters is a testament to the author's talent. Still, those issues kept me from being fully engaged. The resolution of the mystery, the character development, and the ending itself made up for some of the book's flaws, so I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars. I recommend the book to fans of arranged marriage, political intrigue, and magical heists. Just don't go in with too high expectations, and you will enjoy the book.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book:  "The Fox Bride Deluxe" by Sasha Peyton Smith

"A Wish Made of Poison" by Ruby Martinez

 


















"A Wish Made of Poison" by Ruby Martinez is an immersive YA fantasy following a rebel woman seeking vengeance and a prince in disguise. Written in the first-person POV and divided into four acts, the story alternates between the two. The book has all the tropes I love and ticks all the boxes. Hooray!

In Tindara, a colonizer kingdom, magic is born from trauma and pain and comes with a heavy price: the death of its wielder. Asha is known as Viper. She is poison and can kill with a touch. She mostly keeps to herself and doesn't trust anyone, not even her associate Bunny, who tries to befriend her.

Prince Maxim is dying due to his ability to change forms. He and his brother Jasper compete to win their father's approval. They are desperate for his love, but the king cares only about power. The brothers used to be close, but are now estranged. Maxim desperately wants to please his father, so he sometimes makes the wrong choices. He is too much of a coward, by his own admission, to object to his father's orders.

The paths of the two cross when each tries to solve a riddle that will lead to a great treasure and a wish granted by the goddess Malthea that could change their fate. Maxim wants the wish to gain control over his power and stay alive. Asha wants it for revenge on the entire royal family and their cronies. They are forced to join forces on their quest due to its nature. Prince Maxim hides his identity from Viper because he knows she won't cooperate otherwise. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones looking for the wish, so they have to reach its location first.

Quests, secret caves, a haunted forest, and fatal trials: all the ingredients for a great read. I loved the book immensely and found it rather delightful. The author created a fascinating world with original magic and interesting history. The world-building is excellent, and the details are revealed to us bit by bit. I appreciate that magic exists in an industrial-revolution-era world. It was well-crafted and integrated well into the tale.

Asha and Maxim are complicated characters. I loved their banter, wit, humor, and growth. Maxim is sensitive, a bit clumsy, and kind. He cares about others' opinions of him and fears they won't like him if they get to know the real him. He falls for Asha first, but keeps his feelings secret because he knows how much she hates the royal family. BTW, the author kept referring to him as a boy despite his age, but I took it as a figure of speech.

Asha, on the other hand, is quite different. She has built walls around her heart. She is bitter, afraid to get close to others for fear of hurting them, and afraid that others won't like her. She is afraid to get close to Maxim, but eventually opens herself to him despite her fear of getting hurt. I liked that the two helped each other heal and see the good in themselves. Asha saw his good sides and didn't consider what he saw as flaws to be such. They weren't perfect, and that's what made them human and relatable.

The book explores father-son and brotherly relationships, found family, the corruption of power, choices, and the healing power of love. I loved the idea that trauma can make you stronger. I liked that the characters weren't simply good or evil, and that even those who initially seem villainous have more to them. The side characters are less developed, it's true, but that didn't detract from the story. The ending was satisfying and optimistic and warmed my heart.

This is a standalone and doesn't have smut, which I loved. If you love morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance, and daring heists, this is the book for you. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book:"A Wish Made of Poison" by Ruby Martinez 
 

"When Life Gives You Corpses" by Lene D. Buttner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Life Gives You Corpses by Lene D. Buttner is a quirky queer fantasy following the journey of Theory, a cursed, human-eating mantis, and Nim, an 18-year-old subpar wizard. The story alternates between Theory's first-person POV and Nim's third-person POV. I loved the word-play in the title and the unique premise and dived into the story. 

Meet Theory, a cursed, human-eating praying mantis fiend who works as a search-and-recovery guide (not rescue, as he often emphasizes) at Fiendworld, a magical sinkhole turned amusement park. He hides his appearance by using glamour and supplements his meals with a finger or two from the cadavers of lost adventurers he recovers. When he is tasked against his will with rescuing a missing wizard, the son of the park's management and a descendant of the very wizard who cursed Theory, he reluctantly agrees. 

To his sorrow, the wizard is still alive and insists on continuing downward with his enchanted backpack to locate his missing friend. Along the way, they encounter many dangers, such as man-eating fish, other praying mantises and fiends, and tentacle-covered walls. With the help of Cordelia (you'll find out who she is in the tale), they uncover a secret about the park and the past that will turn their world upside down.

This is one of the most original books I've read in a while. It is dark, yes, and I could do without the cannibalism. However, it isn't the focus of the story, and it serves a purpose. The book is categorized as YA, but I don't think it is appropriate for sensitive readers due to its dark and somewhat gory content. And Theory doesn't kill people to eat them. He only eats body parts from people who are already dead. Still gross, I agree.

The mystery worked well and left me intrigued. Toward the end, I guessed one of the reveals, but other twists caught me by surprise. There was also humor throughout the story, especially in the dialogue, which provided some much-needed comic relief. I loved the ending and thought it was satisfying. Admittedly, not all questions were answered, but the story stood well on its own without the answers.

Cordelia was one of my favorite secondary characters. I loved the dynamic between her and Theory and the way they communicated, as Theory was the only fiend who could speak. I also enjoyed the interactions between him and Nim, the development of their relationship, and how they both changed throughout the story. Despite his condition, Theory was the only one who understood Nim, supported him, and tried to help him see his own worth. I liked the slow-burn romance between the two and the way their relationship developed, with Theory gradually seeing Nim as less of a burden and more as a friend. And more!

Theory is a stickler for rules and regulations, hates magic, stays away from people, and keeps to himself. He is the grumpy one to Nim's sunshine. Nim is easygoing, has low self-esteem, and isn't much of a wizard. And yet, they match. I loved how Theory was able to see and understand Nim in a way that helped him recognize his own worth.

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gives you corpses, you make a meal... The writing, world-building, and magic are unique. I loved how creative and unpredictable the world was and how I never knew what they would encounter next. Each level of the sinkhole was more dangerous than the one above. Most people only visited the upper levels, and few dared to go further down.

I loved this book immensely and highly recommend it to fans of queer enemies-to-friends-to-lovers stories, found family, and adventures. The author has created complex characters, a mysterious plot, and an extraordinary story you wouldn't want to miss.

Triggers: cannibalism, death, parental abuse, violence, body horror, gore.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

*  "When Life Gives You Corpses" by Lene D. Buttner

"The Dreamwitch" by Monique Hazel

 

I came for the gothic setting and stayed for the plot. "The Dreamwitch" by Monique Hazel is an excellent gothic horror with a dash of slow-burn romance. It ticks all my favorite trope boxes: enemies-to-lovers, inexplicable events, and a haunted, decaying estate.

Matiah Blood is a 24-year-old Dreamwitch with a red birthmark on her face, dreams in her heart, and a curious nature. She lives in the House of Dreams with other dreamwitches, each talented in a different discipline. As a dreamwitch, she can manipulate dreams and often helps the police with their inquiries by entering criminals' minds and extracting information.

When Lord Montgomery of Camdyn begs the House of Dreams to help his nephew, who suffers from crippling nightmares, Matiah insists on going despite warnings about the huntsmen, a sect who still prey on dreamwitches in Camdyn. Two ex-soldiers are assigned to protect her: kind-hearted Leopold and the brooding, traumatized Atlas, who seems to dislike her on sight.

Camdyn is far more technologically advanced than Matiah's city. However, not all its residents are welcoming, and some are even murderous toward her kind. The Montgomery house holds secrets, incidents seem to follow her, and the boy's pervasive nightmares start to affect the rest of the household. Several attempts are made on Matiah's life, but she remains determined to see things through despite the danger. She must act fast before time runs out.

I enjoyed the book immensely. The writing is beautiful and laced with tension and suspense as the author pulls us into the depths of this intriguing mystery. The world-building and magic are vivid and original. I loved the concept of entering dreams and the possibilities it opens up. The author expertly builds a gritty atmosphere throughout the book. The gothic vibes are strong, and the Penny Dreadful tales and dream sequences interspersed throughout the story enrich the atmosphere.

The characters are well-drawn, especially Matiah and Atlas. Matiah is kind, protective, and caring, with a great deal of compassion for others. I admired her courage and perseverance, as well as her compassion toward others. However, she doesn't always follow the rules. Entering a dream without the person's consent was wrong, even if her intentions were good.

The book explores trauma, grief, loss, self-worth, and the damaging effects of war. Atlas's trauma and insomnia, both caused by his experiences in the Half War, are portrayed particularly well. I would have liked to learn more about the war itself, as not enough details were given about it. His love of reading made me relate to him.

The house rules forbade romance between staff members, so both tried to keep their distance. I liked the way their relationship developed, with both of them struggling against their feelings and their past experiences. They both had physical features they considered flaws, and I loved how accepting they were of each other's imperfections.

I was satisfied with the ending, which was a wonderful way to conclude the story. I did think all the problems could have been avoided if they had simply left the estate... The reasons given for staying were unconvincing, but this didn't stop me from loving the book and highly recommending it. If you like your fantasy dark, thorny, and laced with poison, this one is for you!

Content warnings: sexual references, substance use, violence, mild body horror.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book:  "The Dreamwitch" by Monique Hazel

"Please Kill My Boss" by Evie Ross

 

"Please Kill My Boss" by Evie Ross is a tongue-in-cheek comedic thriller following a workaholic woman who fantasizes about the untimely death of her boss. Well, you know what they say about wishes coming true.

Julia is the head of sales at Fine Office Furniture, a company that sells chairs. She is overworked, her boyfriend has left her, and she has no friends or life outside the office. Her co-workers don't like her because of her prickly attitude and her lack of effort to get to know them or socialize with them. She hates her controlling boss and daydreams about different ways their egotistical, bullying, sexist boss could drop dead.

When he unexpectedly drops dead in front of her one Monday night while she is working late at the office, she panics and runs. Later, she makes some unwise decisions, such as trying to hide the body and tampering with evidence to clear herself of suspicion. Help comes to her surprise from unexpected quarters. Her co-workers, Todd from Design and Poppy, the new intern, join her efforts to solve the case and find out who is trying to frame her for murder. It's not an easy task, as she isn't exactly Miss Congeniality, and most of her co-workers dislike her and apparently fantasized about his death.

Who knew selling chairs was such a cutthroat business? The book explores work-life balance, sexism at work, office politics, and workplace dynamics. You either like the heroine or hate her. I belong to the first category. Yes, she isn't perfect. She is selfish, self-centred, oblivious to her surroundings, and judgmental towards others (especially good-looking women). However, she eventually becomes aware of her flaws and at least tries to improve, with varying degrees of success.

Most of the workers were unlikeable, except for Todd and Poppy. I liked that Todd was willing to help Julia even though he initially believed she had murdered their boss. I liked Poppy's direct approach and the way she tells it like it is. I liked the humour, wit, and writing. The emails from HR added a refreshing touch to the story. The mystery was well plotted and kept me interested throughout the book. The twists at the end caught me by surprise, as did the identity of the murderer. Speaking of the murderer, I wasn't satisfied with the solution. I thought the murderer got off lightly after killing two people. Neither victim was innocent, but that didn't justify killing them. Punishment, yes; murder, no.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and there are a few hilarious scenes, such as the discovery of the body and the comment about how murder enlivens the boring office routine, which made it a good read. It may seem chaotic at times, but that's what made it so entertaining to read. I recommend the book to fans of office antics who don't shy away from unlikeable characters. I will never look at office workers the same way after reading this book!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Please Kill My Boss" by Evie Ross

"Gilded Wings" by Emily Thiede

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gilded Wings and Iron Chains! "Gilded Wings" by Emily Thiede is an original YA fantasy set in the 19th century, in the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, with the exciting addition of dragons, a premise I couldn't resist. Told in the third person from the alternating perspectives of the two main protagonists, it follows Stella, a country girl, and Gentry, a newsie who delivers newspapers for a living.

Stella leaves home to avoid an arranged marriage. She joins her sister in the big city, much to her sister's dismay. The two are different in character and don't really get along. Maeve is the black sheep of the family, while Stella is the golden child. Stella feels invisible and inadequate and hopes to change that and improve her relationship with her sister. On her very first day, she is almost trampled to death by a passing carriage but is saved by the charming Gentry, who has secrets of his own and a past he hides from his friends.

When an object entrusted to him for safekeeping disappears, he suspects Stella of stealing it. He must find the it, as his life is on the line otherwise. When he is thrown out of his boarding house because of his age, he tries to find a place for himself and his fellow newsies while struggling to make it on the streets. Meanwhile, Stella works alongside her sister in a factory and is upset by the unjust working conditions. She grows close to an Infaerna, a bright miniature dragon, and comes to care for her. As dragon attacks escalate and the Infaerna start going missing, Stella and Gentry join forces to get to the root of the issue. Between dragon attacks, class conflict, political intrigue, and growing attraction, they have their hands full. There is danger in the city, and it isn't just the dragons.

The premise was great, but the execution fell a bit short for me. I had a hard time getting into the story at first because of the over-descriptive prose and the slow pacing. However, once I got into the spirit of things and got used to the writing, I couldn't stop reading. The book started well enough, dragged in the middle, and regained its momentum towards the end. There were a couple of sections where things were told rather than shown, but I was glad the author didn't stretch those sections.

The world-building was excellent, and I loved the concept of colors distinguishing between classes. I also loved the combination of the Industrial Revolution and dragons, and I only wish the latter had played a bigger role in the story. I admired the clever Infaerna and their quirks, as well as the colorful cast of side characters. I disliked Maeve, Stella's sister, at first because of her attitude toward her sister. However, as the plot unfolded, I changed my mind about her.

I liked Stella and rooted for her. She was an idealist, if a bit naive, and I loved her optimism, caring nature, kindness, and passion for justice and workers' rights. She was a fighter, and I admired her for it. In contrast, Gentry was cynical but charming and used his charm to his advantage. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop, especially how they influenced each other and brought out the best in one another. He gave her confidence, while she gave him mettle.

Overall, I enjoyed the book despite its flaws, so after consideration, I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. With tighter writing and pacing, it could have been even more engaging. There is no spice, which is refreshing to me, and I was very satisfied with the conclusion. I recommend it to fans of dragons, slow-burn romance, and found family.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Gilded Wings" by Emily Thiede

"Such Familiar Magic" by Natasha Ngan

 

"Such Familiar Magic" by Natasha Ngan is a sweet, cozy fantasy following the self-discovery journey of a British-Chinese young witch. It is just the kind of book I love, and I quickly got immersed in its whimsical atmosphere and story.

Laila Chu comes from one of three magical British-Chinese families in the seaside town of Silverwood Cove, each family with their own kind of magic. Her parents immigrated from Malaysia to the UK for a better future. Laila toggles between her work in London and her familial magic duties at home on the weekends, leaving no space for personal relationships and friendship.

When her parents leave for a trip to Malaysia, Laila has to go home for that period to take care of the ancient potion that gives them their power, the family spirits, and their pet turtle. When she accidentally ruins the potion, she has to reconstruct it from scratch. Unfortunately, the only person who can help her is her childhood nemesis, Anthony Lim. The clock is ticking, and she has to gather the ingredients before it is too late. But, hey, no pressure, right??

I enjoyed the book immensely. I loved the family dynamics, the slow-burn romance, and the Chinese mythology. I also enjoyed the little winks to other stories and characters, such as Mulan and Wednesday. The hero compared the heroine to Mulan, and one of the teenage side characters, with her love of the macabre, was a fun wink to Wednesday. I loved the banter between Laila and Anthony and between her and her ancestor spirits. The latter were my favorite side characters. In fact, I loved the whole cast!

Laila is flawed, but that is what makes her human. I appreciated her journey, the way she came to terms with herself and her inheritance and found her place in the community. She compartmentalized herself and almost broke herself in doing so, suffering from panic attacks and burnout. But she grows along the way. Anthony was sweet, strong but vulnerable, kind and soft, and I identified with his loss. I also liked Laila's approach to life and the way she balanced work and life. Laila's mom irritated me at first. She was the stereotypical Asian mother and too strict with her only daughter, but as I got to know her, I understood her more.

The book explores themes of identity, culture, grief, family, community, burnout, and love. I loved the glimpse into the immigrant community, and the message about home, a place where you will always be welcomed no matter what. It also touched on Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), and had LGBTQ+ representation. There were a couple of sex scenes, so consider yourself warned if that bothers you.

Overall, I loved the book and highly recommend it. I liked the connection between memories and ingredients, the magic, and the writing. The pace was slow at times, but there wasn't a dull moment. In fact, it enabled us to get to know the characters and the culture. I recommend the book to fans of feel-good novels that leave you all warm inside, with great characters you can deeply connect with and care about, and magic.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more details about the book: "Such Familiar Magic" by Natasha Ngan

"Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed

 

I have read one of Reed's books before and loved it, so I knew I was in for a great read. And I was right! "Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed is an intense YA locked-room mystery that will leave you breathless. Written in the first person and present tense, it follows an aspiring true crime YouTuber who gets drawn into investigating a year-old murder.

Meet Ames: a teenage YouTuber trying to increase her views and aspiring to become an investigative journalist. When she gets an invitation to a party at the infamous Haven Hotel, where a girl died last year, she can't resist. She saw a story about it on the internet that has since been removed, and her journalist instincts kick in. She must get to the bottom of things,  even if it puts her in danger.

When she arrives at the abandoned hotel, she meets six other teens, a group of friends who received similar invitations. When one of them tries to leave, he is murdered, and a mysterious voice warns them that anyone who attempts to escape will meet the same fate. They must stay until one of them confesses to the murder of the dead girl, whom they all knew. Ames tries to piece together the facts and discover what happened on that fateful night a year ago. The clock is ticking, and time is running out.

The beginning was a little slow for me, but once the story got going, the pace picked up and it became increasingly difficult to put down. I liked Ames as a protagonist. I was surprised at first that the other teens, who were a bit older than her, let her take charge of the investigation at the voice's insistence, but understood as I got to know her. I admired her courage and determination to uncover the truth. She also suffers from panic attacks in confined spaces, which made her feel more relatable and added another layer of tension to an already tense situation.

At first, it seemed like the same old trope of people being locked in a place, but it was anything but. What I particularly enjoyed was that the locked-room setup wasn't just used as a backdrop for a familiar trope. There was an actual mystery to unravel, with the events of the previous year gradually coming to light. The twists and final reveal caught me completely unaware. Several times I thought I knew where the story was going, only to be proven wrong. I was sure the culprits would get away and was ready to be upset over it, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Whilst we don't get an in-depth view of every character, there is enough of their personality to differentiate between them. As it is written in the present tense, the reader experiences the events alongside the characters. The book explores themes of loss, grief, revenge, friendship, and redemption. There is a dash of romance, but it doesn't overshadow the mystery. The Snapchat memories, video fragments, and letters between the chapters enriched the plot. The storytelling created a strong sense of claustrophobia and a creepy atmosphere.

The author has masterfully woven everything together, gradually revealing snippets of information without giving too much away until the end. The final twist left me agog, and I especially liked the buildup of tension. The author is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to reading more of her books. As you gather, I loved the book and recommend it to fans of locked-room mysteries with a bite. Just a note, as it is a YA, it may be predictable to some. I didn't find it so. Full stars from me! 

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Worse Than the Others" by Mackenzie Reed 

"Ambrosia" by Katrina Kwan

 

"Ambrosia" by Katrina Kwan is a dark academia standalone combining murder mystery and alchemy, all my favorite tropes. The opening of the book was great, and I loved the wink to the opening of "Pride and Prejudice."

The book revolves around a Huay woman, Li, who left her home country with her husband, Zhen, so he could join the University of Quartë’s world-renowned Order of Alchemic Science as a tenured alchemist. When his body is found in a frozen river, the police dismiss it as suicide. Li doesn't buy it, due to the gold found in his veins.

As the campus doesn't accept women alchemists, Li disguises herself as a man to infiltrate the campus and find out who murdered her husband. There are five suspects, including Rauley, her husband's best friend, and she believes one of them murdered her husband. Nonetheless, the truth is darker than she suspected.

Overall, I enjoyed the tale. The mystery was good enough that I didn't guess the identity of the murderer, and there were enough red herrings to keep me guessing. The title has some connection to the plot, which I'll let you find out for yourself. The world-building was nicely done. The mystical animals, the murder investigation, and the alchemy involved created exactly the kind of atmosphere I enjoy. I liked the peeks we got into the academy and the alchemy side of things, which was creative enough to make me want more. The cast was nicely developed, to one degree or another. I also liked the wink to Mulan and her similarities to our heroine.

Speaking of that, I am ambivalent about Li. On one hand, I liked her and rooted for her. On the other, she irritated me, and I went from liking her to disliking her and back again. I admired her bravery and resourcefulness, but at times she went too far. She was too reckless, and I didn't like her attitude toward Rauley, among other things. She used his feelings toward her to her own ends. I liked her compassion toward a couple of street urchins, but I didn't approve of some of her other acts.

The book explores themes of grief, prejudice, social class, gender inequality, survival, and found family. It also explores how far one will go to achieve justice. Far enough, it seems. There isn't much of a romance, although the book details the romance between Li and her late husband, as well as the possibility of one with another.

While I liked the premise of "Ambrosia," the execution fell a little short for me. Written in the third person POV, the book moves between past and present, with flashbacks to Li's past interspersed with her life in the present, which at times interrupted the flow of the story. The prose was clunky and took some time to get used to, and the pace wasn't even at times. That said, the story still kept me intrigued until the explosive conclusion, which gave the story the payoff I was hoping for. Therefore, I only shaved one star off my final rating. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars and recommend the book to fans of dark academia, mystery, and East Asian folklore.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Ambrosia" by Katrina Kwan

"Echo Ridge" by Audrey J. Cole

 

"Echo Ridge" by Audrey J. Cole is a compelling thriller that kept me eagerly reading until the very end. Told alternately from the first-person POVs of two women, it follows Naomi, a grieving mother, and Jade, a tai chi instructor, whose lives collide at the luxury wellness retreat.

After being cheated out of her invested money by her best friend and business partner, Jade reinvented herself by accepting her aunt's offer to run the Echo Ridge Sanctuary and teach tai chi as well. There, she finds some comfort in nature and in her friendships with her aunt and the cook, who has his own baggage to deal with.

Naomi's eldest daughter was murdered, but the case was never solved. She firmly believes her son-in-law is the murderer, and she is so consumed by her hatred toward him that she has put her life on hold. Her youngest daughter, Miranda, takes her to the isolated retreat in the hope of reconnecting with her.

The serenity of the retreat is shattered when two new guests arrive: Jade’s former best friend, Piper, and her fiancé, Dylan, Naomi's son-in-law. The plot thickens when one of the guests disappears, and a violent storm prevents any of them from leaving. They have no internet connection, and the satellite phone is down. Secrets, paranoia, and chaos set the stage for murder, and there is a murderer on the loose.

I enjoyed the book immensely. It was well written and moved smoothly from one POV to another. The author has seamlessly woven themes of grief, betrayal, jealousy, and fallible human nature into the story. Cole also creates some good characters, and I liked the emotional dynamics between them. I liked Jade, and I felt sorry for Naomi, although she went too far at times. Both of them have a couple of things in common. They were full of hatred and anger and needed to learn to let go. I didn't like Piper and thought her behavior reprehensible. A couple of characters surprised me, for better and for worse. I won't mention names to avoid spoilers.

The first half had a slower pace than the second, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I liked the breathing sessions, the tai chi, and the hot springs, which gave the story a nice sense of setting. The second half was faster-paced, with a good build-up to the twists. While I didn't guess some of the twists, hooray to the author for that, I did guess the final twist. It didn't lessen my enjoyment, though.

All in all, it was an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read with a satisfying conclusion. Although the trope may be familiar, the execution was original and well done. The setting is beautifully constructed, and the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere deepened the story. I recommend it to fans of locked-room mysteries and vacations gone awry. The author has woven a well-crafted mystery with plenty of intriguing characters, a delicious amount of suspense, and a few dashes of crime.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book:  "Echo Ridge" by Audrey J. Cole