"The Terrarium" by Katie Collom

 

"The Terrarium" by Katie Collom is a quirky thriller revolving around a true-crime fanatic cat sitter who finds herself the heroine of her own true-crime podcast.

Told in the first person, the book follows Annie, a thirty-something barista who takes cat-sitting jobs on the side to supplement her income. She is an avid listener of Cuppa Crime, a true-crime podcast hosted by Gail and Gary. Transcripts of the podcast are inserted between the chapters, while snippets of Gail and Gary’s conversations also appear within the story.

When one of Annie’s cat-sitting jobs goes awry, the cat owners make her life miserable and threaten her livelihood. With no friends besides her colleague Dom, and a habit of stealing small objects from her clients, Annie is hardly in a good place to begin with. She is about to be evicted from her apartment, her cat-sitting account has been closed, and her boss is threatening to fire her because of complaints. Things couldn’t get much worse when, out of the blue, a mysterious new client, Zoe, hires her to take care of her cat, Hades. Zoe leaves her handwritten instructions and forbids Annie from entering the studio. (I love the nod to Bluebeard.)

As time goes by, Annie begins to suspect that Zoe may be a serial killer. Still, something keeps drawing her back to the house again and again, despite - and perhaps because of - the whiff of danger. As the saying goes, “curiosity killed the cat.” Will it kill our cat sitter?

I have ambivalent feelings about this book. On the one hand, the writing is very good, the premise is original, and the plot kept me interested. On the other hand, I didn't like any of the characters besides Dom, the other barista, and Hades the cat. I disliked Annie and her bad choices, some of which made me raise an eyebrow. I also didn't like that she stole from her clients, tried on their clothes, and put on their creams. The only good thing about her was that she loves cats. Oh, and don't worry, no cats were harmed in the making of this tale.

The book started on a strong note, and at first I gave Annie the benefit of the doubt. But as the plot unfolded, my dislike of her grew as her conduct worsened. She suspects her client of committing crimes. Whether her suspicions are true or not, that doesn't deter her from coming back. Or stealing from her client. I would keep my distance if I were her. I especially didn't like that Annie didn't pay for some of her actions. At some point, I took a brief break from the book because her conduct frustrated me so much.

Although the author tied up all the threads, the ending was left open, leaving room for a sequel? As I did like some aspects of the book - the writing and the way the author wove the podcast transcripts into the story - I rate it 3 out of 5 stars. The fact that the author made me feel so strongly about the heroine speaks volumes about her writing. If you like unreliable and unlikeable narrators, fast-paced mysteries, and podcasts, you will enjoy 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: "The Terrarium" by Katie Collom

"Murder Bites" by Mimi Montgomery

 


















I admit, I chose this book because of the dogs. Murder mysteries with dogs are very hard for me to resist. "Murder Bites" by Mimi Montgomery is a lighthearted cozy mystery that follows an activist woman who moves to a dog-obsessed small town and finds herself deeply entangled in a murder case, with herself as the prime suspect.

Margot Cartwright moved to Glendale from Washington, D.C., with her family after her husband inherited his parents’ home and the family bank. She feels like a fish out of water among the locals and is a social pariah due to her many protests and her superior attitude. Her daughter left town and cut contact after a falling-out revealed later in the book. Margot feels lonely, sad, and angry, and blames everyone except herself for the estrangement. She makes protesting her life’s work (zealous is the word). After a protest on the first day of filming of “Paws”, a purebred dog reality show, goes wrong, Margot becomes even more isolated than before.

The plot thickens when a local dog walker, Margot’s nemesis, is murdered and Margot becomes the prime suspect due to her many antics, which made her unpopular. When there is a second murder, it puts her in even deeper water, enlarges the cracks in her marriage, and damages the relationship with her son. She becomes the scapegoat for every small incident. Help comes from unexpected quarters. Together with Anne, a septuagenarian and the head of the HOA, Sally-Claire, a member of the “Mommy Mafia", and her loyal canine, Sid, Margot tries to solve the case before the book is thrown at her.

Overall, I liked the book, the humor, the wit, and the quirky characters. The writing was a bit busy, with side plots of the contest, the name-dropping, and the activist streak slowing the pace in places. It explores themes of family, friendship, community, suburban living, bullying, environmental concerns, choices, and finding purpose. There is also the question of doing something bad for a good purpose, which I didn’t agree with.

I didn’t like most of the characters except Anne. I liked Sally-Claire once she grew a backbone. I had a hard time relating to Margot at first. I am all for adopting dogs and against the dog-breeding industry, but Margot was too radical for me with her insane actions, judgmental attitude, and righteous mindset. I thought the event leading to the estrangement with the daughter was unbelievable and a bit of a stretch. Two years without contact seemed too much for such an event. I also didn’t like Margot’s husband and his lack of support. He was a weak character, all said and done.

I liked that all three women went through personal developments. Despite their differences, they managed to find common ground in their shared sense of feeling adrift and eventually found new purpose in their lives. The author went to great lengths to present Margot as an outsider, turning her into an unlikeable and over-the-top character. I understood why Margot acted the way she did, but her characterization often felt overdone. Many times I wanted to shake her and bring her to her senses. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” fits here to a tee, and I liked the gradual revealing of the women’s personalities. They had more sides to them than first appeared at a glance.

All in all, this was a good read, just not quite as great as I expected. I appreciated the mystery and disliked how the town pinned the murders on Margot simply because she didn’t fit their expectations and beliefs. I did enjoy the character growth and the twists. I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer, always a bonus, and was satisfied with the conclusion. The mystery kept me guessing even when Margot drove me up the wall. I rate the book 3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to fans of witty, humorous cozy mysteries.

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

* For more info about the book: "Murder Bites" by Mimi Montgomery

"The Book Witch" by Meg Shaffer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love books where the protagonists jump into other books, so I happily jump into this one (pun intended). Imagine Thursday Next meets Nancy Drew in the enchanting magical realism of The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer, following the adventures of third-generation Book Witch Rainy March.

Who wouldn't want to step inside a book and meet their favorite characters? That’s exactly what our heroine does, except she does it to protect works of fiction from “burners,” troublemakers who invade books they disapprove of and try to destroy them. The only catch? She must follow strict coven rules, like not staying too long inside a book or falling in love with a fictional character (a big no-no).

Then the unthinkable happens. She falls in love with a fictional British detective, the Duke of Chicago, and he returns that love. When they are found out, her supervisor, the formidable Dr. Fanshawe, forbids Rainy from seeing him again. The plot thickens when her grandfather disappears and an inherited book dear to her is stolen. With her magical umbrella (Mary Poppins, anyone??), her feline familiar, Koshka, and the Duke, they try to solve both mysteries, following their only lead: find the March Hare. Thus begins a great quest that will take them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, Nancy Drew, and other classic tales.

This book is an eccentric ride and an ode to books and reading. As someone who grew up on Nancy Drew and still loves books about books, this story felt like it was written directly for readers like me. I admit, it took me a bit to get into the story, due partly to the slow pace. Once our feisty heroine met her love interest and things picked up, I really got invested. I loved the easy banter between Rainy and the Duke - admittedly, she was more rounded than him - the puns (like the name of the bookstore, the name of our heroine, etc.), the talking teapot, the twist toward the end, and the way the author blurred the lines between reality and fiction. It begs the question: what is real?

While it's true that the premise isn't new, the execution was brilliant in most parts. I loved the many layers of the book and the division of the story into book genres. The book explores themes of loss, forbidden love and star-crossed lovers, book banning and burning, literary censorship, and bibliophily. However, I felt that the criticism of literary censorship - justified as it is - was sometimes thrown in our face.

I loved the message that books need readers as much as readers need books, the impact books have on us, and the clever way in which the author inserted the idea of characters taking control of the story into her tale. All in all, I enjoyed the book, so I rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I detracted a star due to the slow start and repetitive messages, which could have been scaled down and tightened up. I recommend this book to lovers of magical tales, books about books, and anyone who enjoys revisiting the classics. After all, as our heroine pointed out: “All stories are love stories if you love stories.”

* All quotes are from an ARC and may differ in the published edition.

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

* For more info about the book: "The Book Witch" by Meg Shaffer

"We Who Have No Gods" by Liza Anderson

 

"We Who Have No Gods" by Liza Anderson is an excellent gothic dark academia fantasy, chock-full of secret societies, witches, monsters, and one brave woman. I love dark academia books—add gothic vibes, and I’m sold!

The book follows Victoria (Vic) and Henry Woods, two siblings on the run. After their mother died under mysterious circumstances, they tried to stay under the radar, moving from place to place. But the past catches up with them when a representative of the Acheron Order—a secret society of witches tasked with keeping the dead at bay—appears at Vic’s work and then at their home, ordering Henry to join the Order’s academy. It turns out Henry inherited their mother’s magical abilities, while Vic did not, which marked him as the Order’s newest recruit.

Determined to keep him safe, Vic accompanies Henry to Avalon Castle, located in the isolated woods of upstate New York. Despite lacking powers of her own—and the fact that humans aren’t welcome there—she insists on staying. Max, one of the elders, invites her to remain, but the others aren’t as welcoming. Xan, the head Sentinel—imposing, ruthless, and powerful—is in charge of protecting Avalon and wants her gone. And he isn’t the only one. As Vic makes both enemies and allies and uncovers secrets about her mother and the Order, she becomes caught between two opposing factions and the war that is coming. She must hunt or be hunted in a world that sees humans as expendable.

Although Henry is the one with powers, the focus is on Vic. Written in third person, we follow her struggles and journey of self-discovery. She’s a skilled warrior—brave, less trusting than her brother, and fiercely determined. She is impulsive, and more than once I wanted to yell at her to stop. Furthermore, she’s stubborn—sometimes too much for her own good. She has a fear of intimacy and no lasting relationships. More than anything, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect Henry, whether he likes it or not. (And he doesn’t.) While I liked her, I didn’t like her brother—he came across as spoiled, ungrateful, and irritating.

The pacing is excellent—tight, engaging, and fast-moving without feeling rushed. I flew through the pages. The novel thoughtfully explores humanity, betrayal, duty, self-discovery, hypocrisy, and the emotional dynamics between characters—especially the chemistry between Vic and Xan. While the main characters are well-developed, some of the side characters have their own distinct personalities, making them stand out. The villains are thoroughly detestable and add a dark edge that heightens the stakes throughout the story.

The dark, gritty atmosphere and the lore surrounding monsters and witches were fascinating. There’s a hint of romance, but it’s not the focus. The spotlight is on world-building and action. I loved the illustrations at the chapter headings, and the way each chapter began with a brief history of the Order, the Orcans (monsters), or the magic. The writing flows beautifully. The combination of narrative style and rich information made this a very gripping read.

The author took familiar tropes and created something new and refreshing. The story never lacks intrigue and maintains a fast pace throughout. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the sequel. Content-wise, it includes some graphic violence and one or two sex scenes, so it’s not suitable for young readers. I loved the book and recommend it to fans of academic fantasy who are looking for something fresh—and don’t mind a bit of violence. Full stars!

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

* For more info about the book: "We Who Have No Gods" by Liza Anderson