rebeccasreadingrambles's reviews
2840 reviews

This book really surprised me.  I am torn about the rating, but overall I really liked it. At first, I thought it was going to be pretty predictable, as I guessed some of the twists up front and there were some random side plots that kind of felt out of place. However, I enjoyed the creepy vibes of the Harold building and loved how there was this scared reverence surrounding Francis's office. I also loved the compassion that both Alex and Francis encompassed when reading people's letters.  The last 3rd actually shocked me and that's when I started yelling out loud at the book and characters.  YES, this is exactly what I look for in a thriller and even though it was a low burn, the ending was electric.

Also, I read the first half and listened to the second half. I liked that format because it got me oriented to the letters between chapters.  The audiobook definitely ramped up the creep factor (some of the characters were truly AWFUL and their voices matched perfectly).

What a fun book! I was instantly hooked and didn't want to stop reading. There is something about this author's writing that is just so captivating; the banter, the characters, the drama (in this case GHOSTS) in the perfect pace.  I LOVED this ghost town and all the stories and how the characters treated them with respect.  There is something about a romance couple that respects the ghosts they share space with that is just so extra special.  The romance was lovely, nothing overly dramatic, but also keeping space for each other's past and current hurts. I adored the couple both as separate characters and together.  And the ending had many sweet tearful moments.

I am hoping there will be more books in this town (SOPHIE?!)

Note: I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it!

This book is even better than the first! Now that I have rid the expectation of this being super cozy, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel like the author has hit her stride with this series.  I love the unlikely and unique sleuthing duo of Caroline and her employer Mrs Frogerton.  The historical setting is well explained and the eerie atmosphere for this mystery was really well done.  I was shocked by the ending and really enjoyed all the twists the sleuthing took. I am hoping for a bit of romance for Caroline, but love how she really has come into her own and feeling more comfortable and confident in her skin.

Note: I LOVED the audiobook!

This was unhinged! I love this author's ability to write the most over the top, ridiculous, devious, self-important characters.  They are all on the path for destruction (their own or others) and it was like watching a wonderfully written car wreck.  These characters are so unlikeable and yet you still somehow pick a side a root for one of them?! I don't know how the author does it, but she is a mastermind.  I am fascinated by mom-fluencers so this just struck the perfect note for me of what I image the real stories are.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and that's the way to go!

I really enjoyed Miss Morton! She is strong and determined in her new role, breaking away from her (frankly terrible) family to strike out on her own no matter what society thinks.  She has a singular goal to establish herself and work hard so that she can support her younger sister and break her free from that same awful family.

I have to say though - this did NOT feel like a cozy.  Once I told myself it was more traditional mystery and not waiting for the cozy, I enjoyed it a lot more.

I enjoyed the setting; even though it was a house party celebrating a birthday, it had a very morose atmosphere which really added to the mysterious setting.  Though a lot of the characters were intentionally horrible, I so loved Miss Morton and Mrs Frogerton and I hope we see them work together more. There were a few different storylines going on and I enjoyed seeing them explored and coming together.  There are some very difficult moments and reveals (very not cozy) and tough scenes.  I was SHOCKED by the ending and how everything turned out and I am so curious to see how this series will continue.

Note: I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it!

Ghosts and food?! How fun! What a great concept for a start to a new cozy series.  I really loved the idea of Bunny traveling to a fancy manor house, cooking a great feast and presenting it to a ghost - I would definitely watch that show! However, I don't know if it's just me, but I couldn't really get into the story.  It seemed quite obvious how the story was going and it was very slow; I think it could be a bit shorter and more to the point.  The cozy vibes were definitely there which I enjoyed.  I also didn't love the characters, other than Granny Mac.  I just couldn't really get a read on Bunny - she says shes all sweet and bubbly, but never actually acted like that so I was torn.  And I didn't love any of the other ghost hunter / sleuthing partners.  Maybe this series just takes a little bit to warm up and get to know the characters; I will be curious to see where this series goes from here (can they really have someone die on every set?)

What a fun book! I loved Ember right away and connected with her and her desire and drive to work hard to support her dreams.  She has always felt like she needed to take care of everyone else and is feeling dejected about her career prospects in a way that is so visceral and relatable.  Even though she made some very naive mistakes at her job and in her personal life, she is young and learning and you cannot help but root for her to figure everything out.  There was constant fun banter that had me laughing and the romance was steammmmy.  I loved how confident Danuwoa was in himself without being annoying like the other men in the book.  Poor Ember was faced with so many though things to juggle and I so appreciated that she owned up to her mistakes while simultaneously sticking up for herself.  Reading about how Ember felt that being Chickasaw was holding her back and the disgusting way people just threw around casual racism was horrible and made me want to hug her and fight for her.  That aspect was so powerful and beautifully presented by the author and I'm glad this book became what it did after reading the author's note.

I both read and listened to the audiobook, and while I enjoyed the audiobook I think I would recommend the print version.

This is the most addicting book I've read all year.  I read this physical book in less than 24 hours, which is basically unheard of for me but I COULD NOT STOP. I had no idea I would be so obsessed with reading about sat diving, but wow!  The murder mystery is a psychological minefield and honestly I was equally obsessed with learning about sat diving as I was with the mystery because the atmosphere, the writing, the descriptions were all perfection.  I don't want to spoil anything but I was gripped by every single word; I cried and I had to read most of this outside because of the desperation, the claustrophobia, the helplessness that jumped off the page.

I love this author and everyone needs to read this book!

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had me gasping out loud, yelling, and absolutely in tears.  The way I adore Iris and Gwen like they are my own family just grows with each book.  Headstrong, daring, smart and independent I am idolize these fictional characters.  The banter throughout made this book so much fun to read even under the most stressful circumstances.  I wanted to reach out and hug both of them so many times and I could not turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen. The writing and storytelling is fabulous and perfectly pieced together. So many twists and a SHOCKING ending, I already miss this series and can't wait for more!

What an intriguing book.  This is my first book in this series and it was SO easy to jump right in without feeling behind or confused.  Tempe is a vibrant character who I easily connected with despite missing the previous books and I so enjoyed following her on this investigation.  Her job as a forensic anthropologist is absolutely fascinating even without the extra layers in this book and I enjoyed learning. The writing is bold and full of foreshadowing and I really enjoyed it.  The ending left me shocked! I can't wait to continue this series.