All reviews for March are located in the book review tab if interested in knowing my thoughts on these books from last month.
March Reading Wrap-Up
Category Book review
#bookreview Toxic Daughter By Shuzo Oshimi #netgally
You can’t hide your darkness from Chi
It’s been years since Chi, a mysterious outcast and borderline dropout, and her childhood friend Yua last spoke. One day, Chi shows up to school with a handful of dead bugs and starts a commotion that gives Yua’s classmate, golden boy Kodai, an idea: he’s going to bring Chi back into the fold, and he needs Yua’s help to do it. But good intentions can lead to bad places, and the darkness in Chi may be more dangerous than they ever imagined.
Review/thoughts
This Manga was all over the place for me. It doesn’t really share too much back story on the character Chi and why she kills and collects bugs. Also why she is so freaky and off putting. It doesn’t share what led up to why she is this way. I didn’t like Koadi character at all, I mean he seemed like he really wanted to help Chi and get her back to school but he seemed like he wanted to appear more like a good son in front of his dad. Trigger Warning: This story does have a rape scene which I honestly didn’t care for and it didn’t make sense why it even happend to Yua in the first place.
Over it wad an okay Manga I wanted to read something different and out of my comfort zone
so when I saw that.this was horror Manga I wanted to try it out.
thanks to netgalley for allowing to read and share my honest opinion on this story
Rating 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
#bookreview Peppermint Cookie Murder By Trixie Silvertale
Synopsis
Cindy Claus is excited to open her own bakery. She’s determined to pursue her passion and have her holiday treats prove she’s more than a Yuletide heir. But before she can whisk up a success, her roommate is murdered and Cindy is the prime suspect.
With finding the real killer the only way to beat the rap, Cindy relies on the kindness of strangers and her father’s trusted arctic fox. But without a recipe for success in the unfamiliar human world, grilling the wrong suspects could put her behind bars…
Can Cindy sift out the clues before she’s done and dusted?
Review/thoughts
This was a nice, cozy mystery about a half elf named Cindy whose dad just so happens to be Santa Claus. Cindy wants to live in the human world away from the North Pole for a while and truly be on her own without her dad hoovering over her. Her biggest goal while living in the human world is to run her her bakery.
Its not long before cindy and her magical white Fox that is passing as a dog get caught up in a murder mystery that she is trying to clear her name from. Cindy while still trying to understand the human world still wants to find out the true killer in Bettys murder.
This was a fast paced Christmasy cozy mystery. I do like the references to the cookies and how much Cindy likes baking. Arikoka the white fox i enjoyed because he actually talks and he passed very easily as a dog and really noone in town noticed. I do plan to read more from the author as well as finish the series.
Rating
4.75 🌟🌟🌟🌟
#bookreview We Are All So Good At Smiling By Amber Mcbride
Synopsis
They Both Die at the End meets The Bell Jar in this haunting, beautiful young adult novel-in-verse about clinical depression and healing from trauma, from National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride.
Whimsy is back in the hospital for treatment of clinical depression. When she meets a boy named Faerry, she recognizes they both have magic in the marrow of their bones. And when Faerry and his family move to the same street, the two start to realize that their lifelines may have twined and untwined many times before.
They are both terrified of the forest at the end of Marsh Creek Lane.
The Forest whispers to Whimsy. The Forest might hold the answers to the part of Faerry he feels is missing. They discover the Forest holds monsters, fairy tales, and pain that they have both been running from for 11 years.
Review/ my thoughts
This was well written and beautifully told. This novel is written in verse and uses a lot of magical realism to tell the story. Whimsy who is also back and forth in the hospital because her parents she isnt doing well. Whimsy meets a fae boy named Faerry. They both share something in common they both lost a sibling in the magical garden. I would have to say this is the type of story you have to pay attention to because the author uses beautiful language to describe sadness.
I really enjoyed this, it start off a tab bit confusing but it was easy to follow. Overall this was an original and well written story on sorrow, sad and grief and how one handles it all. I will continue to read by this author in the future, because she is very unique with her writing and tones.
Rating
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟
#bookreview Death By Yoga Pants By Angela Castillo
Synopsis
Iowa Dawn has come back home to Giddings, Texas, after a messy divorce. Her goal in life is to keep her job at the bowling alley so she won’t have to move back in with her mother. But after a serving job at a swanky resort ends with the murder of a VIP, Iowa finds herself caught up in a vortex of multi-level-marketing espionage, ultra-tacky patterns, and–yoga pants?
Product Details
Review/ thoughts
I enjoyed this cozy mystery. This is about a woman named Iowa, she works at a bowling alley / restaurant. She always finds herself in the oddest situations where he boss Wenston has to be there to save her. Her job was hosting a dinner for a popular MLM called YogaYou where they are known for selling werid yoga pants with wild patterns on them. The CEO dies while at the dinner, and Iowa feels it’s her job to find out what really happened to her. This overall was a fast paced cozy I liked that the author incorporated an MLM which more people now adays a made aware that those companies are very Shady. Iowa owns a cat named Mr SnootyPants which I thought was cute. I wanted to see more of the cat though. overall this was just what I need to end my reading slump, if you want to start reading cozy mysteries and don’t know where to start this is a good place to start.
Rating
4🌟🌟🌟🌟
#bookreview A Series of Unfortunate Events : The Bad Beginning By Lemony Snicket
Synopsis
Are you made fainthearted by death? Does fire unnerve you? Is a villain something that might crop up in future nightmares of yours? Are you thrilled by nefarious plots? Is cold porridge upsetting to you? Vicious threats? Hooks? Uncomfortable clothing?
It is likely that your answers will reveal A Series of Unfortunate Events to be ill-suited for your personal use. A librarian, bookseller, or acquaintance should be able to suggest books more appropriate for your fragile temperament. But to the rarest of readers, we say, “Proceed, but cautiously.”
Thoughts/ review
This was a fun read that I really enjoyed. This is actually my first time reading The Unfortunate Event Series, I’ve seen the movie adaptation when it was first released and enjoyed the movie, but I really wanted to sit and read all the books. I thought the kids (Klaus, Violet, and Sunny) were fun to fun. I liked how all, though each, are different they still used their wits to outsmart Count Olaf. This is definitely a series I will be completing this year, and when I’m finished, I want to watch the TV show that is on Netflix. The story moved fast, yet the writing was fun and easy to understand. I think this series, although for a younger audience, can be for anyone who wants something different and fun.
Rating
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟