Book Review - Broken Summer

Broken Summer by Jung-Myung Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quick read. If you pick this up, it was translated from Korean into English, so I do feel some things may come across a little differently with translation. I rated with some grace in light of that.

It’s a bit of a slow paced psychological thriller. Everything went wrong after a mistake made one summer, 20 years ago. Until everything went right. Only to fall apart again. There’s scandal, murder, cover up and breakdowns.

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Book Review - Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Creepy haunted house. Serial killer. Dysfunctional family. No true heroes.

The thing with horror is it’s unsettling. This is unsettling. There are What the actual F moments. Some disturbing happenings. With it being a dark story, it’s hard sometimes to rate it high. Because it makes you uncomfortable. But that’s what it’s supposed to do. So here I am having just finished this book, sitting in my comfy reading corner and thinking of how my blanket might pull off me in my sleep. Or thinking of cold grease when I wash my hands. That’s what makes a good horror book in my opinion. Something that can haunt your regular day to day.

This was 3.5 rounded up to 4. I read this with Once Upon A Book Club which made it much more immersive. There were handwritten notes!!

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Book Review - The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cerulean Sea vibes!

Super sweet story about a 30 something witch who is lonely and has past traumas. She gets recruited to tutor 3 young witches who are being raised in secret.

Found family trope. Grumpy sunshine romance. All around a sweet cozy read.

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Book Review - Cackle by Rachel Harrison

Cackle by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A 30 something woman moves across country after an unexpected breakup of a long term relationship. She meets and befriends a woman who lives in the woods… in a castle… with flawless skin… and skills.

I loved the quirky writing. It felt like the narrator was just like me. So relatable. And funny. This is a cozy read about a woman finding herself and her independence. There are witches, ghosts, lost loved and giant spiders.

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Book Review - The Change by Kirsten Miller

The Change by Kirsten Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m calling it. This will be a movie.

It felt a bit like Practical Magic with the cozy seaside vibes and strength of sisterhood. But also these women are badass witches who won’t hesitate to do what needs done to balance the scales…

The characters were each very well fleshed out, real and multifaceted. Really enjoyed getting to know each one of them! The plot thickened and thickened. Made me speak out loud a few times. So many times I said “oh…” the mystery to be unwound, was good. The magic system was really intriguing. There is a lot of detail put in for character back stories. As in like you’ll be reading one chapter about the current events and then the next will be a flash back to one particular characters experience with their dad or something. Relevant because it further builds up the character and well written, but I could see how some might not enjoy that. I did though.

Good read. Now adapt it to a movie please. I beg you.

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Book Review - The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finished in less than a day 😌

Beautiful witchy and haunting story. There’s murder, ghosts, witches and mystery. The author’s atmospheric prose is stunning. I couldn’t put it down!

Just read the first chapter… if it doesn’t grab your attention, then I don’t know what’s wrong with you 😂

One of my favorite passages talks about how God doesn’t understand loneliness like humans do, because he’s the Trinity and never truly alone. It goes on in detail about loneliness but my jaw dropped.

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Book Review - Love In The Time Of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There are no murders in this book. That’s the warning on the first page. I kinda hoped it would mean there would be an off page murder or possible murders tendencies by a character or two. By the 80% mark I relinquished that hope and sped read.

HOWEVER

It’s a good book. The MC is quirky and relatable. Witty and fun. Spicy romance.

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