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review
OutsmartYourShelf
Fair Play | Louise Hegarty
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Mehso-so

Abigail is hosting a birthday party for her brother, Benjamin & has invited his circle of close friends. She arrives at the Airbnb to set up the food & drink & also hide the clues for the period murder mystery game they'll be playing later. The party passes without a hitch but the next morning, Benjamin fails to appear for breakfast. His bedroom door is locked & he isn't answering their knocks so they break the door open - Benjamin is dead.

OutsmartYourShelf The story then splits into two, one following the aftermath in the present & the second has the friends appear in a real-life murder mystery. A famous detective arrives to investigate the death & the house suddenly has staff including a butler, a gardener and a housekeeper. This is a golden-age locked-room mystery & everyone is a suspect.

This started off quite well & I was looking forward to the offbeat angle of the mystery.
2h
OutsmartYourShelf There were aspects I liked: the knowing metaphorical 'wink' to the audience by the detective, the nods to the authors (including Conan Doyle & Agatha Christie) of some of the greatest detectives ever written, & the dual narrative, but overall it just didn't work. The main issue for me is that the ending just didn't make sense - I'm not sure if it was due to being an ARC & there was some text missing or not, but it just finished abruptly. 2h
OutsmartYourShelf I'm still not entirely sure who the actual killer was supposed to be in the end.
3.25⭐ as I did enjoy most of it but the ending let it down.

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Pan Macmillan/Picador, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6786452819
Read 1st - 3rd Apr 2025

#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
2h
8 likes3 comments
review
julesG
Digging Dr Jones | Olivia Jackson
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Panpan

I did not dig Digging Dr Jones. Not at all.

I'm not going to write a TLDR post. Here are a few points why it didn't work for me:

- flat characters
- insta-lust
- mediocre adventure plot
- American FMC with daddy issues
- British MMC who just inserts random British words here and there but isn't consistently British at all

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

quietlycuriouskate Now I'm wondering to what extent *I* am "consistently British at all"! ? 4h
CSeydel From the title I thought this would be an Indiana Jones fanfic 😆 3h
julesG @CSeydel that somehow fits the bill. But both characters are a Jones. 🙄🙄 45m
julesG @quietlycuriouskate Fairly sure you sound more British than the hunky Dr Jones. Guess even I sound more British than he does, and English isn't even my first language. It's not just the "posh" accent ??? and a few mentions of "loo" or "knickers". There are differences in grammar and syntax, too. It just read like an American trying on some British English words. Like if I spoke to my children in an affected Austrian accent replacing ⬇️ 32m
julesG some terms for their Austrian counterparts doesn't make it real. There is more than the vocabulary that is sometimes different. Just like the differences between British and American English. 27m
31 likes5 comments
review
julesG
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Pickpick

A historical fiction novel with gothic mystery elements set at the time of the French Revolution.

There are three points of view, the sisters Sofi and Lara and the aristocratic young woman Hortense. While Sofi and Lara's POV is that of working class women who had to upend their lives after the death of their father, Hortense is the poster child spoilt young woman of the aristocracy, who believes the dirty peasants ⬇️

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

julesG could better themselves if only they'd wanted to.

Sofi, Lara and their mother work at the wallpaper manufactory owned by Wilhelm Oberst. Oberst's wife died under mysterious circumstances when his son Josef was a child. Wilhelm Oberst had everything connected to his wife destroyed, except for the contents and the wallpaper of the tower room of his chateau. Of course, Sofi and Lara want to know more and soon find out that the titular ⬇️
6h
julesG Woman in the Wallpaper was Josef's mother and strangely looks a lot like Lara. Why? And why do the wallpaper images change and show different scenes?

Meanwhile in Versailles, Hortense lives a spoilt life, until her parents decide to marry her off to Josef. How will the young aristocrat deal with married life, to a factory owner's son no less? ⬇️
6h
julesG History takes its course and sweeps up the three women in its wake. The Revolution might upend their lives in ways neither of them envisioned.

It took me some time to get into this debut novel, but once my attention was captured I flew through the many short chapters in one sitting.
6h
36 likes3 comments
blurb
Nessavamusic
Untitled | Untitled
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Here are my March reads!
19 books read
1 DNF not shown - Art of Starting Over
14 via audiobook 1 ARC
4 ebooks - 1 ARC from #Netgalley
1 physical book
5 books off my physical tbr

Favorite reads: The Gathering, Bonded in Death, This Inevitable Ruin & The Wraith King
Overall a good reading month, just a couple stinkers.

kspenmoll Congratulations! 🎈🎉 2d
44 likes1 comment
review
julesG
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Pickpick

Ana and Din are in Yarrowdale to investigate the disappearance of a treasury officer. What seems to be a locked room mystery that might be solved relatively easily, given Ana's skills, turns into more victims and a case of political intrigue.

The world-building continues to be good. Yarrowdale is not part of the Empire, but the Treasury officers working there are, which is why Din and Ana had to be called in. This means that there are some ⬇️

julesG issues of jurisdiction that might complicate the investigation. Furthermore, we get to see a different part of the fantastic world; different people, different languages, and different socio-economic and political problems.

I liked this sequel to The Tainted Cup, although I could see some of the twists long before they happened. Maybe I am too much of an armchair detective.
#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC
3d
TheSpineView Fantastic! 3d
CoffeeK8 I‘m reading this now, it‘s getting pretty good! 3d
47 likes2 stack adds4 comments
review
Amor4Libros
Water | John Boyne
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Pickpick

Oh, how I‘ve missed Boyne‘s writing!

A woman arrives on an island trying to escape from her past and lead a solitary life. She changes her name and cuts off her hair, but scandals have a way to seep back into life.

This was such great storytelling, as I‘ve always come to expect from Boyne. Can‘t wait to read the rest of the series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BarbaraBB You‘re in for a treat! 4d
AmyG They are all excellent. What @BarbaraBB said 4d
Bookbuyingaddict It‘s a fantastic series read 3 all in January when I was sick and hooked , just waiting for air to come out now in the uk 🇬🇧 in May ☺️ 4d
See All 7 Comments
Lesliereadsalot These books are great! Air next month! 3d
Amor4Libros @BarbaraBB @AmyG Already reading Earth and loving it! 🤗 3d
Amor4Libros @Bookbuyingaddict @Lesliereadsalot I was able to snag all four books from #NetGalley 🎉 3d
Lesliereadsalot So jealous! 3d
62 likes4 stack adds7 comments
review
julesG
The Earl Meets His Match | T. J. Alexander
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Pickpick

#NetGalley #ARC #audiobook

I liked the story of how Lord Christopher Eden is not only forced out into society to find a wife. In order to secure a wife Christopher needs a valet. But as much as Mister James Harding might be helping Christopher, he's also a huge distraction.

I enjoyed having Christopher's POV only. This way I found out about James' thoughts and feelings alongside Christopher and that made the slow burn romance much sweeter.

peanutnine Is this the UK title for A Gentleman's Gentleman? I like this cover a lot! 2h
julesG @peanutnine I think it is. Or it was supposed to be A Gentleman's Gentleman and they changed the title? 47m
51 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
DGRachel
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Pickpick

I loved the format of this graphic non-fiction book about everyday people fighting for their homes and futures.. The brief interviews provide a personal touch, connecting the reader to the fight against the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Appalachia. Even though greed, capitalism, and white supremacy win, it ends on a positive note, calling for community care. The art was simple, yet effective. Also f*ck Sen Manchin. #netgalley

47 likes1 stack add
review
DGRachel
Love Languages | JAMES. ALBON
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Mehso-so

The chaos of communicating in multiple languages was presented very effectively. It was charming, but also made following the story a bit of a slog. There didn't seem to be much chemistry between the main characters. My first thought was the romance came out of nowhere, but I think that is part of the point, and is no less believable than insta-love. The art style isn't my favorite, but the use of color to evoke mood was done well. #netgalley

review
sebrittainclark
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Pickpick

3/5

Ronan Reed is new to New Orleans, and his bad reputation has followed him, but that can't stop the attraction growing between himself and Celine Cruz, even if her over-protective family isn't a fan.

The external stakes in this book felt a lot lower than those in the books in the Stay a Spell series, but it was a still a fun paranormal romance, and it is fun to return to some favorite characters.

#netgalley