Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest

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A psychic travel agent and a Seattle PD detective solve a murder in this quirky mystery in the vein of Lisa Lutz’s The Spellman Files and Charlaine Harris’s Aurora Teagarden series.

Meet Leda Foley: devoted friend, struggling travel agent, and inconsistent psychic. When Leda, sole proprietor of Foley's Flights of Fancy, impulsively re-books Seattle PD detective Grady Merritt’s flight, her life changes in ways she couldn’t have predicted.

After watching his original plane blow up from the safety of the airport, Grady realizes that Leda’s special abilities could help him with a cold case he just can’t crack.

Despite her scattershot premonitions, she agrees for a secret reason: her fiancé’s murder remains unsolved. Leda’s psychic abilities couldn’t help the case several years before, but she’s been honing her skills and drawing a crowd at her favorite bar’s open-mic nights, where she performs Klairvoyant Karaoke—singing whatever song comes to mind when she holds people’s personal effects. Now joined by a rag-tag group of bar patrons and pals alike, Leda and Grady set out to catch a killer—and learn how the two cases that haunt them have more in common than they ever suspected.

* Source: NetGalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

A psychic travel agent and a detective teaming up to solve a murder is the pairing I didn't know I needed! I guess it might be weird to say a mystery is adorable but this one was. Along with being suspenseful it was also funny and tender in the right moments.

Leda and Grady meet through unusual circumstances. He hires to arrange his flights but when she reschedules his return flight hoe, he's annoyed. Leda, who's "clairsentient" as she terms it herself, can't exactly explain to him why she's insistent on him skipping this particular flight to wait for the next one. from certain death when she reschedules his flight. It's only when he realizes the certain death she saved him from that he wonders how on earth she did it so he decides to pay her a little visit. After she reveals her little secret - that she's sort of psychic -  Grady has an idea. He wants to hire her to help him solve a murder that's been a thorn in his side. It's an unorthodox approach and he'd probably be ripped for it back at his station if anyone caught wind about it, but he's desperate. He's baffled by certain details of the case and after hitting so many dead ends, Leda's gift could provide a breakthrough. Leda's a whole lot of hesitant about this as she's still learning about her gift but agrees to assist. A little extra cash wouldn't hurt as she tries to get her travel agency business going. It's in the midst of working together that Leda makes the unexpected discovery that Grady may have a connection to her own mystery - the murder of her fiancé a few years back. How the two cases are connected is elusive to her, and as alarming as it is, and as much as she's not sure how trustworthy Grady is, she's sure of at least one thing: that she must see this through and Grady is essential to that.

Though it's a mystery, there's a level of lightheartedness that I enjoyed. Leda is quirky, to say the least. Her best friend, Niki sometimes has to push her. Mind you, I tend to be quite judgmental about best friend characters in stories because I feel that a lot of the times they're written to be so over the top that  they overshadow the main character. In Niki's case, she has that tendency that but I never thought she overwhelmed Leda when they were in scenes together. Leda has a unique way to hone her gift. Her clairvoyant karaoke schtick might seem gimmicky but she's somehow able to tap into people's emotions and convey messages through song. She may not understand why a particular song comes to her but she's willing to be the conduit. Those were sweet moments with the added touch that I also found new meaning in certain songs. 

A good mystery can be so satisfying. Grave Reservations is witty and enjoyable and I especially love when unlikely partnerships occur. Leda's innocent nature and big, soft heart strike a nice counterbalance to Grady's many years of detective work that's probably made him a little tired and jaded. I appreciated that he never condescended to her. He might've been a bit exasperated by her and Niki's goofiness and tendency to not listen very well at times, but he always treated her respectfully. Knowing firsthand that Leda's the real deal probably helps, too. I liked this curious, engaging mystery and definitely recommend Grave Reservations. I also wouldn't mind another one featuring Leda and Grady. It'd be fun to see how her gift continues to grow.

~ Bel

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

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This is a poignant comedy about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers slowly begin opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the tension mounts and even deeper secrets are slowly revealed. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.

Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Fredrik Backman has this remarkable ability to conjure up stories about every day people and present them in such unique ways. In Anxious People, he takes a bank robber who wishes to steal a specific amount of money but when the robbery itself goes awry, the robber runs and winds up at an apartment viewing that seems to have attracted the strangest people ever. Each person, including the bank robber gets to express their story where Backman delves into their background, showing us how they got to be where they are. It's through masterful storytelling that he puts in to perspective human behaviours. With this random group of socially-awkward individuals and by the author's description, idiots, the greater the insight.

One character in particular, Zara, stands out to me. She comes off to me as a cross between two of Backman's most beloved characters - Ove and Britt-Marie - but definitely way more prickly and blunt to the point of rudeness. I was so frustrated with her yet compelled to know more about her. Her sessions with her psychiatrist are so trying that they border on comical because Zara is who she is and even at her worst, she has the most remarkable observations about life. 

Anxious People requires a bit more concentration because there are so many characters and POVs, and the chapters tend to jump around so much. I usually have a harder go at reading stories set up like that but it's Backman, and I know he always has something good in store. The payoff is worth it when connections start making sense. This novel is a testament to his craft as he develops mini stories within a grander story and eventually has all the pieces mean something and fit together. The reader wonders what obsucre events have to do with anything but it all becomes clear at the end. Backman also includes a slight twist that deserves a tip of the hat.

Anxious People will have you run the gamut of emotions from anxiety to grief to forgiveness. As with some of his previous works there is mention of suicide. Yet the tone is balanced against all of the quirky details and tangents throughout the story. (Oh, just you wait until the rabbit comes into it!) Backman is simply incredible and he's gifted us with another impactful novel. All these characters feel real and I know they've resonated with readers who feel that there's a bit of them in here. As for me, I was charmed by everyone in the end, none more so than Zara.

~ Bel

Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker

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Life is a mixed bag for Piper Calloway.

On the one hand, she’s a twenty-nine-year-old VP at her dad’s multibillion-dollar real estate development firm, and living the high single life with her two best friends in a swanky downtown penthouse. On the other hand, she’s considered a pair of sexy legs in a male-dominated world and constantly has to prove her worth. Plus, she’s stuck seeing her narcissistic ex-fiancé—a fellow VP—on the other side of her glass office wall every day.

Things get exponentially more complicated for Piper when she runs into Kyle Miller—the handsome new security guard at Calloway Group Industries, and coincidentally the first love of her life.

The guy she hasn’t seen or heard from since they were summer camp counsellors together. The guy from the wrong side of the tracks. The guy who apparently doesn’t even remember her name.

Piper may be a high-powered businesswoman now, but she soon realizes that her schoolgirl crush is not only alive but stronger than ever, and crippling her concentration. What’s more, despite Kyle’s distant attitude, she’s convinced their reunion isn’t at all coincidental, and that his feelings for her still run deep. And she’s determined to make him admit to them, no matter the consequences. 

Source: advance galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Say You Still Love Me is an irresistible read that's told through Piper's POV - her 16 year-old self and her current adult self. I genuinely like the format for this story because one, it shows any differences between younger Piper and the older version, and two, I like to see not only what the parallels are between the two time lines but how they eventually converge.

Piper is a hardworking and enterprising woman who's being groomed to take over her father's real estate development company once he retires. Her father has high expectations of her and she plans to prove that she can lead the company and its people. She's completely blindsided by Kyle showing up out of he blue after disappearing from her life all those years ago. They had met as counselors at summer camp where their attraction was instant. He was her first love which made it hurt even worse when he cut off all contact with her after that summer was over. Seeing him ushers back a rush of feelings. She still loves him and never stopped loving him, that she is certain of. Despite his cool demeanor toward her she's determined that they will finally resolve their unfinished business because she deserves answers and she'll get them.

I'd say that this was a slow buildup as the answers she's seeking lie in the past which is rehashed in increments. Tucker captures beautifully the wide-eyed and innocent crush that Piper felt for Kyle back then. I could feel her excitement at crushing on the seemingly bad boy and knowing that he's also checking her out. She also explores that tricky age of developing friendships and wanting to fit into a group as evidenced as here when she meets two other young counselors who will eventually become her best friends in the future. It's interesting to see how those bonds started - because it wasn't easy - and evolved into what they have today. In the present, they allude to an incident that occurred during that summer but the reveal doesn't come until almost the end of the novel. It's shocking in both the past and present. 

I liked this second-chance romance that also puts a significant focus on Piper's career and the various hurdles she faces. One of them being a misogynistic long-term employee who seeks to undermine her any chance he gets. We get to see how Piper problem solves and navigates her way through the office politics. The other problem is her ex-fiancé who holds out hope for a reconciliation. He starts off a bit of a douchebag but does become slightly palatable in the pages ahead. Much later ahead. The standoff she faces with the one troubling employee is part of the subplot that brings Piper and Kyle working together. It's not exactly a mystery but there is some sleuthing involved. 

K.A. Tucker is a good storyteller of first loves, heartbreaks and atonement. She's excellent at capturing the initial spark that sets off everything and taking you on that journey from the teenager years through adulthood. Say You Still Love Me is a splendid journey! 

~ Bel

Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein

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Eliza Roth and her sister Sophie co-own a jewelry shop in Brooklyn. One night, after learning of an ex’s engagement, Eliza accidentally posts a photo of herself wearing a diamond ring on that finger to her Instagram account beloved by 100,000 followers. Sales skyrocket, press rolls in, and Eliza learns that her personal life is good for business. So she has a choice: continue the ruse or clear up the misunderstanding. With mounting financial pressure, Eliza sets off to find a fake fiancé.

Fellow entrepreneur Blake seems like the perfect match on paper. And in real life he shows promise, too. He would be perfect, if only Eliza didn’t feel also drawn to someone else. But Blake doesn’t know Eliza is “engaged”; Sophie asks Eliza for an impossible sum of money; and Eliza’s lies start to spiral out of control. She can either stay engaged online or fall in love in real life. 

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review

* * * This review has spoilers * * *

When I saw the cover and blurb for Love at First Like I immediately snapped it up because it sounded cute and I was hoping for a rom-com-like, full of shenanigans and bloopers kind of story. It seemed to start off that way but wound up being something different. 

In this age of everyone living their best life on social media with the aim of selling a perfect image, I totally get why Eliza would be tempted to take advantage of everyone's misunderstanding of her unintended post on Instagram. It looked like she was publicly declaring her engagement and it's big news when the co-owner of one of the city's finest jewelers is getting married and showing off a larger-than-life sparkling ring. At first, Eliza is mortified by her blunder but then her practical side kicks in. She sees the advantage in letting people draw that conclusion because it's good for business. That one post alone has already brought in major sales, and for a small business that's amazing. She feels the pressure for their success and wants to guarantee a steady income to ensure everyone's livelihood, including that of her business partner/sister, Sophie. So if people believe she's engaged, she'll go ahead and make that happen, and there begins my uneasiness with the plot.

Eliza stops at no end to find a suitor or to secure more tie-ins to her "wedding". She doesn't even officially have a fake fiancé yet but she's already accepting free bridal wear or a reception venue in exchange for free promotion. The confounding part is that no one in her close circle of friends or even her sister tells Eliza that what she'd doing is dishonest. Sophie, who initially had misgivings about Eliza's plan, adds more pressure on her because she and her partner desperately need money for IVF treatments. Eliza can't say no or better yet, put it to Sophie straight about their company's finances. Instead, she continues to string along Blake, the prospective groom, all the while convincing herself that they'll fall in love for real after he pops the question and they get married. As she's maneuvering for that, she's falling for another guy, Raj who knows what she's up to but doesn't have a problem with it. He seems to think it's amusing. 

I just couldn't. I was waiting for that defining moment when Eliza would come clean and then work backward to fix everything, as painful as that would be. I also wanted to see Eliza have an honest talk with her sister about the state of things and how they're taking a toll on her. I know it's a tall order but it felt like everyone purposely glossed over reality and it got out of control. I can place the exact moment when Eliza and the story lost me: after she had told Blake the truth and they broke off their engagement, she asks to meet him with the idea to convince him to marry her regardless because of the cross-promotional commitments she'd made. She even had the gall to say to him that since she'd apologized to him already, and that if he indeed had loved her, he'd forgive her and help her. Wait. What?  His feelings were beside the point here, apparently. She continued to manipulate him and everyone around her to continue the lie on her behalf. 

Had Eliza's character arc shifted toward growth and more importantly, remorse, I think I would've felt differently. However, the manipulation, lies and exploitation were too much for me to digest. The only character to show their moral compass was Blake who refused to participate in the charade once he was made aware of it. I so wanted to enjoy this book but instead found the direction of the story and its ending unsettling.  

~ Bel

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

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The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true.

People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.

Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world. 


Source: advance e-galley provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review


Beartown takes a look at the dynamics of a small town and its residents who live in the woods. The town's entire culture and psyche is centered on that of the junior hockey team. Their identities along with their goals, their economics, their purpose in life are tied up in it. Think Friday Night Lights but more intense. Backman introduces us to several people  - adults and teenagers - who are directly or indirectly involved with the hockey team and shows us how their lives are impacted by it. It takes a few pages to meet all of them but as soon as he's set that up he's the director having the camera slowly pan out, giving us a wider scope of the town. The result is that we see what hockey means to these individuals, what they've done for it, sacrificed for it and ultimately created because of it. Beartown is another testament to Backman's amazing ability to write about people's flaws and strengths, bringing their humanity to the forefront. What he's done here is show us that sometimes that thing that unites a community can also be something that pits one against the other. In this case, it's a sports culture that makes celebrities out of those who aren't ready, and how bringing them to cult-like status can create heroes and villains.

The beauty of Beartown is that we get to be inside the minds of all the characters and see how they affect one another. It's such a lovely advantage as a reader to be able to have that within reach but it's also an imposing thing as the story takes on a dark turn. You're an eyewitness to these events as the chips fall into place, coming to a climax that you're anxiously awaiting. Backman lays it out perfectly, weaving together their histories and keeping you guessing as to what's next. All the while, these characters feel real and their struggles or insecurities are relatable. You can recognize those things in them which makes this story an interesting study in human psychology and relationships.  

I'm not going to delve into plot specifics because the effect won't be as impressive if you're not watching it unfold yourself. The first page did startled me. It had me wondering as I continued when Backman would bring me back to that very moment on that first page. The anticipation gave me a rush! Because there are so many characters, there are a several storylines and for the most part they do intersect. By the way, there are some triggers but in order to avoid spoilers I've included them in the labels so please refer to them if you'd prefer to know ahead of time. 

I've wanted to read Beartown for months ever since I saw it was out in Backman's native Sweden. Sadly or rather inconveniently, I don't speak Swedish so I've had to wait patiently for it to be released in the US. As I've come to expect it's another outstanding novel from a master storyteller. The surprise though was the type of story this was and how serious it became. But it's the various twists and revelations that make Beartown a must-read now and a must-have addition to your bookshelf!

~ Bel